The Things We Couldn't Forget

Chapter 29.

"What time is he getting here?"

Dallas sits on the counter in the kitchen, his bare feet dangling like he used to do when he was a teenager and we were waiting on the popcorn to finish popping to go watch a movie.

How much I wish that's what we were doing right now. I wish I'd gotten my brother back under literally any other circumstances than the ones I'm currently wrapped in.

Instead of hanging out in the kitchen to make snacks and spend a lazy day binge watching tv until our butts get sore on the couch, we are preparing for my lawyer to arrive.

Because I'm the suspect in a serial murder investigation.

It's still surreal.

No matter how many times I try to play it out in my head, I'm just a bystander watching my life unfold in the scariest series of unlucky events until I see myself getting slammed behind bars.

It literally doesn't make sense how one person could be so undeniably cursed.

I'm cursed to keep failing no matter how hard I try because the universe is literally against me. If I was sitting at home watching the coverage of this case on tv, I'd be sure as hell that I was guilty.

The evidence against me is unreal.

It just makes me wonder how many other people have found themselves in situations just like this one. With all of the new technologies and sciences available now, so many convictions are being overturned nearly daily. Netflix is making bank covering these wronged victims of the system who spend the best years of their innocent lives behind bars.

I'm terrified I'm about to become one of those people.

Another girl to add to the statistics of small town police forces being in a rush to shove the first person they suspect behind bars.

Honestly though, I can't even blame them that much. It does look bad.

"Any minute." I tell Dallas, rubbing my hands up and down my arms to try to get rid of the goose flesh gathering there. "I can't believe I'm actually having to do this."

Dallas furrows his brows and rubs his chin. "I know." He says. "But it's gonna be fine. They'll get that fucker and you and me will get the hell out of here and never come back."

"Just tell the truth." Kelsea stands beside me, rubbing my shoulder. "You've got to tell him everything so he can work out how to spin this all in your favor, ok?"

I don't know if I trust lawyers. They're too close to the police.

"Did your mom call you back?" Dallas asks her, raising a brow.

"Yeah." She tells him. "She said she can definitely get her friend involved if we need him. He's supposed to be really good. If this thing really does make it to a trial, he will take your case."

I guess that should make me feel a little better. Kelsea's mom is friends, well something, with a flashy New York lawyer who apparently owes her a favor. I'm glad she's been able to cash in on the debt with him, but it doesn't exactly make me feel better about all of this.

Needing any kind of lawyer is scary.

Needing a good one, is even worse.

"It'll be expensive," she adds softly. "But he will do it if it comes down to that."

I take a deep breath and sigh loudly. "That's great." I say flatly. "Came here for the money, gonna have to use the money to get out again." I palm my face. "Only me, I swear."