by Ruby Vincent
Color stained his cheeks. My words struck him too.
“You outed your friend to get into the Network. You bullied me, drugged me, and targeted me. You turned into this disgusting cockroach of a person and that was bad enough. Then you had to take it a step further and kill the only friend you had.”
“He wasn’t my friend,” he forced through gritted teeth.
“You wouldn’t let him be. He tried but you drove him away like you did everyone else.”
“That’s not true.”
“It is true. He got you into the Network. He helped you and you thanked him by caving his skull.”
Zach smashed his fist on the nightstand. “He didn’t help me!”
“Despite his faults, he was a good person and he didn’t deserve—”
“Deserve!” Zach’s shout blew me back. “You want to talk about what Cameron deserved? The answer is exactly what he fucking got!”
Bile burned my throat. What an awful thing to say. “Are you admitting what you did?”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“You attacked and threatened him at the fundraiser. You snuck off in the middle of the night covered in blood. I have a witness, Zach.”
His throat bobbed.
“I’m giving you a chance to tell me your side,” I said. “You get one more. Why did you kill him?”
My finger hovered over the phone.
“Who is this witness?” Sweat glistened on his lip. “Why didn’t they come forward months ago? I don’t think they exist.”
I tapped my skull. “Think, Zach. How would I know about it if someone didn’t see? Didn’t you think you were alone both times?”
His eyes widened. How would he get around that one?
“I didn’t—”
I turned around. “Goodbye, Zach. I have a call to make. I hoped you’d at least have an explanation for why you killed your friend—”
“He wasn’t my friend!” Zach roared.
I spun just as he jumped up.
“Cameron Dupre wasn’t anyone’s friend. The guy was a selfish piece of shit!” Zach advanced on me. I didn’t move as his hot breath hit my face. “Do you know what I went through because of him? He destroyed my life!”
“How did he do that, Zach?” I challenged. “You chose to do the Network’s test. You lost the tournament and I was the only one who played fairly. You’re the one who did those things.”
“But he’s the one who fucked my mom.”
My comeback died on my tongue. “He what?”
“You heard me. Cameron came to my place before our junior year to convince me to challenge you to another tournament. That’s when they met.”
“Wait.” My brain struggled to make sense of this. “Is your mom Em?”
“Crystal Emmeline Fields.” His lips peeled back from his teeth. “They thought they were being so careful, then one day I came home early from tennis and found them on the couch. Mom asked me not to tell Dad. She promised it would never happen again, but she lied. I knew they hadn’t stopped.
“I told Cameron to back off. I texted him. Called him. Tried to get him to listen. Their affair would ruin my family. Want to know what he finally said to me?”
I didn’t. I already knew it wasn’t what he should have said.
“He said it was none of my business and the two of them could do whatever they wanted.”
Rage rolled off of Zach in waves. His fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles were white. He was reaching his boiling point and I feared what he’d do when he blew.
“Well guess what? Dad found out. Now they’re going through a nasty divorce for the whole world to see!”
“What Cameron and your mom did was wrong, but they made a choice—”
“Choice! You keep saying that but when did I have a choice?” He thumped his chest. “Cameron hazed us and everyone went along with it. But I was the one who lost my friends! He ordered me to target you and the other Elites did it too, but you fuck all of them and look at me like I’m the trash.
“And you think I don’t know Cameron sent my dick to the entire school! Where was my choice in that? Huh? Tell me!”
I trembled against the wood.
“My parents are getting divorced and my dad is moving out of Evergreen. That sure as fuck wasn’t my choice.” Zach shoved his face in mine. I could count the tiny teardrops clinging to his lashes. “Cameron hazed me, humiliated me, and then blew up my parents’ marriage.”
“So you killed him,” I whispered.
“So I begged him to stop! I begged and I fought back and I shoved him off when he came at me with scissors!” A tear raced down his nose and splashed onto mine. “He wouldn’t s-stop coming at me! He said he let me get two shots in but there wouldn’t be a third. I punched him to end the fight and he hit his head on the bedpost! It was an accident!”
“Then why didn’t you come forward?”
“Cameron ruined my life,” he sobbed. Zach grew smaller—sinking, diminishing, folding in on himself like a man with nothing left inside. His head dropped onto my shoulder. “I lost everything because of him. I wasn’t going to prison for him too.”
“I don’t want to be this guy, Zela.” Zach hugged me tight. “I didn’t have a choice, but Cameron did. His choices turned me into this. I’m sorry.”
Shock dotted out my mind as Zach said the phrase I lost all hope I would hear.
“I’m sorry for everything. Please, tell me what to do,” he cried. “I don’t know what to do.”
My arms rose inch by inch. I was unsure of myself even as I hugged him back, but I pushed it aside.
“Don’t worry, Zach,” I said gently. “I’ll tell you what to do.”
Chapter Nine
I went to bed that night with a single question on my mind. It plagued me through my first week of classes. I missed my morning meetups with Derek, my breakfasts with Michael, my study sessions with Cole, and my practice with Landon.
