by W. J. May
Brent winced when the antiseptic cloth touched his skin. “Whoever set this up, is Rylee’s killer. I’m sure of it.”
“That should be easy,” Seth mocked. “Since he’s sitting in this room right now.”
“For the last time I didn’t kill her.” I flipped him off, tired of defending myself, yet more annoyed that he wasn’t going to be the only one who thought I was guilty.
“She found out about your father.” Seth crossed his muscular arms over his chest. He wasn’t finished with me yet. “She was going to tell all of us and you decided you needed to shut her up.”
“She found out by the radio,” I retorted, laying down and grimacing at the soreness by my ribs. “The entire county knows it was my father’s body at the mine. I was a suspect no matter what. If you think I’m such a self-serving bastard, then why wouldn’t I go after you guys straight away?”
“I never said you were smart,” Seth said.
“Seth!” Brent hissed. “Would you just listen to yourself for once? And use your friggin’ brain. Kieran didn’t kill Rylee. It makes no sense why he would. Not even the police think he did.”
“How would you know what the police thought?” Seth retorted. “You been hanging with them or peering through walls without us?”
Brent looked away. “I just know.”
“Brent?” Dr. Landers turned his chair, scooting over to me but keeping his eyes on Brent. “What aren’t you telling us?”
“I stole a couple of police files.” I had no intention of letting anyone take the fall for me. “Not stole, really. Copied.”
“You did what?” everyone, but Brent said at once.
“I told you he was a bad guy.” Seth groaned. “And stupid, too. Stupider than me.”
“And a murderer!” I snapped back at him. The guy was an idiot. I inhaled a deep breath and caught it as pain shot through my chest. It wasn’t broken, but badly bruised, a glimpse of the X-Ray Dr. Landers was going to make me do popped into my head. I sighed. “Look, I’m trying to find Rylee’s killer. For her and to clear my name. I needed to know what they knew.”
“Just about Rylee?” Seth wasn’t going to back down. Maybe he wasn’t an idiot like I tagged him for.
“About my father’s case and Rylee’s case. I’ve been trying to piece some things together and I think I’ve found something.” I told them everything, including Brent’s and Zoe’s involvement in it.
“Seriously?” Heidi said. “Brent, why didn’t you tell us?”
“Some of us weren’t ready to look outside the box.” Brent glanced at Seth and continued, anger growing in his words, “We might as well get to the bottom of the whole thing and be done with it. Especially before someone does something stupid and ends up in jail.”
“Be done with it?” Seth hissed, stepping toward Brent still sitting on the other table. “Is this like some fucking school project to you, Brent? Rylee was our friend. Now she’s dead! Murdered! Be done with it? We’re never going to be fucking done with it!” His face burned with indignation and a vein began beating near the top of his forehead. I moved to the other end of the table, not ready for another beating. Visions of my father drunken and angry popped into my head. I was never going to be a victim again. Never.
“Enough, Seth!” Dr. Landers stood and moved to a cabinet with a combination on it. “Compose yourself or I’ll poke you with a sedative. No one’s dying on my watch.”
Silence followed as Seth slowly calmed down. His face returned to its normal color as he glared at me.
“I also suggest you keep your voice down,” Dr. Landers said nonchalantly as he moved to tend to me. “We don’t know who might be listening.”
“Who else is here?” Seth glanced around.
“No one in my office. I don’t work Saturdays,” Dr. Landers said. “I was thinking more of the neighbors. Go check on Zoe. Make sure she’s all right and is resting like she’s supposed to in the waiting room.”
“I’ll go.” Brent left, leaving just me, Seth, Doc, and Heidi.
“You’re going to need X-Rays.” He touched my side. “I’m not sure if you cracked a rib.”
“It’s fine,” I told him. “I’ve been through worse.” I blanked the past out and left my face emotionless. It was easier to do then dealing with doctors. “You should check Heidi and Seth first. Make sure they’re all right.”
