A Right to Remain Page 20

  I turned back around and glared at him. “Well, then you shouldn’t have a problem with helping them figure out who did.”

  “Don’t you think if I knew that, I’d take out the son of a bitch myself?”

  “Don’t know, pal. I don’t know a thing about you or what you do.”

  “Well, you certainly know enough to plant a seed in Lacey’s head. Since she won’t return any of my phone calls.”

  I held up my hands in defense. “Hey, if she ain’t returning your calls don’t blame me. I don’t control what she does.”

  He shook his head. “Yeah, I forgot, you’re just fucking her.”

  “You seem pissed over that.”

  He moved closer to me and began to speak. “That girl has been to hell and back. She doesn’t need you taking advantage of that vulnerability until you decide you’re sick of her and go running back to your wife.”

  “I’d suggest you shut your fuckin’ mouth right now, man.”

  “What are you gonna do if I don’t? Arrest me?”

  I snickered. “You’ll be wishing that’s all I did. Don’t blame me because Lacey wants nothing to do with you, and never did. Is that what you’re pissed about? Lacey didn’t want you back in college and she still doesn’t want you now?”

  I could see his frustration growing just as his girlfriend walked out the door. “Okay, ready! Sorry, there was a line for the ladies’ room,” she yammered, oblivious to the tension mounting between the two of us.

  She smiled, turning her attention back to me. “Hey, Quinn, tell Lacey that Adam is here until tomorrow if she wants to get together. I texted her earlier and she didn’t reply.”

  “Yup, I’ll do that,” I snidely replied.

  “K, awesome! Ready, babe?” she asked, taking his hand in hers. He gave me one more angry glare before nodding. “See ya, Quinn!” she shouted as they walked away.

  She was so oblivious, I actually felt bad for her. He was by no means interested in her. He was using her to get information on Lacey. I had hoped my instincts were wrong about him, but after our little encounter I knew I was dead-on. Seeing him smoking a cigarette raised my suspicions even more as my mind went back to months ago and the cigarette I had found outside Lacey’s bedroom window. I knew I was probably right in my very first assumption of it being the heating and air conditioning guy, but something about this guy was off. He definitely had some deep-seated feelings for Lacey and was a little put off by her rejection. Was it enough to have her husband killed because of it? The jury was still out on that one.

  By the time I arrived home, all of the thoughts the alcohol had suppressed over the past few hours were now back in the front of my mind. I decided to avoid Lacey instead of risking an argument with her. It seemed like a good plan until she stepped outside as I was getting out of my truck. She stood on the porch with her arms wrapped around her, waiting for me to come closer.

  “Hey, I’ve been trying to call you,” she said.

  “Oh, well, sorry," I mumbled.

  She furrowed her eyebrows. “Well, I thought we were going out to dinner.”

  “Yeah, well, I got stuck at work a little later than expected, so I’m pretty beat. I’m gonna head up to bed.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  I could tell she wasn’t buying it.

  “Is everything okay?”

  I gave her a quick nod.

  “Quinn, don’t lie to me. I can tell something’s bothering you, and I know you weren’t working this whole time because you reek of alcohol.”

  I shook my head and flashed a sarcastic grin. “You know, that’s really funny.”

  “What is?” She seemed totally baffled.

  “You tell me not to lie, yet you did it right to my face this morning.”

  Her gaze dropped to the ground. “I’m sorry for lying about the gloves. I just didn’t want you to needlessly worry about me over it. I know for a fact that I had left them at school on Friday afternoon because I even debated with myself if I should go back in to get them once I got out to the parking lot.” Her eyes finally met mine once again. “But, Quinn, I don’t want to be that sad pathetic damsel in distress anymore. That’s what whoever is doing this to me wants. I’m feeling stronger every day. I had an awesome kickboxing class today and—”

  “You had lunch with my mother.”

  Her eyes widened. “What?”

  “I saw you leaving the diner with her, Lacey. Why didn’t you tell me you were having lunch with her? And when did the two of you become best buddies?”

