Page 27 of Tell Me Your Lies

“Hey.” Lucas touches my shoulder. “You’re trembling. Is it me? Have I frightened you? I do that to some people. I didn’t mean to, Alani.”

I look at the concern on his face and shake my head. “There’s something you need to know about me, before you go sticking your neck out.”

“I know you’re smart, honest and you don’t take shit from anyone.” Lucas shakes his head. “Some people might find that challenging but I kinda like it. I’m a drunk and a drug addict. There are things I’ve done in my past I wouldn’t repeat to anyone. Maybe that’s why we get along. We don’t give a shit about the past and live each day at a time.”

I swallow hard but if he’s planning on helping me, I owe him the truth. “I discovered the name of my father. He is a psychopathic killer doing time in prison. The problem is he’ll be out soon. His sentence was twenty-five years for an attempted murder and rape. With good behavior, he gets out this year. He was on trial for murdering a long list of women but it was all circumstantial evidence. Since then he’s admitted killing them but can’t be retried due to double jeopardy.” I stare at him but his face doesn’t show any emotion whatsoever. “I have a brother, Damon. He found me after I visited my father in prison and told me he’s just like him and I am too.” I’m shaking so hard I can hardly speak. “The blood and the knife. The blackout. How do I know I’m not a psychopath too? There’s every chance I’ve murdered someone, Lucas. You can’t risk everything you’ve worked for to protect me.”

“I refuse to believe you’re capable of murder.” Lucas takes my hands and pulls me to my feet. “It’s not been long but I know you, Alani.”

I stare into his eyes. “Do you? Do you really know me?” I shake my head. “Will you sing me the song, the one you wrote with Linc when I was there? You were singing it last night—‘Blood on the Tide.’”

“Okay but what—? Oh, never mind. The lady wants a song.” Lucas takes a guitar case down from the wall, and pulls out his acoustic guitar. He sits on the bed and sings.

“She lay on the deck, in a crimson cloud,

No one had seen her, the night wore a shroud.

Whispers of vengeance still hang in the air,

The blade cut deep—no mercy, no prayer.

Her screams went unnoticed, the truth left to rot,

A promise broken, a crime never forgot.

Steel kissed her neck, and took our fame,

Now ghosts of the guilty will carry her name.

Blood on the tide, the silence won’t break,

Secrets are held by the choices we make.

Screams in the dark, the truth is a lie,

I know for a fact, it’s an eye for an eye.”

He glances at me as the last lyrics leave his lips and realization dawns on him. I look at him and spread my hands wide. “Now do you understand? A murder happened after ‘Black Valentine’ was recorded. I wondered at first if it was a publicity stunt but thought—no Linc wouldn’t stoop that low. I trusted you all but now this has happened.” I feel tears prick the backs of my eyes. Is Lucas in on it? Is all this an act to make me believe he cares? A lump forms in my throat making it hard to speak. “Have I been set up for murder—or am I the same as my father?”

“No, you’re not like him.” Lucas shakes his head. “Why would we set you up? It makes no sense at all.” His troubled eyes move over my face. “I’d never do anything like that. I don’t need money or success. Something like that would ruin us, not make us more popular.” He puts his guitar back into the case. “I was just trying to help you, Alani, and who else knows? It’s our secret.”

I nod slowly. “I really want to believe that, Lucas, but if someone died last night, and I didn’t kill them, then why was I set up for the murder? Do they believe I’ve discovered a secret that will ruin the family so they need to silence me?”

“I don’t know, but if they wanted to silence you, it would have been easy enough when you were drugged.” Lucas frowns. “They could have tossed you overboard after everyone passed out.”

Ice cold trickles down my spine like a snowflake hitting warm flesh. Everyone but you. “It might be better to have me locked away in prison because I know who set me up.” I search his face. “It’s whoever on this yacht, apart from me, who knows my mother is the ‘Black Valentine’ murder victim.”

“She was what? Oh, shit. I knew she was a relative but not your mom.” Lucas runs a hand down his face. “Everyone still believes my dad killed Rachel. If someone else found you, and knew about Rachel being your mom, they’d believe you were out for revenge, like in the song, ‘an eye for an eye.’”

I nod. “Exactly.” I swallow hard. “Have you noticed how quiet it is? Shouldn’t at least Oliver be up by now? Where is everyone? I’m scared, Lucas. Something real bad has happened.”

“If this is real—” The color drains from his face. “—which one of my family has been murdered?”

THIRTY-SEVEN

Isabelle

Incessant banging on my cabin door thumps through my brain. I stretch my hand across the cool sheets to find the bed empty. “Linc? Someone’s knocking on the door.”