I knew who killed my brother. What did I do next?
I didn’t make my decision until Friday morning. I stared at my reflection in the vanity and suddenly knew exactly what I would do.
Whatever it took.
I picked up my cell and made a call.
THE MANSION WAS JUST as magnificent in the daylight. I would say more so for the fact that you could see the beautiful flower gardens. I wouldn’t be surprised if he paid a fortune for those. He paid a fortune for everything else.
“Thank you.”
My driver honked a bye and drove off. Paying a driver to take me an hour to Evergreen on a Saturday morning wasn’t ideal, but I couldn’t ask the boys or Mom to take me here.
I passed the vintage cars and climbed the steps. The door opened after my first ring.
“Good morning,” said the staff. “What can I do for you?”
“I’m here to see Dominick Dupre. Can you tell him Zela Manning is here?”
The man made no move to do so. “I’m sorry, Mr. Dupre is very busy today. He’s not seeing anyone. In the future, please call ahead.”
“Tell me him I know who killed his son.”
He blinked at me. “I see. Well... that is another matter entirely. Please come in. My name is Winston.”
“Thank you.”
Winston let me inside. “I’ll let him know you’re here.”
I settled in to wait. My heels click-clacked on the marble as I admired the paintings.
“Miss Manning, follow me, please.”
Winston and I walked the length of the front room and turned down a hall on the right. He pointed to the door at the far end. I thanked him again and went in.
Dominick Dupre’s eyes were the first thing I saw. If I thought the reason for my visit would inject them with emotion, I was wrong.
“My butler says you have something to tell me.”
“I do.” I motioned to the chair in front of his desk. “May I sit?”
He nodded. Once.
I sat and got comfortable.
> “What is their name?” asked Dominick.
I smiled at him. “I’ll tell you... but I want something in exchange.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’ll give you what you want if you give me what I want.”
“Is this a joke?”
I shook my head. “No joke. I know who killed your son. They confessed to me themselves.”
Dominick folded his hands in front of him and gazed at me across the table. “Are you aware blackmail and obstructing justice are crimes, girl?”
“I don’t want to do either of those things. I’m happy to tell you who did it. All I ask is that you give back control of the Network to Jonathan Grayson.”
Dominick heaved himself out of the chair. “That’s enough. Get out of here and don’t come back.”
“Cameron was sleeping with a married woman,” I announced. “Someone found out and fought with him in his dorm room. They broke his alarm clock and at one point, Cameron slashed him with a pair of scissors. That’s how his blood got on Cameron. In the struggle, Cameron hit his head on the post. He rushed out of there and took the scissors with him.”
I gave him a hard look. “How did I know about the missing scissors when the police haven’t released the information? I know because I found and spoke to him.”
Dominick straightened to his full height. His eyes were a deep dark brown that bordered on black. They glittered as towered over me. “You will tell me his name and I will give you nothing in return.”
I looked back without flinching. “That hardly seems fair. I did what the police and your high-priced private investigators couldn’t do. All I ask is that you give back what was never yours.”
“All you ask?” Anger leeched into his voice. “I’ve drawn up papers, bought office space, lined up investors, and jumped through more hoops than you can imagine. You don’t know what you’re asking.”
“I know that you loved your son more than anything. You’re not a good man, but you were a good father, or as good as an awful man can be. You’ll do the right thing and give back what you stole. You’ll do it to get revenge for your son, and yes, I know it’s revenge you want.”
“I am not making myself clear.” Dominick bent and put his hand on my shoulder. “I am the head of this organization. Grayson’s time is done. That is all there is to it. You’re beginning to make me angry, girl. If you know who killed my son, tell me now.” His grip tightened on my shoulder. “He was murdered by a senseless coward and I will make them regret what they’ve gone.”
“I’m not telling you until you agree and put it in writing.”
“You will tell me.”
“No, I wo—”
Dominick seized my throat.
Gasping, my hands flew to my neck and scrabbled at his fingers.
“You come into my home, blackmail me, and use my son’s murder as a bargaining chip?”
My eyes bugged out of my skull. Naked, raw fear flooded my mind and threw my plan out the window.
“Who killed my son?” he bellowed. Dominick shook me roughly. “Tell me, you stupid little bitch!”
I pounded on his arms. “N-no!”
He slammed my head on the desk. I screamed as pain exploding in my nose.
“You think I’m not a good man?”
Black spots danced in my vision.
“This is me being a good man and doing right by my son,” he said. “You’re not getting in my way.”
I jabbed at his eyes as hard as I could.
“Argh!” His hand snapped to his face and I took my chance.
I ran for the door. “H-help!” I rasped.
Dominick grabbed me by the scruff of my neck, lifted, and threw. I sailed onto his desk. My head hit the surface hard and I saw stars. I rolled off and smacked into his chair. We both fell to the floor.
My entire body was pain. Warm blood gushed from my ruined nose and stained my dress. I struggled to push myself up.
Come on, Zela!