“I’d rather stay here while you treat Seth. Check him first,” Heidi said as Dr. Landers turned to point to the other gurney table.
Seth glared at her. “You think I’m off the rails too, don’t you?”
“I’m concerned for you.” Heidi reached out and then dropped her hand. “There’s a difference.”
“You think I’m loony.”
“I think you’re upset, and I hate seeing one of my friends upset.”
“You don’t have to see it. You can leave.”
“And you can stop being a jerk and calm down,” Heidi snapped.
Dr. Landers had Seth on the table and bandaged him before swiftly treating Heidi. He sent the two of them out of the room to wait with Zoe and Brent.
He turned to me, still sitting on the white crinkly paper with my shirt off. “I can already tell by the way that you’re holding your ribs that Seth did some damage there.” He ran his fingers over them, checking carefully before nodding. “I’ve got an X-Ray machine in the other room. I’m assuming you said they aren’t cracked because we already checked?” He was referring to my sense ability.
I nodded.
“Then I recommend Advil and not getting beat up any time soon.” He grinned. “I’m sure you’ll understand if I ask you to get it elsewhere. I know my daughter wouldn’t be helping you unless you were planning on turning yourself in after you find Rylee’s killer, and I’d appreciate it if I wasn’t charged with aiding a fugitive.”
“Understood,” I said, sliding off the table. “When did you figure out Zoe was helping me?”
“Mexico. If you needed help, my daughter would be the first one you looked to for it. Besides, how else did Brent know what was in the police files when you were the one who stole them?” He looked at me sternly as I put my shirt back on. “I really hope you are planning on turning yourself in, Kieran. If you don’t, then I’ll go to the police myself.”
I nodded. “I will. But I need to find Rylee’s killer, first.” I hadn’t thought about after, only about finding Rylee’s killer. However, if I ever stood a chance with Zoe, I was going to have to fix what I’d already broken.
“I think you should let the police do their work. They know what they’re doing.”
“They don’t!” I argued. “They haven’t found the car yet.” I didn’t mention what Brent had told me in the Beetle. No sense in getting Zoe’s dad involved any more than he already was. “Besides, they don’t know about the powers, nor would they believe us if we told them. There’s a whole ‘nother level involved that the police don’t know anything about. They think they’re looking for a driver too cowardly to face their responsibility, but I believe Rylee was killed for her powers. I’m surer of it now than ever after today.”
He looked uncertain. “You kids should not be mixed up in this. It can only end badly.”
“I need to find justice.” I headed toward the door, no intention of getting the X-Rays now. “I can’t turn myself in knowing someone is out there, hunting us. I can’t…” I swallowed hard. “I can’t let Zoe die. I will never let that happen.” My voice came out as a whisper. I hoped he would understand. He had to. If Zoe’s life wasn’t in danger, I would’ve stopped running a long time ago. At least that’s what I told myself.
Dr. Landers looked at me, studying me for a long time. Finally, he nodded. “Okay,” he said. “Find the killer and turn them in. Then turn yourself in.”
“I intend to.” I reached for the door knob. “Am I free to leave?”
Dr. Landers nodded. “I still want the others to stay here for a bit, but you should get out of here. I don’t want anyone
to get in trouble before they’re supposed to.”
“I appreciate it.” I opened the door and hesitated. “Also, thanks, Dr. Landers.”
“For what?”
“For not asking me if I killed my father or not.” I smiled at him and then walked out.
In the waiting room, everyone was either sitting down or laying down, still recovering. I glanced at them as I walked to the door. There really wasn’t much to say. Anything they wanted to know they could ask Brent and Zoe.
“Kieran, wait,” Zoe called out. She came towards me. “We found the car,” she said. “And where the killer burned the things inside.” She handed me a plastic bag that had part of a key in it as well as a flash drive. “This has all of the pictures on it that we took.”
I didn’t tell her I already knew. But hadn’t Brent said he had the key? Was he trying to protect her from me as well? “Take care, okay?”
She bit her lip. “You too.”
