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I’m studying at your library today. Can’t sit here all day by myself.
Piper
Come over. I’m bored already. Just started my shift.
As I sat in the library office with Piper, I tried to avoid discussing my relationship. It had become a favorite pastime to discuss every possibility of what went wrong with her over the winter.
“What you need is a good distraction. Maybe we should go to a campus party or something. Meet some cute boys without a prior record.” Piper’s pink lips tightened into a straight line.
“Hey!”
“Sorry. Just sayin’.” She shrugged while placing a book back on its shelf, then lead me into the office. I knew she was only trying to get me over Eli so I wouldn’t hurt so much.
“Ugh!” She made a dramatic dry heaving sound while looking at her phone, plopping into her office chair dramatically.
Eyes widening, I asked her, “What?”
“I’m sure you don’t want to hear this, but my dad’s been asking about you. It’s so gross.” Piper stuck out her tongue and reached across her desk to show me a text message from her father asking if I was coming with her to dinner next week. My upper lip curled with disgust.
A giggle bubbled up from my belly as I replied, “Your dad’s cute, Piper, but not my type.”
Settling back in her seat, Piper busied herself with her computer. “Hey, what was your dad like? Did Eli tell you any more about him?”
“Not really, but I never really asked, either. I don’t know much other than he was a drug dealer. I don’t even know how he died.”
Piper turned the monitor around so we could both see. “Let’s find out. I’m sure there are public records.” Typing away on her search of the internet, Piper froze, then quickly swung the screen back to herself.
“Hey, I wanna see!” Standing, I walked around to her side.
Blinking heavily, she said quietly, “Ess, it says he was murdered. Seven years ago.”
Gasping, I leaned over the desk for a closer look, blocking her view.
Snapping her finger toward the corner, she said, “Just… pull up that chair and get over here.”
We spent the next several minutes reading a few news articles about his murder. Most were blurbs about his death without many details listed. We found another on page two of the search engine with more information. There were a few pictures from the crime scene and some evidence collected by the police.
“Oh my god. Piper. Stop scrolling.” My entire body went still as my breath caught in my throat.
There was a picture of a necklace, apparently found in the victim’s hand. It was identical to mine… Just like Eli’s tattoo.
“Hey! Isn’t that…” Piper turned to me, looking at the jewelry hanging from my neck.
Scurrying to the corner, I made it to the trash can before I vomited. Feeling like I’d never stop, I slumped to the floor and cradled my head between my hands. My thoughts raced as my head throbbed with shock.
Piper ran over to me, gathering my hair in a ponytail to hold it out of my face. “I’ll get you some water and paper towels. Be right back.”
Certainly, Eli knew more than he had let on. Was Eli there that night? Did he have something to do with his death? How did my father get ahold of Eli’s necklace? Had I been sleeping with my father’s murderer?
When Piper came back into the room, I downed the water and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand before jumping up. Calm resolve replaced the drumming of my heart. The fears of being alone, of losing my boyfriend, were just expelled into the trash can, replaced by some level of bubbling rage. I needed the truth and there was only one person I could get it from. It was time for me to demand some answers.
“I need to go.”
Piper snatched her coat from the rack and started to put it on. “Want me to come with you?”
“Piper, no. You have to work. Stay here. I’ve got this.”
Pushing my old car as fast as it would go, I drove straight to Rhodes’s house, then sprinted down the side yard to the basement apartment. As I stood outside the door, I watched Eli lying comfortably on his couch, watching TV, one hand tucked in the top of the waistband of his sweatpants. He had told me he was busy. It seemed as if he had lied about a lot of things. My jaw shifted as I steadied myself for a fight.
