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Meaghan: When I woke up, I saw Mr. Mitchell dragging Jake out of the BMW from the passenger side, and the older sister, Ruby, was opening my door and assessing. She’s a doctor, you know.
Me: Yes, I know.
Meaghan: The mom was right behind her.
Me: Magnolia Mitchell. Were there any ambulances? Officers?
Meaghan: No. Not yet. They didn’t get there until after…
A pause.
Me: After what, Mrs. Slaughter?
My phone rings, disturbing the recording on my phone and I jump. Daphne. I immediately answer. “Hey, D,” I say. Take a small sip of tea. It nearly singes the tip of my tongue. “I survived.”
“You sound better than I thought you would.”
“I’m okay.” I don’t have it in me to recap everything that happened, but I need to at least let her know this: “I only gave him a heads up on the article. I didn’t mention the other thing.”
Silence. “Was it too hard?”
“Well, not so much that as it was that he kicked me out.”
“After you told him about the story?”
“I didn’t even get into the details.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. All I told him was that it was about a wreck from his teens and a source came forward. He didn’t seem to remember who I was anyway.”
“Yikes.”
“Yeah.”
“I guess he thought you were there to get his side of it, then?”
“No. I don’t think so. I told him it was already being prepped for press.”
“Double yikes.”
Yeah.
“So, what now? You listening to the recording?”
I smile weakly into the phone. She knows me well. “I am.”
“Do you ever plan on telling him…the other thing? Even if he doesn’t remember you?”
I huff. “Not sure I’ll have the chance now.” But honestly, I’m still not sure I want to.
“Sure, you will. It just might be through plexiglass and he’ll be wearing an orange jumpsuit.”
“Maybe.” Though innocent until proven guilty and all that. I just tell the stories; it will be in the law’s hands after next Friday. “I figure the mom and the sister will get the worst of it.” They’re probably the first ones he called.
“Maybe. They’ve got millions for good attorneys.”
My stomach sours at the thought of them getting away with it. If what Meaghan alleges is true, of course, and I’m pretty good at spotting liars.
