Page 69 of Web of Lies
They weren’t there. They didn’t help her. She died because no one had her back—including me. I was three hours away when she needed me most.
“Who the fuck do you think untied her? Who the fuck do you think brought her lunch in her room and made her laugh again? Who the fuck do you think stopped her ass from getting drowned?” Seger hisses between clenched teeth.
“They tied our hands, Kaycee, you have to understand,” Zepp says, stepping towards us.
“Just like now, right?” I bite out, bitterness filling every inch of me.
“If the fucking press gets wind of our sex tape, we lose everything. Do you know why I have to get fucking tutored?” Seger brings my attention back to his scowling face and heaving chest. He looks like he needs another round with Carter in the basement of that ole building.
“Your stepmom?”
“Yeah—our fucking stepmom. We step one toe out of fucking line or bring any negative fucking bullshit on the family. Dad will disown us like the others. They all brought ‘shame’ to the fucking West name and look at them. They’re all living in some bullshit poverty life while my dad wipes his ass with thousand-dollar bills.” Seger spits, veins bulging in his neck and forehead.
“So, if that tape hits….”
“We lose everything. We’re eighteen, but our dad doesn’t care. He has our stepmom, and he has our little brother there. But she—she makes it ten times worse because she’s waiting for an excuse to get us removed from the company and have the will changed.” Zepp takes a deep, calming breath. “Money isn’t everything, but we need it to survive until we can grow up.”
“Look, I get it, but I have to find out. I need to know who did this to her,” I whisper, looking toward the floor, “Magnolia was my best friend.” A tingle rushes to the top of my nose, letting the warmth of my tears fill my eyes. Guilt weighs heavily on my shoulders, pulling them towards my ears. “And I wasn’t here. They moved her away from me.” Before I can squeak another word, Seger pulls me into a tight hug, kissing the top of my head. The warmth of his lips lingers for longer than necessary. And I’d be a liar if I said I hate the feeling of him against me. In fact, I love it. His warmth is beyond comforting and feels like home, sweet home.
“Well, you sure walked straight into fucked up-ville,” he whispers with sadness creeping into his voice against my hair.
“But we’ll figure this out,” Zepp says, pacing the room again. “We’ll find out who did this,” he says again with confidence and stops again. “You came here to investigate. Do you have suspects?” he asks, watching my every move.
I swallow the burning lump in my throat, giving a sharp nod. Great—it all comes down to this. I have to tell them who she named as her tormentors.
“Yeah, well, I thought I did,” I whisper, clinging tighter to Seger, balling his shirt into my fist. My mind whirls with emotions, the heaviness in my chest finally lifting.
“Who are they, Kaycee?” Zepp asks in a no-nonsense, sharp tone, making my back stiffen.
He creeps closer and closer, eyes staying on my every move. It’s now, or never, I have to trust them. They’ve saved me, tried to talk sense into me. They’re helping me. Seger pulls away, keeping me at arm’s length, setting his heavy hands on my shoulders. Both sets of eyes bore into me as I prepare to tell them everything.
“Magnolia wrote me emails every week. She let me know everything that happened.” I look between the two of them, their faces falling. “Your names, Chase, and especially Ainsley, showed up a lot. She mentioned Carter and Piper once or twice, but your names, they were there again and again, and it wasn’t good.” I swallow when they finally realize it. “The way she made it seem, it was all of you who did everything to her.”
Seger’s face twists in a rage as he stalks out of the house, slamming the door behind him, rattling every window in his wake. A deep roar echoes outside. I look at Zepp, who stands still. His body is like a statue as his brain mulls over the words I just said.
“Zepp, I—”
“What we said earlier? We meant it. We loved Maggie. She was our friend, and no matter what they held over our heads, we tried to help.” Zepp’s hands fold behind his back.
“I’ve come to realize that. Unless you’re amazing actors,” I mutter with shame.
“Not actors. We cared for her, as much as you did. But there’s one thing,” Zepp says, finally turning towards me. “Why do you think they murdered her? She…. she finally…”
“They changed the autopsy report within the first day. Magnolia had over thirty stab wounds on her body. She may have died from drowning, but the stab wounds made her unable to swim. The last email she sent me, she was on her way to a boat party, and that was the last thing I heard.” Every word chokes in my clogging throat, squeezing out in a breathless, gargling gasp.
A grayish tint takes over Zepp’s face and neck. “She did. We all went. We told her not to go, but Ainsley said she’d be fine. It was her party, and she wanted her there. They were so close. I can’t believe…. she…. she suffered so much…. and we couldn’t do anything.” He brings a fist up to his lips, staunching his emotions, refusing to let them bubble to the surface.
“We may not have been able to fucking do nothing then, but now, we’re going to fucking do something about it. New Girl, I have an idea.” Seger says storming through the house again, waving his hand in the air. “A fantastic fucking idea.”
Zepp stops completely, turning towards me with determination settling on his face. “Can I read them?” Zepp asks, folding his hands together.
“Read them?” I gape in horror. They’re my most precious possessions, something I’ve never let anyone else see. They’re words straight from her fingertips, only for me.
“Yes, the emails. You said she sent them every week?” He asks again, stepping towards me with fire in his eyes.
I nod, twisting my fingers together. “Yeah, every week. But you might not like what they say. She… she talks about you guys a lot… and it’s not flattering.” I lick my lips, trying to find an ounce of moisture.
“Let Sherlock Holmes read the damn emails and then ask me about my fucking brilliant idea,” Seger says, ripping his teeth into a sub sandwich.
