It was the first good news we’d had in days. I didn’t miss the smile Andi was wearing before she turned and hugged Bentley. He gave me a thumbs-up as he patted her back with his other hand.
We both paced near the gate as the car and truck continued their approach. The sheriff’s car slowed a few seconds later. By the time I could see inside the windshield, I searched for Mia in the passenger seat but only found it empty.
It was possible she was in the back, but why would she be? If the sheriff was such good friends with the family, wouldn’t he allow her to ride up front? Maybe he was a stickler for the rules and was following protocol.
Shifting the car into park, the sheriff opened the door and stepped outside. He adjusted his hat, closed the door, and then motioned to the tow truck driver to give him a minute.
When I realized he wasn’t opening the back door to let anyone out, my heart began to sink. It plummeted when he approached us with slow steps. He tipped his hat as he focused on the one person he knew.
“Morning, Andi.”
“Morning, Gary.” She craned her neck to look toward the truck. “Why is Mia’s vehicle on the back of that truck? Did she break down?”
“I was hoping you could tell me.” He studied her a moment then took the time to do the same to Bentley and me.
“I haven’t heard from Mia since I spoke with you yesterday. When I noticed your car and the tow truck, I was hoping you were bringing her home.”
He released a sigh and nodded as if he was taking in everything she’d said. “You told me last night that she headed toward Mesquite when she left.”
“That’s right. Mia was so upset that I wasn’t sure where she was going. I made sure to note which direction she went.”
The sheriff’s face appeared to darken. “Why would she be upset?”
Andi squirmed under his gaze. She glanced at both Bentley and me before focusing on him. “She and her boyfriend had a fight.”
“I see,” he mumbled the words as he studied us again. “And where is the boyfriend now?”
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I pointed to myself. “That would be me.”
“Gary, this is Ayden McAllister,” Andi explained as she introduced us. “His band has been with us for a few months now. He and Mia were dating up until a few days ago.”
The sheriff’s brow rose as he peered at me. “Why the breakup? Mia’s a great girl. I’ve known her since she was an itty-bitty thing.”
I was going to respond, but Andi beat me to it. “Wesley set her up again.”
She made the announcement like it was common knowledge. I never took into consideration that the police might have been involved when Wesley screwed over Mia in the past. I guess at that point, I wasn’t thinking about anything other than the fact that Mia appeared guilty of cheating.
“So Wesley’s up to his tricks again? I believe I have some info about him on my desk. Now I’m even more interested in what it has to say.”
I didn’t understand what he was referring to, but Andi must have. She perked up at the news as soon as the sheriff uttered the words. “I’m sure Mia will be glad to get that information too.”
We’d been so invested in our conversation that no one noticed another car coming up the road. It matched the one the sheriff was driving. I assumed it was one of the deputies, one Gary had been expecting. He didn’t seem the least bit surprised when the other man stepped out of the car holding a brown paper bag.
“Mr. McAllister, have you been anywhere since you and Mia argued?”
“No.” His question confused me. “I don’t own a car. Mia flew us out here and has provided us with transportation, but we haven’t gone anywhere.”
“Is there someone who can corroborate this?”
“I can,” Andi spoke up just as Bentley pointed to himself. “We both can. This is Bentley Price. He and Ayden are bandmates. I also have more security footage I can pull if you have any doubts.”
The older man shook his head. “If you vouch for him, Andi, I have no doubts. Now, let me ask you fellas another question. Do either of you remember what Mia was wearing when she left? Andi couldn’t remember when she filed a missing person’s report.”
Bentley shook his head, not that it surprised me. He didn’t have much contact with Mia that night. What shocked me was that Andi couldn’t remember. How could she forget? I hadn’t.
“She was wearing a pair of black pants and a white shirt. It had frayed edges near the waist.”
Gary’s forehead creased. He looked as though he was about to say something, but Andi spoke instead.
“Why are you asking this, Gary? What’s going on? I have a feeling there’s something you’re not telling us.”
He didn’t admit she was right any more than he denied it. He motioned the deputy to approach. As soon as he did, he handed him the brown paper bag. “I uh . . .” Glancing at Andi, he cleared his throat as he opened the bag. “I need to know if any of this looks familiar.”
Reaching inside, he pulled out another bag, but this one was clear and sealed at the top. I noticed the jeans first. It took a moment to register, and when it did, the shirt came into view.
Andi gasped. She covered her mouth with a shaky hand and stared at the clothing. “Oh, my God. Please tell me that isn’t . . .”
Mia’s blood?
I kept the thought to myself. Saying it aloud was too painful. It’s why Andi couldn’t finish her sentence. Reality weighed heavy on me, forcing me to use every ounce of my strength to keep me on my feet. This couldn’t be real. I had to be dreaming.
Andi turned to me. “These are the clothes she was wearing, aren’t they?”
Nodding is the only thing I could do. My voice would fail me if I tried to use it. At this point, it was hurting to breathe.
When I observed the sheriff, he was grimacing. A second later, he placed the bag of clothes inside the paper bag and passed it off to the deputy. After the man went back to his car, Gary folded his arms behind his back and took turns to study each of us again.
