Page 2 of Wicked Titan

“His car went over Devil’s Summit.”

Devil’s Summit? She can’t be talking about my dad. That’s hours away from here.

There must be a mistake. It wasn’t him. This is just a nightmare I’ll wake up from any moment. My dad would never leave me. He’s the only person in the world that I have. He can’t be gone, right? The words seep into my mind, an unseen force tightens around my chest, squeezing the air from my lungs as blackness overcomes me. No one could survive the drop off Devil’s Summit.

2

My eyes fall from the two detectives sitting across the dining room table. I rub my fingers over the smooth wood of the table. It’s not even my table. I’m at Haley’s house since her mom insisted that I stay with them. I didn’t even try to refuse. Going to my empty house seemed unbearable. How will I ever be able to go back into that house without my dad? Words from the people surrounding me buzz in my ears, but nothing registers. Nothing has made sense since I found out it wasn’t a bad dream.

My dad is dead.

I don’t realize the voices around me have gone silent until my name strikes home. One of the detectives clears his throat as I try to recall the face of the officer at my house last night. The only thing I remember is the look in her eyes and feeling pain before her words brought my world crashing down.

“I don’t understand.”

“I’m sorry. I know you are overwhelmed and have a lot you are dealing with right now, but we need to ask you a few questions about your dad,” Detective Taylor says with remorse in his voice, though I look over at his partner, Detective Davis, who has a sneer on his face. Detective Taylor is definitely the good cop, and Davis has the bad cop act down pat.

I solemnly nod. There’s nothing I can give them because it doesn’t make sense to me. None of it.

“Did your dad mention where he was headed last night?” Taylor asks, to which I shake my head.

His hand rubs across his face as I brace myself of what’s coming next because it’s not going to be good.

“Quinn, none of this is going to be easy to hear, but I need to explain so we can get to the bottom of everything. Did your dad seem to be under extra stress lately? Maybe with finances or work?”

I shake my head as he pauses, waiting for me to say something before continuing.

“It appears your dad came into money trouble within the last year. A large sum of money was stolen from his company, and they have reason to believe your dad was responsible.”

“That doesn’t make sense. My dad doesn’t have money problems. He’s good with finances and always has been.”

Detective Davis leans forward, his movements intense and exasperated. “We suspect someone tipped your dad off that he was going to be arrested today.”

“No.” My eyes squeeze shut as I erratically shake my head. “No, that’s not possible. My dad wouldn’t steal from anyone.”

“The evidence says otherwise, and all our leads indicate he was fleeing town at the time of his death or might have intentionally drove off Devil’s Summit.”

“He wouldn’t leave me.” The words come out barely above a whisper as I ask myself the same questions that’s been going through my head the last few days. Why was my dad out on that highway, hours away? He never traveled without at least giving me a heads up that he would be away. So why hadn’t he mentioned he was leaving town last night?

Detective Taylor gives Davis an unapproving look before turning his concern to me. “People do things out of character when they are desperate, and it appears that was the case, here. Your dad was about to lose everything—his home, his job, his freedom, and maybe even his daughter.”

“You’re lying.” My nails dig into the palm of my hand as I refuse to accept his words. I know my dad, and that is not the man who raised me. “You said yourself he wasn’t found inside his car. Maybe … he didn’t go over the cliff. Or maybe he managed to escape the car. He’s a climber—one of the best. He could scale that mountain without thinking twice.”

“He didn’t make it out of the car alive.” Detective Dick chimes in as I try to hold on to a shred of hope.

Detective Taylor speaks softly as he tells me more information I don’t want to know. “The car was found on the riverbank. There’s a sufficient amount of damage, and blood inside the vehicle indicates your dad was ejected, possibly swept away by the current.”

I press my hands over my ears. I don’t want to hear any more, which is evident to Detective Taylor who finally stops citing evidence that contradicts my wishful thinking that Dad is alive.

Detective Taylor remains silent as I remove my hands, pressing them on the table before he continues. “We’ve already been in contact with your mom since she’s your next of kin.”

Jumping out of the chair, it hurls back as I lean over the table. “I don’t have a mom. I’m going home so you can inform her you made a mistake when she arrives.” My heart hammers against my chest as I glare at Detective Taylor, the detective I thought was a decent guy. No decent person would drag that woman back into anyone’s life.

Detective Taylor calmly looks me in the eye as he tells me the second-worst news of my life. “Quinn, you can’t go home.”

3

Two weeks later