well-being. Poppy scoffed and looked away. Paige raised her eyebrows, tilted her head, and took another sip of water. The entire patio was so quiet I could practically hear the ice melting in the glasses at the next table. All of my friends were still standing around our table, staring, clearly unsure of what to do.
"Wow, Upton. You definitely have interesting taste in girls," Paige said, earning a laugh from the other two.
"You know what I think?" Poppy said in her crisp British accent, leaning forward with her elbows on the table. "I don't think you were pushed. I believe you jumped. I believe this whole thing is just a cry for attention. So perhaps you should stop accusing people of something that didn't even happen."
The fingers on my right hand curled into a tight fist. I was so angry my vision actually went hazy. She was going to accuse me of making a play for attention? The girl who had disappeared off the island for days, neglected to return hundreds of phone calls from her friends and family, and let everyone think she was dead?
Upton's hand fell on my shoulder. "Reed, perhaps we should just-"
"No!" I blurted, shrugging him off me. "I can't believe you're saying I made this up," I said to Poppy. "Who the hell do you thinkyou are?"
She rolled her eyes and took a bite of her salad.
"Reed," Upton said.
"No! I just want to know. I just want to know who tried to kill me."
"I believe I have the answer to that question," a booming voice announced.
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Upton and I turned around to find Mr. and Mrs. Ryan, as well as their son Daniel, striding through the restaurant. Everyone started whispering again as dozens of pairs of wide eyes followed the family's progress across the patio. Mrs. Ryan stood behind her daughter, placing her hands on Paige's shoulders, as Mr. Ryan stepped up next to Upton. Daniel hovered near the corner, as close to Poppy as he could get without falling off the edge of the deck. I was starting to understand the massive crush he had on her. Took a nutter to attract a nutter, apparently.
"What do you mean?" Upton asked.
"Reed, I'm so sorry about this," Mr. Ryan began, turning a piece of paper around in his hands. "As it turns out, the person who attacked you was under our employ."
"What?" Paige blurted.
"You mean she actually was pushed?" Poppy asked, her eyes wide.
If Upton hadn't touched my wrist right then, there's a very good chance I would have given her a black eye.
"It was Marquis," Mr. Ryan said.
I blinked, taken aback. Marquis was a nice man who worked as a maitre d' at Shutters and occasionally waitered at parties for the Ryans. The members of the St. Barths crew were friendly with him and he'd always seemed perfectly normal. I couldn't believe the man with the welcoming smile and easy laugh had tried to kill me.
"No," Upton said. "We've known him foryears. Why would he--"
"It seems his family has fallen on hard times," Mr. Ryan explained. "He was after the necklace. The police found it in his
42
house. We are all so sorry, Reed. As Upton mentioned, we've known the man for years. I never would have thought him capable of something like this."
My mind whirled with the news. If this was true, then no one was trying to kill me. I had just been collateral damage. The runaway horse and the faulty Jet Ski were just accidents, like Upton had said. No one wanted me dead. I was safe. Perfectly safe. Right?
"This is unbelievable," Upton said.
"But it's good news, right?" Noelle said, walking over to us. It seemed everyone in the small restaurant had heard Mr. Ryan's announcement. "I mean, I liked Marquis too, but this means Reed can stay. It means you're safe," she told me. She even spoke slowly, like she was addressing someone who had just learned the language.
"Right," I said. "I guess so."
"Miss Brennan, my husband and I feel responsible. If there's anything we can do to make this up to you, please just ask," Mrs. Ryan said in a formal tone.
I glanced up at her and her beady eyes bored into mine. Suddenly I couldn't help recalling in full detail the last time I had seen her. When she'd caught Upton and me half naked in her stateroom. My face colored and I looked around at the table. Paige, Poppy, and Sienna were all glaring at me. Of course they were. I had just accused them of attempted murder. And as it turned out, I was wrong.
I cleared my throat and wiped my palms on my shorts. "Um... I'm sorry about the ... about what I just said. I guess you guys had nothing to do with it."