The floor thudded with heavy approaching footfalls. Agony ripped through my skull. Dominick yanked me to my feet by my hair, tearing out several strands.
“Give me his name.”
He wrapped his hand around my neck again and I screamed, “Zach! Z-Zachary Fields!”
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” he growled in my ear.
“Ask him,” I rasped. “He wants to confess. Zach’s ready to tell the truth. It’s him.”
“We’ll see.”
Dominick marched to the door. I clawed at his hands. He didn’t release his hold on my head or neck. The tips of my shoes skated over the tiles as I was dragged through the front room.
“Open it!” ordered Dominick.
He threw me out onto the driveway. I rolled a few feet and then smacked to a stop, not moving. The door slammed close.
I don’t know how long I laid there. Consciousness drifted in and out, brought in on a haze and taken out by inky darkness. In a stream of lucidness, I took my phone out of my pocket. My hand shook so hard it took several tries to dial.
“Hello?”
“Zachary Fields,” I forced out. “Dominick D-Dupre’s house. Help.”
I dropped my head on the pavement. The darkness came for me once more.
“WHAT IS THAT? WHAT are you giving her?”
I slowly came to.
“You didn’t give her that yesterday. I want to know everything you’re doing.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I cracked open an eyelid and groaned. The light was a nail through my brain.
“Zela? You’re awake.” A gentle hand stroked my forehead. “Can you open your eyes?”
I tried again. Blinking blearily, Mom came into focus.
“Hi,” I croaked.
One word and Mom burst into tears.
“Oh, my only one.”
I took stock while Mom cried and a nurse stepped up to poke and prod me.
“Zela, what were you doing at that man’s house?” asked Mom. “What did he do to you?”
Langman emerged from the bathroom. “I’m sure we would all appreciate a deeper explanation. I wasn’t expecting this when you phoned and said you’d call me back the next day with the name of someone I needed to protect and the name of a killer in that order. I’d love to know how we arrived here.”
I nodded. “One sec.”
The nurse helped me sit up and sip some water. When I felt human, I began.
“It started with the car that almost hit me at the park. It didn’t make sense to me that the driver was sharp enough to stop for the woman and her dog, but right after was suddenly too drunk to see me standing still. The next thought was that someone tried to kill me.”
Mom sucked in a sharp breath.
“The only reason someone would have wanted me dead back then was if they believed I killed Cameron. The list of people who would avenge Cameron was small, and his dad was at the top of my list. He confirmed it at the party. The way he spoke about getting him justice scared me.”
My voice was rough and scratchy. I plowed on anyway. “The problem was I couldn’t prove it. When I found out the truth about Zach, I bet that Dominick would go after him too, so I wanted you there waiting, Detective. He tried to have me killed and now he’ll be charged for attempted murder. Also, assault.”
“Did you go there knowing he would do this?” Mom asked, horrified.
“No. I thought he might shout or threaten me. I never thought this would happen. He flipped so quickly I didn’t know what to do.”
“You were right about him if that’s a comfort,” Langman said. “That night, he sent a hitman to kill Zach. We caught him putting a bomb under his car and he told us everything. But my biggest surprise of the night was a full confession from Zachary Fields.”
“Zach broke down. He asked me what to do to make things right and I realized his confession could be used to get a dangerous man behind bars. I told him a detective named Langman would come for him and he needed to tell you the truth.�
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He scrubbed his face. “What you did was incredibly foolish. You should have told me everything from the beginning and let me handle it. I have weapons, training, and backup.”
I glanced down at myself and my hospital bed. “Trust me, I have learned my lesson.”
“I hope so. Dupre will serve time for what he’s done, and we’ll help Fields the best we can. This case is officially put to bed.” He patted a bit of me that wasn’t sore. “Good luck, Zela. Feel better.”
It was just me and Mom—and the nurse.
“How long have I been out?” I asked.
“Two days. And they were the worst two days of my life.” She took my hand. “Don’t ever do this again.”
“I won’t.
“About that man...”
“I know he’s my father,” I finished.
An unhealthy, sallow sheen took over her face. “How?” she whispered.
“The cops did a blood test and they matched it with Cameron’s.”
She dropped her head in her hands. Mom was quiet for a long time.
“I hope you see why I did what I did.”
“I do,” I replied. “He wasn’t a man I needed to know.”
“How could he hurt you? His own daughter.”
“I didn’t tell him the truth and I never will. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t have a father.”
“Are you truly okay with this?”
“Yes.” I smiled and it tugged uncomfortably on my bandaged nose. “My mom raised me to be a strong, independent woman who doesn’t rely on a man for her identity.”
She kissed my forehead. “That’s my girl.”
“Mom, one more thing,” I began. “I’ve thought about the money for the plane ticket and I decided I want to buy two.”
“Two?”
“One for me and you. It’s been a long time since the Manning women explored the world together. Plus, if you come, Adam’s parents will definitely say yes. What do you think?”
“I’d love to, Zela. We’ll buy them as soon as we get back home. We might even stretch it to four tickets and get all the Manning women on board.”