  “Oh my God! Were you following me?” Her voice rose in defense. “What the hell, Quinn?” She turned around and stormed back inside.

  “Well, sorry for caring about you. Sorry for knowing this is a much bigger deal than you think it is!” I shouted as I followed behind her. “And you still didn’t answer my question. Why didn’t you tell me you were having lunch with my mother?”

  “Be-because, I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

  “If it wasn’t a big deal then why did you tell me you were going with a friend?”

  “I-I don’t know...I just didn’t want you getting freaked out that I was having lunch with your mom. We hit it off really well at Christmas and…” Her eyes were wandering all over the place except on me. “And, I don’t know, it’s just really nice to have another female to talk to. In case you haven’t realized, I don’t really have too many female acquaintances.” She moved closer and looped her arms around my neck. “The best part of it all is we share a common interest.” Her lips brushed up against mine, and I backed away. “Quinn, I’m sorry for not saying anything to you. I really am. Please don’t be mad at me.”

  I hated that she had to look so adorable, and I was falling right into it. “Lacey, you were the one who said we had to be one hundred percent honest with each other, yet you were the one who lied about two different things today.”

  “I know. And I didn’t really lie about lunch with your mother. I really do consider her a friend.”

  I creased my forehead. What the hell could she and my mother possibly have in common?

  “Okay…whatever. But that still doesn’t change the fact that you lied about something that could be very important to this case.”

  She bit her bottom lip and nodded. “I keep thinking if I pretend it’s not happening then it really isn’t. I know I’m totally wrong for feeling that way, but I want to move on with my life. I want to put that whole nightmare behind me.”

  “Well, unfortunately you can’t until we find out who’s been stalking you and if it has any connection to your rape.”

  “I know, and it sucks. He got away with murder and rape, but that’s still not good enough for the son of a bitch. He has to continue to make my life a living hell by making sure I never forget it. I hate him. I hate him so much!”

  I could tell she was inwardly seething just hearing the pure contempt in her voice.

  “I applied for a gun permit, Quinn,” she blurted out.

  I felt my jaw drop. “What? When?”

  “Last week. I’m buying a gun. I want to be able to protect myself.”

  “Lacey, you still need to practice some more.”

  “Okay. When can we go again?”

  I was liking this new stronger side to her, but at the same time I didn’t want her to think that owning a gun made her invincible. “Umm…I don’t know, whenever.”

  “Why do you sound disappointed over this? I thought you’d be happy. You were the one who was pushing me to go to the shooting range before.”

  “I know, and I am happy, but, Lacey—”

  “But what, Quinn?” Her voice rose in anger.

  “I think it’s great that you’re taking all these steps, but you still have to let the police do their job and try to find this guy before it comes down to you having to use your self-defense classes or a gun.”

  “I know, and I am.”

  “Are you really, Lacey? Because it sure doesn’t seem like you’re trying wh
en you’re not being honest about something as important as those gloves being left on your Jeep.”

  “I told you I’m sorry. What more do you want?”

  “I want you to be honest with me, Lacey, that’s all.”

  “Okay. I promise I will.” She approached me cautiously and swept her hand across my face. “Are we okay?”

  I bit my bottom lip and looked away. “I guess,” I whispered. “As long as you don’t expect me to start going out on double dates with my parents, then I guess we’re good.”

  She threw back her head and laughed. “I promise I won’t.” Her lips met mine, and she crinkled her nose as she pulled away. “I hate the taste of alcohol.”

  “Yeah, well, too bad,” I responded by pulling her close and sticking my tongue in her mouth. Her disdain for tasting alcohol quickly vanished as her tongue began to move in perfect unison with mine.

