just don’t understand,” Tamara said, perching on a bar stool near the kitchen counter. “You all think that Mitch was killed, that this wasn’t an accident.”
“Not just Mitch,” Hudson said.
A murmur of agreement swept through the room.
“Been a bunch of murders,” Jarrett said.
“Oh, no.” Evangeline was shaking her head, her blond hair moving against her shoulders. Her hand reached for Zeke’s but his were in his pockets. His head was bent and he was remote enough to be on a different planet. “I don’t believe it,” she went on shakily. “No one would want to kill Mitch or Glenn…or Renee.”
“Well, they did,” The Third said, all of his cockiness gone. His face was lined, his hair falling over his eyes instead of neatly combed. “Something’s up. And it started with those kids finding Jessie’s body. Someone’s picking us off. And it has to do with Jessie.”
“Mitch’s death wasn’t murder,” Scott said, shuddering.
“Someone dropped that jack handle,” Hudson said. “It didn’t fall on its own.”
Scott asked, “You tell the police that?”
“Yep. Wanted everything on the table. No secrets.”
Hudson gazed at Zeke hard and Zeke flushed. Unless Zeke had gone straight to the phone and started calling the group, they still didn’t know he was the baby’s father and therefore the bones belonged to Jessie. Zeke’s uncomfortable posture said the secret was still under wraps.
Zeke couldn’t hold his gaze.
“Who sent those notes?” Hudson asked him.
Vangie caught the tension between them and said quickly, “You can’t think it’s Zeke?”
“Was it?” Hudson asked Zeke point-blank.
“No.” He was positive.
Hudson said, “Jessie didn’t send them. Jessie’s dead. Those are her bones. DNA’s proved it.”
“How?” Scott asked, surprised. “I thought there was nothing to match Jessie’s DNA to.”
“The baby’s DNA was matched to her father’s,” Hudson said. “And the father is one of us. Stands to reason the bones are Jessie’s.”
“You’re the father?” Jarrett’s dark brows slammed together and he looked at Hudson, then slowly followed his gaze to Zeke.
“I am,” Zeke stated flatly.
The group collectively absorbed the shock of that news, turning toward Zeke and staring at him.
“Oh, my God,” Tamara exhaled.
Evangeline blinked several times, as if her brain couldn’t process something so abhorrent. “It’s Hudson’s baby,” she finally said. “She was Hudson’s girlfriend.”
“I slept with Jessie,” Zeke said. “We were seeing each other behind Hudson’s back.”
Becca shivered, wishing she were in Hudson’s arms, but he had taken a half step back, watching the drama play out among his friends.
“No, you weren’t.” Vangie was positive.
“I’m not proud of it. And Jessie only really wanted Hudson, anyway. I just wanted her. I just wanted to have her. You knew I was seeing Jessie,” he suddenly accused Evangeline, whose eyes nearly popped out of her head. “Jessie told me she confided in you.”
“No! No!”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Zeke demanded. “Why are you so afraid of the truth?”
“I didn’t believe her,” Vangie said. “She was always saying hurtful things. We weren’t best friends!”
“Oh, my God,” Tamara said again, staring at Evangeline in fascination. “Jessie was confessing the truth, but you couldn’t stand to hear it because you’ve always had this obsession over Zeke!”
“This is all Jessie’s doing.” Evangeline’s whole body was quaking.
“Jessie’s dead,” Zeke said harshly.
“And so are Glenn and Renee and Mitch,” Hudson pointed out.
“I don’t believe you would do that to Hudson,” Vangie said. “You wouldn’t go behind his back.”
“I just wanted her.” Zeke’s jaw was set in anger.
“Fuck, we all did,” The Third said, trying to defuse the situation.
“But Zeke was the one who scored, apparently.” Jarrett started to see amusement in the situation. “Wouldn’t have guessed that one.”
“Zeke, come on,” Vangie pleaded. She wrapped her arms around his torso but he stiffened in her embrace. “We’re getting married.”
“Well, who the hell killed her?” The Third demanded. “Zeke? Is that what we’re saying?”
“Shut the fuck up,” Zeke said angrily.
“If anyone did, it was one of you!” Flushed, Evangeline gazed around the room at the men. “And Jessie sent those nursery rhymes to point the finger at you!”
“How many ways do I have to say it?” Zeke demanded. “Jessie is dead. She’s been dead for twenty years!”
“Why didn’t Zeke get one of the nursery rhymes?” Scott asked.
“Yeah,” Jarrett said, looking thoughtfully at Vangie.
“Because Evangeline sent them,” Hudson said quietly. “To point the finger at the rest of us.”
“You’re all—hateful!” Evangeline’s eyes filled with unshed tears.
Becca gazed at the shaking blond woman and realized Hudson was right. “You heard at Blue Note about the nursery rhymes, when Mitch and Glenn brought them up. You’re afraid Zeke really did kill Jessie. That’s why you’ve been so adamant that she’s alive.”
“No…” She raised a hand, as if to ward off Becca’s words.
“You never really believed it,” Becca went on. “You’ve thought she was dead from the beginning.”
“Jessie was some kind of witch! She could see the future, I’m telling you! She knew she was going to die! But it wasn’t Zeke!”
“Did you kill her?” Tamara demanded.
A deep wail boiled from inside Vangie’s soul. She clung to Zeke for support as the sound reverberated through the room. Becca turned to Hudson and he moved swiftly to take her in his arms.
“You did kill her,”
