Jas stared directly at Zack and then nodded. “That’s where I know you from. She has your picture on the wall. She talks—talked—about you all the time.”
“My picture… D’you mean in the café?” Zack sounded puzzled, and I reached for his hand and held it tight.
“Naw, on the wall in her lounge.”
His fingers tightened in my grasp. “How well did you know my sister?”
“I helped her move house the other week. I borrowed a mate’s Ute and shifted all her gear.” Jas leaned forward and snagged a chair from the table, sinking into it with a heartfelt groan. “It took me months to get her to leave that bastard she was living with. And when she did, she moved just a few streets away. I told her she needed to get out of town, but she wouldn’t. Didn’t want to leave her job. It’s just a job, I kept telling her.” His words petered out. “Please tell me he didn’t have anything to do with it.”
To say I was confused would be an understatement. Zack’s brows tugged together into a dark V, suggesting he hadn’t followed Jasper’s long-winded ramble either. There was a thoughtful pause, and then Zack tugged a chair out for me and claimed one for himself. Our hands stayed linked. “Right. Tell me what the fuck you’re talking about.”
“How did she die?”
I felt Zack tense at Jasper’s bald question. “She fell down the cellar steps when she was collecting firewood. She broke her neck.”
“No. Who told you that?”
“That’s what the police told our mother.”
“For fuck’s sake.” Jas took a deep breath. “Holly, what’s the weather been like since you’ve been back?”
“It’s, ah, been warm. Sunny.” I gestured to the window with my free hand. “Like today.” I didn’t see the relevance, but Zack leaned forward and pinned Jas with a steely gaze.
“So why would she be collecting firewood? Why go in the cellar at all?”
“More to the point, there isn’t a cellar in her new place. I should know, I moved her stuff.”
Without taking his eyes off Jas, Zack dug into his pocket and retrieved his phone. He laid it on the table, on loudspeaker, and then tapped out a number. Five rings later, a sharp female voice answered. “Yes?” His mother. I heard the muffled hum of conversation in the background. The wake.
“It’s me. Where did Marnie die?”
Her shocked gasp was audible. “She fell down the steps—”
“No.” He took a quick breath and moderated his tone. “Where? Her new house or her old one?”
“What new house?”
Zack’s gaze flicked from the phone to me, to Jas, and back to me. “She moved out a few weeks ago.”
“With Barry?”
“No. She left him.” Zack took an unsteady breath as though bracing himself for something. “You told me Barry found her.”
“That’s what the police said. He came home from work and found her.” Her voice rose as she spoke. “Oh my…why would she be there?”
Zack ripped his hand free of mine and flexed his fingers, his other hand forming a tight fist on the tabletop. “I don’t know. But I’m going to find that stinking son of a bitch and ask him.”
Chapter Sixteen
Zack frowned when he terminated the call, and then stared at my brother as though something had just occurred to him. “You said you’d spent months persuading her to leave. Why was that?”
Jasper sat back and tugged at his hair, a wary look on his face. “Man, I don’t know how to tell you.”
“Were you involved? With Marnie? Are you the reason she left him?” Zack’s knuckles showed white on his fists.
“No. Not at all. She was a solid friend to me when I broke up with Cindy.” Jas hesitated. “I don’t know for sure, she never said.” He spoke slowly, as though picking his words with care. Zack’s shoulders were rigid, and he sat silent and unmoving. What was this new horror Jas was about to release? “She had bruises, on her arms. A black eye once.”
Zack’s words rang in my head. My stepfather thought it was fun to push me around, and I swore I’d never behave like that, that I’d stop people like him.
Icy fingers walked down my spine, and I realized I was trembling. I wanted this to stop. Wanted Jas to stop before he made this whole situation a million times worse, but I couldn’t speak. I’m not sure if I even breathed.
Jas carried on, his voice low and unhappy. “She said she’d bumped into the cupboard, banged her head on the car door, but one day she pushed up her sleeve and you could see the finger marks. And I told her to leave. I’d help her. She could even move into the spare room here if she wanted it. She kept saying no, but she finally said yes.” He scrubbed at his face. “God. I wish I’d done it sooner.”
His words hung in the air.
Zack turned to look at me, his face a cold mask. The beautiful, affectionate man from earlier had vanished. This Zack I could imagine on the battlefield, and I shivered at the idea. “Holly, I need to use your car.” His jaw was so stiff, I’m surprised he could speak.
My brain jumped from one fear to another. He was going after Barry? He thought Barry had hurt Marnie? What would he do? He was trained to kill, after all.
“I want to go with you.” I forced the words out. If I went, too, I might be able to keep him calm.
Zack shook his head and held out his hand. “Keys.” I hesitated, and he sighed. “Let me have your keys, Holly, otherwise I’ll have to go and steal a car. And I will do that.” Tears pressed at the backs of my eyes. What could I do to stall him? I couldn’t just let him drive away.
Jas dug his fingers into my arm. “Hol. This is not a good idea.”
It wasn’t. But could I let Zack go alone? If I went with him, he might be more careful.
I fumbled in my shoulder bag and dragged out my small key ring. Zack reached for it, but I held firm. “I come with you.”
Jas let out a frustrated breath, as though he was going to speak, but I carried on. “I don’t want you to do this alone.”
Moments later, with Zack behind the wheel, we accelerated up the quiet road. “Where are we going?” I twisted my hands together, unable to keep still.
“Marnie’s house.” He sucked in a rapid breath. “Her old place.”
“And if he’s not there?”
“I call in a few favors.”
Part of me wanted the police to stop us for speeding. Whatever Zack did, he couldn’t make this any better. I tried to untangle my knotted emotions as the trees and houses flew by. I couldn’t turn my back on him now. I had to see this through, even if my heart was shattered into a thousand pieces in the process. Was it really just an hour ago that he’d licked me into nirvana at the top of the hill? We’d been buying condoms and planning an afternoon of hot sex, and now we were on a witch-hunt. Seeking retribution. Out for blood.
“Your brother. I should have thanked him.” Dark eyes glanced at me for a moment. “I wouldn’t have known otherwise.”
What could I say? I just stared, another piece of my heart cracking.
The car pulled into a quiet tree-lined street of small clapboard houses, and Zack killed the engine, his hands dropping to his lap. His face was white and pinched, a muscle flicking in his stubbled cheek. He blew out a short breath. “Let’s go.”
I followed him out of the car and grabbed at his hand, tugging him to a stop.
Be careful. Don’t do this. Don’t wreck your career. He’s not worth it.
I didn’t know which platitude to spit out, so I just squeezed his hand and tangled our fingers together. He nodded, and we turned together and walked up a short gravel path to a bright yellow front door. The paint looked fresh and cheerful. Well cared for.