An Influential Murder by Wendy Owens

Author:Wendy Owens [Owens, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-03-12T16:00:00+00:00

Fourteen

The simple fact is I’m good at being alone. I would even go as far to say I’m an expert at it. After my father’s imprisonment and my family’s attempt to go into hiding by changing our identities, alone was the easiest way to survive. My mother put all her energy into my brother, obsessing over him and the trouble he always found himself in. When she looked at me, I could tell there was disdain. She and I were the only people who knew our secret. I think there was this constant fear I would eventually tell my brother that we had lied to him about who our dad really was. I suppose now, I wish I had. Perhaps things would have turned out differently.

Staring out the window, watching the houses go by as Quinn drives, I try to remind myself I’m not that girl anymore. I’m not alone. Soon I will be walking down the aisle, something I thought I would never do, and dedicating the rest of my life to not being alone. Change does not come easily for someone who grew up as I did. I have to regularly make a conscious effort to share with Fletcher what is happening in my life. It’s something that isn’t natural for me. Forcing my gaze to my phone, I pull up Fletcher’s number and begin texting him.

Immediately, I explain that I’m safe and with Quinn. I tell Fletcher that the police are at Cassie’s house, and we are driving aimlessly in Las Vegas, trying to figure out what to do next. Fletcher’s reply is exactly as I expect, as he immediately absolves me of any blame. He then advises me that with Cassie missing, this is now a police matter, but I’m confident he knows me well enough to know there is no way I can stay out of this.

“Where should I go?” Quinn pleads frantically, her fingers white from clutching the steering wheel so tight.

“I don’t know,” I admit, looking up from the text conversation with Fletcher on my phone. “I guess we start by going through the suspect list and try to come up with the most likely lead.”

“Okay, great!” Quinn exclaims. “Should I go to a coffee shop or something? Or do we keep moving around? What do you think?”

The panic in her voice convinces me yet again that she isn’t behind this. I silently remind myself that Quinn could be working with someone, but her actions seem like an innocent woman’s. I either have to trust my gut or separate from her.

“For starters, I want you to take a deep breath,” I say. She glances over at me and then back at the road. “Pull over at that gas station up ahead, and we can take a moment to review what we know so far.”

“Oh! Right, okay,” she replies, following my instructions. She pulls into a parking spot on the side of the gas station and leaves the car running, the air conditioning fan humming in the background.

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