Page 58 of Release You

Derek cleared his throat and patted Dom’s arm. “We’ll wait for you in the car. It was good seeing you, Nikki.” He smiled at me, taking Valentina’s hand.

“It was nice meeting you.” Valentina waved at Henry.

“That bad?” I asked when Derek closed the door behind him.

Dom winced. “They moved Lisa’s parole hearing to today. I found out an hour before it started, almost missed it.”

“What?” The room swayed a little. “Why?”

“I don’t know. We were denied parole. She’s got another fifteen.” He pursed his lips.

I pressed a cold hand to my forehead, letting my tears trickle down my cheeks. This whole time I’d assumed she’d get out. Proving her innocence was going to be the cherry on top. She was supposed to come home. I failed her.

“I’m sorry, Nikki. We can keep trying. Were you able to find anything that can help her?” he asked.

“We found a note Mom left saying she knew Lisa was innocent. Would that help?” Henry put his arms around me.

Dom rubbed his jaw, shaking his head. “If your mom knows what happened that night, her testimony is the only thing that can help Lisa. We need to find your mom.”

“This isn’t fair. She didn’t kill anyone.” I swallowed. “How can they do this to her?

Can I see her?”

Dom nodded. “Yeah, I’ll call it in and text you. It’s not over, Nikki. We’ll keep at it, okay?”

“Okay.” I pressed my cheek to Henry’s chest and let his warmth seep through my body.

“I’ll be in touch.” Dom squeezed my arm and left.

I stood in the middle of the lobby with Henry holding me tight. “I failed her. She trusted me with her freedom, and I failed her.”

My words were muffled by his shirt, now wet with my tears. All strength drained from me. I couldn’t even muster the energy to be angry— angry at Tessa for not doing more to save my sister, angry at myself for leaving Lisa when she needed me the most, just angry.

“This isn’t over yet. Lisa is innocent. There has to be evidence of it somewhere.” Henry ushered me to the sofa.

He lay on the sofa and cuddled me. “Can you try and eat?” I shook my head, and he stroked my hair. “Close your eyes, then.”

I did, but I couldn’t sleep. The day Henry’s dad was killed was on repeat in my head. Henry and I had been playing in the tunnels. There was a man, or the silhouette of a man, at the end of the tunnel. He hunched over, and then I saw bright stars. Henry pressed me against the wall. Was that real? Had I really seen that?

“Jonathan killed your dad, didn’t he?” My heart twisted in my chest.

“I think so.”

I brought my knees in, while my head rested in the nook of his neck and shoulder.

His Adam’s apple bobbed, and his muscles tensed. “I’ve also considered the possibility that Mom killed Dad.” His voice quavered. I’d seen the doubt in his eyes before, at the manor and when we talked to the bartender. But this was the first time he’d actually said the words.

“It wasn’t her.” I kissed the stubble along his jawline.

“How do you know?”

“I just know. She loved your dad so much. I could see it in her eyes. She adored him.” I pressed my lips to his cheek.

He inhaled and blew out a breath. “Sleep,” he whispered, planting small kisses on the side of my face. I melted into him and completely relaxed as I drifted off to sleep.

I was in the tunnel. James’s face lay on the ground with his mouth slack, eyes empty, and blood everywhere. I flinched and snapped my eyes open. I lay on my bed with a blanket over me and a pillow under my head, but no Henry. Outside, the streetlights of Main Street glowed behind the curtains. How long had I been out? I sat up.

“How do you feel?” Henry asked from the other side of the room, staring at the wall covered with his dad’s pictures.

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