Jersey Six - Jewel E Ann Page 0,28

than an hour.”

Chris’s nostrils flared as he blew out a long breath. “M-maybe.” He nodded.

“Go.” Jersey pushed him toward the bathroom. After Chris slid the door shut, she wrinkled her nose and faced Ian. “He has some PTSD.”

Ian lifted his chin as his brows slid up his forehead. “I … see,” he replied with apprehension to his voice. “What happened to him?”

“We don’t know. He has no memory of anything. No family … nothing.”

“I’m sorry.”

She returned a half smile.

“I need to go shower. I’ll meet you guys out front in…” he glanced at his watch again “…thirty-five minutes. But I’m guessing Max will be knocking on your door in less than fifteen.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.” He shared his mischievous grin one last time before heading back down the hallway.

“Coop?”

He turned.

“Who’s Ferdinand?”

Ian chuckled. “Ferdinand Magellan. First explorer to circumnavigate the globe.”

“Were you making fun of me? Because I seemed lost?”

“Seemed?” He laughed again while continuing to the elevator. “Thirty-five minutes.”

CHAPTER TEN

“I need you to believe me.” Chris sat at the end of the bed in the hotel room after giving Jersey the silent treatment. They hustled to get ready while Max tapped her foot outside of room 916.

Jersey spit out the toothpaste and shoved the rest of her stuff into her bag. “About what?” She sighed.

“It’s him.” He rubbed circles on his forehead, eyes closed. “I know you think I’m crazy, and maybe some days I don’t think clearly; some nights, things from my past haunt me in my dreams. But I knew it when I saw him and heard his voice last night. I didn’t get to see him up close at the concert, and his singing voice is different—deeper, grittier. But I knew it last night, and I still know it today. One hundred percent. It’s him. I need you to believe me.”

Jersey closed her eyes with her back to Chris. She didn’t want to believe him. Nothing about his claim made any sense.

“He came from a wealthy family. How do you think he got where he is today? I know he’s this big rock star, and you, like every other girl out there, can’t keep from getting ensnared in his charm and his appearance.”

“I’m not ensnared, whatever the hell that means. Don’t ever accuse me of being like the women fainting at his feet or freaking out because he steps onto a stage holding a guitar. That’s not me, and you damn well know it.”

“I see you look at him.”

“You don’t see shit.” She lifted her bag onto her shoulder, bearing its heavier weight after overstuffing it with her new clothes and shoes.

“Then why won’t you believe me? He killed them. His family helped cover it up. Sent him off … and I never knew where he went, but I do now. They changed his name and his image and gave him a new life. Money did that. Money buys freedom from accountability. Money buys fame. Money erases guilt … if he ever even felt any guilt.”

“No …” Jersey shook her head and turned toward him. “Eight years ago, almost nine. That’s when they were killed. Ian said he’s been performing for over ten years. What you’re saying doesn’t add up. I’m not calling you a liar. I’m just saying you’re not remembering correctly. You’re piecing things together the wrong way.”

“You’re taking his side. Wow … you’ve known him for all of twenty-four hours and you’re—”

“His side?” She gasped before laughing. “There are no sides. There can’t be sides until you can prove your point.”

“You said it yourself.” Chris jumped to his feet and paced the room. He paced more than tigers at the zoo. “You said you wanted to destroy … to kill the person who did that to Dena and Charles. Well, fate just dealt you the winning ticket, Jers. He’s so fucking untouchable to the rest of the world—bodyguards, security, a village of people keeping constant tabs on him. But by some miracle … fucking fate, Jersey … you’re in his life. A homeless girl from Newark has access to one of the world’s biggest rock stars. And not just access, you have his attention. You’ve been alone with him on more than one occasion in less than twenty-four. Fucking. Hours!”

“Chris …” She felt bad for him. The PTSD. The nightmares. The paranoia. The assholes who had made fun of him the night before. Jersey was homeless and had been homeless for over eight years, but she knew how she got there. She knew every hideous detail of