Set Me Free (14 page)

"Your testimony could bury him." Alex nodded.

"Only if it were believed, which he could easily make sure never happens."

"Then why the obsession?" Zach squeezed the back of his neck, obviously struggling to hear me talk about this all so openly.

"It's like he needs closure on this case and my death will be that for him. He told me that he's a man of his word. He promised my dad that he'd make me suffer and I don't think he'll rest until then."

Alex's eyes rounded as he ran a hand through his wayward curls. "I'm surprised he hasn't started a nation wide manhunt for you."

"I've often wondered that too, but I think he just wants to do this quietly. Find me alone one day and end me...all by himself. Like if it doesn't happen that way, he's somehow lost the game."

The stillness that followed my blunt statement was unnerving and I was actually grateful when the doorbell rang. Zach jumped up from the table, checking his watch as he headed for the door. Alex scrambled to pull down the sheet of paper, sliding it behind the curtain then leaning against the wall to cover the remainder sticking out the end.

I held my breath as Zach eased the door open.

"Hey, Jae." The cheer in his voice was forced. We all heard it and looked at each other as we waited for the red-headed firecracker to walk through the door.

"Where have you been? I called you like five times yesterday."

"Yeah, sorry, my phone ran out of battery."

"That's why you recharge it, dumbass." I saw a flash of her curls as she chuckled, playfully punching Zach in the arm. "So, where've you been?"

"Um..." Zach let out a breath. "I...uh...well, you know, Elliot and I decided to spontaneously head to L.A."

I closed my eyes as Alex let out an irritated huff. "What is he doing?" he whispered to Elliot.

"You try lying to her." Elliot flicked the bangs out of his eyes.

"You went to L.A? Without me? What the hell, Zach? I've spent the last two days hanging out with the lovebirds on my own! AJ's been off work for two days straight. Do you have any idea how painful that is? I needed you guys!"

I heard a slap and an oomph then held my breath as quick steps approached the dining room.

The second she saw me she stopped and crossed her arms.

"Oh." She threw me a dry glare before her eyes landed on Alex. "Oh. Hi." Her smile was dazzling as she drank him in.

"Evening." Alex grinned back at her, his charming smile making Jaeda titter.

I scratched my forehead and forced a grin as she pulled out the chair beside me.

"New hair."

I touched my dark locks, her tone more of an insult than a compliment. "Just wanted to try something different." I shrugged.

Her gaze was hard and unrelenting as she studied me. "Let me guess, you went too, didn't you?"

I didn't want to respond so I flicked an SOS to Zach who was standing behind his irate friend. He looked a little helpless although if I read him right, I sensed he wanted to spill the beans. My stomach knotted in an instant, my head jerking to the side. No way. It was bad enough that these guys knew. I wasn't drawing anyone else into this dangerous snare.

"Okay, what's going on?" Jaeda slapped the table. "I know you guys are hiding something from me." She pointed an aqua painted nail at Alex. "He went to L.A. too, didn't he? What were you guys doing there?"

"Look, Jae, it's kinda complicated..." Elliot began, looking in pain over the fact he couldn't say anything.

I held my breath, unwilling to give in even though I knew it would probably dispel the vexation radiating through the air. Zach looked at me, slightly pleading, but I dropped my gaze to the tabletop.

"Has this got something to do with you running away?" Jaeda's blue nail was now aimed at me. It thrust towards my face, making me recoil.

"Ease up, Jae." Zach reached for her shoulder, but she flicked him away before he could touch her.

"What is she getting you guys into?"

No one could look at her, their eyes skittering every surface, but her face. Talk about losing our cool! I wanted to shout at everyone to pull it together. Alex, the charmer in the FBI warehouse was speechless against her scrutiny. It was ludicrous!

"Jaeda—"

"Shut up. You don't get to talk, okay? You're the one who's causing all these problems right now. Coming back here and driving a big wedge through our group. What are you trying to do here? We have one summer left before we all flit off to college and we're supposed to be having fun. You coming back is ruining everything. You are a selfish, thoughtless bitch if you think you can just waltz in and out of Zachy's life. He deserves better than you!"

My confidence fled as her words hit me full force. The lie I had woven about why she wasn't invited evaporated in my brain. I sat like a stunned mullet taking in her fiery gaze and feeling futile.

"That's enough." Zach's voice was soft, but stony.

"I'm not finished."

"Yes, you are." He wrapped his fingers around her arm and pulled her from the chair. It looked forceful, but I could see his grip wasn't overly firm. "You don't talk to her like that."

"Oh great, so you're standing up for her now?" Jaeda wriggled free of his grasp and stepped away from him. "We're family Zach and you're throwing us all away...for her. You barely know her!"

That accusing blue nail shot my way again, except this time it was shaking. I met her gaze for a split-second and wished I hadn't, the hurt and frustration mingling together turned her daggers into cannon balls. I looked back to the table and kept my eyes steadily on the wood, not looking up until the front door slammed shut.

"I knew she was a spitfire, but phew. That girl knows how to leave a mark." Alex let out a breath, his eyes dancing as he spun around and started re-sticking the sheet to the wall.

Elliot sat in morose silence, his face hard. If he were frozen in time at this moment, people would study him and see a wounded soul wrestling with something intense. He was caught in a battle and he didn't know which side to fight for.

