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“You’re saying you were the one driving that night?” I questioned just to make sure I heard him right.
“Yep,” he answered. “You’re terrible with alcohol. If it was you behind the wheel then we would probably all be dead right now. No one has to know, right? Besides, the law is pretty lenient on women … You just need to plead with those eyes and maybe our victim’s brother might even consider letting you go. I hear he lives somewhere in this town, and I plan to pay him a visit too.”
“No,” I objected then shook my head. “No, you can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“You already offered him money. Showing up at his house to threaten him will only make this worse and it won’t make it go away.”
He shrugged, then clapped his hands. “Well, you know what will make it go away?” When I didn’t answer, he continued. “You showing up in court.”
Trevor backed away from me after that and I was still stunned when he hesitated, then walked out. Once the door closed behind him, my knees gave way, and I sank to the ground.
I should feel relieved that he had confessed that I had done nothing wrong, but the weight on my chest had doubled and it felt like I wouldn’t recover from it.
Tommy came out of the kitchen then and he gently helped me get back up on my feet then walked with me to the kitchen. He brought me a glass of water and waited until I had gulped it down before taking the glass.
“What do I do now? How do I make this go away?”
I rubbed my forehead, then massaged the back of my neck. “How do I make this go away? Trevor admitted to it but there’s nothing I can do with …”
“There is something you can do,” he said to me, and I lifted my gaze to his and then waited for him to say more. “We need to find the victim’s brother. I have a feeling he’s connected to the hit-and-run case in Nashville and also to your accident here with the truck.”
“Why? What makes you think so?”
“Because last night, my contact with the police department got me the name of the previous owner of the truck that tried to hit you. His name was Mario Delgado, and he had two sons one of whom is currently in a coma in a Nashville hospital. I’m not sure yet, but I think this is the same family involved in your court case, Leah.”
Tommy
Iwaitedinthecottage for Danielle that evening because I wanted to talk to her. Apologizing would not fix the damage in our relationship. We will have to work out something that will benefit us both. A world of guilt was released for me, even though it had taken me all this time to admit it. I need to contact her mother.
Danielle was young when I split with her mother and I should have told her then instead of trying to shelter her from the truth, I shut her out and I shut out the world. Leah made my heart feel warmth again, and I couldn’t move forward with Leah if I didn’t make things right with Danielle first.
Leah and Danielle had gone out and I didn’t mind waiting until they got back. I wasn’t driving into Dallas for work today anyway. I was on the porch when they got back, and I rose to my feet once they walked toward the cottage, and Leah went inside.
“Danielle ...”
“Not now, Dad,” she said in her usual monotone voice and was about to walk into the house when I followed.
“I have two tickets to a movie. I remember you always wanted to go to the cinema, but I was always too busy to take you, so I made you go with Leah and her mother instead.”
She stopped at the door, glanced over her shoulder at me, then sighed. “Isn’t it a little too late for that, Dad?”
“It is,” I admitted. “But I want to change the way things have been between us. You might be leaving to go away on a music tour soon and I don’t think I can stay longer than a year without hearing from you. We haven’t talked much in the past years, and I want to know you again, Danielle.”
“Why?” she faced me fully now and brushed the strands of hair falling to the sides of her face away. “Why? Why now?”
Because I feel love again? Because I know I was wrong, and I shouldn’t have let the silence between us fester? Because you’re my little girl?”
I wanted to say these words to her, but knowing Danielle, she would probably ice me out again, so I cleared my throat and said, “Because I want new beginnings, Danny, and I think it’ll be good for both of us.”
She stared at me hard, and at the tickets, then she snatched them from my hand and went into the house.
Feeling deserted, I let out a sigh and stuck my hands in my pocket before walking away. When I got to my car, the cottage door opened and she came out again, but this time she was wearing a coat.
“This movie better be good,” she said as she walked toward me and got into the car on the passenger’s side.
I chuckled, then got in and started the car. That night, we had the most fun we have had in years. We both enjoyed the movie, then drinks and dinner at a roadside diner that served the best sushi.
