Page 10 of Ruthless Regret

Hide.

No! I’m not hiding. The only way I can make sense of things is to go somewhere where I don’t have to face Zain. Somewhere I can process the last few days.

In fact, before I go back downstairs I’m going to pack my things. I’m going to go back to New York with my friends. I’ll put the last few days behind me, and move on with my life.

I’ve done it before. I can do it again.

CHAPTER FIVE

ZAIN

The guywho doubles as the town’s CSI arrives while Sheriff McFadden is out in the backyard, talking to the two deputies searching the area. I lead him through to the kitchen, point at the blood and broken glass, and then leave him to do whatever he needs to do.

The police have been here for over an hour, but I’m sure if they haven’t found anything by now, they’renotgoing to.

I now have two broken windows that need repairing, and no idea of who to speak to about getting them fixed, so I do the most logical thing and call my dad for suggestions. After I’m done explaining what I need and why, he’s quiet for a minute or two.

“So, do you have any recommendations?” I say into the silence.

“Son,” his voice has a cautious note to it. “Maybe you should come and stay here.”

“I still need to get the windows fixed.”

“I know that, but if you’re not safe in your own home?—”

“I’m safe enough.”And I’m too stubborn to let people drive me out of somewhere I want to be.“I just need the name of someone who can do the glass repair. Do you have one?”

“I’ll make a call. But Zain … think about coming back home. At least until the police find the intruder.”

I snort. “You think that’s going to happen any time soon?”

“What does Ashley think about it all? She must be upset.”

“I wouldn’t have thought you cared how she felt.”

“That’s not fair, Zain.”

“But you’re not denying it.”

“You can’t expect our feelings to change overnight, son. We’ve spent fourteen years blaming that girl for taking you away from us. Then we get you back, and what happens? She takes you away again. Just in a different way.”

“That’s not what happened.”

“Isn’t it? You were home for less than twenty-four hours before you decided that you wanted to spend all your time with her. I don’t care what you’ve told your mom, it doesn’t make any sense to me. Not unless you planned for it to happen beforehand. Were you in contact with her while you were in prison? Is that it?”

“No, I wasn’t. Why would I allow her to contact me and not you?” I sink onto the couch and tip my head against the back, staring up at the ceiling. “How many people in this town still believe I murdered Jason and Louisa?” My voice is quiet. “How many of them see me, and silently think that I got out on some technicality, but that I still did it?”

“What does that have to do with you and Ashley?”

“Just answer the question.”

“Who cares what they think?”

“Easy to say when you’re not the one being judged.”

“You wereexonerated!”

“Do you really think that meansanythingto the people who were around when it happened?”

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