Page 119 of In the Air Tonight

“Y-yes.”

“You’ll get a phone call from Joshua Spurling with the attorney general’s office.”

“Okay.”

“Do me a favor, and don’t talk about this to anyone.”

“My husband is aware of it.”

“Please ask him to keep it to himself.”

“We won’t say anything to anyone.”

“Thank you for coming forward.”

“I’m sorry it took so long. I’ve anguished over this.”

“I understand. We’ll be in touch. Call if there’s anything I can do for you in the meantime.”

“Thank you, Houston. I appreciate your kindness.”

I end that call and reach out to Blaise.

“You won’t believe what just happened. Do you remember Ramona Travers from high school?”

“Yes, she was in my class.”

“She’s come forward to say she saw Ryder leave the party with Neisy.”

“Whoa. No way.”

“From what she told me, she’s had an experience similar to yours, full of guilt and remorse for staying quiet at the time.”

“I can’t believe this. Would it be possible for me to talk to her?”

“After she gives her statement.”

“Okay. Let me know when.”

“I will.”

After we say our goodbyes, I sit for a long moment processing what Ramona told me and how it’ll help to cement the case against Ryder.

He’s completely fucked. I wonder if he realizes that yet.

Chapter 24

Ryder

NOW

I’m awake all night in a jail cell, terrified about what comes next. All I can think about are Caroline and my precious kids and what’ll become of them if I’m sent to prison. I gave up a lucrative engineering job to run for Congress and sunk a big chunk of our personal money into getting my campaign off the ground. This’ll ruin us in more ways than one.

An officer stops in front of my cell. “There’s an attorney here to see you.”

I get up and run my fingers through my hair.

The officer cuffs me and leads me to the same room where I met with Cam last night.

---