  Chapter 32

  Lacey

  As the days passed, I was feeling lower than low over being dishonest to Quinn about my relationship with Camille. After speaking to her and explaining everything that happened and the guilt I was feeling over it, she tried to offer me some reassurance, but I still couldn’t stop thinking about it. If Quinn found out I had lied to him about my relationship with his mother, he would never forgive me. I was in such a horrible predicament, knowing what I knew, and at the same time one hundred percent committed to Camille that I wouldn’t break her confidence.

  I tried my hardest to not think about that. Instead, I remained focused on my plan of becoming a stronger person and was barreling full steam ahead. I had finally placed the dreaded call to the lawyer about selling Aaron’s half of the business, and I had been opening up more to the detective back home who was working on the case, trying to remember even the slightest details from that night. I hadn’t had any more surprises left in or around my Jeep, but the fact that Quinn had an officer staked out in the driveway on the nights he had to work late probably had a lot to do with it. I knew he was only doing it for my own good, but I felt like a child who needed a babysitter when he wasn’t around, which was the last thing I wanted.

  I had just finished up meeting with the parents of one of my students and had stayed a lot later than expected when they showed up an hour late. I wasn’t complaining, though. It gave me time to get caught up with entering the final grades for the marking period into the computer. As I was walking down the hall to leave, the familiar tune of Layla by Derrick and The Dominos was coming from one of the classrooms. Every time I’d hear that song it brought back memories of my mother, who happened to be named Layla. She would play it over and over again, ignoring my grandmother’s protests for her to turn it down. One of my most fond memories of her was when I was around four years old, sitting in front of her makeup mirror singing it together and using her hairbrushes as microphones. It was one of the few times I actually remembered her making time for me in her life. As I got closer to the classroom and the music got louder, I peeked my head in to find Neil mopping away and singing as loud as it could be. Much to my surprise, he had a very good voice.

  “Great song!” I shouted over the music, causing him to jump. He rushed over to the radio, looking totally embarrassed, and turned it down.

  “Sorry about that. I didn’t know anyone was still here.”

  “Oh, don’t be sorry. I love that song. It brings back really good memories of someone I once knew.”

  “Yeah, it’s a really great song.” There was a hint of sadness in his voice.

  “Well, I think you may actually sing it better than Eric,” I teased.

  He chuckled. “Ha…I wish! Then I wouldn’t be working my ass off, pushing around a mop to make ends meet.”

  “You never know, Neil, someday you may catch a big break. It’s never too late.”

  “Yeah, well, maybe not for you because you’re young. For old guys like me, this is pretty much my life.”

  “You’re not old at all!”

  “Three more years till fifty, kid!”

  I waved my hand dismissively and laughed. “Fifty is the new thirty.”

  “I like your way of thinking.”

  “Seriously, it’s only a number. It’s never too late to start a new venture or do something you’ve been putting off. Trust me, I know for a fact. Life is way too short, so you may as well enjoy each day you’re given and make the most of it, no matter how crappy you think the hand you’ve been dealt is. You never know if someone or something special is waiting for you around the corner to help make it better.”

  He stared at me, expressionless, and for a brief moment I could have sworn I saw his bright blue eyes tearing up. “Yeah, maybe I’ll take your advice on that,” he whispered. His demeanor seemed much more solemn than before.

  “Well, see ya tomorrow, Neil.”

  “See ya, Lacey.” He turned around and went back to his mopping. There was something about him that played on my sympathy. I had a feeling his whole life wasn’t easy, and he was carrying around some pain from his past as well. It was something I was able to hone in on ever since my rape. I was one of the few staff members who even acknowledged him and got to know him a little better. The rest of them would only speak to him if they needed help moving something heavy or to have him clean up vomit from one of their sick students who couldn’t make it to the bathroom in time. I hated how shallow people could be, and I tried to see the good in everyone.

  I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived home and saw Quinn’s truck in the driveway. He seemed to have been working nonstop these past few days, and I was really missing him. I headed inside and let Gus out. As I stood on the front porch, waiting for him to finish up, Quinn came walking down the stairs from his place.

  “Hey!” A smile stretched across my face at just seeing him, unable to resist stretching my neck as he got closer and placing a kiss on his cheek.

