Page 76 of Dial A for Aunties

Sheriff McConnell puffs out his barrel chest. “I don’t care what fancy law firm you’re from, but this here’s my territory. And I smell something bad. I don’t know what it is your client here’s done, but I know he’s done something, and I’m going to find out what it is.”

“You can’t just keep him here because you think he’s done something. That’s not how the law works. You need to actually have found evidence and then charge him,” I snap. At least, that’s what it seems like onCSI.

“If you’ve got a problem with how I handle things, you can take it up with the mainland police.” He looks around the room dramatically, hands cupped behind his ears. “Oh, huh, I don’t hear the wail of sirens, do you? That’s because those pansy fancy-pants cops don’t dare to come here in the storm, so it looks like I’m in charge. And I say he stays here.”

“When they arrive, you are going to lose your license.” Or whatever the hell it is that cops have.

Sheriff McConnell shrugs, his meaty face squishing into a sly smile. “Yeah, they’ve been saying that for years, and yet here I am.”

The ground is crumbling underneath my feet. I grasp for anything I can think of. “I need to speak with my client. Alone. He still has that right.”

“He does indeed. Five minutes.” With that, Sheriff McConnell saunters out, hands in pockets. He’s practically whistling with joy.

As soon as the door clicks shut behind him, I sink onto the sofa and put my head in my hands. I was so close. I thought I had it.

“You did great, Meddy.”

I remain with my face buried in my hands. I can’t stand to look at the disappointment that must be on Nathan’s face.

“Meddy.” Nathan kneels in front of me, gently pulling my hands away from my face. “Hey,” he says, softly. “There you are.” There is so much in his expression. All of it, our history, every fight, every kiss, every laugh, written plain as day across his flawless face.

“I’m so sorry.” The words come out broken by sobs. “I made a mess.”

“No, you helped. He wouldn’t have let us speak in private if you hadn’t done all that—I mean, that was amazing, all those things you said to him,” he laughs. “You were on fire.”

“You don’t understand,” I moan. “I—I did it.” It’s time. The truth, all of it. I’m so tired of keeping things from him. I could lie to the entire world, but not to him. Not Nathan. “That dead body. I killed him.”

There it is, the truth, falling out of my mouth like a snake, twisting in the air between us. I don’t take my eyes from Nathan’s face because I want to memorize the way he’s been looking at me. He’s never going to look at me the same way again, not with this horrible thing I’ve just dropped in his lap. I brace myself for the horror that’ll no doubt take over his face as soon as my words sink in.

But it doesn’t come. Nathan just sighs. And then he says two words that leave me speechless.

“I know.”

30

“What?” I cry. “Wait. What??”

“Shh.” Nathan puts a finger to his lips, glancing at the door.

I struggle to lower my voice. “Sorry. But what the fuck, Nathan?”

He sighs. “I know. I figured it out.”

“When? Wha—how? What?”

“Meddy, you and your family have been acting shady as shit the whole day. And you guys were lugging around that ridiculous cooler everywhere—I didn’t know what to make of it. I thought maybe something had gone wrong with the wedding cake and you guys were trying to hide it or something? But then I went to the kitchen to check, and the wedding cake was fine, so then I thought maybe it was something else with the food. Then when the body appeared on the altar... it doesn’t exactly take a rocket scientist to put two and two together.”

I gape at him. My lips form words. Nothing comes out. My mouth just flaps idiotically, nonsensically. Still no words.

“Can you tell me why you did it, at least?”

Somehow, I manage to get my voice working again. “Um, it was in self-defense, and I didn’t mean to—it happened so fast.”

Anger ripples across his face. “Self-defense? Did he hurt you?”

I shake my head quickly. “He was about to, but I, uh. It’s a long story.”

Nathan releases his breath. “Well, I’m glad he didn’t hurt you.” He squeezes my hands. “It’s okay, I’m not going to tell anyone.”

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