Page 45 of Sin Wagon
“Well, I left at like midnight, but he was with my parents, yes.”
“Roy, did you stay up with him and see him the whole time? Otherwise, that alibi will have holes poked in it from every way you can imagine.”
My dad’s jaw tightens, and his eyes narrow, his face reddening with fury as if he is about to explode in anger. “I went to bed shortly after Wells left. I didn’t see Jonas after that.”
“So now what?” I ask, frustration and helplessness battling within me.
“Hold tight. I have an associate down there that is headed your way. The police are contacting the resort to see about pulling video footage.”
We hang up and head back inside, taking a seat in the waiting area. The harsh fluorescent lights do nothing to ease the tension, and the sterile smell of the station makes me feel sick. The back door opens, and Claudia steps out with Drew by her side, his arm wrapped around her. Her appearance shocks me—she has a black eye and scratches on her face, looking like hell.
“What the hell have you done?” My mother storms toward Claudia, her eyes blazing with righteous anger.
Claudia lets out a small whimper, flinching as she took a step back. “Don’t hurt me like your son did.”
I step up next to my mom, glaring at Claudia. “Your son did it this time, Covington. The merger is off,” Drew spits, his eyes cold and vindictive as he looks at my dad.
“Fuck you. Covington Hotels will destroy you,” I seethe, my fists clenching. “This is all lies, and you know it.”
Drew gently leads Claudia from the station, the sound of her sobs resonating through the hallway. We settle back into our chairs, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on us. I can’t believe this is happening; it feels like a surreal nightmare. We should have known that Claudia wouldn’t just slither away without having the last word.
As we sit there, my thoughts race, a chaotic jumble of anger, fear, and helplessness. Jonas, always the responsible one, now accused of something so heinous. Claudia’s accusations feel like a knife twisting in my gut.
My mom’s hand trembles as she clutches mine, her face pale and drawn. “We’ll get through this, Wells,” she whispers. “We have to believe in Jonas. We have to fight for him.”
As I nod, my mind effortlessly slips back to Delilah, her presence lingering in my thoughts. In the midst of this chaos, she’s still out there, somewhere. Unaware of what’s happened. She only just met her father, and a part of me feels deeply that she has no clue what’s happened to him. What her mother did to him.
I can’t lose Delilah too. Not now. I need to find her, to make things right. The thought of her slipping away without knowing the truth of how I feel and how serious I am of being a father gnaws at me. My heart aches with the weight of everything happening.
“Stay strong, Wells,” my dad says, his voice filled with a resolve that gives me a glimmer of hope. “We’ll clear Jonas’ name, and we’ll get through this.”
The minutes tick by slowly as we sit there, waiting, and every second seems to drag on endlessly. The uncertainty, the fear of what’s coming, it’s all-consuming. This isn’t just a fight for Jonas’ freedom; it’s a fight for my family’s future. And I won’t let it fall apart. Not now, not ever.
Chapter 21
WELLS
After bailing Jonas out, we finally make it back to the hotel, and exhaustion consumes me, leaving me in a zombie like state. Every step is heavy, my mind foggy with disbelief. How did things escalate to this point? As the case moves forward, my brother will need to return to court for hearings and proceedings. The hotel couldn’t give the cops the security footage because, and I quote, “There was a technical issue, and we have no recordings from the night in question.”
You’ve got to be kidding me. It’s obvious that someone paid off the security guards to disable or delete evidence. But how can I prove it?
If I can provide evidence to support my suspicions, then Drew and Claudia could face charges for filing a false police report and tampering with evidence, giving Jonas a fighting chance. My intention is to be readily available for my brother, coming back and forth as needed, to provide support whenever he needs me. He won’t do this alone. For now, though, we need to get back to Illinois and make a plan. A plan to get out ofthis mess, a plan for when the media gets a hold of everything, because they will. And then there’s Delilah. I need to figure out how to squeeze in a quick trip to Vegas to win back my woman. My brother was already upset with the news of me impregnating his long-lost daughter. Now, we can just add prison to the mix on top of everything else.
I pack my bags so we can leave first thing in the morning. Instead of staying in my room, I’ve decided to check out and stay overnight on the couch in my parents’ suite.
I get to their room and sink into the cushions, my mind racing.
Mom and Dad are already asleep in their room, but I can’t rest. I close my eyes and imagine her beside me, her presence soothing and warm. Yet, the weight of reality comes crashing down. Jonas needs me now. Vegas can wait, but not for long.
I stare at the ceiling, every tick of the clock amplifying the chaos in my head. The legal mess, the future media circus, and Delilah’s infectious smile, all blend into an unrelenting loop. I need to get Jonas out of this mess. It is crucial that I find a way to return to Delilah as soon as possible. I need to make this right.
The first light of dawn filters through the curtains, and I hear my parents stirring. I force myself up, muscles protesting from the uncomfortable couch. Dad gives me a tired smile as he walks into the living area.
“Morning, Wells. Ready to head back?” he asks, his voice rough with sleep.
“Yeah, let’s get Jonas home,” I reply.
We gather our things, the air heavy with unspoken worries. Jonas joins us in the living room, his face a mask of exhaustion and determination. As we check out, the clerk offers a sympathetic smile that does little to ease the weight on our shoulders.
