Page 99 of No More Heartbreakers

Well. That answered the question of whether the video had aired.

Sugar.This was bad.

“No. I mean, yes, but not really. I mean, I never actually—it’s a long story.”

The realization slammed into me. “Oh my God, Aric probably saw it, too—I have to find him. Now. Can I call you tomorrow?”

“I know where Aric is,” she said. “He’s right here. And based on the way he’s mainlining vodka, I’d say hedefinitelysaw it.”

“Where are you?”

“Rock Bottom. A bunch of us came here after work. Aric wasn’t with us—oh, you know that because you worked dayside with him today. He came in after the late newscast, and he’s been going for a world drinking record since then. Dude is hammered.”

There was some rustling and then Mara’s voice came back. “Yeah. He’s still up at the bar. And guess who’s with him, practically salivating to lick his wounds?”

She didn’t even have to tell me, but she did. “Colleen.”

“I’m on my way.” I was already on my feet, keys in hand.

“Wait—no—you can’t. Did Janet reach you?”

“What? No. I had my phone turned off while Hale and I talked. But it’s too late—the video already aired.”

“No. She was trying to reach you not ten minutes ago. She asked if I knew where you were. There’s been a huge wreck on Highway seventy-eight. Several fatalities, I think, and the car was in flames.”

“Oh no.”

“Yeah. It’s messed up. She and Dan are doing cut-ins. There’s a camera live on the scene, but they need a reporter to go out there. She called the rest of us first because it’s your night off, but pretty much every reporter except for you is here, drinking of course. I offered to come in, but she said she can’t put us on the air if we’ve been drinking.”

I’d had one drink hours ago followed by a large meal and a belly-full of regret, and I hadn’t even gotten to my drown-my-sorrows glass of wine here yet.

I felt as sober in that moment as I’d ever been in my life.

“Shoot. Okay, I’m going right now.”

Running to my bathroom first for my makeup bag, I slipped my shoes back on and opened my apartment door, still talking to Mara.

“I’ll call Janet. Thanks. And listen, look out for Aric if you can, okay? Don’t let him drive. Call him a cab or something. I’ll go see him as soon as I’m done with the live shots and straighten everything out.”

“I’ll try, but I’m not sure if I can get him out of the talons of Miss Rebound. She works out, you know.”

* * *

The accident scene was like something out of a nightmare.

The wreckage of what had once been a Prius, according to the police, no longer even resembled a car. It had rolled and then merged with a utility pole just off of the highway.

A white cloth was draped over the windshield.

The sergeant I spoke with on the scene said they’d used the plates to determine the car’s owner and then the name of the driver, a college student from Augusta University.

“We’re presuming the other three bodies were friends of hers, other students from the school. The details are still sketchy, but another driver said she crossed over into his lane and was about to hit him head on when she looked up and swerved hard. Said he saw a glow under her face, like from a phone. She was probably texting. None of the occupants were wearing seatbelts. We’ll have more in a while for you, but that’s all I’ve got right now.”

I thanked him and walked back over to Tony, who’d set up a camera on the side of the highway in preparation for the cut-in, which was scheduled to happen in two minutes.

I glanced down at my notepad, then up at Tony, so he could focus the camera on my face.

“Okay,” he said. “They’re coming to us in a minute thirty. You all right?”

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