Page 119 of Tail, Dark and Handsome: Celestial Mates
His mate placed a calming hand on his arm. “Tell me what you think Winter did,” she said.
“What I know he did.”
“Then tell me.”
Chase drew his shoulders back, taking a moment to collect himself. “Rebel didn’t want to leave the party. Everyone saw their argument when he forced her to go. My uncle seized the footage and bought off witnesses who heard what he said.”
“What did he say?”
“This is the last time I’ll suffer you,” Winter said.
Okay, that didn’t sound good. “They were in the middle of a divorce. That means nothing.”
Chase’s entire body jolted, as if shocked. “No. She said you refused, that you threatened to withhold access to the kit.”
“Rebel was a cheater and a liar,” Winter said, his tone flat. “Did you want to run away with her? Live out some fantasy where every day was a holiday, and no one had to worry about responsibilities or the kit?”
“Shut your mouth. You barely knew her.”
Winter’s tail twitched. “True enough, but Marigold was correct about the divorce. We were to sign the final papers a few days after the party. It was over between us.”
Chase ran his hand through his hair and paced the small room. “No, she would have told me. She told me everything.”
“Did she tell you why she could not have another kit?”
“Her career.”
Winter gave a nod. “That and scarring to her womb. Zero’s birth was difficult. I know you wanted a kit. She told me. She even considered a surrogate for you, but as you said, her career.”
Chase looked like he just learned Santa wasn’t real. “She never said. You’re lying.”
“It was a secret, but I decided I am done keeping other people’s secrets.”
“The vehicle stopped,” Chase said, voice rising in triumph. “I have the data.”
Marigold watched the two men face off, her gaze bouncing between them. Each bristled, tails twitching in agitation and claws extended.
“What data?” Winter finally asked.
“The location tracker on the vehicle showed that you proceeded to your home at 21:15. At 21:56, the vehicle stopped for ten minutes, then resumed its journey. It did not stop again until it went off the road.” Chase had an air of triumph about him, as if the timestamp on the tracker was irrefutable evidence.
“I do not know why the vehicle stopped,” Winter said.
“Oh, cousin, that’s not the correct question. The correct question is where.”
“Where did we stop?”
“Half a measure from where Rebel’s body was discovered. Your father knew what the time stamps meant, and that’s why he hid the data. Ten minutes is more than sufficient time for a healthy male to dispose of a body.”
Winter sat at the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight.
“That’s baloney,” Mari interrupted.
Both cousins turned to look at her, as if they had forgotten she was in the room.
“Winter can’t drive at night and you know it,” she said. “That’s why he needed Rebel to leave with him, not because he was jealous or controlling.”
“We argued in the vehicle,” Winter said, staring at the floor. “I don’t remember why she got out, but she pulled over and left me there. I tried to drive myself, but the storm interfered with the computer’s autonomous driving.”
