Page 86 of In the Air Tonight

She looks over at me, seeming tentative. “May I tell you something else that worries me?”

“Of course.”

“During the preliminary hearing, the defense introduced an affidavit on behalf of several of Ryder’s friends and teammates saying they’d slept with Denise. Do you remember that?”

“I do, and I thought it was bullshit at the time. All she talked about was her boyfriend Kane and how much she loved him. I didn’t believe them for a second.”

“Both our brothers signed that statement.”

“I know. I argued fiercely with Dallas about it at the time. He stuck to his story, but I knew it was a lie.” I don’t tell her how he eventually admitted as much to me.

“Will they get in trouble for that?”

“It’s hard to say. If they’re smart, they won’t let Ryder’s attorney use it as evidence this time around. Since most of them are married with families, they have a lot more to lose than they did then. But Denise mentioned that to me as something else she wanted addressed, and I passed it on to Josh.”

I’m sick with anxiety over the thought of my brother getting into trouble because of a chain of events that I started. However, it was his decision to sign on to a lie to protect his friend. If he has to live with those consequences, so be it.

“Thank you for everything you’re doing, even though it might cost you, too.”

“I wish I’d met you again under different circumstances.”

“Why’s that?” she asks, seeming confused.

“I might’ve asked if you wanted to grab dinner sometime.”

“Oh, well…”

“I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“You didn’t. It’s nice of you to say that.”

“Maybe after all of this is over.”

“Maybe.”

“Are you planning to stick around until we hear from Spurling?”

“I think I might. My boss said it was okay for me to work from here for a while, so I might take a break from the city while I can.”

“I’ll be in touch when I hear anything.”

“Thanks again, Houston.”

“Sure thing.”

Chapter 18

Blaise

NOW

I watch his taillights until his vehicle disappears from view. Did that really happen? Did he say he might like to go out with me if we weren’t mired in a potential criminal case together? He did, and it’s truly flattering. Houston is a great guy, and I genuinely like and appreciate him, but there’s no crackle with him like there is with Jack.

Speak of the devil. He comes out of the house with Fenway on a leash.

“I wondered if you owned shoes,” I tell him when I notice he’s wearing an old pair of sneakers.

“Hardy har har. I prefer to be au natural. You should be thankful I wear clothes. To hear my mother tell it, I was naked until I was five.”

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