She rolls her eyes. “It only works for a few minutes, but it’ll be long enough if you hurry that everyone will hear the details, which could lead to more theories. I’ll be fine.”
Charlie rubs his hands together like this is the one thing he’s been waiting for and without another prompt, he practically leaps across the table, merging his spirit with Corinne’s like something out of a nineties movie.
“Hurry,” Nick encourages. “She said it won’t last long.”
“Did you have anything to do with my accident? Or Jackson Moore’s?”
“Nah. That wasn’t me. Dad made sure I had a ride home after Billy’s accident to prevent another.” He grunts. “I’m not sure what happened to you, but I know he was likely involved in Jackson’s.”
“How do you know that?” Nick asks.
“He was there the night I told Jenna. He’s the only other person who knew.” He chuckles darkly, and it sounds deranged coming from Corinne’s mouth. “My old man was livid. Threatened to kill me if it got out and his career was sunk. He didn’t even give a shit about the possibility of prison.”
“You think he could’ve had something to do with Jackson’s death?” Nina asks, voice pitching. “As in... he murdered someone in cold blood?”
Corinne’s one shoulder shrugs. “Wouldn’t put it past him to take out Jenna and Jackson since they knew. Anything to ensure hisreputation remained intact. I’m pretty sure he tried to take out Jenna, but it went south.” He laughs bitterly. “Not that he’d get his hands dirty. He’d have his two stooges do it.”
“It went south... how? What do you know about that?” I press, needing to hurry this up.
He shakes his head. “Not much, and I can’t provide you any solid evidence. I just overheard a conversation a couple years back. About a month after the accident, he was reaming out one of his goons for missing his chance. Andy was blubbing about following the wrong Volvo. Jenna drove a Volvo, so I assumed they were after her. I did my best to shield her after that.”
Nick’s head snaps to Corinne. “What did you just say?”
She purses her lips but repeats the last part.
“Fuck,” Nick says under his breath. “That’s how you’re connected.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask, looking back and forth between Corinne and Nick.
“Billy’s accident was August 17, 2021. Your accident was September 23, 2021. A little over a month apart.”
“Okay?” I draw out, not seeing the parallel.
“He said his dad might have attempted to take out Jenna a month after the accident, which lines up with yours. Jenna drives a Volvo and you...”
The color leaches from Nina’s face, and my stomach tumbles down to the depths of my body. “Drive a Volvo.” The words come out as a whisper as I digest what he’s suggesting.
“Holy shit,” Lanie spits. “Richard was behind your accident.”
Wheel of Fortune
NINA MOANS, SLUMPINGforward onto the table but never breaking the circle. “This can’t be happening.”
I’m numb from head to toe, barely noticing the way everyone around the table is staring at me in various expressions of sadness and concern. My hands shake, and Nick squeezes the one he holds in support. Still, my teeth chatter and bile rises up the back of my throat.
Garrett is dead because my car coincidentally is the same as the intended target. It was wrong place, wrong time.
A sob rips through me and I try to lift my hands to my mouth. Nina and Nick hold my hands in place, ensuring the circle isn’t broken.
“You have to finish questioning him, Alyssa.” My head turns toward my best friend, and I see nothing but pain and sorrow. She mouths the wordsI’m sorry, and I want to fall apart.
For Garrett. For me. For Nina.
We’re all victims of Richard Dunbar’s actions and he will pay.
The time will come for me to process, but she’s right, I need to finish this.
“Who were your dad’s men?” I ask Corinne, while Lanie coos words of encouragement to Nina.
