Today's Promises (Promises #2)(50)

He’s trying hard to be reassuring, but I know that’s not it.

“Nah, Jaynie’s not really like that,” I reply.

When we reach Lawrence, I give him directions to the sandwich shop. But when I see our car isn’t parked out in front of the store, I ask Crick to drive around to the back.

“There’s an alley in back where we sometimes park,” I inform him.

“No problem,” he says.

As soon as he hangs a right into the alley, though, I’m mumbling, “Aw, shit. The car’s not back here either.”

“I’m sure she’s okay,” Crick says.

But I’m insistent. “Nah, man, I got a bad, bad feeling.”





Jaynie



When my would-be assailant walks into the barn, I am ready. Hovering just inside the doorway, I grasp the handle of the knife Flynn and I planted. It’s still wrapped in the bloody towel as I raise the blade high above my head, ready to slash.

And I am willing to do more. Whatever I must do in order to survive, I will.

The stranger enters the barn, and I close my eyes.

Lunging forward, I hope and pray I make contact with my target.

But then, suddenly, my arm is grabbed.

My eyes fly open, a scream building… Till I get a good look at the man who has a hold of me.

Wait, what?

“D-D-Detective Silver, what are you doing here?” I blubber, stunned.

He lets go of my arm and the knife clatters to the ground.

With his eyes glued to the glinting metal on the cement floor, the detective shakes his head. “I believe I should be the one asking you that question, Miss Cumberland.”

“Yes.” I suddenly feel very foolish. “I suppose you should.”

Dragging his gaze from the knife to the bloody towel still in my grasp, he inquires, “And what exactly are you doing here all alone in the Lowry barn, with a knife…and a bloody towel?”

“Uh…” I shrug.

Huffing, he continues. “I have to tell you, Jaynie, this doesn’t look good. You up here on the property all alone, holding what looks an awful lot like the evidence your boyfriend claims to have discovered this past weekend.”

Shit, I am so busted.

And I have no adequate response.

What would I be doing up here all by myself? After all, I hate this place and the detective knows it. Oh, and then there’s the inconvenient fact that I just pulled a knife on him. Plus, the bloody towel is still in my hand.

“Shit,” I murmur.

“Miss Cumberland?” I venture an upward glance at the detective and he does not look happy. “I’m waiting for an explanation.”

“I don’t know if I have one,” I confess.

He lets out a snort. “Then we have a huge problem here, don’t we?”

“I’m not sure what you mean,” I whisper.

Like he’s going to buy that clueless act?

Gently, he slides the towel from my hand. “Tampering with evidence is a crime. You’re smart enough to know this, right?”

I avert my eyes. “Yes, I’d assume it’d be an unwise thing to do.”

The detective mumbles something I can’t make out, and then he says, “You know what carries an even stiffer penalty, though? More than what’s standard for simply tampering with evidence?”

Aw, crap, he’s on to us.

“What?” I squeak out.

“Actually manufacturing said evidence. That, Miss Cumberland, is a felony for which you could receive several years of prison time.”

Terrified, I blurt out a tearful, “I’m sorry. I am so, so sorry. I—I just did what I thought I had to, sir.”

Detective Silver spends a good thirty seconds peering at me and shaking his head.

Finally, in a soft tone, he says, “Are you confessing to me that you planted that evidence?”

Willing to take the fall for Flynn, I tuck in my chin and stare down at the cement floor. “Yep, uh-huh, it was me, all me. Every part of it, besides the phone call Flynn made to you.”

“Miss Cumberland.” I glance up and the detective is giving me a yeah, right look. “I know that’s not true,” he goes on. “Do you think I didn’t see that a vial of blood went missing the day you and Flynn were in my car?”

Crap, he did notice.

Lying to protect Flynn, since I will always protect him, I meet Detective Silver’s gaze and state emphatically, “Yeah, I figured you’d eventually notice a vial was missing. But I’m the one who took it. Not Flynn, if that’s what you’re implying.”

“No, you didn’t take the blood, Jaynie.”

“Yes,” I insist, “I did. I absolutely took it. You know I’d do anything to keep Allison locked up. I have far more motivation than Flynn.”

“That may be true.” The detective sighs. “But it’s also true that Flynn loves you, very deeply from what I’ve observed.”

“He does.” My voice cracks. I’m having a hard time keeping up this farce.

“Look, I know you’re lying to protect Flynn. But there’s no need to. I’ve already pieced together what probably happened.”

“Oh, yeah? What do you think happened?”