One Tiny Secret

Chapter Twenty Nine

I spin the Styrofoam cup in my hand and watch the coffee swirl at the bottom. It mimics how I’m feeling as I sit in my dad’s office at the station. The harsh fluorescent lights overhead hurt my eyes, so I keep my focus on the cup. I feel emotionally numb at the moment, and I don’t think the fact that I saw Janice’s lifeless body has truly sunk in. I can’t believe she’s dead, and now Kevin’s missing too. What’s next?

My turn for questioning is coming up after they finish with Alex. I never should’ve dragged her into this. I wonder how she’s doing over in the next room. Unfortunately, I can’t eavesdrop, since the walls of the building seem to be thick and don’t allow for a lot of noise travel.

Resting my head against the cool surface of the wall, I briefly shut my eyes. I try to think back to everything that’s happened tonight, but it all seems to have blurred together into one big mass of confusion. I don’t even know if I’ll be useful for questioning at this point.

I reach for my phone, but remember it was confiscated when I claimed to have received texts from Unknown again. My dad wasn’t too happy to hear the same old song and dance from me. Hopefully Alex is telling them about all the messages.

Through the large glass windows that look out from the office into the rest of the station, I spot Hattie Oliver talking to one of the deputies at his desk. When she begins to cry into her hands, I have to look away. No matter how much I don’t like the woman, no one should ever go through what she is right now.

The door to the office swings open, drawing my attention to it. My father and his head deputy, Samson, walk in. My dad takes a seat behind his desk and Samson posts up next to the door after it’s closed, like he always seems to do.

“I know this is going to be hard for you, but we have some questions that need answering.”

“Where’s Alex?”

“We sent her home since it was clear she had nothing to do with this,” he replies calmly.

“So, what you’re saying is you think I do.”

“That’s not what I’m saying at all. I just have some questions for my daughter.”

“Well, I have a question of my own that I feel I keep repeating.”

“Okay, what is it?” he asks, leaning forward on his desk and propping himself up on his elbows.

I exhale and look him directly in the eyes. “Do you believe me?”

I can tell from his lack of response that he’s still unsure. There’s a sense of hesitation, and wherever there’s hesitation, there’s doubt.

“If you’re referring to the messages from an unknown number on your phone, there were none,” he replies, pulling it from his pocket and laying it down on the desk. I’m really not surprised to hear him say that.

“They may not be on my phone, but Alex was there when I got them. Didn’t she tell you that?”

“Yeah, she said you got a few texts, but she also said you read them to her. She never physically saw them herself,” he explains, dragging his hands up and down his face in a show of exhaustion.

“What about Janice? What about Kevin’s truck?”

He releases a heavy breath before he speaks. “At the moment, we’re looking into Janice’s cause of death. We just put a warrant out for Kevin Donnelley. We’ll catch him soon. Don’t worry.”

“Don’t you get it? Kevin didn’t do this. I’m telling you the truth. It was this Unknown bastard who did it. He has Kevin. I got a message about it earlier,” I explain, battling my irritation. I want to slap my dad across the face in hopes that he’ll actually listen to me.

“Now, you listen to me. I getting really fed up with—”

“You’re getting fed up? You’re getting fed up? Christ, Dad. I’ve been fed up this whole time! Call Parker Reed. His number’s in my phone. He’ll tell you I’m right.” The moment I mention his name, I regret it.

My father clenches his jaw so tight that I expect him to come away with some broken teeth when he opens it to talk. “Samson, get Mr. Reed on the phone,” he orders, handing Samson my cell.

There’s an uncomfortable silence that falls between my dad and me until Samson re-enters the office.

“It went straight to voicemail both times I tried, sir,” Samson says, handing the phone back to my dad.

“Well, it looks like we’ll be making a quick trip over to Blackburn University tonight,” he murmurs while rising from his chair.



My dad’s thunderous knock on Parker’s door echoes loudly throughout the empty hallway. I hear some shuffling around on the other side of it, but no one answers. He knocks again and I’m surprised to see who’s standing there when it cracks open.

“Parker, some officers are at your door,” Sarah announces back into the room. Her stare homes in on me and I see the shock register on her face.

