Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 70628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
“Smooth,” he says. “Nothing but the best for you, huh, Raven?”
Luke doesn’t reply.
In my estimation, Luke is being very patient with Buck.
And Buck is being…
He’s being a brother. And I understand.
“Fine,” Buck finally says. “So you didn’t know Greg Wallace when you were into drugs.”
“First of all, I wasn’t into drugs. I sold drugs. I was into alcohol.”
“Whatever.”
“And no, I did not know Greg Wallace. I could put out some feelers, if you want, but I’m not sure why it would matter at this point. The man is clearly dead.”
“Yeah, but why did the albino take his place? They obviously knew each other from the island.”
“I guess we need to figure out who the albino truly is,” Katelyn says, “and what his connection is.”
“I know what his connection is,” I say dryly.
Buck tenses next to me. “It’s okay, baby.”
“Katelyn knows everything.”
“Oh, Aspen,” Katelyn says. “He’s not the one…”
I simply nod.
“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry you had to face him.”
“I’m not. It was hard. No doubt. But I feel better. It’s kind of like eating those fish tacos, just a million times more difficult. But I feel like a got a little piece of myself back.”
“Piece by piece, baby,” Buck says. “That’s how you’ve got to take it. You will come back. Hell, you’re already back.”
“You understand, don’t you?”
“Hell yeah. There are parts of me that are still in Afghanistan. But little by little, I’m getting them all back. You’ve helped a lot with that.”
I take his hand and squeeze it.
I look at Buck, and then at Luke.
Katelyn is the closest thing I have to a best friend. I love her dearly, and it would be so great if Luke and Buck could be friends as well.
I think Luke would be up for it. But Buck?
I’m not sure he ever will be. Not that I can blame him.
I mean, I don’t have any siblings, but if I did, how could I forgive someone who hurt one of them? I could never forgive anyone who hurt Buck or Katelyn.
So I’ll be more patient. More understanding.
“All right,” I say. “A couple of things. Chris Pollack.”
“What about him?” Katelyn says.
“He’s probably the one who offed Greg Wallace. I mean, it happened right around the time Gloria and Brian were killed.”
“But why?” Luke asks. “Wallace was already in prison.”
“Yeah, but he knew stuff. And since he was already in prison, there was no reason for him not to speak up.”
“But it doesn’t make sense,” Luke says. “He knew way more than Gloria and Brian knew.”
“Right,” I say.
“I have to admit I’m baffled.” From Buck.
It’s a mystery…and I want to know the answers. But is it time to let this go?
I know how I got on that island now. The people responsible are paying or have paid for it.
Maybe there are some things I just don’t need to know.
“Maybe it’s time we move on,” I say to Buck. “We can find a place of our own. Settle down.”
“Here?” Buck says.
“I know it’s probably not your first choice,” I say. “But Katelyn is the closest thing I have to a sister, a best friend, and I think we need to be near each other.”
“I second that,” Katelyn says.
“But your family’s in Colorado,” Buck says. “And the Wolfes…”
“You can work for the Wolfes from here,” I say. “And I know they’re good people. I get it. But I can’t be close to the Wolfes, Buck. Their father is the one who…”
He squeezes my hand this time. “I understand, baby. It’s too much for you.”
“That’s just it. It’s not that it’s too much for me. It’s just that I need to take back my life. And I think I want to start here.”
“We can’t afford a place like this.” Buck rolls his eyes.
“Are you kidding me? I don’t care where we live, Buck. We can live in a one-room apartment. A shack. As long as we’re together.”
41
BUCK
We sit in the reception area of the Wallace Leathers corporate headquarters.
True to his word, Harrison Wallace made time for us today. He’s willing to answer more questions.
Something needles at the back of my neck, though. Call it my fight-or-flight instinct.
I’m not sure why, but I feel like we’re walking into something.
Another one of my hunches.
And I can’t ignore it.
Aspen has more questions for this man, but I’m not sure he’ll be able to answer any of them. Does he even know who the albino is?
And why the albino took his brother’s place?
We won’t find those answers here.
Harrison Wallace himself comes out to greet us. “Mr. Moreno and Ms. Davis. Thank you for coming in. Come on back.”
We rise. Aspen sets down the coffee table book she was perusing. I eye the title. Disneyland Through the Years. I can’t help a slight smile. She truly is a Disney princess with those big brown eyes and long lashes.