Page 43 of When the Smoke Clears

Her smirk disappears.

“Alan, as in Stephanie’s husband?” Randi’s face contorts. “How can that be? Wouldn’t you have known him?”

I shake my head. “Believe it or not, he and I never met. Stephanie also shared some things with me while she was here for Nana’s funeral. If I’m being honest, it’s like putting a puzzle together without a reference picture. So, I think I’m still missing something, but I don’t know what it is. It all feels a little wild.”

“I’ll say.” Liz is staring off at the wall of nail polishes.

“Did you ask Stephanie about this? Has she met him?” Randi asks, still trying to piece it all out.

I nod. “I did. Do you remember when she and I were attacked at the grocery store?”

“Yes, that’s the whole reason you all moved to Austin.”

“Yes. That was Colt.”

A collective “What?!” passes through the other women. The technicians seated before us all stop talking momentarily to scan us.

A flush rushes from my chest into my face and I clear my throat. “He told me. Alan knew, but he never told Stephanie.”

“What do you mean he knew?” Leah scrunches her face as she studies me.

“Colt said that Alan knew he was the one to attack us. That Alan never spoke to him again.”

“So then he won’t be upset?” Liv doesn’t sound sure of her logic as she poses the question.

“Oh, I think he’ll be upset. He was like a landmine while I lived with him. I never knew what was going to set him off. He kept himself mostly controlled, but I swear that man is evil. I’m just thankful I didn’t see more of it.” I pause for a beat. “He got aggressive with me once. Grabbed me and got really demanding. I left after that.”

Izzy speaks more to herself than us. “I still can’t believe Stephanie didn’t do anything then.”

Randi looks very concerned, a mirror of what I felt talking to Stephanie about the entire situation. “None of this sounds good, Maci.”

“I know.” Her echoing my own concerns doesn’t make me feel any better. “I told Stephanie I think she needs to leave Alan.”

Leah snorts. “Is she going to?”

I shrug. “I’m not really sure. She said she would think about it. I need to call again and see what’s happened. It seemed like when I called he wasn’t even aware that…well, he hadn’t been notified about Colt.” My throat tightens and I push down all the emotion threatening to rise.

“I know my sister hasn’t been the easiest to deal with, but I wouldn’t wish harm on her.” Randi’s gaze is somewhat vacant as she muddles over what I’ve shared.

“I wouldn’t either,” I agree vehemently.

Our group falls quietly contemplative, and I shift the conversation to Liv’s classroom.

There’s only so much information I have at this point, and I’ve shared all that I can. I can’t bring myself to mention meeting with the detective, or that I happened upon Colt’s mom at the same time. My friends and family are concerned enough, and it will only add to that.

Chapter 14

Stephanie

Isatwiththenews Maci dropped on me for hours. When another day passed without hearing from Alan, my nerves were at an all-time high. Surely, he’d been notified by now. Colt may have been a taboo subject, but he’d let me know about his passing…right?

Would he take out his emotions on me, as Maci predicted?

It wouldn’t be the first time.

Most of the time he takes it out on me in the bedroom. He’s never been a great lover, especially where my needs are concerned. Unfortunately, he’s not working with much to begin with. But when he’s angry, he turns brutish. Rough-handed, impatient, degrading.

What must it be like to make a decision without fear of consequences? I used to. I was the “wild child.” Mother was always mad at me, and Dad was always disappointed. Randi could do no wrong. It became our thing, so I continued to do what I wanted.

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