Page 70 of Dark Obsession
Chapter 24
Jenna
Ispent most of the night digging through my brother's files. Three pots of coffee later, the sun was up and I was beside myself. Denise was involved in every part of it.
She'd gotten my brother to try out the drug a few weeks prior and gave him a night to remember while they were both on it. I understood that all too well. Was it a coincidence that Nate had given me the same kind of night?
"I need to just ask him." I closed the laptop and sat back. Denise, or whatever the fuck her name was, had set my brother up to take two pills before she left and made him promise to take one an hour later. As fast as the fucking things worked, I was surprised that she left him at all.
"She needed an alibi." I stood and walked to the bathroom to wash the waves of dried tears off my face. I had class at ten and then work. I wasn't planning on missing either. I needed normalcy. Sam would be upset seeing that I had dark circles running under my eyes, but he could get over it.
I finished trying to put myself together and walked through the late September morning toward the campus. It would have been a lot faster to drive, but I had time, and I needed the serenity of the outdoors.
Nate and I had to come clean with each other. He knew Denise. I knew he did. Why would Erik not tell me how? Did he know her too?
"Now you're just being stupid." I turned toward the campus and forced myself to stop thinking for the remainder of the walk. Everything would work out, and justice would be served. I just wasn't sure if it was going to be my hand doing it, Erik's or my father's.
* * *
"Are you on the schedule today?" Sam's smile was wide, teasing.
"I'm always on the schedule." I made my way behind the counter and tucked my purse under the safe. "I love this place. Remember?"
"I do." Sam pulled something from his back pocket. "Here's this. Some guy stopped by an hour ago and said to make sure you got it."
I took it from him and nodded. "Did he leave his name?"
"No. But I've never seen him before." He shrugged and moved up to the counter as a young girl asked for a cup of water.
"Thanks," I mumbled and grabbed a rag to wipe down tables. I stopped by the first table and lifted the picture to my face. A large group of teenagers huddled together with big smiles on their faces. It took me a minute to recognize any of them.
Erik.
Denise.
Mikey.
Nathaniel.
Several more were in the picture, but my eyes continued to run over each of them. So they all knew each other. I glanced up and scanned the restaurant, finding nothing out of place.
What the fuck was going on? Was Erik really willing to help me? To kill a woman he obviously knew?
I let my eyes scan the picture again, picking up small details that told more of the story. Erik's arm around Nate's shoulders and the two of them laughing together. Denise's head in Nate's lap, her tongue out with a sexy look on her pretty face. Mikey had his fingers on the sides of his mouth, stretching it out, his eyes crossed.
The bell dinged on the front door, and I jumped and let out a soft yelp. My eyes met Nate's and he paused as if caught in the act.
"You all right?"
I nodded and tucked the picture in my back pocket. "Yeah. Of course. How are you?"
He moved toward me slowly, and I couldn't help but notice his ear was hurt. "I'm good. I miss you."
"You haven't seen me for a day." I reached for him and pulled him into a quick kiss. "I'm on the clock."
"Then clock out." He kissed me again and slid his hands down my hips, pulling me in tightly. "I need to talk to you about some stuff."
I glanced back at Sam. He nodded. "Get out of here. Come back tomorrow?"
