Page 94 of Make No Mistake

“I was the nice guy, wasn’t I?”

I nodded but his tone was making me nervous.

“But that wasn’t ever enough.”

“Enough for what?”

His eyes shot to mine. “Everyone.”

“Lennon, what do you mean? Everyone in the newspaper loves you.”

He shook his head and dropped his eyes to the ground. “No.”

I wanted to argue, but he began speaking again.

“No. Every girl turned me down. Every single one.”

This was about a girl? Which one of the victims had he dated?

“What do you mean?”

He began pacing around me again, so I slowly turned with him so my back never faced him.

“I read all the books and articles. I followed the instructions, but they always said no.”

“No to what?”

“To me!” His eyes met mine again. “They never wanted me. I gave them flowers, I sent them nice messages. I did everything right!”

He was talking about asking them out? These girls had turned him down so he attacked them? He’d completely lost his mind.

“Lennon. The girls. Did you ask them out?”

“Yes, and every one of them turned me down.”

This didn’t make sense. Who would lose their mind like this and go after someone for passing on a date?

“So, they said no, and you decided to attack them?”

He stopped walking and shook his head at the ground. “He said that women need to be taught. They need to know who’s in charge and who they have to respect.”

“Who? Who said that?”

“Dr. T.”

“Who’s Dr. T?”

His eyes met mine, and he looked conflicted. Like maybe he wasn’t supposed to tell me that.

“Who is Dr. T, Lennon?”

His jaw clenched over and over before he finally opened his mouth. “He’s my coach.”

“Coach?” Lennon didn’t play sports. He was more of an indoor guy.

“Dr. T said that women need to be taught respect.”

“By beating them?”