Secrets We Keep (Thistle Cove 1)

I flash back to that night at the pool, at what Rose said to me. “Alice, I don’t need you to protect me from her.”

She snorts. “Well, not anymore, anyway.”

My jaw drops, and I shake my head. “Stop. If you’re going to make jokes like that, stay away from me. It’s not cute. It’s not clever, and it sure as hell isn’t funny.”

“See?” she says, hurt flickering in her eyes. “You always pick her over me.”

A tall figure walks up to us and I drag my eyes from Alice to see Coach Chandler. “Girls, whatever this is about, I’m sure it needs to take place after class.”

Alice smiles at him. “No need. I think we’re done here.”

She flips her hair and storms off, Coach Chandler and I watching her go. He gives my shoulder a squeeze. “It’s been a hard time for all of us, Kenley. No one is acting the way they should. Just give her a few days to cool off.”

I look up into his crystal blue eyes, feeling the calm reassurance that makes him so popular. “You’re right. Thank you.”

He smiles and heads back to his classroom across the hall.

Alice is right, and so is Coach Chandler. She and I may need to take a break for a few days until everything calms down. Emotions are running high. With everything she’s been saying and hiding, plus the fact she nearly got me in trouble for driving my car, right now may be the perfect time for me to keep my distance from Alice Kendrick. Not just for our friendship, but for my reputation as well.

20

Ezra

“Chief McMichael,” I say, nodding to him as I take a seat at the conference table. I stretch my legs. “You’re looking good. New haircut?”

The Chief casts me a wary look. “Ezra, this is Detective Belcher.”

I nod at the young, cute Detective, then flash her a grin. She ignores me and takes the cap off her pen. “In the course of our investigation, it’s come to our attention that—”

“I was on the bridge with Rose the night she went missing.”

Chief McMichael shakes his head. “You’re waiting until now to tell us this. Why?”

“Because I was hoping to stay out of it.” I cross my arms over my chest. “Look, do I need my lawyer?”

“Did you do anything that makes you think you need a lawyer?” McMichael asks.

“Nope. Nothing.” I lean over the table, resting my elbows on the surface. “But you and I both know nothing good is going to happen if I call my dad.” Who, of course, is my lawyer. He and the Chief are well acquainted. “But here’s the deal, I’ve got nothing to hide, so, I’ll tell you everything I know, but only if you promise not to call my dad.”

“I’m not sure that’s a promise we can make, son.”

“Well, then I’ll go ahead and call him and he’ll have me so lawyered up that it’ll take you weeks to find out what I know.”

McMichael and

I hold one another’s eyes. This is clearly not our first meet up. He’s been busting my balls for years with locker searches, DUI checkpoints, and hauling me in whenever something in Thistle Cove goes wrong. He’s also been on the other side of my dad’s legendary bulldog tactics.

“How about this,” he says carefully, “you tell us what you know, and I’ll give you a heads up before we make any calls to your father.”

It’s probably the best deal I’m going to get. I stretch out and cross my arms over my chest. “Fine.”

“Why were you out on the bridge that night?” Detective Belcher asks.

“Rose texted me and asked me to meet her there.”

“Do you know why?”

“She was looking for a hookup.”