Page 144 of Only Fate

“Jenna, this is Adrian,” I introduce. “He’s also an attorney.”

She starts to offer him a friendly wave but drops her hand when Adrian doesn’t wave back.

I’m sure he got the hint Jenna is no friend of mine by River’s reaction to her.

“Adrian has worked with the Prison Exoneration Program, the organization that picked up Earl’s case.”

Jenna’s shoulders tense.

I peer up at Adrian. “Jenna came here, asking for representation. She claims Earl isn’t the one who caused the accident that killed Ethan.”

Adrian’s eyes slip to Jenna, untrusting, as he steps behind my chair and rests his hands on my shoulders. “Jenna,” he says, his voice soft and comforting, “who caused the accident?”

“Isn’t this a conflict of interest?” Jenna asks. “You’re literally helping the other side.”

“No, mymomis working on his case. But if you tell us what you know, it’ll save all of us a lot of work and give us a chance to help you out. You asked Essie for representation. In order for her to consider, she needs to know what she’d be representing.”

Jenna bites into her lower lip.

“If you’d rather speak to my mother, who I can have subpoena you, or the police, we can arrange that,” Adrian tells her.

“Do you promise I won’t get in trouble?” Jenna runs a hand over her face, smearing her red lipstick.

Mascara remnants are on her cheek. Her clothes are rumpled when she’s usually always put together. She looks like she hasn’t slept in days.

“We can’t promise anything,” I tell her. “You told me youknowwho killed Ethan. Not thatyoukilled him. If you help us,the police, then whoever your attorney is, will fight for a deal where you won’t face any criminal charges.”

Tears fall down her cheeks, and she sniffles.

“Who caused the accident?” I say, feeling like I’m moving into interrogation mode more than I should. But I can’t help it.

Adrian squeezes my shoulders—a silent agreement that I am.

All I need is for her to tell me.

Tell me that I’ve been wrong for so many years.

That the monster in my nightmares isn’t who it should be.

“It was Greg,” Jenna finally says. “Greg and his friends.” She covers her mouth with her hand, as if she never thought those words would leave her mouth.

I lose a breath, shocked I’m keeping my cool and not running out of the office to hunt down Greg.

I’m also shocked I’m not screaming at Jenna.

It’s probably because Adrian is with me.

Having him here helps keep me calm.

“Was it an accident?” I ask her, feeling like I already know the answer.

“I didn’t expect it to go as far as it did.” She shakes her head, refusing to meet my eyes.

Greg was Jenna’s boyfriend in high school. He played football with Ethan, and they ran in the same circle. But as far as I knew, they weren’t super close. Ethan even called Greg a douchebag a few times for the prank that had gotten Earl fired.

After Ethan’s death, Greg even made a speech at his funeral, speaking for the football team. He graduated, earned a football scholarship, and moved.

“Why did he do it?” I ask her.

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