Page 23 of Twisted Truths

Realisation dawns on me. “You knew my sister, Zara?”

She shakes her head again and turns to grab the box of produce from the back of the truck. “I have to go.”

“Why are you lying, Hadley? Who are you trying to protect?”

Ignoring me, she hurries away, not looking back.

I mutter a curse and slam my hand against the side of the truck.Goddamn it.What is it about this girl that has me twisted up in knots? I shouldn’t have touched her like that, but the moment I stepped into her orbit, I couldn’t control myself.

She knew Zara. The truth was written all over her face. She knew my sister, and now I’ve scared her away. I need answers, and she might be the key to finding them, but I stuffed up. I let my emotions carry me instead of my brain. What was I thinking? I’m here in this godforsaken town looking for answers and justice for my sister. Nothing else. No distractions.

I’m not here to play the hero, to save innocent womenfrom the clutches of Gabriel and his arsehole of a father. Clearing Zara’s name is the only thing that matters to me.

So why the hell do I feel an inexplicable need to see Hadley again?

My phone rings, dragging me from my thoughts, and I pull it out of my pocket.

“Grimshaw.” My tone is curt as I greet the man on the other end of the line. “Nice of you to finally call me back.”

“We need to talk. Are you alone?”

I walk around the front of the truck, where I can see Paige and Bianca talking to Mrs Hargrove, the principal’s wife. Surrounded by so many people, I know they’re safe.

“Give me a second,” I tell him, crossing the road to the memorial for the mine explosion that killed my uncle. “What is it?”

“I got confirmation from a reliable source that your sister’s prints weren’t the only ones found on the murder weapon.”

My stomach drops, and I steady myself against the iron memorial. “She didn’t do it.”

“Don’t get too excited. It was only a partial. Her fingerprints are still all over it. There’s nothing conclusive to say the partial isn’t from whoever she got the weapon from.”

“Who was it? Was it Gabriel Solomon, or someone from the Sunfire Circle?”

There’s a pause. “I don’t have that information just yet. I’m working on it.”

Hope blooms inside me. “This is enough to reopen the investigation, right?”

“Theoretically.”

“What do you mean, ‘theoretically’?”

“There’s still a lot of overwhelming evidence against Zara.”

“This is bullshit!” I scrub a frustrated hand over my face. “We’re going around in circles. Tell me what the fuck I can do to find out who killed my family.”

“I need you to make me a list of people who might have wanted to hurt your family. Anyone who might have had a problem with your sister, your mum, or Paul. If you can get your hands on their bank records, that would be helpful, too.”

I scoff. “Mum and Paul were well-respected in this community. They didn’t have enemies. This isn’t about them. It’s Gabriel and his fucking cult. They brainwashed my sister, and they killed my family. We need to bring them down.”

“If we’re going to find out who killed your family, we have to consider everything. Can you get me the list?”

“This is ridiculous,” I mutter.

“I need your help to do my job, Nash, whether you agree with it or not. Are you going to help me?”

“Fine,” I snap. “I’ll send you the list.”

Chapter Nine