“Has anyone left the premises since Mia went missing?”
“I’m not aware of anyone leaving. There was a new group that arrived a few days ago, as well as a band that’s been here in the past. I can give you access to the security cameras to verify.”
“That would be great. It will help with the investigation.”
“Investigation?” She asked.
“Yes. With your permission, I’d like to interview anyone who was here the night Mia left.”
My chest constricted. There were many people here that night. It would take them hours, if not days, to interview everyone. And still, the reality of what it meant hadn’t hit me.
That didn’t happen until the sheriff touched her arm and said words I would never forget. “Andi, I hate to say this, but due to the evidence and the report you filed with my office, I’m treating this case as a possible homicide.”
Chapter 22
~Ayden~
Did you kill Mia Brooks?
The words haunted my thoughts as I sat at the bar, finishing off a glass of bourbon. It wasn’t just the thought of Mia being dead that shook me to the core. It was the suspicious looks the sheriff gave me. He knew nothing about the way I felt about Mia. I’d never harm her, at least not physically. I’d done plenty of emotional damage.
Rubbing at the heaviness in my face, I hoped like hell I could get some sleep tonight. Last night had been impossible. The interrogation was horrible. All the questions I was asked about my argument with Mia had me feeling like the prime suspect. After I mentioned what I’d discovered in Mia’s suite the night that guy was in there, the cops eased up on grilling me.
Still, it wasn’t the only thing that kept me awake. The images of Mia’s bloody shirt kept flashing through my mind. The information Andi gave me later only disturbed me more. She’d explained how someone reported Mia’s car as being abandoned at Dante’s View in Death Valley. Blood was discovered at the scene as were shards
of glass, two sets of footprints, and tire tracks from a motorcycle. The police found Mia’s clothes in the trunk, but they didn’t locate her body.
Max approached me with another drink. He set it in front of me before leaning on the bar. “Rough night?”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
He nodded. “I didn’t sleep much either. I’ve known Mia all of my life. She’s like a sister.”
“At least you didn’t break her heart the way I did.” It killed me to know what I did to her and the fact that she could have died thinking I hated her. It was the complete opposite. I loved her more than anyone I’d ever known. This couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t be dead.
Patting my shoulder, Max did his best to comfort me. “Everything will be okay. They’re going to find her.”
I stared into the glass, swirling around the amber liquid as I struggled to speak. “I hope you’re right, Max.”
He walked away to wait on someone else while I placed the glass to my lips. The liquid poured into my mouth and down my throat when I swallowed. There was no burn. I’d had so many that the effect didn’t bother me anymore. Yet, no matter how much I drank, nothing would numb the ache spreading through my heart.
“She can’t be dead,” I whispered.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t hear anyone approaching. Strong cologne penetrated my nose before I found Wesley standing behind me. Just the sight of him made me angry, but there was definitely something off. His weary expression, coupled with his unkempt appearance, puzzled me. He looked like he’d been to hell and back.
It didn’t stop him from glaring at me. “I think there are a few things you and I need to get straight.”
Taking a drink from my glass, I took my time before I answered him. “I have nothing to say to you, and you’d be wise to avoid me. I’m on to your game.”
He didn’t heed my advice because he grabbed my shoulder when I tried turning back to the bar. “This isn’t a game.” His nostrils flared as he pointed toward his chest. “I didn’t do anything!”
Despite the music playing over the speakers, Wesley shouted so loud, he gained attention I was sure he didn’t want. Everyone within hearing range was gawking at him. They appeared as surprised at his claim as I was.
“I haven’t accused you of anything.”
“Then why did the cops badger me the way they did? I’m trapped inside this place. As of right now, I’m the number one suspect.” He scoffed at his own remark. “They think I let Eddie in to rape her that night and that I followed her the other night to kill her. All I did was drive to Mesquite to meet up with an old girlfriend.”
“Rape?” Who said anything about rape?” I leaned my head back to study him. Was there more to the story that Mia didn’t tell me? Guilt gnawed at my gut. Was she raped by that guy and here I was accusing her of cheating?
“There was no rape. I let Eddie into Mia’s suite. He dropped the condom in the toilet and the wrapper in the garbage. Then he met me at the general store right after. There wasn’t enough time for him to do anything to her. Besides, she’s not his type. She doesn’t have a penis.”
His admission increased the anger consuming me. I should have known he was playing me. Bentley had. I was too blinded by jealousy to see through his bullshit. Now Mia was gone, and worse, she might not be coming back.
“What about this guy, Eddie? I heard him talking on the phone with Mia. Maybe he followed her. He made plans to meet up with her later.”
Wesley snorted. He gripped the edge of the bar and nosed closer to my face. “He was talking to me on the phone. It was all a setup to make you jealous.”
The lies just kept going. Mia was right. I couldn’t believe anything Wesley said or did. That included his claim of innocence about hurting her.
“Your story isn’t adding up to me. If you were meeting with an old girlfriend, then you have an alibi.”
“I was stood up, and because I didn’t return here until the next morning, I look guilty.”
The more he talked, the more I suspected him myself. “So you have several hours where no one knows where you were?”
