AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He’s drunk,” I state. “I spoke with that Pizza guy.” Words are exchanged between Paige and Evan before they go their separate ways, and climb into their own vehicles. Evan pulls theTesla out onto Beach Drive and disappears, followed shortly by Paige in the Bronco.
Zaden’s eyes meet mine. “Evan did leave.”
“Yeah,” Ryan says, closing the video and pulling up another one. “Which is interesting. Check this out.” He plays the next video, where a Black Tahoe pulls into the employee lot. Evan steps out, slamming the door before falling back against it, fisting his hands in his hair. There’s movement further up in the frame as several of the remaining servers walk out onto the deck to smoke. Evan takes notice, and steps away from the Tahoe, straightening his shirt before striding into the kitchen. My eyes narrow.
“He’s in a different car and a different shirt,” I comment.
Zaden shakes his head. “Fucking liar,” he growls.
“I knew it,” I whisper, my gaze sliding to Ryan. “You did it, Ryan.”
Ryan chews his bottom lip nervously. “There’s more. I wish there wasn’t, but there is.” He pulls up a third video and plays it. “So, you saw Evan and Paige leave, then Evan returned. But something happened between those clips that I can’t quite explain.” His eyes meet mine. “Paige came back.”
A man walks through the kitchen door toward the dumpsters with a trashcan. He heaves the large can over his shoulder and into the dumpster, then drops it back on the ground before grabbing for another. Before he can dump the next one, the Bronco speeds onto the scene, fishtailing to a halt behind the building. The door opens, and Paige leaps out. She runs to him frantically, pointing down the road. She’s crying, and falls to her knees.
My heart breaks wide open, and I can’t stop the tears thatstream silently down my face. Oh God, Paige. Why did this happen to her? And why wasn’t I there to save her from it? As Zaden’s arms wrap around me, pulling me against his chest, I continue to watch the video, and the man does the same thing for Paige. He reaches down and lifts her off the ground and into his arms, holding her as she sags against him.
“Is there any audio at all?” I question, wishing I could hear what she was saying.
Ryan shakes his head. “No audio on the outdoor cameras.”
Suddenly, they break apart, and both of their heads turn toward Beach Drive. Paige runs back around the Bronco and climbs into the driver’s seat. But she can’t close the door all the way before the man grabs it from her, and climbs in behind her, pushing her to the passenger seat. The door slams, and they take off, spinning gravel under the tires as they peel out onto the road. Seconds later, flashing lights fly down the road after them. Police cars.
My eyes meet Zaden’s. He’s in shock. He leans back, running a hand over his face as he shakes his head in denial.
“NoNoNo. FUCK.” He shoves his chair back and stands from the table, pacing back and forth in the kitchen.
“Zaden, who was he?” I ask, watching him carefully.
He locks eyes with Ryan.
“It was Jax,” Ryan says.
I stand from the table and walk over to Zaden. “Are you sure it couldn’t be anyone else?”
“No. He’s in South Florida, fishing. He always takes off at the end of the summer for a week or two,” Zaden replies, leaning back against the wall. He looks off across the room, his chest heaving, his gaze emptyand distant.
That means Jax drove the Bronco over the bridge. He was driving as they evaded the cops. And when Paige went into the sea, he did too.
“I don’t understand,” I declare softly. “Why would he do that? She was running from the cops. She must have told him that. I saw him look at her clothes. Clothes that I know were covered in Rose’s blood. Detective Phillips showed me the dash cam footage. Why did he get into the car with her?”
“He has feelings for her,” Zaden admits. His attention slides over to me. “But she only wanted Evan.” He pushes away from the wall, and I watch him make several more laps up and down the kitchen before he finally swears and picks his truck keys up from the counter. “Come on, we have to go.”
My eyes narrow. “Go where?”
“Katrina,” he says, his voice breaking as he struggles to maintain his emotions. “I have to tell her that she’s lost both brothers.” He nods at Ryan, and Ryan closes his laptop and zips it back into his backpack. I slide my boots back on, and we both follow Zaden out to the barn and climb silently into the cab of the truck.
With the sun barely peaking over the horizon, Zaden maneuvers us along the dim dirt trails and back onto the highway. He’s going two miles under the speed limit this time, using his turn signals, and coming to full stops. He may be moving toward Katrina’s house and the conversation we’re about to have, but he doesn’t want to be.
I feel guilty. There are four people dead. Rose and the Officer, Paige and Jax. And I can’t help but wonder if Paige had never come here… If she had told me, so I could accompany her… Or if I had only followed her anyway… Maybe all of this would have never happened.
I have no idea how to tell Katrina her brother is gone, and my sister is responsible. Anxiety gnaws away at my insides, my heart pounding, pushing me toward that inevitable panic attack waiting to wrap around my throat the moment I look into her eyes, and she sees me as every bit the murderer as I feel.
Zaden turns down a side street, and I see the sunrise over the ocean at the end of the road. Small homes with well-landscaped lawns line each side of the road, and he slows down in front of a peach house with a shiny tin roof, pulling into the driveway. We all step out of the truck, and walk in a line behind Zaden, along the winding sidewalk of blooming azaleas to the front door. Zaden raises his hand to knock and freezes. He shakes his head, his fist tightening. Reluctantly he knocks, and we wait for agonizing seconds for someone to appear.
Lights brighten the curtains in the front room a moment before the door opens, and Katrina steps outside, looking between the three of us in confusion.
“What’s up, Zae?” Katrina questions, crossing her arms over her chest. Her short blonde hair is disheveled, and she looks like she just woke up. “You just in the neighborhood or something?”
