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He lifted his arm. A gun gleamed in the afternoon sun.
I opened my mouth to yell, but there was no sound.
Faster. Faster.
I ran as hard as I could.
Crack. Crack.
I stumbled when the gunshot popped. Mother slumped then fell to the ground. I froze. Blood. There was so much blood.
All I could look at was Mother’s face. Her eyes were open but didn’t blink.
I wanted to turn away but couldn’t.
She’s okay. She’s okay.
But as I looked at her pale face, I knew it was a lie.
My mother wasn’t alive.
And it was my fault.
When she tells you a time to meet, always be twenty minutes early. Don’t forget.
I didn’t forget. I tried so hard.
But it was all my fault.
She was on the ground because I was late.
My fault. My fault. My fault.
If I’d been twenty minutes early, she’d be alive.
It wasas clear as if I were standing there instead of sitting in Zegas’s office. Blood. And her face, forever frozen in a wide-eyed expression I’d never forget.
After that, I’d gone between two buildings and thrown up. Then I’d run home and vomited again. I should’ve been there for Teague and tried to do something for Mother. But I’d been too horrified.
Zegas narrowed his gaze. He’d just witnessed me go back in time to a fresh hell that had been on repeat most of my life.
“How is this relevant to the situation at hand?” I snapped, desperate to get away from the memories.
“I just always felt it was odd. A well-known and respected woman in the city is gunned down in broad daylight. Nobody saw anything and the story simply disappeared.”
“And you feel now is a good time to satisfy your curiosity?” I asked sharply. It was inappropriate and off-putting. I felt as if I were in an interview for a gossip magazine instead of a meeting with my legal counsel.
He clicked and unclicked his pen. “Were you aware my father was a prosecutor?”
“I’m really not interested in trading family stories.” I’d wasted my time coming here, aside from the fact it had allowed me to avoid facing Lexie.
“Kinda funny, isn’t it? He went after bad guys and I defend them.”
I failed to see the relevance so I sat in silence, hoping he’d get to the point.
“I was in my first year of college when that happened. I may have chosen a different niche than he had, but we were close. It was because of him I chose the law.”
Zegas leaned forward, arms propped on the desk. “He was the prosecutor on your mother’s case. At least he was going to be.” He stared at me. “Until he was told to drop the case.”
