Page 95 of Trial of Deceit

“It wasn’t unauthorized!”Reka screamed.“I know Tyre.I loved him like a son.He looks up to you.To all of you,” Reka said, tears filling her eyes as they shifted between Jediah and Dimitri.“He would never do anything without clearance.He wouldn’t take up such an important task without my instructions.You killed him ’cause you wanted someone to blame for everything that happened, and he was your easiest target.”

Jediah’s jaw clenched as he thought of what happened.Some actions were unforgivable.Jediah had too much product to move with too little time.All of it couldn’t stockpile into the warehouse, and it wasn’t worth the risk to try moving it to another wholesale, so it had to be kept at the car marts.The police were always finding new reasons to dig into his business.Though they hadn’t lately, he was on edge.It only took one warrant from a paid off judge for them to do a sweep, and everything he worked hard for would crash down.

“You could’ve given me his body to bury it,” Reka continued.“But you left him at sea like he was nobody.Tyre was more.He meant something to you.To me.I guess all I’ve ever done for you doesn’t matter ’cause I’m not Ash—”

His eyes narrowed.“Consider your next move carefully, Reka.”

She lifted her chin.Anger still sizzled beneath her skin as she swallowed her words.Her hand darted out, snatching a file folder off the desk.She stretched it toward him.“Here’s everything I could find.”

Exhaling a heavy breath, he stepped forward.Jediah accepted the folder from her.He opened it to the first page, and his mouth dried as he scanned the page.

“Everything you need about her is in there,” Reka added.“Take some time to read through it.There’s something in there that will surprise you.”

Jediah flipped to the next page.“Nothing caan’ surprise mi at this point.”

Reka spun her chair around.Her fingers soared across the keyboard as she resumed working.“It will when you read it.”

Jediah read through a page twice.The funeral replayed in his mind.He exhaled a ragged breath, closing his eyes as he tossed his head back.He needed a cigar or two.Then, he needed to be deep inside Ashari’s pussy.

“A wa?”Dimitri asked, moving closer to Jediah.

“Kayon knew she was alive,” Jediah answered.Saying the words out loud hurt more than reading them.His chest tightened as he opened his eyes after Dimitri snatched the file.As Dimitri flipped through it, Jediah said, “She didn’t die in the accident.She was badly hurt like Kayon.Bryony didn’t allow us to visit them because—”

“She knew about it?”Dimitri asked, clenching the file tighter as he looked from it to Jediah.

Jediah shook his head.“She didn’t visit them either because she had to take care of us.Remember that comms changed during that time?That’s what Bryony relied on to give us updates.”

Dimitri hummed, then continued reading.“Kayon did upset ’bout the possibility seh him did a go cripple fi life, and him tek it out pon Malia.So, wa happen?Him did a hide her, or she escape him?”

“That’s what I need to figure out.Maybe if you had a reason to believe that she was alive, I could’ve dug deeper into the hospital records,” Reka said.

“Did Cedella know?”Jediah asked.

“I’ll try to find out,” Reka said.“So, if you’ll excuse me… I need to get to work before it takes too long to gather and makes you kill me next.”

Jediah groaned.“Reka…”

Dimitri patted Jediah’s shoulder.He tucked the file beneath his arm and exited the room.

With one last glance at Reka, Jediah exited, too.

Jediah ran his tongue across the top row of his teeth before moving the bottle of brown liquor to his head.He took a big chug.The liquor burned his throat.Jediah groaned aloud, yanking the bottle from his mouth then throwing it at the headstone.The bottle smashed into tens of pieces, flying outward in various directions.Different sizes of shards settled atop the white tiles of the grave, reflecting the sun while other pieces fell between the vivid green blades of low cut grass.The brown liquid trailed down the curves engraved into the headstone.Knowing all he did now, the letters made his blood boil.

Jediah dropped to his knees.“You lying, conniving…” he hissed through clenched teeth.His nails stung his palms as he balled them.Gritting his teeth, Jediah dug his hands into the grass.Dirt and bits of grass burrowed beneath his fingernails.His teeth pressed together to the point it hurt.Jediah loosened his mouth to release a scream.

Deep.

Guttural.

Filled with pain, longing, and frustration from wanting answers only a dead person could give.

His voice faded out.Jediah dropped his head, loosening his hands from the solid ground.He laughed as he dragged the back of his dirty hands across his face.“Malia… Malia… Malia…” he chanted.

As if she would appear.

As if she would be woman enough to look into his eyes without walking away this time.

Maybe, she’d answer his questions.Why did she abandon him and Reine?Why did she leave him to grow up so early?Why did she not make an effort to reconnect until now?

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