Page 81 of The Engagement Party

Mitch stepped in front of Cassie, facing her. “You need to take a breath and realize what you’re saying here.”

“Don’t patronize me. I’m very aware of what I’m doing.”

Sierra worried Cassie would shoot him. “I get that you’re worried for Alex, but—”

“Not this time, sunshine,” Cassie snapped. “You don’t get to swoop in and play the role of peacemaker.”

That unbending sense of being right. Sierra guessed that’s what had kept the pretense strong and the lie alive for so long. Cassie controlled the narrative, and she controlled Alex. She didn’t know how to stop... probably didn’t want to.

Sierra tried to reason, hoping a sliver would get through to Cassie’s supposedly big brain. “Alex can explain what happened to the police. He was a kid.”

“He was twenty-one,” Ruthie pointed out.

Cassie shook her head. “Alex’s age then or now doesn’t matter because he wasn’t on that bridge.”

“This isn’t just about Brendan. It’s about Emily,” Ruthie said.

“Right.” Cassie’s chin rose. “Brendan killed her.”

Alex glanced at his wife but didn’t contradict her.

Something in the look he gave her had Sierra doubting. “Do you still think you can sell that?”

“It’s either that or tell the truth.” Cassie’s gaze shifted to Mitch as she spoke.

What the hell?Sierra kept peeling back layers, horrified at the rot underneath. “Which is?”

An unreadable look passed between Cassie and Alex before she spoke again. “Will was drunk and made a pass at Emily. They struggled. It was an accident.”

Ruthie snorted. “Another inconvenient accident?”

The story made no sense. Sierra mentally walked through the timeline then tried again and still she fumbled. “Why would Will go after Brendan for killing Emily if he’s the one who killed her?”

“To cover his tracks. Will killed Emily by accident and panicked. Will convinced Jake the police were right about Brendan. They went to scare Brendan, and he jumped off the bridge. Dylan is a homicidal maniac who tricked us into coming here and then killed almost everyone on this island.” Cassie shot them a see-how-easy-that-is look of satisfaction. “End of story.”

Even if pieces of that were true, and Sierra doubted all of themnow, none of that explained how Cassie knew what happened to Emily and Brendan and when she knew it. “Not even close.”

Cassie shrugged. “You don’t get a say.”

“What about me, Cassie?” Mitch asked. “You’ve been lying to me for twelve years.”

Alex shook his head. “We’ve been protecting you.”

“I’m a grown man. Protecting me from what?”

“Enough.” Cassie held the gun steady now. She’d dedicated her life to this story and didn’t show any signs of backing down. “Alex and I are going to find Dylan’s boat and go get the car. After Alex gets medical help and we give our explanation to the police, which we expect you to support, then we’ll send people here to rescue you.”

Her confidence chipped away at Sierra’s. Just when she thought she understood the game at play, it changed again.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Mitch asked.

Cassie kept talking. “My story saves us all.”

Ruthie glanced at Dylan, who still hadn’t moved. “He’ll talk.”

“Then you should take care of him.” Cassie looked at Sierra. “Another defensive swing or two should do it.”

Cassie wanted them to roll around in the blood with her. Sierra could see the argument.You killed Dylan and there’s no evidence he was a bad guy, so I’ll set you up to be the aggressor. Sierra refused to play. “You’ve lost it.”

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