“Maybe this has all been just to scare you. Maybe they don’t really want you dead.”

“Who’s they?” I asked sharply. “My god, this town is just bursting with evil people, isn’t it?” I grabbed a napkin to wipe away my tears.

“No, I’m sorry, Tash. I didn’t mean to upset you. But you said yourself you think Alcott had something to do with your dad’s accident. Just maybe Jem’s trying to protect him.”

“No, you’re wrong. You have to be wrong, Ever.”

We both sat there staring at our plates, watching the steam slowly dissipate as the butter melted into the food. Everly didn’t have to ask. She waved the server over. “Can we get these plates to go?”

We placed our untouched food into containers and walked outside. The thunderstorm had left behind air that was so clear it almost hurt to take a deep breath. We walked silently to the car. Everly stopped to put the key in the car door. Her eyes rounded as she looked past me.

“Hey, Woodstock.”

The knot in my stomach tightened more as if someone was wringing out my insides. I turned around. Jem was walking toward me with that pale brown gaze that reached right into my chest. Everly’s words were playing through my head, picking at my brain. I’d thrown my trust and my affection, heck even my love to this man without thought. He’d swept me right off my feet, and I’d let him. Even with Everly’s persistent warnings. But he’d saved Finn and he’d saved me. I was nearly shaking with confusion by the time he reached me.

He sensed something was wrong instantly. The crooked smile on his mouth straightened. “What’s up, Tash. I was about to pick you up. It’s a nice day for a ride on the bike.”

“Yeah, I’m feeling kind of hungover from last night. Couldn’t even eat my breakfast.” I held up the box as proof. “I think I’m just going to head back to bed.”

He looked over the top of the car at Everly. Then he took hold of my arm and pulled me a few feet away from the car so she couldn’t hear. I couldn’t lift my face to his, so he pushed up my chin with his fingers. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”

“It’s nothing. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.” Tears threatened again, but this was no time to cry.

“What about tomorrow morning for work?”

I looked away. “I’ve got a lot to do in the office. I think I’ll take the bus and get there early.”

He stood there staring down at me, but I couldn’t look at him. My heart was splintering in every direction.

“Right.” He looked over my head. “Hey, Everly, fuck you and your fucking lies. You think you know me, but you don’t.”

“I know you’re just like your dad,” Everly shot back.

“Yeah, and you’re just like your uncle. Guess we both didn’t fall far from the tree.”

He brushed my hand with his fingers. “Don’t do this, Tash. I need you. I fucking need you, and I’ve never needed anyone in my whole fucked up life.”

The tears flowed freely now. “I just need some time to think.” I turned and stumbled to the car. He stood and watched as we pulled out of the parking lot.

Chapter 24

Jem

I’d ridden the bike fast and hard, with no destination in mind. I just needed to get out of Blackthorn. It hadn’t done much to clear my head. I doubted anything would. It shocked the hell out of me—my reaction to Tashlyn’s coldness in the diner parking lot. I knew she’d taken hold of my heart, I just hadn’t realized how badly until she couldn’t even look at me. The fucked up thing was I had no idea what I’d done. All I could think was that Everly had finally convinced her not to trust me.

The bike rolled along Phantom Curve as I headed back into town. As my dad got closer to meeting his maker, he was letting more secrets slip. Our last conversation had solidified in my mind what I’d always known. My dad was somebody else’s grunt. He was doing the dirty work for someone else. In my mind, I’d always imagined some high caliber urban dwelling mob type calling the shots over the phone. But more and more, it seemed I’d been ignoring the obvious, that someone right here in Blackthorn Ridge was in charge. His comment that I should leave it alone or be killed seemed to prove that theory. But who the hell could it be? Everyone in town had always been scared shitless of my dad.

I turned off onto Main and rolled through town. Sundays were always quiet, and aside from the diner, the only place open was Gregor’s Market. I wasn’t sure if Tashlyn would ever speak to me again, and I needed more than ever to talk to her. Especially now. There was so much to tell her. But first, I needed to find out who was behind all of this. And I knew where to start.

I pulled the bike up in front of my Great Aunt Alice’s shop. The store was closed, but she’d be inside, organizing her collection. Alice was one of those people who fit the idyllic, storybook setting of Blackthorn Ridge. There were a few people in town worthy of this beautiful place. I knocked on the door and peered down into the window on it. I knocked again, a little louder. Dane and I had no other relatives in town. We hardly ever visited Aunt Alice, which was shitty of us. Alice had tried for awhile, when we were young, to keep an eye on us and let our dad know when she thought he was doing something wrong or that we were getting out of control. But Dad had too big of an ego to listen.

The louder knock had urged Alice out from the backroom. She had on her wire rimmed glasses and her tight school teacher bun, which always reminded me of Mrs. Claus. She peered for a long moment through the window and looked slightly alarmed.

“Aunt Alice, it’s Jem.”

It took her a second to recognize the name. She smiled and pulled her keys from her apron pocket. She opened the door, and I stepped inside.

Alice looked up at me. “Jem, look at you. Did you get taller?” She laughed. “Or am I shrinking?”

I hugged her. “I think it’s just been awhile since you’ve seen me. I’m sorry I don’t come around much. How are you doing, Aunt Alice?”

“Oh you know, the arthritis is acting up, but I don’t like to complain.” She took hold of my hand and gazed up at me. “Tell me, Jem. How is your dad doing? The last time he was in here, he looked dreadful. And, do you know he walked out with one of my newspapers. Haven’t gotten it back yet.”

The missing newspaper, it gave Tashlyn good reason not to trust me. I shook my head. “Dad’s not good. He’s weak and he’s lost a lot of weight.”

She sighed sadly. “Such a shame. Such a lost life, that man. He could have done so much.”

I’d heard my great aunt lament about my dad’s failed life many times, and it always surprised me. I’d never seen even a glimpse of a man who looked as if he was destined for greatness.

“Would you like a soda, Jem? They’re cold.”

“That’d be great.”

She leaned into her small fridge and pulled out a coke. Her eyes rounded with surprise as she turned back. “I forget how big you are. You almost fill this room.” She took off her glasses and looked at me. “You always were such a picture. When you were born, I swear the nurses in the hospital were smitten.” Her gray brows squeezed together. “Don’t understand why you put such big holes in your ears and those big metal discs, don’t they hurt?”

“They did when I got them, but I don’t really notice them anymore.”

Her brows were still knitted together when she stepped toward me and lifted her slightly gnarled finger to my neck. “What’s that mark? Is that a tattoo?”

“Yeah, I’ve had it for awhile.” I popped open the can and drank. My throat was parched from the long ride to nowhere. “Aunt Alice, I wanted to ask you something about the past, if you don’t mind?”

She held out her hands. “Ask away. No one knows more about this town than me. I’m surrounded by history.” She sat on her couch. I pulled up the footstool and sat across from her. I took another sip. As much as Alice loved to talk about the past, I knew there were stories she preferred not to retell.