Don't Let Me Fall(94)

times. But…she hired them to kidnap Alice…

“Why didn’t the police know that?” I asked. “How did she–”

“She blended in with the crowd,” Jared said standing up. “She was in the bathroom. When Alice and Kenny were there.” My brows furrowed. How could that be possible? Alice didn’t

tell me her mom was there. Obviously she would have seen her. “I think the young one should wait outside,” Jared said nodding at Kelsey.

“Dude, f-uck you. I’m not going anywhere,” she said.

I would have laughed at that. She barely swears at strangers but right now I can’t even look at her. I’m staring at Jared, trying to piece what he’s telling me together.

“It’ll be graphic,” Jared said.

“Honey, wait outside,” Dad said. “Please.”

Kelsey huffed as Remy walked her out.

When the door closed, Jared started talking again.

“I blindfolded your friend,” Kenneth said, looking up at me. “That was the orders. After that, everything turned to shit.” He shook his head and stared at the table. “Her

mother stabbed her.”

No. That’s not…

She pushed you down the stairs.

f-uck…

“That’s not possible,” Toby said.

“Look at the police reports,” Jared spoke. “Your sister wasn’t stabbed with a lot of force. Look at us. We can do some damage. How do you explain the knife wounds not being deep

enough? There wasn’t a lot of force put into the attack. It was made to look like a girl did it. And a woman did it.” His eyes went back on me. “She texted you from Alice’s

phone to come outside. We were already in deep shit for planning everything so she said she’d get us off because she’s a lawyer but only if we grab you outside. It was simple. You

come out, we drug you and then place the knife in your hands.” His eyes softened a bit. How is that possible? “You never came outside.”

“Oh, I’m sorry I f*cked up your plan,” I said dryly. “I still don’t see how the other guy comes in.”

“He’s still out there,” Kenneth growled. “He wanted you and he’s still around.”

“Wanted me?” I asked, horrified. I was left in the motel room… “Did he…did you guys…rape me?”

“What?” Jared asked, brows furrowing. “No. We didn’t touch you. We went to the motel to tell you everything because the mom f*cked us over but you fainted so we had to leave.”

“Why are you telling me this now? Why couldn’t you tell the police she did it? You could have made everything easier,” I said, shaking.

“You’re not listening to me when I said there’s another guy.”

“Yes, I am!” I snapped. “You’re telling me that Alice’s mother killed Alice and tried to frame it on me. I don’t see why there would be another guy!”

My stomach hurts but I’m too wound up to care. I don’t understand why there would be another guy. Why would Melissa kill Alice? Why did she want me framed? Why couldn’t she just

kill me instead? Make everything simple.

“You know the guy,” Kenneth mumbled.

“Who is he?” Toby asked before I could.

“I don’t remember his name. He has dark blue eyes. Tall. Around my age,” Jared said. Who the f-uck is that? There are tons of people– “Name starts with an R. Richard or Ronnie.

”

Silence.

“Roger?” Dad asked dryly. Roger?

“Who’s Roger?” I asked. Then I remembered. “Oh, right.”

“Yeah, something like that. He was with us when we went to the motel and he kept talking about you,” Jared said. “He was dating your mom to get close to you. He was also dating

Melissa. That’s how he got involved.” What?!

“That son of a bitch,” Dad said. I glanced at him with a confused look. “Birdie, that guy has been looking at you like you are the last piece of meat on the planet. Anyone can

see it.”

Jacky walked up to Jared and held out her phone.

“That the guy?” she asked.

Jared squinted and tilted his head. “Yeah.”

Jacky showed me the phone. It was a picture of Mom and Roger. Ohmygod. He’s the other person? Or is Jared really good at making shit up.

“Let me see,” Toby said waving the phone over. He stared at the phone for awhile then he looked up at me. “Jesus Christ, Becka.” What did I do now? “This is the guy from the

lake house where you met me and Alice.” Oh, shit. I’m remembering something. “The lake house, Becka.” f-uck.

I had sex with someone at that party. It was my first college party so I wanted to have fun. I was seventeen. The first college guy to walk up to me got my attention. He had on some

stupid old baseball cap and beers in his hand. I avoided him the whole night then got bored so we ended up having sex in the lake. I remember because I lost my bikini top when I

jumped off the rope and he was nearby. No one else was around so we just connected and had our time.

I didn’t get his name. I didn’t really see his face.