Page 44 of Toxic Obsession

“Thank you,” Sutton said, giving her a warm smile.

My stomach reminded me I was hungry, and I dove into my pancakes.

“Is that why you’re wanting to look into the letters? You feel like something isn’t adding up? Not to mention that the media spins stories all the time.”

I speared my scrambled eggs with my fork, then popped a bite into my mouth. Surprisingly, they were really good. I hadn’t eaten at any cafés, since we ordered delivery or Adam took us to an upscale restaurant when Lena didn’t cook, but I liked this place.

“Honestly, I feel like I have two personalities. One hates her and one … doesn’t. I lost my sister because of her.”

“How was Wynter responsible?” Sutton took a bite of her bacon as she waited for me to respond.

“It’s clear from the letters that Kyler and Wynter were close. She could have talked to him. Stopped it all.” My fists clenched. “My father also said he and Drew Baldwin worked together, and Kyler and Bell met when they were younger. Maybe they were still friends. Hell, maybe not. Bell and I ran in different crowds. Maybe that they were dating and keeping it quiet so my father wouldn’t blow a fuse.”

“Anything is possible, but I understand your need to find answers. I would too.” Sutton wrote another note on the inside of the file, then continued to eat. “Can I ask you something?”

I shrugged. “Sure.”

“Do you have any other brothers or sisters?”

“Yeah, a younger brother. Brody.”

“Are you two close?”

A smile eased across my face. “Yeah. I’m the only one he really has. He’s a good kid. After all the shit he’s gone through, I’m surprised he’s turned out so well.”

“I’m glad he has you. It’s important. Does he tell you every detail about his life? My sister does. My best friend is her fiancé, and he talks to me too. Sometimes I wish they didn’t.” A soft laugh escaped her.

I chuckled. “Nah, he doesn’t tell me everything. Honestly, I don’t want to know. He’s been through enough without having an overbearing asshole looking over his shoulder. That’s Adam’s job.”

“Adam?”

“Our father.” Cleaning my plate, I leaned back in my seat. “He’s a real dad of the year, if you catch my meaning.”

Sutton wiped her mouth with her napkin. “I do.”

“So, no. I don’t know what Brody is into most of the time. He plays football, his grades are excellent, and he stays out of trouble. I don’t worry about him too much.”

“I see.”

My brow quirked at her, waiting for her to explain her simple comment. She remained silent, so I spoke first. “And?”

“You mentioned that Kyler and Wynter were close. What if they had the same kind of relationship you and Brody do, and she didn’t know anything until after the fact? Is that possible?”

I gulped, feeling like a kid caught red-handed looking at his dad’s porn mags. “I hadn’t thought about it.” Embarrassed, I stared at my empty plate.

“Quinn, it’s hard to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes when we’re grieving. Maybe enough time has passed that you can look at the situation with a more open mind. It might bring you the answers you’re looking for. It might not. Sometimes it takes a stranger to say the right words to make a difference. Plus, I butted in where I shouldn’t have.”

Now it made sense why she wanted to know how close Brody and I were. I tapped my fingers on the table. “No one’s asked me that before.”

“I hope I didn’t cross a line.” She folded her hands in her lap.

“You didn’t. I would rather you be up-front and talk rather than speculate and judge me.” I glanced at the clock on the wall and realized I had football practice in a few hours. My stomach flipped at the thought of seeing Wynter again that night. With Sutton’s words ringing in my brain, I wondered if I would look at Wynter differently.

“Okay, then as we learn more, I might ask you some questions that could help you see the situation differently. It often brings up bits of memories or information that you’ve forgotten. However, I need to get on the road now. I’ll be in touch as soon as I know something.”

We stood, and I pulled out my wallet. “Lunch is on me.”

“Thanks. That’s sweet of you. Just go up to the counter and they’ll have the bill there. I’ll talk to you later.”

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