  “Can we talk for a minute?” he asked, holding a stack of bank statements in his hand. My stomach dropped at the sight of them. I’d somehow hoped they would all go away once I gave them to him.

  “Oh yeah, sure.” I nervously cleared my throat before calling for Gus to come back inside. “So, what’s going on?” I asked as we took a seat on the couch.

  “Megan Lancer, does that name sound familiar at all to you?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “Should it?”

  “No...I don’t know.” He took the bank statements out of the envelope and laid them on the table. “You see this?” He placed his finger under the highlighted figure of $250,000.00. “This was deposited into Megan Lancer’s bank account three days prior to your husband’s murder.”

  “Okay, I’m not following you.”

  “According to her personnel record, she worked for your husband’s company for six months as an administrative assistant, making fifty-thousand per year. This transaction happened right before she was let go.”

  “Okay, well, maybe it was some kind of severance package or something.”

  “Well, that’s a pretty hefty severance package for someone who only worked for a company less than a year.”

  “I-I guess.” I had a feeling he was indiscreetly trying to tell me this was the woman they thought Aaron was being unfaithful with. “Did anyone question her and ask her about it?”

  “No. Detective Frankild was just able to track her down. She’s moved around a lot in the last few years.”

  “Oh. Well, did anyone bother asking Adam if he knows anything about it?”

  “He’s being anything but cooperative with the detectives up there.”

  “I haven’t talked to him in a while. Maybe if I call him and ask him.”

  “You can try, but I doubt he’ll tell you anything either.”

  “Well, maybe if you question him, he’ll be more receptive.”

  I chuckled. “Me? Lacey, the guy hates my guts. Trust me, I’m the last person he would cooperate with.”

  “What do you mean? He doesn’t even know you.”

  “I
...umm…ran into him and your friend form work the other night at the bar. He made sure to let me know how he felt about us being together, and let’s say he’s not happy about it.”

  I huffed, hoping he would finally be accepting of it. “It’s just...he and Aaron were really close. So he’s having a hard time with me being with someone else.”

  He shook his head. “No, that’s not it, Lacey. The guy is obsessed with you. I can see it in his eyes when he talks about you, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the one who’s been hanging around here.”

  “What?” A nervous laugh burst forth. “Quinn, that’s just crazy.”

  “Is it? Think about it, Lacey. All of those times when things happened around here, he was in the area visiting his so-called girlfriend. You even said you didn’t get why he was dating someone so far away who wasn’t even his type.”

  What he was saying did make some sense, but I was sure it was pure coincidence. Adam and Aaron were the best of friends. “Okay, logistically that does make sense, but I hardly think he’s obsessed with me. Adam’s not like that. He’s got a different woman in his life every week.”

  “Yeah, well, maybe he does that to fill a void, for not having the one he really wants.”

  I stared at him, speechless, wishing he didn’t have a logical comeback each time.

  “Look, Lacey, I may be way off with this theory, but it’s really something to think about long and hard. He saw you first in college. He asked you out, and you turned around and dated and married his best friend instead. Some guys never get over that blow to their ego.”

  “So, what are you saying? That Adam had something to do with Aaron’s death…and my rape? That doesn’t make sense.”

  “No, I’m not saying that at all. All I’m saying is he doesn’t have your husband to compete with anymore. Maybe he thought he would swoop in and be there to comfort you through all this and finally get the girl he always wanted. Trust me, Lacey, I get good reads on people just by talking to them, and that guy has a thing for you.”

  Just the thought of that in my mind sounded totally ridiculous. Adam had always been a good friend to me and Aaron, and up until recently we had never had any falling-outs. Recently. It wasn’t until he found out about Quinn. That’s when all the trouble began. I placed my fingers on my temples, trying to ward off the headache I felt coming on with processing this information. He had always been so adamant I kept Aaron’s part of the business, and I never knew why. Was that just another tactic to make sure I was still a part of his life?