Love Me Again (Stonewall Investigations Blue Creek 1)

I sat down for this, jaw open. “No fucking way. What did I do?”

“You wanted to get a picture of this really cool sculpture garden we found. You walked through a hole in the fence that happened to be getting fixed that same day, so we didn’t realize we were trespassing. You got your pictures, but then security came and started being dicks, telling you that you had to delete your photos.”

“Did I?”

“No, but that’s not what got us in trouble. One of the security guys ends up calling you a slur, and then I just see red. I punched him so hard that he passed out.”

All right, logically I could see how the story wasn’t supposed to turn me on… but physically I couldn’t help it.

“Then what happened?” I asked, fully invested in the story. An odd thing considering I was one of the main subjects of said story.

“We ran. Met up with our group the next day and acted like nothing ever happened. The pictures came out great, though.”

I decided I’d have to look for those photos somewhere. I still had a few old phones; maybe I could charge one up and find them. It’d be nice to have the same memories Austin had, even if I had to color them in with forgotten photographs. It’s what I did with my family when I first woke up from my coma, and it helped me reconnect with my friends too. We’d watch dumb videos we filmed together, and even though I didn’t remember, I could still feel the connections grow stronger.

“Do you have any photos of us together?”

Austin shook his head in answer. “We were so secretive, you didn’t even want to be around cameras if we were together.”

“Really?” I dropped my head, looking down at my fists in my lap. “Fuck, Austin, I was really messed up back then. I’m sorry.”

“You weren’t messed up, you were just figuring things out. Sometimes it takes longer for some people.”

“Nah, you don’t have to be nice. I shouldn’t have hurt you in the process. It’s fucked up.”

Austin’s eyes bounced between me. He seemed to be thinking about something, and I realized I’d give almost anything to know what it was. Did he really forgive me for the shit I put him through? And if he didn’t, would I ever be able to make it up to him?

Also… what shit did I even put him through?

“Let’s get to the main agenda,” Austin said after a short moment. He opened a folder on his desk and clicked his computer awake. I still wanted to fall down the rabbit hole of our past together, but figuring out what was happening in the present did sound just as important.

“I’ve been able to gather a few big pieces of information. I have a list of people I want to look into a little further. Read it over and tell me if I should add anyone on there.” He pushed the folder across the desk and into my hands. It was a small list, which made sense since I wasn’t exactly one to make a lot of enemies.

Hank Trainor.

Michelle Pope.

Cary Pope.

“The girls? Cary and Michelle? You don’t think…”

Austin’s lips slanted, chair creaking under him as he leaned back. “We know you and Michelle don’t have a great track record, and after my visit to Honey and Wood, I found out Hank had a thing with Cary. All three of them”—Austin circled the first three names with a red pen—“are suspicious to me.”

“Hank and Cary? Is that why the Popes hate Hank, then?”

“I’m pretty sure.”

I ran a hand through my hair and pushed the folder back to Austin. “But then why come after me and not Hank?”

“You two were working together on something. Maybe the attempt on your life was enough to scare Hank into permanent silence. Whoever’s behind your fall might not want to risk anything else, so they’re letting him slide for now.” Austin let out a heavy breath. “Or maybe Hank is the one behind it and wanted to get rid of you to tie up a loose end. I’m trying to track him down, but no one seems to have a rat’s-assed clue on where he is. Even his dickhead business partner couldn’t give me answers.”

“Evan? Yeah, he’s a douche. Always really angry, too.”

“Yeah,” Austin said, cracking a knuckle. “I found that out.” He seemed to consider something before he quickly jotted Evan’s name down on the suspect list.

Before I could ask what happened, Austin continued. “I do need you to be extra vigilant, Char. Now that Stonewall is here and I’m investigating, I’m worried that things could heat up again. Whoever tried hurting you may want to finish what they started.”

The thought sent a cold shiver down my spine. “I liked things better when I thought it was an accident.” I rested my head on my hands, looking out the window at the cloudy gray skies. “Maybe it’s not a good idea for me to go spend a weekend alone in a secluded cabin, then?”