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I stepped back and squared my shoulders. The pep talk helped.
When I got back to the room, the door was closed and Tobias and Candace were arguing in the hallway.
“No. I’m not going to kick him out just because you think he’s guilty. Zelda proved he had nothing to do with it. You don’t condemn a man without evidence.”
“There’s shit-tons of evidence. Just because he wasn’t present during the attack, doesn’t mean he wasn’t involved.”
“What are you saying?” I asked.
Candace turned to me. “What did the detective say?”
“That Aithan has no enemies and he was surprised that I could confirm Tristan’s alibi.”
Tobias said, “But he didn’t say that cleared him of guilt, right?”
“We didn’t discuss that. He’s still working the case.”
He nodded. “Because Tristan’s still a suspect.”
“Suspected of what?” Candace asked, hands on hips and chin jutting.
“Being an accessory to the crime,” her brother replied.
She blinked and stepped back. Obviously, she hadn’t really considered that. “You think he put someone up to this?” Tobias nodded, his jaw set in a firm line. She looked at me. “Zel? Does Tristan know people who would do something like that?”
I bit my lip as I met her gaze. “Yeah. He does.”
“Fuck.” She grabbed her head with both hands, like that knowledge physically hurt. “But would he do that?”
Both of them watched me while I thought hard about it. When we were kids he might have. He was hot-headed, and his friends weren’t above beating the snot out of someone just for shits and giggles. But Tristan had never joined the brawls. He knew all too well what a beating felt like.
I shook my head this time. “No. He left home to escape violence and put distance between those people and himself. I really don’t believe he’d put anyone up to beating Aithan, let alone almost killing him.”
“You sure you know him that well?” Tobias asked.
“I’ve known him my whole life. Since first grade. He didn’t ask anyone to attack Aithan. I’m sure.”
Candace nodded, but Tobias still scowled, his doubt sticking like glue.
I jerked my chin at the door. “Is he asleep?”
“No,” Candace said. “The nurse wanted to do some stuff and asked us to step out for privacy.”
“Probably getting his ass wiped,” Tobias said.
She elbowed him. “Don’t be a dick.”
“Should we wait?” I asked.
“You should, for sure,” she replied. “He asked if you were coming back. I think he wants to grope you some more.”
I gave her my fiercest Disapproving Mother look, the one I learned from my own mom, but she just grinned back at me, mischievous as shit and pleased with herself.
“Motherfucker,” Tobias muttered, looking at his phone.
“Maeve?” Candace guessed.
“Of course. She told Amara about Aithan. Now Little Bit wants to see her uncle.”
