Chapter 11

Mia

A honking horn and the low murmurings make me groggily come to. I open my eyes and find myself lying in the back of a car.

From the front seat, Toby turns and frowns. “You okay? You fainted.”

Heat rushes to my cheeks as I sit. “I’m fine. Just embarrassed.”

A feminine voice comes from the passenger seat, and I see the same girl who was smoking with Toby earlier smile. “You won’t find any judgment here. But if you want to PA here—”

Toby interrupts her. “She doesn’t. She was on her way home.”

I nod and try to think of how to explain, but I need to hear about Zander. “Is there any more news?”

Toby nods slowly. “You sure you want to hear this?”

I don’t. I want him to say it was all a promotional stunt and that Zander isn’t really gone.

“Yes.”

He glances at the girl, but she’s on her phone. With a sigh, he looks back at me. “The video footage of that night Zander Cole’s friend died has been leaked.”

I swallow hard. Mouth and throat dry. From the look on Toby’s face, it isn’t going to be easy to watch.

And if Zander’s dead, I’m not sure I want to.

I glance at my watch and know I missed my flight. But Toby has my bags in his car.

“Are you working? Are you going to get in trouble for helping me?”

Toby shrugs. “I’m still working. But my boss has gone home for the night. If you like, I can drive you to the airport before I swing back to tidy up the office.”

Fresh tears swim in my eyes at how nice he’s being to me. He’s possibly the nicest person I’ve met here.

Maybe if I’d met him before Sally, I’ve had been working as a PA and not as a waitress.

Then I never would have found out about the zombie movie. And then I never would have met Zander.

At this point, I wish I hadn’t. Even thinking about him at the lake, makes jagged pain twist into my heart.

I can’t even tell anyone about the weekend we shared and his odd behavior. So, I just smile and try not to cry. “I can give you gas money?”

Toby shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it. Jenny needs a ride into Wildasin.”

I slump back in the seat and nod. “Thanks. I really appreciate it.”

Toby twists around in his seat and starts the engine. “You going to tell us what’s really going on with you and Zander?”

I buckle my seat and shake my head. “Sorry,” I mumble.

He looks in the rear-view mirror at me. “Do you want to know what was on the video?”

I close my eyes and take a shaky breath. It doesn’t matter what was on it. I know at some point I’ll find out. Either my curiosity will get the better of me, or I’ll see it on the news.

Since I’d rather not be surprised with even more horrific things about a man I cared about, I nod.

“Just the gist, please. I don’t need the details.”

Toby pulls out of the parking garage and pulls out onto the busy road. “Sure thing. Jen, you want to help me out?”

Jenny twists in her seat so she can look back at me. “You kind of knew him, huh?”

I wince. “Kind of.”

She wrinkles her nose. “Sorry. And yeah. I can condense the video. I’ve watched it way too many times. I think everyone has. It’s trending and started a whole thing about kids working in Hollywood.”

I sit back, eyes on her as she looks to be finding the perfect way to tell the story.

“Okay, so. Zander and Mike are at Zander’s house. In the pool house. It looks like they hired a hooker and were waiting for her to arrive.”

I almost interrupt her. I’m not sure I really want to know, but before I can tell her I’ve changed my mind, she takes a breath. “It’s obvious they were on something. And that it was Zander who must have suggested they tape themselves having sex with her. You can see it’s Mike who switches on the camera.”

I must have groaned because Toby glances at me. “You sure you’re up for this? You’re looking a little green.”

I’m not sure I am, but Jenny seems to be rethinking how much information to give me.

“Anyway, it looks like they were chickening out. Zander is so out of it; he just stares into space for some of the time. Mike is a little more cohesive, but both of them are wasted.”

She pauses for breath. “The video is mostly of them either talking trash or snorting coke. I think they’re listening to music…”

She looks at Toby, who nods. “Yeah, grunge or something. I think that’s what it was.”

Jenny nods. “So, it’s pretty mellow considering, they’re just waiting around, giving each other shit, kind of like brothers do. They play a video game, but Zander is just too fucked up to even hold the controller properly.”

