We Are Us

Chapter 45 Florida

Chills race along the back of my neck, my heart pounding inside my ribcage like a trapped bird. My right hand twitches, and for a brief second, I picture the crimson splatter of blood, feel the smooth, warm weight of the knife’s handle within my palm.

Could Gavin be wrong? His opinion came from his investigation of Tucker, not the boat where I was found.

Shit. Maybe I really did plunge a knife into his—

There is a knock on the open door and I look up, blinking my vision back into focus. Gavin strides into the room wearing a dark suit and carrying a gold badge.

“Hello, Mrs. Stockton, my name is Gavin Cross, I’m a Special Agent with the FBI.” His eyes drill into me. Play along.

Of course, this is no game. And keeping secrets isn’t as much fun as it used to be.

Reardon has no qualms about speaking up. “I don’t care who you are, this is our witness.”

Gavin pulls his gaze from mine, and the sudden loss stings. “Would you like to discuss this in the hall?”

The police officer adopts an aggressive stance. “No. You need to step off.”

Gavin doesn’t back down. “Look, you’re a local cop, looking for a missing tourist. You have no idea who Tucker Stockton is. I’m willing to cooperate if—”

“You’re willing to cooperate? Who do you—”

Detective Diaz puts a steadying hand on her partner’s shoulder. “Sean, why don’t we hear him out?”

Gavin ignores them both. “Mrs. Stockton, your husband was days away from being indicted in one of the largest money laundering schemes in US history.”

Though he’d told me of Tucker’s criminal activity, the sheer scale of it is an unwelcome surprise and I know it shows on my face.

Reardon folds his arms across his chest. “You can prove Stockton’s illegal activities led to his disappearance?”

Condescension is woven into Gavin’s words. “Our investigation is ongoing.”

Reardon puffs up in response. “Well, until you—”

“Stop,” I say, as loudly as I can manage. “Detectives, I’d like to speak with Agent Cross alone please.”

“We’re not through with our questions.”

“For now, I’m through answering them.”

Detective Reardon’s face is like a bloated thundercloud as he stomps out of my room, his partner following.

“G—”

Gavin gives a quick shake of his head, then closes the door. He doesn’t say anything until he is back beside me. “Are you all right? I got stuck on a call with headquarters, otherwise I would have been here earlier. I’m sorry you had to face them alone.”

I reach out my hand and he takes it, our fingers intertwining effortlessly. “I’m fine, really.” I fill him in on my conversation with the two detectives, then ask, “Last night, did you know that Tucker’s blood was on the knife? His and mine?”

“No. That’s why I was late. The report came in this morning.”

“Do you still think this is all just a ruse to cover up his escape? Or…” I look away, feeling like the air’s been knocked from my lungs.

Gavin grabs hold of my chin and forces my gaze back to his. “I do. And until we know for sure otherwise, so should you.”

I manage a shaky nod, although the tension gripping my shoulder blades doesn’t dissipate. “Will the Florida detectives come back?”

“Probably. But the case will be transferred to FBI jurisdiction.”

“And you’ll stay on it?”

“For now. I’ll probably have to recuse myself soon.”

“But not yet?” I feel better knowing Gavin’s watching out for me. Although, if I am guilty, not even he will be able to save me.

“Not yet.” He brushes a stray piece of hair from my face, gently tucking it behind my ear. “Those calls they asked about… Do you recall who Tucker was talking to during your trip?”

My brows push together over the bridge of my nose, and I rub at the line indenting my forehead. “I didn’t pay much attention, and Tucker always walked away from me when he spoke on the phone.”

“Could it have been Wren Knowles?”

Clearly Gavin has done his homework on Tucker, so I’m not surprised he knows about Wren. “No. It definitely wasn’t her on the phone.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Tucker and Wren have their own shorthand, I always knew when he was talking to her.” I pull at the sleeve of my hospital gown, feeling embarrassed to admit my husband’s close relationship with another woman. “Is she involved?” Although it seems unlikely—Wren would take a bullet for Tucker.

“Her name has come up, but I can’t say anything for sure.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

“Can’t.” He cocks his head to the side, lips twitching. “I understand Knowles was your bridesmaid. Are you two close?”

“No. And frankly, that was at Tucker’s insistence. Wren made no secret of the fact that she thought she should be the one wearing a white dress, not me.” I splay my hands flat on the sheet, noticing my jagged nails for the first time. Tucker would hate that. “Wren has spent most of the past decade waiting for Tucker to wake up and realize that he chose the wrong woman.”

He arches an eyebrow. “I can sympathize.”

We fall silent for a minute. “I’m sorry, Gavin. I—”

He waves me off and stands up, walking across the room and leaning his back to the wall. “Last night, you said you were pla

“Yes.”

“Why?”

I feel my eyes fill with tears and I know what I have to do. I have to tell Gavin the truth. The whole truth. Not just the scraps of memory I have from our time in Florida.

Everything.

I pat the bed beside me. “Please, come here. It’s a long story.” Dread squeezes my throat like a savage, replacing the oxygen in my chest with icy beads of terror. Once Gavin knows about that night, about my twin angels, about the hate I carried for my husband… will he still think I’m so i

The world slows down as Gavin takes one step toward me, then two. Meanwhile, my heart is beating double-time, erratically flinging itself against my ribs. Gavin is an FBI agent. He knows what it takes to build a case.

Means: the bloody knife.

Opportunity: I was with Tucker on the boat.

Now, I’m about to prove I have motivation, too.

Once I tell him everything…

Everything will change.

But I never get the chance. Gavin’s not halfway across the room when Sadie barges through the door.

“You can’t be in here.” Sadie’s glare shoots sparks at Gavin, instantly pegging him as law enforcement. “Has my sister’s doctor cleared you to speak with her? She’s had a major head injury, for God’s sake.”

“Sadie, this is—”

“Gavin Cross.” He extends his hand though Sadie makes no move to take it.

“You’re that FBI agent.” She turns to me. “You shouldn’t be talking to him without a lawyer.”

I could tell my sister about Gavin right now. And I should. If there was ever a time to come completely clean, this is it.

But I don’t. Like a coward, I accept the reprieve.

I’m not ready for the two people I love most in the world to hate me.