Anytime I asked about the cop, she had been vague over the last week or so. Now, it made sense.
She winked. “Yes, he was. We had some fun back in the day.” Waving her hands she cleared her thoughts. “I’m digressing. Anyway, I’ve been dating him since I sent that text last week. I’ve been staying over some at Chris’. After he would leave for work, I would snoop.”
My eyes widened and Millie shrugged. “We made it clear it was casual. Yesterday, I found the file in his father’s things. It was an old manila envelope in a box of stuff buried in the back of the closet. I can’t believe it was still there. I made a copy and put everything back before heading to work. Then, I booked my ticket and came here since I have the next three days off work. I didn’t want to say over the phone. I got a bad vibe when I thought about it. There’s no telling what the person responsible is capable of. I couldn’t take a chance.”
This still
seemed like a dream. Why would the sheriff not have shared the files? Who wanted to do something like this to me . . . to Alec . . . to my family? With every truth, more questions unearthed themselves.
“There’s more.”
“What?” There wasn’t much more I could take. This was all too much. The forced reality I made myself believe crumbled around me.
Millie took out a notepad. “Norman died five months after you went to prison. The same doctor who tested your blood, Dr. Michaels, oversaw Norman’s autopsy. Three months after that, Dr. Michaels died in a car crash. London that is not a coincidence. Everyone died who helped cover up whatever this is except . . .”
I finished her sentence. “Whoever framed me.”
“Yes.”
My hands shook at the realization that the person behind all this was more dangerous than I ever imagined. “They wanted me out of Guin.”
“I think so. Has anything else happened since you came here?”
“No.” A lead weight dropped in the pit of my stomach. At least three people lost their lives because of this person.
Jaxson was quiet through this whole thing. I glanced up at him. He watched Millie as he asked, “Who do you think it is?”
Sitting back in the chair, Millie responded, “I think it’s Rachel. The fiancée of London’s ex. Her family has the pull to do something like this. They wanted the political affiliation and made that clear all through school. Hell, Rachel practically threw herself at Charles every chance she got when London wasn’t there. She secured Charles pretty easily after you were sentenced. After four years of schmoozing and laying the foundation, Charles is running for Mayor. Supposedly, he’ll go for the presidency when he’s eligible per the rumors his dad is spreading to fuel his own campaign. And guess who is the perfect person to be by his side as the perfect politician’s wife?”
My head spun. Abruptly I stood. “I need to brush my teeth.”
Quickly, I left the room to find my toothbrush and toothpaste. How could someone do this to another human being? The loss. It was too much. All to get Charles. His political connections. The life of a politician never intrigued me. I actually preferred not to be part of it.
Vigorously, I brushed my teeth. Hands eased on top of mine. “I think they’re clean.”
I spit the toothpaste out and rinsed my mouth. “Everything is a lie. Was a lie. I’ve spent four years convincing myself that I killed him. For four years, I believed I drank and drove. Four years.”
Wrapping his arms around my waist, he took a deep breath. “If Charles wants you back when all this comes out, do you want him?”
Without hesitating, I knew the answer. It had been the truth right in front of me for so long, but I hadn’t been ready to face it . . . to give up another piece of what had been. I turned and placed my hands on the side of his face. “I would have never started something with you if I still loved Charles. Or if I wanted to rekindle something with him. If Charles showed up three days ago before we admitted our feelings for each other, nothing would have happened.”
Lips pressed against mine. “I like that answer.”
“Me too.”
“Let’s go back out there and finish talking this out. Are you okay?” Jaxson’s eyes were filled with concern and it warmed me.
I shrugged and exhaled wanting to give him the truth but not sure how I felt myself. “I don’t know. It’s a lot to take in.”
Guiding me back to the living room, Millie sat on the couch worrying her lip. “London, I’m so sorry.”
I hugged her. “Don’t be. You gave me back something I never thought I would get.” Relief washed over Millie’s face as she visibly sagged in the dark leather chair. Sitting next to Jaxson I laid my head against the back of the couch. “What do we do with all this new information?”
Jaxson leaned forward. “We have no idea who actually set this in motion. All we have is a medical report that proves London was drugged, but not who. The police were in on it before. So was the doctor at the hospital. Fuck.”
He popped his neck as he took a deep breath. I knew where he was going. Continuing Jaxson’s thought, I said, “If we share what we have so far, all our cards will be on display. And whoever this is may do something else. Potentially worse. Especially if they feel threatened.”
Millie’s phone rang. “I need to take this. It’s work.”