I walked out, wondering if I would ever see Zoe again, knowing it would be best for her if I didn’t – at least for right now. I’d protect her the rest of my life, even if it meant living in the shadows.
No one was going to hurt her. No one.
Chapter Eighteen
Brent
I got home late, exhausted and hungry. Mom stood in the kitchen, glass of wine in hand waiting for me. “Where have you been?” Her head moved up and then down. “What are you wearing?”
I glanced down at the school warm-up suits. Shit. She would know I stole it because I wasn’t even in sports. Hell, I had never taken an interest in anything physical at all until Seth had suggested we become superheroes and train. “I went out for a run with some friends.” I shrugged. “And this is a school warm-up suit. We didn’t have anything better to wear, so we borrowed them.”
“You stole them, you mean.”
“We’re giving them back after we wash them.” I moved to the fridge to make a sandwich.
She shook her head. “You can’t just go around borrowing other people’s property without permission. It’s not honest and your father and I raised you better than that.”
“It’s not honest?” I swung around. “You really want to talk to me about honesty? Where’s the honesty in you screwing someone other than dad?”
She flinched. “That is none of your business!”
“No shit! Neither one of you bothered to tell me that all of this happened when I was on vacation. I’ve been home for four days! And I find out because I heard the two of you fighting the other night. So much for honesty in this household.” I slammed the fridge shut, my appetite suddenly gone. There were way too many secrets.
“We’re not getting a divorce, Brent,” Mom said quietly. “Your father and I discussed it and decided that a divorce would be unwise at this time.”
“Really?” I said, unable to help myself from feeling relieved. “Great. I’m glad you guys worked it out.”
She had the decency to look a little ashamed. “Don’t mistake us staying married for anything more than a business deal, Brent,” she said. “A divorce would not look good in the eyes of his company, and I don’t want to go out and get a job to support myself.”
“Oh,” I said, feeling deflated and angry again. “Of course. Because that’s honest.”
Before she could respond, I pushed passed her and hurried upstairs to my room and shut the door before locking it and putting on headphones. The last thing I wanted to do was talk to either of my parents right now. However, I did want to talk to someone. I picked up my phone and send a text to Zoe.
Five minutes later there was a tap on my window.
I opened it and Zoe slipped through. “Hey.” She hugged me. “Parents fightin’, ‘eh?”
I swallowed. “You could say that.” I explained what I knew.
“I’m so sorry, Brent.” Zoe rubbed my arm. “This must be so hard. I can’t even imagine.”
“Why not?” I asked. “Your parents divorced, didn’t they?”
“Yeah,” she said. “That’s exactly it. They divorced. They didn’t stay in a cold marriage where they make each other and everyone else miserable. That sucks.”
“Thanks for coming over. It’s nice having someone normal to talk to.”
“Yeah,” she said, smiling wryly. “I can hear you from a block away, my father is calling us Radium Halos because we’re full of electrocuted lightning uranium and the last person I dated is now on the run for murder. I wouldn’t exactly call myself normal.”
I couldn’t help myself. “Dated? As in past tense?”
She sighed and then nodded once. “I decided after today. He needs to get his life sorted. I won’t leave him on his own, but I mean, he needs to turn himself in. He should do it now but he’s determined to find Rylee’s killer. I’m still upset he lied to me and then left the way he did. It just isn’t going to work out, right now. Luckily he understands that.”
“You deserve better, you know.”
She shrugged. “I guess…”
“You do,” I confirmed. “Zoe, you’re beautiful, smart, funny, everything.” She sucked in her breath and I realized I was leaning closer, almost to kiss her. I leaned back quickly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean—”
Her lips cut me off. Heat rushed through my body at her touch and I responded instantly, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her closer. My fingers traced up her back, through her hair as she pressed closer, kissing me desperately, as if she was trying to escape from real life as much as I wanted to. Finally, I broke off. “Whoa,” I gasped. “That was…”
“Incredible,” she finished and grinned. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to attack you so hard. Everything’s just… complicated.”
