Scandalous 2 Page 0,57

the house with me on his heels. His shoulders square off like he intends to inflict some damage. I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't Nate. The police detective rounds the corner of the house and calls out for Jack.

"Jack Gray! Get your ass over here!" The cop marches quickly toward the cottage, looking for Jack.

Jack calls out, "I'm over here. What's wrong?" It's the first question out of anyone's mouth when a cop shows up. It's never a good sign.

"The car that just left here didn't make it past the end of the block." Nate waits for me to reach them before saying more. I run up the beach toward the studio.

Breathless, I ask, "What happened?"

Nate has a somber look in his eyes. It's the warning that this is bad news, the worst. "The car caught fire. The driver couldn't escape. I'm sorry to ask you this, but I need you to come and see if you recognize the man. He was last seen leaving your property, and with the things that happened earlier today..."

Jack holds up his hand and nods. He takes my shoulders and we follow Nate down the street to a burning car. The air is filled with the scent of scorched plastic. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. Every step closer makes me more nauseous. If this is Gus..., that's all I keep thinking. Gus and Kate left together, laughing and teasing me. This can't be happening.

Squeezing Jack's hand, we step toward a stretcher with a black bag tied to it. Shaking, I feel my eyes prickling from the smoke. I can't breathe. I can't believe this is happening. The flashing red and white lights from the fire engine, all the sounds and people pass in a blur. I don't notice them. Nate takes us past the yellow tape to the black bag. When he unzips it, my chest collapses. I expect to see blonde hair and Gus's face, but it's not him.

Gasping, I look away and bury my face in Jack's chest. I choke, as I try to breathe without vomiting. The image of Jackson's charred flesh is burned into my retinas. I cling to Jack. He holds me tighter. I hear him speaking to the officer, but none of it registers.

Chapter 30

JACK

When that bag zips open, he's sure that it will be Gus that's inside, but it isn't. The man who came looking for Abby is in there. The guy that had the audacity to show up and announce himself as her ex. Abby throws herself into Jack's arms. Shock lines Jack's features. He nods at the man holding the body bag open and turns Abby away.

"That's Jackson. He was friends with Abby. He left our house about half an hour ago. Maybe a little bit more." Jack is breathing hard, but he doesn't let go of Abby. He won't let her see. Her life has already been fucked up beyond belief.

Nate follows them as Jack and Abby step away from the body as it's loaded onto the truck. "Do you have his last name, Abby?"

She looks up. Her face is lined with grief and shock. She swallows hard. "Wright. His name is Jackson Wright. He was staying nearby. His father is Tatum Wright."

"The real estate tycoon out in L.A.?" Nate asks, scribbling on a notepad that he pulled from his pocket.

Abby nods. "Yeah. Jackson is...was... his only son." She presses her lips together, but it doesn't stop her jaw from trembling. When she looks up at Jack with those eyes, he knows that he has to get her out of there.

"What happened?" Jack asks bluntly.

Nate makes a noise at the back of his throat and explains. "The best we can figure so far is that someone rigged the car to burn. It looks like it started under the hood, but the fire marshal will have to confirm that. The car stopped here and burst into flames. The driver tried to get out, but the seatbelt wouldn't release. He screamed for help, but the people couldn't do anything. The car was engulfed in flames. They couldn't reach him. Someone tried. The ambulance took him to the hospital. He has third degree burns on his hands and arms. Jack, this had to have been done when the car was parked and the last place it was parked was - "

"At my house. Fuck." Jack holds onto Abby and looks down at her tiny form. She's strong, but no one