AllFreeNovel
Share Us
* * *
“Sorry, I hope you don’t mind that I picked you out to help,” Tracie said to Waverley as she pulled ingredients for the drinks from the fridge. “But you were looking a little pale, and I thought you might want to touch up your face”—she motioned to the area that was still aching—“since it’s looking kind of…” She scrunched her own face up in distaste.
“How thoughtful. Only I didn’t bring any makeup with me to touch it up.”
“I have some in the bathroom you can use. You know, in case you want to look your best for your new boyfriend.”
She said “boyfriend” in such a way that made Waverley feel like she was being mocked. Immediately her radar went up. “I’m not worried about it. But thanks.”
“Would you mind squeezing these for me?” Tracie asked, pushing some limes toward her before continuing. “I’m still in shock about what happened last night. Between you and Spencer. I mean, for him to hit you like that? You two must have really gotten into it. What were you talking about?”
She shrugged. “Nothing groundbreaking. He just wanted to know about RJ, why I was with him. That sort of thing.”
Tracie nodded, keeping an eye on her in between the shots she poured into the blender. “Did he say anything more about RJ? Was that what you two were arguing about?”
“We weren’t arguing as much as him running off his mouth.”
“And you didn’t talk about anything else? Like why he was here in the Keys?”
Why did Tracie care so much about what they talked about?
“I tried, but we didn’t really get a chance to delve into that before things went kind of sideways.” Waverley finished squeezing the last lime and reached for a towel to wipe off her hands. “Why do you think he was here?”
“Oh, I couldn’t begin to guess what might motivate Spencer. Maybe he just wanted to see the people he cares most about. Make sure they’re okay.”
“Cares about?” Waverley scoffed. “The only person Spencer has ever cared about is himself.”
There was a flash of something that looked like anger that crossed Tracie’s face. “You don’t really know him at all. Just because you weren’t enough for him doesn’t mean that he didn’t care about other people.”
“Oh? Like who?”
“I don’t know. Sorry, I didn’t sleep last night,” she said and grabbed some ice and added it to the blender. “I’m sure he cared about you deeply.” Waverley wouldn’t have believed the woman’s sincerity even if she had sounded genuine—which she had not.
“Come on, Tracie. I think we can drop the act. You and I were never really friends, so if there’s something you want to say, then say it. It’s not going to hurt our relationship any more than nearly ten years of animosity already has. So enough of the veiled comments about my relationship with Spencer or even RJ, for that matter. Say what you’re dying to say.”
Tracie placed both hands on the counter and squared off. “Fine. I’m happy to cut the bull if you stop lying about who RJ is and pretending he’s your boyfriend. I think we both know he’s not.”
Waverley assessed Tracie with new eyes. She obviously knew that Waverley and Reynolds were faking their relationship, and the only way that was possible was if she’d heard it from someone who know who Reynolds really was. Someone like Spencer.
“What would make you think that RJ and I aren’t a couple?” she asked accusingly.
Tracie smiled smugly but didn’t say anything.
It was enough to convince Waverley that Tracie was the connection that they’d missed. “It’s you. You’re the person that Spencer came here to meet.”
“So? Spencer and I have a history. We’ve known each other as long as you two. Why shouldn’t he reach out to me?”
“Did he reach out to all of you then? To Ronnie and Bry, too?”
She laughed. “Hardly. They probably would have felt obligated to call the police, if only to protect themselves from looking like they had any involvement. Spencer knew he could only trust me.”
“Then what was Ronnie doing out at the boat launch the other night?”
She paused, her face confused for a moment, then shrugged. “Maybe just getting some space. You’ll have to ask him.”
Hmm. Tracie really didn’t seem to have a clue Ronnie had been there. “What about last night then? When Ronnie went off and led RJ away? That couldn’t have been a coincidence.”
“It wasn’t. I asked Ronnie to run back to the first bar we’d been to to find my sunglasses that I had dropped on the floor. Now really, Waverley? I thought we were going to be honest. Can’t you just admit his name is Reynolds? Reynolds Cavanaugh? The same guy who was spying on Spencer last year and who probably was responsible for tipping off the feds to his activity. It surprises me that with what he cost you, you’d place your trust in him still, when all he really has ever wanted was to take Spencer down from the beginning. You’re simply a pawn.”
