Page 90 of Ethan's Sky

“Miss Sinclair?” Arthur says my name in a low gravelly voice laced with irritation.

I work to get my breathing back under control trying hard not to give away how scared I truly am. “Oh, I’m sorry. I was thinking back to Chemistry class. I believe Chase and I might have been lab partners once.” I take a drink of my coffee, glancing past his shoulder noticing Austin peaking from around the corner of the hallway leading to the restrooms. He has his phone to his ear.

We didn’t have any classes together since Chase dropped out of school.

“So, you two werefriendsthen?”

“Not exactly. We shared a class or two, but that was all. He was a jock. I was a book nerd. Our circles didn’t really mingle much,” I tell him, my voice a little shaky.

Fuck. Focus on the room Sky.

I have to remind myself to keep calm. I need something to ground me. I can’t think about the memories of the sick bastard, or the things he did. I need to stay calm, alert, and figure out how to get out of here without making things any worse.

“Well, Chase went missing six years ago. The night that poor girl was murdered. About the same time, you disappeared, if I’m not mistaken. Chase’s brother went to jail on drug charges and Chase, he disappeared shortly after a graduation party the same night. Strange, no one seems to know where he may have gone or why. I was hoping you could help me out with that.”

“Me?” I pretend to be confused. “I haven’t seen him in years. The last time I can think of was our Chemistry class.” I shrug, taking another sip of water.

“It seems the last time anyone sawhim, he was with his girlfriend and her best friend. I’ve recently learned his girlfriend was Emily Anderson,the dead girl,and her best friend was one,Miss Skyler Sinclair.” My heart pounds in my ears. My stomach drops.Shit. He knows.

He leans forward on his elbows taking up most of the space between us. “I thought since you two were the last people anyone remembers seeing him with before he vanished, maybe you might remember something about that night that would help me find him.”

I swallow hard, wrinkling my forehead as if it’s difficult to recall the worst night of my life. The one night in my entire life, I wish never happened. Looking him straight in the eye I reply, “You know what? You’re right. I do remember we went to a graduation party with the rest of the senior class. He and Emily went upstairs to be alone, and I left the party early to pack. I left the next morning before sunrise to visit family on my way to college. I had a scholarship myself for academics.” I smile.

“I see. What college did you go to?”

Stunned, I choke out, “W-what?”

He leans in a little closer, his breath reeks of coffee and stale cigarettes. “What college did you say you went to?”

“Oh, I, uh, that is…I didn’t make it to college. I was taking care of family out of state. I plan to reapply soon.” I lie.Shit.

“Well, let me tell you what I do know.” He leans even closer, placing his hand on my knee. I glance at his hand, then back to his face, raising a brow at him. He smirks, giving my leg a firm squeeze. Jayde looks at him then back to me not sure what she should do.

Over Arthur’s shoulder I see movement near the hallway, a flash of leather disappearing around the corner. I sit back leaning into my seat creating as much space as I can, reaching down slowly to grab my gym bag. My stomach in knots. I feel my chest tightening. I’m not waiting for the guys. I need to get out of here.

“From what I hear, your friend was quite the crank whore. One of Chase’s best customers and his most sought after, whore. She was down for anything if it meant she could get her fix.” His lips curl into a sinister smile as he licks his lips staring at my chest. One hand around the strap of my bag the other in my lap, I clench them both into fists so hard my nails are digging into my palms.

“She got herself hooked. Fucked a few of my friends at the party, then eventually pumped so much shit into her body, she took her own life.” My heart is pounding in my ears, rage filling my veins at his explaining away her death as her own fault. “Our sources say, you knew about her little habit and decided to tell the police that it was Chase that pumped her veins full of drugs then dumped her body. Spider was arrested while Chase was sent to find you and set you straight about whatreallyhappened. To ask you to tell the police the truth as it were.”

His hand on my leg creeps up further. His jacket opens to reveal a gun on his hip.

I only need one shot. One strike.

“Now the interesting thing about this whole story is how you have strong ties to the Kings MC. A fact apparently Chase neglected to tell us. So, you can imagine the conclusions the Devils have come to about Chase’s disappearance, can’t you?” He leans forward, glaring. “Of course, you can. You’re a smart girl.”

“I must not be that smart, because I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Looking around the diner once more, trying to plot our exit, I notice Austin and the other man in the Devil’s cut are both nowhere to be seen. Jayde is standing quietly behind me, her face pale, eyes wide and afraid. Patsy starts walking toward me at a quick pace. As she reaches my seat, she tosses a bag full of to go boxes on the counter in front of me. I see a glint of metal as she slides a small paring knife across the counter hidden by the mountain of food boxes. I reach for the knife, making eye contact with Patsy.

“You two best be getting on with the food. The men will be expecting it to be hot and ready.”

Jayde grabs the bag, making eye contact with me. Her eyes shift to the door. The roar of motorcycles not too far down the road catches our attention. The momentary distraction is all I need. Arthur’s grip on my leg tightens. I slam the knife into the back of his hand. He releases my leg, grabbing for the knife to remove it.

I stand up with my bag in hand turning for the door. Arthur’s attention comes back to me. He moves to grab my arm standing up to stop me.

It’s all I need.

“We aren’t done here,Miss Sinclair,”he growls.

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