Now, all that was left to do was to get answers. Now, all she could do was to get justice and bring the son of a bitch down that took her daughter away from her. Zoey knew more. Emily was going to do whatever it took to get to the truth.
“I really am sorry to hear about Blair,” Zoey said as she sat down on the couch beside Emily. “Do they know who did it?”
“The autopsy is being done as we speak. I’ll know more once that’s done,” Emily said. The tiny marshmallows in her cup of hot chocolate were dissolving into a frothy head .
“It makes me feel so sick.” Zoey shivered, tucking her hands between her legs. “I don’t understand how someone could take a life. Especially here in such a small town. It’s horrifying. It makes you feel like no one is safe.”
“I know you’re probably tired of me and my questions, but I do need your help,” Emily said, closing her eyes. She couldn’t cry, not now. She had to be strong. She had to be stotic.
“What’s going on?” Zoey asked.
“Did you know that Blair had a baby?” Emily asked, placing the mug on the coffee table.
“What?” Zoey asked, her eyes bulging as she sat forward. “No, she couldn’t have, no way.”
“What makes you say that?”
“She was always so careful. I mean, we used to talk all the time about sex and how awful it would be to get pregnant so young, to have to drop out of school and take care of it. There was nothing she wanted less.”
“Well, she did; she had a baby girl.” Emily nodded. “And from my basic math skills, she got pregnant around Christmas.”
“Oh, my God,” Zoey gasped, her wide eyes drifting from Emily and to the coffee table. Zoey stood as she wrapped her arms around her body, staring blankly ahead.
“What? What is it?”
Zoey swallowed, turning to face Emily as she sat back down on the sofa beside her.
“I didn’t want to say anything before. I know me and Blair weren’t on the best of terms, but I never would have told anyone anything she told me in confidence. I’m not that kind of person.”
“What the hell is going on, Zoey? What do you know?” Emily asked, sitting up straight.
“She didn’t want me to tell you or anyone, ever. She was so embarrassed, and she was such a mess after it happened. She didn’t even want to press charges. I begged her to go to the cops. I begged her to tell you, but she wouldn’t listen,” Zoey said, her voice shaking.
“Zoey, what happened?” Emily asked again, her voice stern.
“She told me that—” Zoey paused. “She told me she was raped,” she said.
“What?” Emily gasped. “When?”
“All I know is that she said it was at her dad’s Christmas party. She said everyone was super drunk, and she didn’t want to cause any drama or issues with the family. I begged her to say something, but she wouldn’t listen.”
“Did she say a name?” Emily asked.
“It was something really common.” Zoey sighed, rubbing her forehead with her fingertips. “Maybe Chris or, or maybe George?”
“Come on, Zoey, think. Please, just think really hard,” Emily begged as she grabbed Zoey’s hand, squeezing it.
“It was one of her dad’s friends.” Zoey nodded as her eyes lifted, staring back at Emily beside her. “Greg! His name was Greg.”
evidence
Emily bit the right inner corner of her mouth as she watched Kate and Greg McCallister sit down at the small round table in the center of their kitchen. The bitter taste of blood filled her mouth, dousing her entire tongue as she bit harder, her tooth shredding into the tender flesh. It took everything she had not to leap across the table and wrap her trembling hands around Greg’s throat.
“How are you holding up, hun?” Kate asked, placing her hand on top of Emily’s that sat on the wooden surface of the table. Emily pulled her hand away, placing it into her lap.
“I could be better,” Emily said, her teeth grinding together behind her closed lips.
“Do they know anything yet? I haven’t been hearing much since—” Greg stopped, staring down at the table. “Since Mitch,” he said.
“I can see why you two were so close; I guess predators have to stick together, don’t they?” Emily said, her eyes glued to Greg across from her.
“What?” Kate asked as her eyes widened. “What did you just say?”
“You don’t even know your husband, Kate. You have no idea what he’s capable of,” Emily snarled.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Greg snarled, his eyebrows arched.
“I talked to one of Blair’s friends today. She said Blair was raped. It apparently happened at Mitch’s Christmas party. Apparently, you raped my daughter,” Emily said, her nostrils flaring as she felt the heat rise in her cheeks.
“Where in the hell is this even coming from, Emily?” Kate snapped as she placed her hand on her protruding belly, gently rubbing the baby bump.
“I’m just trying to find out why he’s been lying! What the hell happened at that party, Greg?” Emily yelled.
“You are completely delusional.” Greg laughed, leaning back into his chair as he shook his head. “You are seriously going to take some stupid sorority girl’s word over mine? How long have we known each other,
