Page 82
Story: Rescued Duty
“Want me to drive?” Zack opened the passenger door.
“Sure.” Naya ducked down into the car. She couldn’t concentrate right now, and the last thing they needed was another car accident to add to the nightmare of events.
Zack put his hands on the steering wheel but didn’t start the car. “Before you call Ingram, there’s something else you should know.”
Naya narrowed her eyes. “What?”
“I think Will was seeing someone else.” He clenched his lips.
Bile rose in Naya’s throat. That was a bold claim to make. One she didn’t want to entertain because it was all too familiar. “What makes you say that?”
Zack pulled out his phone and handed it to her. “His phone was on the counter, and a text came in when you were outside. I glanced at the screen, and this is what was on it.”
Naya scanned the image of Will’s phone screen, and heat rose in her face.
Looking forward to having you all to myself tomorrow night. Love you lots, babe.
It wasn’t the heart and winky face emojis that did her in but the name of who’d sent the message.
Naya shoved open the passenger door and hurled. When she was certain she wouldn’t be sick again, she slid back into the seat and grabbed a napkin from the glovebox.
“I’m so sorry.” Zack’s face contorted in pain.
The rain that slid down the windshield was a mirror image of the tears that streamed down Naya’s face. “He was seeing…” She hiccupped. “He was with Sylvia.”
Zack grimaced. “It seems like that.”
“Do you think she was the one who locked Ingram in the office?” Naya’s mind swirled with thoughts.
Zack shifted in his seat to face her better. “Officers will need to comb the cameras to determine the cause of the forklift collision and who might’ve trapped Ingram. But would it really be helpful for her to know that?”
He was right. Although it would serve a purpose in finding out what had gone down and maybe provide insight into why cell service and Will’s office phone had been disconnected, it wouldn’t do Ingram any good.
But it didn’t mean the investigation could stop on Naya’s end. For her friend’s sake, Naya had to find out who’d killed Will—and the information that had led to his untimely downfall.
“We need to find Will’s killer.” Naya clicked in her seatbelt.
“Nay.” Zack’s voice lowered a notch. “We can’t play this game anymore. He’s dead, and there’s no telling who might be next.”
“I thought we agreed to be a team on this,” Naya cried. “Don’t you want justice?”
“Absolutely, but the police have it now. We need to let them do their job.”
“So now’s when you’re going to dip out?” Naya laughed and shook her head. “My friend’s boyfriend is dead, and he could have been mixed up in everything. We’re so close to finding the truth.”
“That’s not fair, Nay. I care about you.” He sucked in a breath. “Now that you’re back in my life, I don’t want to lose you again. That’s exactly what will happen if you get killed.”
Naya swallowed. He had a good point. He was looking out for her. But, “What if someone else gets hurt because the truth isn’t exposed? I don’t think I could live with that guilt.”
“That’s not a burden you’re meant to carry.” Zack’s brow furrowed. “Sometimes the best choice is to take a step back.”
“When people take a step back, it means they’re not going to stick around when the going gets tough. If it’s not convenient for them or they don’t get what they want, they just up and leave.” Naya swatted at the tears, her eyes burning.
They were probably bloodshot at this point, but she didn’t care.
Naya said, “My dad didn’t want me, so he left me. I could never meet Tucker’s expectations, so he turned to love elsewhere. And you…” Naya sucked in a lungful of air.
Zack hadn’t moved a muscle. Just sat there, listening.
“Sure.” Naya ducked down into the car. She couldn’t concentrate right now, and the last thing they needed was another car accident to add to the nightmare of events.
Zack put his hands on the steering wheel but didn’t start the car. “Before you call Ingram, there’s something else you should know.”
Naya narrowed her eyes. “What?”
“I think Will was seeing someone else.” He clenched his lips.
Bile rose in Naya’s throat. That was a bold claim to make. One she didn’t want to entertain because it was all too familiar. “What makes you say that?”
Zack pulled out his phone and handed it to her. “His phone was on the counter, and a text came in when you were outside. I glanced at the screen, and this is what was on it.”
Naya scanned the image of Will’s phone screen, and heat rose in her face.
Looking forward to having you all to myself tomorrow night. Love you lots, babe.
It wasn’t the heart and winky face emojis that did her in but the name of who’d sent the message.
Naya shoved open the passenger door and hurled. When she was certain she wouldn’t be sick again, she slid back into the seat and grabbed a napkin from the glovebox.
“I’m so sorry.” Zack’s face contorted in pain.
The rain that slid down the windshield was a mirror image of the tears that streamed down Naya’s face. “He was seeing…” She hiccupped. “He was with Sylvia.”
Zack grimaced. “It seems like that.”
“Do you think she was the one who locked Ingram in the office?” Naya’s mind swirled with thoughts.
Zack shifted in his seat to face her better. “Officers will need to comb the cameras to determine the cause of the forklift collision and who might’ve trapped Ingram. But would it really be helpful for her to know that?”
He was right. Although it would serve a purpose in finding out what had gone down and maybe provide insight into why cell service and Will’s office phone had been disconnected, it wouldn’t do Ingram any good.
But it didn’t mean the investigation could stop on Naya’s end. For her friend’s sake, Naya had to find out who’d killed Will—and the information that had led to his untimely downfall.
“We need to find Will’s killer.” Naya clicked in her seatbelt.
“Nay.” Zack’s voice lowered a notch. “We can’t play this game anymore. He’s dead, and there’s no telling who might be next.”
“I thought we agreed to be a team on this,” Naya cried. “Don’t you want justice?”
“Absolutely, but the police have it now. We need to let them do their job.”
“So now’s when you’re going to dip out?” Naya laughed and shook her head. “My friend’s boyfriend is dead, and he could have been mixed up in everything. We’re so close to finding the truth.”
“That’s not fair, Nay. I care about you.” He sucked in a breath. “Now that you’re back in my life, I don’t want to lose you again. That’s exactly what will happen if you get killed.”
Naya swallowed. He had a good point. He was looking out for her. But, “What if someone else gets hurt because the truth isn’t exposed? I don’t think I could live with that guilt.”
“That’s not a burden you’re meant to carry.” Zack’s brow furrowed. “Sometimes the best choice is to take a step back.”
“When people take a step back, it means they’re not going to stick around when the going gets tough. If it’s not convenient for them or they don’t get what they want, they just up and leave.” Naya swatted at the tears, her eyes burning.
They were probably bloodshot at this point, but she didn’t care.
Naya said, “My dad didn’t want me, so he left me. I could never meet Tucker’s expectations, so he turned to love elsewhere. And you…” Naya sucked in a lungful of air.
Zack hadn’t moved a muscle. Just sat there, listening.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122