Page 102 of Always Right

"I'm okay, for now," I whispered. "Some days are harder than others."

I sipped on my drink quietly, handing it to him when I finished it. He set it on the end table next to him and I shifted, turning around to face him.

I can talk to him.

I can tell him everything.

"Can I tell you something?"

His eyebrows pulled together and he turned, facing me as well.

"What is it?"

"Mark found who did it."

Blake’s eyes widened. "He did? That fast?"

"Yeah. He's good."

"Well, who was it?"

"Eugene."

Blake let out a long exhale, shaking his head.

"It doesn't surprise me," I admitted. "He lost everything. But you know what the worst part is?"

"What is it?"

"He's not the one that broke into the gallery."

A mix of fury and surprise appeared on Blake’s face as he scanned my expression, quickly realizing how serious I was. “How do you know that?”

I shrugged. “Mark found video footage of the person walking down the street for several blocks, consistent with the clothes and build of the person who broke in. The day the money disappeared an envelope appeared at the doorstep of the gallery full of pictures of my life for the past year. You’re in some of them, too. So, it’s two incidents with two different people who were working together.”

“Holy shit,” he muttered as he ran a hand through his blonde hair. “Are you okay?”

It was hard to hear the question out of his mouth because the simple answer was no. I wasn’t okay. Not since this all started. Reality began to sink in...again. It was like I relived it every time we talked about it.

“He wasn’t working alone.” Blake stilled. "My dad’s been in town…there was pictures of Eugene and him together.”

“Your dad?” Blake’s brows furrowed. “I thought your dad was in Pennsylvania.”

“I did too, until I saw him yesterday at a motel in the city.”

Every inch of my skin crawled.

Derek didn’t know about my conversation with my father and yet there I was, talking about it with Blake. It felt wrong.

Everything about this feels wrong.

“What did he say?”

I let out a humorless laugh when I stood up, pacing in front of the sofa. “He was very offended that I thought it was him.”

“So...it wasn’t him?”

Forcing a smile, I finally stopped, facing him. My best friend. My confidant.

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