“I was waiting in my car for my friend to arrive. When it was midnight, I suspected she wasn’t coming. It was the last thing I remembered because I fell asleep and didn’t wake until morning.”
His excuse was plausible, but I didn’t believe him. As horrible as he’d been to Mia and all the lies he’d told, it was hard to accept anything that left his mouth.
A few more drinks from my glass didn’t settle my nerves. It was taking everything in me to stay seated. I contemplated different ways to handle the news Wesley had leaked. All of them had the same solution—to knock the fuck out of him.
“You’re a known liar, and now you will see how much of a bitch Karma really is. Thanks for finally admitting the truth about how you set up Mia.”
“Blame it on me if you like, but you played your part. I would never have taken you for the jealous type. Once I figured out you were, you played right into my plan to come between you and Mia.”
The last bit of patience I had snapped. “You sorry piece of shit.”
My fist collided with Wesley’s jaw, causing his head to spin to the side when it connected. Then he fell against the stool. It broke his fall, but he still ended up on the floor.
It wasn’t enough. Wesley had to pay for what he’d done.
As I drew my fist back for another blow to his face, a pair of arms wrapped around me, crushing mine to my side. I did my best to shake off the person who’d entrapped me. Then a voice broke through my rage-fueled haze.
“Whoa, man. It’s just me,"” Bentley assured me, but he didn’t let go of my arms. “Calm down, Ayden. This isn’t helping anything.”
“The hell if it ain’t. Wesley’s going to pay for setting up Mia and for making me think she cheated on me.” I glared at my enemy. “Do you realize what you’ve done?”
Andi joined us at the bar as Wesley pulled himself to his feet and dusted himself off. He acknowledged her presence, but he narrowed his eyes at me when he spoke. “I didn’t do anything.”
I glared at him. “Bullshit. Even if you manage to prove your innocence in Mia’s disappearance, you set off a chain reaction that may have led to her death.”
“And you didn’t?” He smirked. “Aren’t you the reason she left that night?”
I broke free of Bentley’s grasp and lunged for Wesley again. Bentley came between us this time. He pushed us apart and then glanced at me. “He’s not worth it, bro. He’ll get what’s coming to him when he goes to jail.”
“Fuck you, Price,” Wesley grumbled as he flipped off Bentley. “I’m not going to jail because I didn’t hurt Mia.”
“Oh, you’ve hurt her plenty,” Andi retorted. “You’re going to be roasted at the next board meeting. Get ready to kiss your seat good-bye. When Mia returns, the truth will come out.”
“If she returns.”
Wesley was doing his best to bait me, but I didn’t react. Instead, I pointed my finger at him. This was his last warning.
“You better hope she returns, because if she doesn’t, I’ll make jail look like a vacation.”
* * *
The door to my suite shook in its casing when I slammed it behind me. I paced between the living room and kitchen, not sure which way to go. My head spun with so much information, I thought it would rupture from overload.
I’d been far from okay when Wesley approached me tonight. After talking to him, I was a bomb counting down the last few seconds. I couldn’t believe I fell for his lies.
Many people warned me about him, and even that didn’t keep me from thinking the worst of Mia. I’d crushed her, and if she weren’t okay, I’d have to live with the guilt.
Bentley had been right about one thing. He said I’d regret my choices when the truth came out. I wanted to go back in time and rewrite history. Things would be different. Mia wouldn’t be missing because I never would have left her side.
I spotted the bottle of bourbon I’d purchased from the community store this morning. It didn’t take long to grab a glass or pour the liquor into it. It took even less time to consume half. I was sure it would numb my mind enough that I could pass out.
No such luck.
If anything, more memories surfaced. I thought back to all the nights Mia and I had shared. I took her for granted. Now she . . .
Images of her bloody shirt played through my mind. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d never see her again. If she didn’t come back . . .
Fear rushed through my veins, adrenalizing me. I gripped the glass then chucked it at the wall. It left a huge dent and a pile of broken glass on the floor.
A round of knocking sounded from my door. I glared at it for a moment, debating on whether to see who was on the other side or to ignore the unwanted visitor. I didn’t want to talk anymore tonight. My mind was shot.
So was my heart.
“Ayden? Open up, man.”
Bentley’s voice sounded panicked. He must have heard the glass shattering. If I didn’t answer the door, he would find a way to get in. I would do the same if the roles were reversed.
Releasing a sigh, I trudged toward the door, opening it a second later. Bentley stood on the other side with Andi. The creases in their foreheads were the telltale signs of concern. I hated worrying them because I knew what it felt like. I was going out of my mind not knowing where Mia was or if she was okay.
“Are you all right?” Bentley inquired.
“I’m fine, just releasing some frustrations.”
They stood silently outside the door, neither saying anything as the awkwardness increased. All I wanted was to go to bed and get the rest I’d lost the night before.
“Can we come in for a moment?” Andi finally asked. “We promise not to stay long.”
She tugged Bentley’s arm once I nodded. They went to the center of the living room while I shut the door. Then I joined them.
“What’s up?”
“What did Wesley say to you tonight to cause you to hit him?”
Love Desired Page 22