She narrows her eyes as Toby exits the freeway. “At the 26-minute point of the video is where it gets interesting.”

I reach for the handgrip and hold on to it as if it can anchor me. “What happens?”

“Mike starts saying that he’s writing a book, and he wants to tell everyone about what a prick Zander’s father is. Then he starts talking about a girl called Brooke. Says that he’s changed his mind about the hooker. And he wants to go get Brooke. He tries to leave, but Zander gets irritated and keeps telling him to leave her out of it.”

Jenny glances at Toby. “What happens next?”

Toby changes lanes before answering. “You hear a knock on the door, and they both kind of freak out. Mike gets the door, and you see the hooker enter. She starts asking them what they want to do, and they both kind of just stare at her. When it’s obvious she’s wasted her time, she gets annoyed with them and tells them they still need to pay her.”

I swallow as Jenny takes over. “There’s this moment when you can see both of them just look at each other. Kind of stunned, like they don’t know what they’re supposed to do. Finally, after the hooker yells at them, Zander picks up the phone, and you hear him slurring into the phone, asking for money.”

Toby picks up for her. “There’s a few minutes of the three of them just waiting. But then there’s another knock on the door, and Zander’s father arrives.”

Jenny nods and makes sure she has my full attention like this is a pivotal moment. “And instead of being pissed at them, he’s brought more coke.”

Bile starts to rise to my throat, and I’m not sure I can stomach hearing anymore. Every movie I ever saw made by Jacob Cole has been forever ruined, but Toby is still talking.

He takes a breath and glances at Jenny. “What happens after he arrives? I forgot.”

Jenny scrunches up her face. “The hooker,” she says.

“Oh yeah. The hooker says her pimp is waiting. Jacob starts goading Zander and Mike. Telling them they’re pussy’s and accusing them of being gay because they wouldn’t screw the hooker. Says she’s there they may as well get blow jobs.”

Bile rises to my throat as Toby shakes his head. “That’s some messed up shit right there.”

I’m close to vomiting when Jenny carries on. “But neither want to, so he pays the hooker, and she leaves.”

Toby carries on. “Things are okay for a bit; Zander does some more coke with his dad, then Jacob says something about Brooke getting more work done, and Mike just loses it. He starts threatening Jacob.”

Jenny shakes her head. “Threatens is way too mild. He goes from calm to raving in a split second. He’s like this furious raving ranting lunatic. Talking about the book he’s writing.”

Toby takes over. “Zander gets to his feet, looking like he’s about to intervene, but his father grabs him by the scruff of the neck and slugs him in the stomach.”

Jenny agrees. “Then he tells Mike that no one will believe him, that’s he’s just a stupid kid and that he’ll kill him.”

Toby nods. “Mike takes off. Zander just sits there while his father lays into him and says that if he doesn’t do what he’s told, he’ll never get the money he earned and that he’ll put him in a mental home or rehab or something.”

Jenny frowns at him then looks at me. “I can’t remember what he says before he tells Zander to go to bed. Zander’s so wasted he just gets up and stumbles out of the room. Jacob grabs the coke he brought and leaves. The camera just keeps recording the empty room until the tape runs out.”

I don’t need to hear anymore. I can piece the rest together.

I close my eyes and have to dig my fingernails into my palms before I start to sob in Toby’s back seat. “Don’t tell me any more,” I croak.

Neither of them say anything else for the rest of the drive. Jenny gets out, and I can barely say goodbye to her.

Toby glances at me. “You okay?”

I shake my head. Because I’m not. And after meeting Zander, and then losing him before I had a chance to tell him how I felt, I won’t ever be.

Toby finds a parking spot, and he seems to realize I’m in no condition to talk. He just hugs me goodbye and wishes me well.

I somehow manage to stagger inside the terminal with my bags. It’s packed, the lines are excruciatingly long, and I no longer have a ticket, so I head to the United desk and wait my turn.

The TV is on, and the news comes on the top story is about Zander, so I look away.

