Ava felt a pull in her stomach, thinking of all the things she’d learned about Alex recently. Since that first kid went on the news, multiple students from Alex’s old school had now come forward, confirming that Alex beat his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend into a bloody pulp. The only person who didn’t talk, actually, was Cleo, the ex-girlfriend, and Brett, the dude he’d messed up.
Alex had never told her about any of it. Ava hadn’t even known he’d had a girlfriend at his old school—let alone that he’d been so jealous of her new boyfriend he took a fist to his face.
But even knowing this, Ava still couldn’t imagine Alex killing Granger. Was that crazy? Was it insane to want to believe that he was innocent? She was still angry he’d called the cops on her that night—but she couldn’t stop loving him. She hadn’t given up on him. Not yet.
The priest cleared his throat, bringing Ava back to the present. “Life’s saddest event has brought us together today,” he began in a soothing voice. A woman in the front row let out another sob. “We have come to mourn the loss of a child of God—a young man who took it upon himself to fulfill a pure and precious calling. Lucas Granger. A teacher. A guide. A leader. A man who touched the lives of everyone around him. Like another great man who died too young.” He paused for effect, letting his words settle over the packed room. “That’s right. Jesus was a teacher, too.”
A chorus of sniffles and stifled cries echoed around the room. Ava felt a metallic tang in her mouth and fought her gag reflex. Lucas Granger may have been many things, but Christlike certainly wasn’t one of them.
CHAPTER TEN
THURSDAY AFTERNOON, PARKER PICKED AT the nubby upholstery of a chair in Elliot Fielder’s waiting room. Her feet bounced and tapped nervously on the floor. She still couldn’t believe she was here—how desperate was she that the only person she could turn to was the therapist who’d pretty much stalked her?
On Tuesday, after Fielder had told her about her dad, he’d begged to come pick her up. But Parker had changed her mind: She didn’t want to talk to him right then. And so she’d caught a bus back into Beacon, bummed around for a few hours, and met up with Julie, resolving never to talk to Fielder again.
But she was still struggling to process everything about her dad’s death. She couldn’t believe he was gone. Really, truly gone. Somehow, she’d expected to feel a different reaction. Joy, maybe, even euphoria. Instead, all she felt was numb—followed by the most pounding headache she’d ever suffered through. And even more annoyingly, she’d started reliving all sorts of awful memories of her dad—his abusive Greatest Hits, if you will. She needed a way to kick him out of her head once and for all.
Which was why she’d ended up back here.
Her phone chirped from the pocket of her hoodie, and Parker jumped. Her skin was clammy with cold sweat. She fumbled for her phone with jittery fingers. “Hello?”
“Where are you?” Julie’s voice was worried and tense.
“I’m fine,” Parker insisted. She tried to sound steady.
“Why weren’t you at the service?”
“What service?”
Julie exhaled. “For Granger.”
“You were there?” Parker was in no shape for a funeral. But she couldn’t believe Julie had shown her face. It wasn’t like Julie was out making social rounds after the mass email about her hoarder mom.
“Yeah,” Julie answered. “I mean, I hid out, basically, but I went. And you should have been there, too. It doesn’t look good that you’ve just skipped.”
“Who cares?” Parker said. They weren’t even suspects anymore.
“I cared!” Julie snapped. “I wanted you there! Parker, we really need to stick together. After everything that’s happened—”
Fielder’s receptionist appeared in the doorway with an exceedingly sweet look on her face. “Parker Duvall? He’s ready for you.”
Parker covered the mouthpiece with her hand and nodded at the woman. She didn’t want Julie to know she was at Fielder’s office. Julie would kill her.
“Sorry, I have to go,” Parker whispered into the phone.
“But—” Julie began. “Where are you?”
“I’ll see you later, okay?”
Parker tapped off the call and slipped the phone back into her pocket. She rose and followed the receptionist into Fielder’s large, airy office. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him, sitting at his desk, jotting notes on a pad. His lean runner’s frame was totally relaxed as he worked. He seemed so harmless and innocent. Not like a stalker at all.
She wanted so badly to trust him again. But how could she get over what he’d done—or how angry he’d been when he’d caught her at his computer?
Fielder’s head snapped up, and a smile crossed his face. “Parker! It’s so great to see you.” He ran a hand through his tousled hair. “I’m just so relieved—so happy—that you’re here.” He gestured at the chair across from his. “Please, sit.”
Parker hesitated. Maybe this was a bad idea. She fought the urge to bolt past him, past the lady out front, through the office door and into the street.