“Do you see that, Cole?” an unfamiliar voice asks over the sound of the crackling fire.
“What …?” I trail off as the person starts to circle the fire. But I still can’t place where they are or what is burning because it’s too dark and the fire is causing a glare.
It comes to a stop, and the camera spins around. My jaw tightens when I see it’s Austin. She looks the same as she did a little over three hours ago when I let her run off. All I can see is two black straps on her shoulders. Her face and neck smeared with his blood from my hands.
She smiles, the light from her phone making her green eyes shine like stars. It makes her look like an evil angel with perfect teeth and a blood-stained face. “What evidence, Cole?”
Then it goes dead.
I grip the phone in my hand, clenching my teeth. What the fuck did I just watch? What was she burning?
How did she get my number …? I had Deke call my cell from her phone. That’s how she got it.
And what evidence, Cole? What did that mean? Fire?
Realization hits me, and my heart starts to pound in my chest. I go to the number and press call.
“Hello, Cole.” She answers on the first ring as if she was expecting me to call. Her smooth voice is no longer high-pitched in fear or anger. She’s collected herself. Almost seductive.
“You fucking bitch …”
She laughs softly, and it runs over me like lava, burning my skin. “You know when I got back to the house, I thought what could I do that would clear my name if you decided to set me up?”
My jaw clenches.
“It occurred to me that if there’s no DNA to be found, then there’s no way for you to pin me for a murder. Did you know that it takes just a little over two hours to burn a body?”
I laugh nervously. “Fire doesn’t destroy everything, sweetheart.”
“I know.” I can hear the smile in her voice that lets me know she’s ahead of me again. “That’s why after it finished burning, I took a hammer and crushed what bones were left and then tossed the dust over the cliff into the ocean. Oh, and no worries, I also burned my clothes as well.”
“Fuck …”
“I know how to cover my ass, Cole. I’m a Lowes, after all.”
I stare ahead at my dark gray wall, trying to decide my next move, but she’s not done.
“But it was fun watching you think you had it all figured out.” Click.
“Goddammit!” I throw my phone across my room.
I’m not mad she destroyed the body. Fuck what she does to him. But as far as I know, she just recorded that conversation to prove that she was innocent all along. She could go to the police, and it would be her word against ours. The guys and I don’t have a good reputation in this town to begin with. The only reason we’re not in jail is because we have rich parents who bail us out of trouble. And it doesn’t hurt that Kellan’s uncle is the chief in another town not far from here.
“Think, Cole,” I say, starting to pace my room. What can I do to get her to keep her mouth shut? What could I do to make her understand why the bastard had to die?
My door opens, and I spin around to see Lilly standing in my doorway, her pink princess nightgown on, her blond hair a curly mess, and her brown eyes tired. “Cole?” she asks softly. “Are you okay? I heard something.” She brings her favorite bunny to her chest and hugs him tightly.
“Everything is fine,” I say, walking over to her. “Go back to bed.”
“Will you come with me?” she asks, holding out her right hand.
I sigh and bend down, picking her up. “Come on.” I walk her across the hall back to her room and lie down with her. I kiss her on the cheek as she curls up into my side. Placing my hands behind my head, I stare up at her pink ceiling. Austin Lowes, you just fucked up.
AUSTIN
I strip out of my hoodie and t-shirt. Then remove my jeans. I reach down into the garbage bag and put on a new pair of jeans but refrain from putting the clean shirt on. I’m still covered in his blood. I really didn’t think this through all that well, so I’m winging it. I’ve never had to burn evidence before.
I pull out my cell, and taking a deep breath, I press record. I show the dead man lying on the ground. It didn’t take me long to dig his ass up. I left him in the grave because they didn’t bury him very deep. Mistake on their part. I take the matches out and light one. Then toss it onto him. I start to circle the body making sure not to trip over the gas can. Once I show it all, I turn it to face me and smile. Fuck you, Cole! “What evidence, Cole?”