since it was clear she had nothing to do with this,” he replies calmly.
“So, what you’re saying is you think I do.”
“That’s not what I’m saying at all. I just have some questions for my daughter.”
“Well, I have a question of my own that I feel I keep repeating.”
“Okay, what is it?” he asks, leaning forward on his desk and propping himself up on his elbows.
I exhale and look him directly in the eyes. “Do you believe me?”
I can tell from his lack of response that he’s still unsure. There’s a sense of hesitation, and wherever there’s hesitation, there’s doubt.
“If you’re referring to the messages from an unknown number on your phone, there were none,” he replies, pulling it from his pocket and laying it down on the desk. I’m really not surprised to hear him say that.
“They may not be on my phone, but Alex was there when I got them. Didn’t she tell you that?”
“Yeah, she said you got a few texts, but she also said you read them to her. She never physically saw them herself,” he explains, dragging his hands up and down his face in a show of exhaustion.
“What about Janice? What about Kevin’s truck?”
He releases a heavy breath before he speaks. “At the moment, we’re looking into Janice’s cause of death. We just put a warrant out for Kevin Donnelley. We’ll catch him soon. Don’t worry.”
“Don’t you get it? Kevin didn’t do this. I’m telling you the truth. It was this Unknown bastard who did it. He has Kevin. I got a message about it earlier,” I explain, battling my irritation. I want to slap my dad across the face in hopes that he’ll actually listen to me.
“Now, you listen to me. I getting really fed up with—”
“You’re getting fed up? You’re getting fed up? Christ, Dad. I’ve been fed up this whole time! Call Parker Reed. His number’s in my phone. He’ll tell you I’m right.” The moment I mention his name, I regret it.
My father clenches his jaw so tight that I expect him to come away with some broken teeth when he opens it to talk. “Samson, get Mr. Reed on the phone,” he orders, handing Samson my cell.
There’s an uncomfortable silence that falls between my dad and me until Samson re-enters the office.
“It went straight to voicemail both times I tried, sir,” Samson says, handing the phone back to my dad.
“Well, it looks like we’ll be making a quick trip over to Blackburn University tonight,” he murmurs while rising from his chair.
My dad’s thunderous knock on Parker’s door echoes loudly throughout the empty hallway. I hear some shuffling around on the other side of it, but no one answers. He knocks again and I’m surprised to see who’s standing there when it cracks open.
“Parker, some officers are at your door,” Sarah announces back into the room. Her stare homes in on me and I see the shock register on her face.
The next voice I hear is Parker’s coming from behind the door. “Sarah, I told you I’d get the—” He goes speechless the moment our eyes collide after he opens the door the rest of the way. “Dani?”
The instant my name leaves his lips, I want to storm off. A scream bubbles up in my throat, but I swallow hard, trying to show some restraint. I seriously can’t believe that after what just happened between us, he’d go running back to his ex. My head and heart ache with all of the emotions running through them.
“Actually, it’s me who’s here to talk with you, Mr. Reed,” my dad says, causing Parker to switch his focus over to him.
“What’s this about?” Parker asks, panning back over to me with a knowing glance. I’m sure he realizes this is about Unknown.
“May we come in?” my father asks, removing his sheriff’s hat.
Parker moves to the side and allows us to enter his dorm room. When I pass by him, he puts his hand on my shoulder, but I shrug it off. I hear him whisper, “This isn’t what it looks like, I promise. She just came over to talk.” For some stupid reason, I think I believe him.
“I should probably get going,” Sarah says, collecting her jacket that’s draped over the back of the couch.
You shouldn’t have come in the first place, I think.
Sarah leaves without even saying goodbye to Parker, so maybe he really is telling the truth. They didn’t seem romantic or anything, and she reeked of shame, but not in