I grit my teeth and pour all my energy into holding myself together. The line moves at a crawl, I need to use the bathroom, but if I move, I’ll lose my place, and I’ll just have to wait for even longer.

I’m three away from the counter, trying to remember if I have enough room on my credit card for an upgrade, so I get a meal when a woman taps me on the shoulder.

Dressed in a suit, and with a serious expression on her face, I know she’s a police officer before she withdraws the identification.

“Mia Dylan. I’m with the FBI. Step out of line and come with me, please.”

Given the fact that two other FBI agents are flanking her, this is not a request.

I swallow and step towards her, gripping my bags so tight my hands start to lose feeling.

“Am I in some kind of trouble?”

She gives me a brief smile. “We just want to ask you some questions.”

I follow her and notice with growing panic; the two agents are now behind me as if worried I might try to run away.

My footsteps are leaden as people actively avoid us. The agent leads me to a door next to one of the restrooms, and like a lamb to the slaughter, I meekly follow her.

The room is stuffy and lifeless, making my panic increase. She gestures to a seat and closes the door.

Now we’re alone; she relaxes a little. “Go ahead and take a seat.”

I mutely do as she says, still gripping my bags as she sits at the table across from me.

My throat closes over. “Do I need a lawyer?”

She raises a slender eyebrow. “No. What you need is to tell me what happened at the lake.”

I freeze. Unable to speak. Unable to move. Unable to think. “What do you mean?” I stammer.

The agent I still don’t know the name of leans back in her chair. “Did you see Zander Cole while you stayed at the lake house Jerry Jenson owns?”

I swallow and try to figure out why this is important. My thoughts are so jangled; I can’t think of why this matters so much now that he’s dead.

But I still hid him. Do they know that? Is that why they want to speak to me?

I think back to how careful Zander was about cleaning and getting rid of his prints, then the way he was shot.

Are the FBI involved in his death? Oh shit.

“Why?”

Her eyes narrow. “A handgun has been located at the scene of a crime. It was reported as stolen from a residence in Lake Tranquillity. Your prints were found at the house as well as a suspect we’re holding for questioning.”

I swallow. Am I supposed to answer that? I’m so overwhelmed I’m not sure there was even a question.

The agent leans forward. “Mia, it’s very important that you tell me who was inside the property with you.”

My brain is starting to hurt. A suspect? For what? “Is Jerry in trouble?”

The agent sniffs. “This isn’t about Jerry Jensen. Could you please answer the question? Did you see Zander Cole at the lake house?”

Her eyes never leave me, and I know if I even so much as blink, she’ll know I’m hiding something.

I know Zander took the gun, and it makes sense Jerry reported it as stolen. Doesn’t it?

She eyes me as I force myself not to fidget and to keep my breathing even.

This can’t be legal. Can it?

The air is getting thinner, and I’m starting to sweat. I’ve never been in trouble in my life. I’ve never even gotten a speeding ticket.

The agent is waiting for an answer, and I can’t delay it anymore.

My voice comes out surprisingly calm. “No. I never saw him.”

Since meeting Zander, I’ve lied to protect him, and now I’m flat out lying to an FBI agent.

For what? He’s dead. I can’t help him now.

The agent finally looks away. “Would you sign a statement confirming that you never saw Zander Cole at Lake Tranquillity?”

I have no idea why I’d need to, but I can’t go back on my lie now, so I nod.

Her shoulders relax ever so slightly, then she reaches inside her jacket, and for a horrific moment, I think she’s going to arrest me for Zander’s murder.

But she just slides a piece of paper towards me and gets up.

“You’re free to go. We’ll be in touch for the statement.”

She’s at the door before I can even think about the gun. “But Jerry didn’t do anything wrong?”

Her face stays expressionless as she nods. “His stepson Mark Jensen has been implicated in several crimes.”

Without a word of explanation, she exits and leaves me gaping, gobsmacked at the commuters walked past.

Implicated? What the hell is going on!

With trembling fingers, I pick up the note and burst into noisy tears as I read.

Hanger nine. The helicopter will bring you to me.

Z.