I hated myself in that moment. Jaeda was right, they were like family and I was pulling them apart. I was a selfish bitch!

I wanted to ask Elliot if he was okay, but he opened up his laptop, his dark eyebrows bunched tight and muttered, "She'll get over it...eventually." He threw a pointed glare at Zach who was about to sit down.

Shunting his chair back with a groan, he spun towards the door. "Back soon."

As the door slammed shut for the second time that night I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to ward off yet another layer of guilt.

"Hey, don't worry about it." Elliot looked up from his computer. "She's Jae, she bounces back."

"Then why do you look so distraught?"

He gave me a hard glare, putting on his tough exterior and straightening his shoulders.

"You saw the way she looked at me."

"She's a fiery personality." Elliot clipped.

"I've never seen her that mad before."

"You know..." Elliot pursed his lips. "That anger would evaporate in a second if you just told her the truth." Although his words were spoken softly there was a blaring undercurrent that could probably be heard on the east coast.

"I don't want her to get involved, it's already dangerous enough. I'll tell her everything once this is over."

"You better, because she's been hurt, you know. Her Dad just up and left when she was like eleven and her older sister, who she adored, chose to go with him. They walked out of her life. Zach and the rest of us, we're her family and we're more precious to her than anyone. No-one hurts our Jaeda."

"Then why aren't you the one chasing her down right now?"

Elliot shifted with a grunt. "Zach has a softer touch; he's always been able to talk her 'round better then I ever could."

I squashed my grin, knowing just how awesome Zach was at getting to people. He didn't deserved to be lumped with my crap, none of these amazing people did!

"I'm sorry, Elliot. I really am. Maybe I should just walk aw—"

"Don't even!" He raised his finger at me. "I'm not putting up with all this shit so you can just quit. I've only got so many of these
don't give up
speeches in me, so just shut the hell up and focus so we can nail this prick to the frickin' wall. Are we clear?"

"Yes sir." My body pinged straight. "I mean..." I closed my eyes and cleared my throat. "Yes, we're clear." I bit the inside of my cheek and nodded submissively, fighting a sudden urge to laugh. It didn't help that Alex was snickering in the corner, his shaking shoulders totally giving away the fact he was internally laughing up a storm.

With a final snort, he shook his head and smiled. Pulling off the top of his marker, he turned to Elliot. "Okay, let's finish this."

Chapter 16

ZACH

"Jaeda, wait up!" Zach chased her down the street, finally pulling her to a stop before she crossed the road.

"What? What!" She wriggled free of him again, debilitating him with a strong glare.

"I—I just wanted to check that you were okay."

"Of course I'm not okay! My best friends are lying to me. How do you think that makes me feel?"

"I know you hate it, Jae. I'm sorry. I want to tell you everything, but I can't right now."

"And how the hell did you get Elliot involved? He's the most level headed of us all! You told him something. Something you're not willing to tell me." Her expression buckled, nibbling at Zach's resolve.

He clenched his jaw and looked down.

"Please, Zach. Don't shut me out."

Guilt ripped through him. He swallowed and kicked the pavement with his toe, anything to avoid having to look at Jaeda. That cute little face of hers would break him. He had to stay strong.

"Why are you doing this for her? She's been in your life for less than five months." Stepping forward, Jaeda grabbed Zach's shoulders, forcing him to look at her. "I've been there for years. How can you write me off so easily?"

Her eyes were starting to glisten, stripping Zach's willpower down to a piddly thread. He was going to break soon, spill the beans and then have Lucy hate him.

He ground his teeth together and stepped out of Jaeda's grasp.

She tutted, her long curls dropping over her shoulder as she looked down at her bright pink toenails. She was wearing her flower toe ring, the one with the purple gems. Zach had bought it for her for Christmas the year before. "I'm so over this." She crossed her arms. "First she breaks your heart and now she's back and you're willing to just do anything for her. What's she hiding, Zach? I know it's dangerous. I can feel it."

Zach finally sighed, licking his lips. His mouth felt arid as he tried to speak. "For your own safety, you need to stay out of this, Jae." It sounded so poxy. He knew she would hate it and he was right.

"Ugh." She made a face. "You're so full of shit, Zach. I love you guys and if you're in trouble I want to help. Let me in."

"I'm sorry. I can't." The words only just made it through his locked teeth.

"You want to. I can see it." She shook her head, a pitying scorn marring her features. "Once again Zach Schultz gets duped by a girl. I thought you were stronger than this, but I guess I was wrong." Her lips bunched together as she shook her head. "Don't expect us to save your ass this time." She turned away then spun back with a last flair of anger. "And if Elliot gets hurt in any way because of you, we're finished, you understand me?"

Her vehemence left Zach speechless. All he could do was nod.

Once more she tortured him with a look of hurt so strong he nearly buckled on the spot. It she hadn't stormed across the street, he probably would have. He watched her red curls fly as she ran down the road before reluctantly turning back to the house.

This sucked.

Running his hands through his short hair, he trudged back home. He felt like the world's biggest asshole. Jaeda....in fact all his friends....had put up with his crap for years now, always stuck with him. It hurt to think he'd finally crossed a line. Was he an idiot to be putting Lucy before his friends? He despised being in this position.