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“Explain, because then I have some news.”
I looked at her and sighed. “He cornered me at the grocery store, demanding that I let him explain. And then he said-.” I cut off shaking my head. “It doesn’t matter. What’s your news?”
“No, finish what you were going to say.” She leaned against the door frame.
I turned and looked at her and crossed my arms over my chest, hugging myself like it could keep me from falling apart again. “He said he still loved me.” I cringed as I said the words out loud. “He must think I’m a fucking moron to believe that.” I said but that small fucking part inside of me was bigger than it was the other day and I hated that.
I hated him.
I had to.
I owed it to Blaine to hate him.
“Actually…” Maddie groaned from the doorway, “I think you should have a seat.”
“Why?” I scowled at her as alarm tingled up my spine.
“Detective Dailey called me back finally. Said he wasn’t in that department anymore and was looking into how Fox was free before getting back to me and that it took some time to sort through the paperwork on it.”
“What are you saying?”
She sighed and pulled me into a chair at the table and sat down across from me, holding my hand in hers. “Detective Dailey said that two years ago Fox was cleared of the charges when new evidence was turned in.”
“I don’t understand.” I whispered, fighting back the nausea that rolled through me.
“There was DNA on Blaine’s body that they ran through the system during his autopsy, but they couldn’t find a match. And then when they brought Fox in for questioning, he admitted to killing him. So, they never ran the DNA against his to prove it, they didn’t need to.”
“Maddie-.” I swallowed and shook my head.
“Hang in there, D, it’s a wild ride.” She said and squeezed my hand. “But two years ago, a video was turned in to police by an anonymous source.” She licked her lips, “It was a video of Blaine’s murder.”
“No.” I backed up in my seat and dropped her hand, knowing what she was about to say.
“It wasn’t Fox.” She said with tears in her eyes.
“No.” I repeated as every single heartache that I’d held onto swirled around us.
“It was a man named Jason Harter.” She said shaking her head like the puzzle confused her at this point. “Once they had the video, they tried to get a sample of his DNA to prove it, but-.” She paused.
“What?” I gasped, “Just fucking say it.”
“He was already dead.”
“No.” I shook my head and stood up to pace. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
“He was killed in prison, babe.” Maddie said, standing up and following me. “He went to jail on a robbery charge after he killed Blaine. And he was…murderedbehind bars. The file said it was gang retaliation or something.”
“I don’t understand.” I cried spinning on her, “Why did Fox admit to it then if it wasn’t him?”
“I don’t know.” She shook her head, “I wish I did, he wasn’t in the video at all, Detective Dailey said.” She pursed her lips, “He didn’t do it though. I don’t know why he lied, but he didn’t betray you or me. He didn’t destroy our family, someone else did.”
“He did destroy us.” I gasped, “Penelope.” I scrubbed my hands over my face in agony. My brain exploded as a migraine hit full force from the turmoil. “I need-” I paused, “I need a minute.”
“Why don’t you go upstairs and lay down?” She said gently, “I’ll pick up Penny from school and take her to the park for a while and give you some time to let this all process.”
“Thanks.” I nodded to her absently, because she was right. I was in no shape to pick Penelope up from school in an hour.
I walked up the squeaky stairs on autopilot into my room and shut the door behind me as the tears fell from my eyes like rivers. I never cried.