“I don’t mind in the slightest,” I said. I held her in my arms, enjoying the feeling of her against me. “Are you sure this is what you want?” I hoped she understood the full meaning of my words. I never took kisses casually, especially from her. She could break my heart with a single word.
“I think this is what I want.”
I hesitated, my brain racing in one direction, my body in another. “I think we should wait.” What the hell are you doing, dummy?
“Pardon?”
“I think we should get things sorted. Figure out Rylee, concentrate on school, decide on what university we’re going to go to…” Make sure you’re over Kieran.
“School? University?” Zoe stepped back, her eyebrows high on her forehead. “I don’t…” She held her hand up. “Whatever.” She moved quickly and swung her leg over the window ledge. “Just forget this happened. Please.”
“Zoe! Wait!” What the hell had I just done?
She disappeared down the tree and into the darkness before I could stop her.
Chapter Nineteen
Zoe
What was I thinking? I mean yeah, things were more or less on hold with me and Kieran— probably over for good—but it wasn’t even official. Now I’d gone and tried to make out with Brent, knowing how he felt for me? And he shot me down? I jogged faster.
But I couldn’t help it. He was being sweet and sexy and sounded so lost and vulnerable. As he was telling me about his parents, all I could think about was what it would feel like to kiss him. So I did. What an idiot! I swore our abilities were beginning to fry out brains.
I felt bad for him, too, though. I had hoped that one day my parents would finally realize that they belonged together and decide to try it again. But having them apart and heartbroken seemed more bearable than staying together and not even trying to work out differences.
Thank goodness it wasn’t late. I slowed down a couple houses before Dad’s and caught my breath before going inside.
Dad had homemade chicken pot pies ready on the table, my favorite. “Hey, Zoe-zey! Back so soon? How’s Brent?”
“Okay.” I felt the burn on my face. “Having some trouble at home but aside from that, he’s fine.” I sat down and drank some water already set out on the table. The pit injury from earlier
didn’t even seem like it had happened. Dad and I had tried to figure out how they had called for help and came up empty handed. Tomorrow he was going to talk to Seth’s dad to go and check the hole out. See if they could find something. We had no clues or evidence to help us at all. No further ahead than this morning and also no idea why someone had taken blood without us knowing. It didn’t make sense. None of it.
Neither did me kissing Brent and then being shot down.
Dad raised an eyebrow. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”
“What? I’m not going to tell you what Brent talked to me about.” I took a bite of pot pie and chewed. “That’s breaking his confidence. It has nothing to do with the team, though. Just normal teenage issues.”
“Oh you guys are a team, now, huh?” He raised an eyebrow.
“And you, too. You’re an honorary member of it.” I winked.
“Yeah, well, we’ll discuss your very broad definition of a team later. There’s something that happened when you were over there that you can’t stop thinking about. I can tell.”
I blushed. He could tell? There was no way I was discussing my kissing activities with my dad. “It was nothing,” I mumbled.
“Zoe-zey, I can tell when you’re lying.”
“It’s nothing, really.” I rolled my eyes. He wasn’t going to let it go. “It’s just, we both, sort of, well, kissed. Then he shot me down. Basically told me I needed to get over Kieran.”
Dad breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness! I thought it was a lot worse for a second.”
My face was hot enough to evaporate water, now. “So things are over with Kieran?”
“I guess.”
He paused, mid-bite. “What do you mean; you guess?”
“Well, I can’t exactly date a fugitive who’s about to turn himself in for murder, now can I?”
“I’m not saying I’m really happy with Kieran—believe me, I’m not—but he just risked getting caught to save you, and when I told him to stop chasing Rylee’s killer, he told me he couldn’t have you in danger. Zoe, he’s doing all of this mainly for you. Any chance of him getting off easy if he’s found guilty for his father’s death is completely gone because he wants to protect you. I think he’s worth at least ‘It’s over, Kieran’, before you start making out with other guys.”