There is no way some decades old curse is real.
No, there is more to this.
I’m determined to find out what.
For Taj.
12
“Why do I feel like you tell us all to stay was for a different reason?” Kara asks me on the walk back to the cabins.
Rhett told us to take a few days to ourselves, then if we’d like, we can continue with the team building tasks on the weekend. We all agreed, and Nathan packed his things to go home. Maria did, too. I think at some point, her and Taj had something going on. It was always the talk of the orchestra. I was never part of their group, so I can’t be sure, but I do know that they’re all pretty close.
Grace decided to stay, because she wants to make the most of the trip, which I understand. Emily is staying to be there for us, and I respect her for that. Emily and Grace have moved into one of the spare cabins and Rick is on his own, now. Kara is staying with me, and hopefully, we’ll all feel a bit better in the coming days.
I shrug, playing Kara’s question off as nothing. “I think it’s important for us to stay, that’s all.”
“Don’t lie to me, Lei. I’m your best friend and I can see straight through you. There is no way in the world you’d think it was best to stay here, you’re way to much of an empath. You care too much about people. There is something more. You don’t believe it was an accident.”
I have to pause and ask myself, do I truly believe Kara had anything to do with it? I think about my friend, and everything we’ve been through, and my heart is telling me no. I have to make this choice because if I tell her, and she helps me, and I’m wrong, then this could go really, really bad.
I turn to face her. “Don’t take offense to the question I’m going to ask you, Kara, because I’m only asking once more because I want your help. Did you have anything to do with Taj’s death?”
She scowls at me. “No, I did not. I drank a lot, I stumbled home. I partied just like the rest of them, but I had no reason to kill Taj. If you think first chair means that much to me, then you don’t know me at all.”
She’s right, and I feel horrible for asking.
“I’m sorry,” I say softly. “I just had to be sure. You’re right, I don’t think it was an accident, I just ... there’s something in my gut telling me there is more to this, but I don’t know what. I trust everyone here, and I see no reason why Rhett and his guys would hurt a member of the first group to come to Walker Hills, so I just don’t see it being them. But there are a few things I am worried about ...”
“Come, let’s go into the cabin so nobody hears us and we can talk it through.”
Kara takes my arm and we go into our cabin, locking the door and closing the windows. We turn the air conditioning on, it’s a warm day, and then we both sit on the sofa. Kara pulls out her phone, opens notes, and we begin.
“So, first things first, let’s go over everyone we know and see if we can find motive.”
I love this about her, she’s so willing, even after I doubted her. I feel horrible for doubting her, but I had to cover every single angle, even if I didn’t want to see it.
“Okay,” I say. “Let’s start with the guys. Nathan.”
Kara shakes her head. “No way, those two have been bros for as long as I’ve been part of this orchestra.”
“Could they have been fighting over a girl? Maybe it was an accident?”
Kara frowns, and then shakes her head again. “No, they were so happy last night. No tension at all. I just could never see Nathan hurting Taj, and even if he did, I think he would have said something.”
We cross Nathan’s name out.
“Rick?” I ask. “They did have that fight a few years ago, remember? Over some girl.”
Kara nods. “Yeah, but the two of them were pretty close, too. And Rick passed out early, he was super drunk and fell asleep in the tent when I was still there. The guy could barely take a step. It’s possible, but I’m going to say highly doubtful.”
“Put a question mark then, we’ll circle back.”
She nods, and jots something down on her notes.
“Grace and Maria,” I go on.
“He and Maria were pretty close, I’m pretty sure they had a thing a while back but Maria has a man now and she’s pretty happy with him. I see no possible reason for her to have done anything. Plus she’s tiny, it would take a lot to push Taj.”