The next voice I hear is Parker’s coming from behind the door. “Sarah, I told you I’d get the—” He goes speechless the moment our eyes collide after he opens the door the rest of the way. “Dani?”

The instant my name leaves his lips, I want to storm off. A scream bubbles up in my throat, but I swallow hard, trying to show some restraint. I seriously can’t believe that after what just happened between us, he’d go running back to his ex. My head and heart ache with all of the emotions running through them.

“Actually, it’s me who’s here to talk with you, Mr. Reed,” my dad says, causing Parker to switch his focus over to him.

“What’s this about?” Parker asks, panning back over to me with a knowing glance. I’m sure he realizes this is about Unknown.

“May we come in?” my father asks, removing his sheriff’s hat.

Parker moves to the side and allows us to enter his dorm room. When I pass by him, he puts his hand on my shoulder, but I shrug it off. I hear him whisper, “This isn’t what it looks like, I promise. She just came over to talk.” For some stupid reason, I think I believe him.

“I should probably get going,” Sarah says, collecting her jacket that’s draped over the back of the couch.

You shouldn’t have come in the first place, I think.

Sarah leaves without even saying goodbye to Parker, so maybe he really is telling the truth. They didn’t seem romantic or anything, and she reeked of shame, but not in the cheating kind of way. The empathetic look she gave me just before she left might’ve been a hint that nothing really happened between them.

“My daughter claims you can vouch for her testimony about an unknown assailant,” my dad states matter-of-factly, sounding annoyingly by the book.

I dodge Parker’s gaze when he looks over at me for support. He lets out a small laugh while shaking his head. “What she says is true, and you’re probably wondering how I know this,” he says. I look in his direction, fearing what will happen if he goes any further with that statement. “This Unknown person used our relationship against us.”

“Your relationship?” my father asks, and I see the sparks igniting within his eyes. I become more worried when I notice his hands ball up into fists by his side. I see the veins pop to the surface.

Parker takes in a deep breath after seeing my dad’s reaction. “I really like your daughter, sir. Have for quite some time now. And truthfully, it may be more than ‘like.’ That’s why I wouldn’t lie to you about this, or us. What happens to her really matters to me.” He smiles in my direction.

Okay, so it wasn’t the “L” word I’ve been hoping for, but that doesn’t mean I’m not happy to hear him confess his feelings to my father.

My dad’s eyes move to rest on the twin bed in the corner of the room. Then my heart sinks when he looks at me. “Is this the guy whose bed you woke up in after the party?” he asks through clenched teeth.

My surprised eyes dart from my father’s over to Parker’s, and worry sets in. I fear my father’s about to lose it.

“Yeah, I’m the guy,” Parker pipes up, drawing my father’s attention to him like a shark to blood.

My dad rears back and throws a punch right at Parker’s face. The sound of his fist connecting with Parker’s jaw causes me to flinch, and I instantly feel guilty. Parker whips his head back around to face my father, seeming unfazed by the hit. He wipes the blood from the corner of his mouth, all the while still staring back at my dad.

“Dad!” I yell at him from behind my cupped hand. He storms out of the room with Samson right behind him.

“We’re leaving, Dani,” he calls out to me from the doorway, implying that I should follow.

I stand there looking at Parker, not really knowing what to do or say. I move in front of him, his eyes never leaving mine. Reaching up, I wipe away the little trickle of blood running down his chin, which I feel completely responsible for.

“I’m so sorry. That’s so unlike him,” I whisper, causing a smirk to sprout on Parker’s face.

“I want you to know I meant everything I said,” he replies as his smirk changes into a full-blown smile.

“I know you do, but I’m not sure how faithful you can be to me, even with having those feelings. You’re too much of a gamble, Parker. It pains me to say that, but it’s how I feel,” I explain and kiss him on the cheek. He tries to turn it into more, but I pull away. “I better get going.”

He exhales heavily. “Yeah, maybe you should.”

As I reach the open door, I turn back around and see Parker’s gaze on me. It breaks my heart to leave him like this, but maybe our perfect opportunity to be together was ruined the moment he left the first time.