Loser II || WlW

Twenty-Three

She takes a breath. "She feels really bad about it now." Grace turns, looks at me with more intensity than before. "She was just in shock. She's not like us though, you know?"

I shake my head. "What do you mean?"

She shrugs. "I don't know. It changed us. Being locked in a basement with a psychopath. In the same space where Brittany's sister died. Watching your dad die. It changes people." She brushes a strand of her thick black hair behind her ear.

"You've done a lot of research on Claire's death, right? I mean, you wrote that story on it at least."

She blushes. "I'm sorry about that, Jordan. Still, to this day, it's my biggest regret."

I wave her off. "Doesn't matter. I'm wondering if it makes sense to you."

She tilts her head a little, looks at me curiously.

"I mean, the timeline. The motive. You've never... doubted that it was Zachary who did this, right?"

She shakes her head. "Not really."

I nod but after a moment, she hits my arm. "You know what I've never been able to wrap my head around?" She glances over her shoulder and moves closer to me. "So, Zachary had me in that basement for a couple of days, right? I was there when he brought Brittany in and..."

My heart thuds against my chest as she searches the air for an answer to her unspoken question. "When he brought Brittany in, she wasn't... She wasn't tied up. It was almost like she came... willingly."

"Why would she do that?" My words are too urgent.

She shrugs. "I always chalked it up to him being in love with her. Didn't he have a crush on her? Maybe he didn't want to tie up the love of his life."

I nod. "Yeah, but..." I shake my head.

She takes a sip of her coffee. "I know. I hate holes too. I drove myself crazy with that detail for weeks until I gave up for my own mental health."

I glance at the dining table through the large glass window. Brittany, Donna, and Clementine are sitting in front of untouched sandwiches.

I lean closer to Grace and whisper, "Do you think there's more to the story?"

Her eyebrows pull together. "Like what?"

"I mean, do you think Brittany was involved?" I rush the words out, hoping something will keep the rest of them in the house long enough to get the information I need.

Grace's lips pull into a bemused half-smile. "You're the last person I thought would be questioning Brittany's innocence."

I press two fingers into my cheekbone to keep my eye from stress-twitching. "Zachary won't shut up about her."

Grace flashes me a surprised look. "You guys talk a lot?"

"No. Not at all. I mean, sometimes, I guess." The ground sways under my feet. I grab the railing again.

Grace chuckles. "Don't stress yourself out so much." After a long silence, she adds, "If it makes you feel any better, I don't think Brittany had anything to do with Claire's death. Zach's probably just trying to drive a wedge between you two."

I rest my head in my hands. "You're right."

"Why the sudden interest in the case? Are you always this paranoid?"

I shake my head. "No. My meds went missing. I'm just... Spiraling, I guess."

Grace opens her mouth to say something when the doors behind us fling open.

Ron steps onto the porch and sighs. "We found the boy. He... It looks like he's also been murdered."

I can't make eye contact with him. I should come clean. Tell him it was an accident before things get out of hand. Before someone else takes the fall for my actions.

"It looks like he might have simply fallen over the railing while he was horsing around." Ron scratches his beanie. "Don't know why the barn was unlocked at all," he says more to himself than us. "But, as a precaution, I have to ask... Where were you guys a few hours ago?"

I glance at Grace, hoping she'll go first to give me time to think.

I should just come clean. I'm not my brother. I'm not cut out for this.

"I was in the game room all afternoon. Donna can confirm that," she says.

Both of them look at me; waiting.

I stare back at Ron.

"So?" he prompts.

I swallow and pull at the hood on my jacket. Did it get hot out here?

Grace chuckles, hits my arm. "I'm sure Ron doesn't care about a little underage drinking." She faces him again. "Someone drank a bit too much, so I tucked her in at her cabin and checked on her every thirty minutes or so."

He closes his eyes and lets out a sigh. "Great. You have an alibi." He leans a little closer and whispers, "Because for some reason, that Roger fellow is adamant that you were involved."

I force a weak smile. "Odd."

Ron shrugs, rolls his eyes. "He's a strange man. Well, we are on lockdown until we can get down the mountain so make sure you are accounted for in your cabin or in the common room at all times. No more hiking or extracurricular for the duration of the trip." He flashes a thumbs up and heads starts toward the cabins.

Grace waits until he's out of earshot to turn on me. "Don't tell me I just vouched for a murderer."

"I'm not a murderer."

She raises an eyebrow at me. "Why'd you freeze?"

"The meds are screwing with me," I motion to my head.

She eyes me skeptically. "We have to drive into the town tonight for Donna's show. You should come. Maybe there's a pharmacy or something."

A boulder is lifted from my chest. "That's a great idea." But as soon as I feel the slightest amount of relief flood through my body, I remember the text from the unknown number. I have to meet with whoever's on the other side of it tonight. My shoulders fall. "I actually can't make it. I have this... thing. I can't miss it."

Grace's eyes narrow at me. "Okay, just do me a favor and don't... Don't talk like this to anyone else, Jordan. You sound wildly suspicious."

I let out a long breath and smile at her. "Noted."

She points over her shoulder. "You coming inside?"

I shake my head. "In a minute."

She flashes another skeptical look, but I'm not ready to face Brittany yet. Not after my conversation with Grace. Not after what she told me about that night in the basement. Not after Zachary's accusations.

I choke back a sob. The longer we spend on this mountain, the more apparent it becomes that even if we manage to physically survive this trip, our relationship won't. 

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