Two Can Keep A Secret

Chapter 11

Jack smirked, as if I actually owed him a ride. It was enough to make me drive off again but I responded with a cheerful grin. 

Kill them with kindness, right?

He entered the car, his clothes dripping water over my seats. I opened my mouth to talk but then clamped it shut. I was usually so good at keeping my cool. I was not going to let the town of Clement change that.

"You're dripping water on my seat, Jack," I said, hoping that I sounded sweet and convincing and not annoyed and irritated.

Jack shrugged. "Can I put on the radio? Thanks." He flicked it on without even waiting for me to respond. I took another calming deep breath. My job was to convince Jack to join our team. If that meant dealing with his entitled attitude, so be it.

"I know you've heard about Colt's death," I said, trying to be heard over the screamo music Jack had decided to play, "Mindy and Davy are trying to help us find him. And we were wondering if you wanted to be part of it."

Jack ran his hands through his blonde hair angrily. "I don't care about that vindictive druggie. Just because Mindy decided to help you guys doesn't mean I will. I'm glad that loser's dead."

I gripped on the steering wheel even harder. The script I had wrote for this conversation ended on a much more agreeable note. I recognized a street from the night of Jack's party and realized that I must be getting close to Jack's house. I was running out of time.

"That wasn't a really good thing to say, Jack. Unfortunately for you, I've been recording our whole conversation. Combined with those emails you sent Colt, that looks like pretty condemning evidence. Unless you want to be a suspect in Colt's murder, you're going to work with us and find Colt's real killer," I bluffed. Hopefully, he wouldn't question how I was recording him with a phone that was safely tucked into my bag.

"Of course. Just because you hide behind a good girl image doesn't mean you're any different from Colt. At least Colt didn't hide who he really was." 

I rolled my eyes as we pulled up in front of Jack's house. The house seemed even more majestic now that it wasn't blocked by a congregation of luxury cars.

"Is that supposed to hurt my feelings? Here's a heads-up, Jack. I hide everything  about myself. Now, get out of my car." 

Jack grunted and slid out of my car. "How did you know where I lived?"

I froze. Something about his inane question seemed like a trap. "Your party," I answered slowly.

Jack grimaced and leaned through the car window. Never underestimate the menace that perfectly straight and white teeth can hold. "Where's the ball?"

"i don't know what you're talking about." 

"Where. Is. My. Baseball. You know, the one you stole from my house? You can't charge me with murder but I can definitely charge you with theft. It's too bad you can't blame it on the dead guy." Jack backed away from the car and glared at me. 

"It's too bad you can't blame it on me, either. i don't know what you're talking about." I slammed the gear into drive and sped off.

By the time I reached my house, my heart was still pounding. I had alternated between focusing  on the road or peering into my rearview mirror to see if Jack had somehow followed me. With everything that had happened, I had forgotten about what had went down at the party. Jack was right. Colt was the one who had stolen the baseball but he was dead, his body hauled off to wherever the authorities saw fit. The only two people left to blame were Reina and I.