Page 64 of Clumsy in Love

“Read. Take walks around the courtyard. School some punk in a pickup game every now and then.” He smiled.

Basketball was one love they shared. She’d gotten her height and dexterity from her dad. They’d spent countless hours in the driveway, practicing at the hoop screwed above the garage. The memory evoked a sad smile.

“How about you, Holly Bolly?” he said, using her childhood nickname. “What have you been up to?”

She recounted the story of the failed wedding and the eventful trip to New York. Since it was fresh in her mind, she even told him about the threatening letter.

“So, if you don’t testify, a cop-killer gets off? And you told the prosecutor you couldn’t?”

She nodded. “I didn’t have a choice. I can’t let my friends get hurt because of me.”

His silence was deafening.

“What? You think I should?”

“I’m in no position to tell you what’s right or wrong.”

“But what if the right thing is super dangerous?”

“Maybe that makes it all the more important.”

She left with a knot of guilt eating at her stomach. Partly for not visiting her dad before today, and partly for letting a killer go free. On the drive home, she thought about bugging out of dinner with her friends that night. But if she didn’t show, they would know something was wrong, and she’d have all four on her doorstep. So, she showered, dressed, fed Lady, and drove into town.

“What’s the matter?” Alex said as soon as they’d been seated.

“Are you bummed about Cole?” Juliet asked.

Holly shook her head. “I saw my dad this morning.”

A collective gasp rang out around the table. Alex was the only one who’d known she was going.

“How’d it go?” Alex asked.

“Okay, I guess.” Holly shrugged. “I haven’t totally forgiven him. But I’m closer than I was.” She gave them a CliffsNotes version of what he’d said without trying to sound like she was making excuses for him.

“There’s something else,” Alex said, and Faith nodded. “Spill it.”

Crap. Hiding anything from these four was impossible. That was why she’d considered skipping dinner. Should she tell themabout the threat? They thought it was bad enoughshewas in danger. There was no sense in letting them know they might also be targets. It would only scare them.

“We’re not eating until you do,” Tess said.

Of course they wouldn’t let it go. And they knew her weakness for food would break her—damn her insatiable appetite.

“I found this in my mailbox.” She pulled the yearbook page from her purse and laid it on the table.

“Holy crap,” Juliet said. “This guy’s not messing around.”

“Don’t worry. I told the DA I wasn’t going to testify. That should put an end to it. You should all be safe now.”

“Can they still convict the guy?” Tess asked. “Without your testimony? Cole made it sound like the whole case hinged on you.”

“Probably not.” Holly sighed. “He’ll get out of jail and get away with killing that police officer. But I can’t risk your lives over it. I doubt Officer Adams would want six more deaths just to put Cruz away.” At least, that’s what she told herself.

“But, Holly, he’ll just keep killing people,” Faith said.

“Don’t you think I know that?” Holly snapped. “I don’t have a choice. If anything happened to any of you, I’d never forgive myself.”

Silence settled over the table.

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