Aubrey
AFTER THE ALIBI
Mondays are the one day of the week I have the house to myself.
Deacon has been by my side since Friday night.
He's been beating himself up about the fact that the moment he left me, Frank was able to steal the USB drive.
Serenity is struggling with this as well.
She's not so much heartbroken as she is pissed off Frank used her to get close to me.
Even though Deacon tried to stay home today, Chris needed him at work, so I forced him out of the house. Same with Shane, Eddie, and Serenity. No one needs to lose their day job because I'm sad my safe space doesn't feel that safe anymore.
I've gotten texts from all four of them throughout the morning, which helps, but they can't keep this up.
With Frank gone and the USB drive with him, I'm trying to convince myself to give up trying to find out what happened to my parents.
We all agree that my pushing for the truth is what put me on Ben's killer's radar, and I need to get out of that spotlight.
So I gather my laundry and get a load going, then make a grocery list that I can text to Deacon for him to pick up on his way home. I'm going to fake normal until it feels…normal.
I'm folding my towels when the doorbell rings, and I scream as if someone jumped out and scared me. I take a few deep breaths then slowly make my way to the door. I swallow my sense of dread when I peek through the side window to see who's here.
Opening the door, I try to hide the panic coursing through me.
"Can I help you?" It's the same detective who showed up here the night Ben was found dead.
He flashes his badge like he did the first time. "Detective Sullivan. I had a few follow-up questions I needed to ask you if you have a moment."
"Um…okay." Before I can even think about how to handle this he starts walking inside, forcing me to take a few steps back. He shuts the door and we're standing just a few feet apart in the foyer. He's too close. This feels wrong.
"I need to ask you about a man who has spent a significant amount of time here. His name is Frank West."
I take a step back. "Why are you asking me about him?"
"I had a chance to go over all the information the officers who served the warrant on Friday night collected. The event taking place in the backyard was a birthday party for him thrown by your housemate, correct?"
I nod.
"Do you know Mr. West well?"
I don't like where this is going. "Detective, I'm not sure if I'm the one you need to be speaking with about Frank."
He takes a step forward, closing the distance between us once again. "Miss Price, it will be so much easier for you to answer my questions now than if I have to take you down to the station."
I know a threat when I hear one. This isn't right. Whatever is happening right now isn't right.
"I don't really know him."
His eyes squint. "So you're unaware he is employed by Silas Everett?"
There is no faking the shock at hearing this. We weren't sure who sent Frank here. "No! I…no. I told you I don't really know him."
His mouth twists. "But you do know Silas Everett, then? By your reaction, it's clear that name means something to you."
Shit. I need this to end. Right now. And there's only one way I know to do that. "I want a lawyer."
He laughs. Actually laughs at me. "No. We're not doing that."
My mouth hangs open. "You can't tell me no."
He takes another step forward. "I can tell you anything I want." He reaches for me so quickly I can't react.
He twists my arm until it's behind my back and pulls me in close.
His mouth is close to my ear. "Listen and listen good. Seems like we've all been looking for the same thing and something tells me you got it or at least know where it is. "
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Tears are running down my face.
"Your boyfriend, Deacon, just randomly showed up at a dead man's house in Corbeau, I guess?
A lot of people were eager to get a look inside an empty gun safe there.
And then there's Frank West, who has been here for months but now he shows up back in Corbeau, which makes me think his job here is done. "
I struggle in his grip but don't say anything.
"Camille Bayliss is currently in the hospital. Did you know that?"
I try to shake my head but he's holding me to him so tightly I can barely move.
His mouth gets so close that I can feel his lips on the edge of my ear.
"And Silas is having a little trouble locating his wife, from what I understand. So my guess is, he's finally seen the video and there was some blowup.
Bet you didn't know that little blond bitch was the one who killed your parents. "
My knees go weak and I almost fall to the ground, but the detective's other arm wraps around me. "How do you know that?" Is he just saying this to screw with me? Get me to admit to something? Or was Margaret really the one driving Paul's truck?
He ignores my question. "You've got one minute to tell me what I need to know or I will make sure you go down for Ben Bayliss's murder. And I'll bring all your roommates down with you."
Panic spreads through every part of me. But also anger.
I'm pissed. So freaking pissed off! "Seems like you already tried that. Too bad those cops didn't find the knife you planted."
I don't know what makes me say it. I wasn't a hundred percent sure he was the one who did it, but when his hand goes around my throat and he starts to squeeze, I know I'm right. This is Ben's killer.
"Ben made the same mistake you're making now. I offered him a pretty good deal. All he had to do was stop looking. Give up his search. But he turned me down, just like you are now. I may have underestimated you before but I won't do it again," he whispers in my ear.
I struggle against him but he's still crushing me so close to his body that I can't move. I kick at his shins and stomp on his feet but his hold around my neck doesn't loosen.
"Tell me what you know and I'll let you go."
He's going to kill me.
"You're not going to get away with this," I say, trying to stall him until I figure out how to get free.
He laughs. "First on the scene controls it. Learned that years ago. Works even better when you create it. I could strangle you right now and make everyone believe your boyfriend did it."
I claw at his hands hard enough that I have to have drawn blood.
Just as I start to see spots, I slip from his grip and hit the ground.
There's a scuffle happening behind me but I'm on my hands and knees trying to catch my breath.
I'm gasping for air and I'm so dizzy I fall over.
When I can finally sit up and turn around, I find Deacon and the detective twisted into a heap on the floor.
Before I can even think about how to help Deacon, a shot rings out and I scream.
It's a long few seconds before either of them moves. Finally, Deacon untangles himself and the detective flops on the ground, blood blooming from the center of his chest.
I run to Deacon and throw myself at him, sobbing. "Oh my God! I thought it was you. I thought you were the one who got shot!"
He squeezes me tight. "Are you okay? I was so scared I wouldn't get here in time."
I nod against his neck. "How did you know he was here?"
"Frank called and warned me. He and Silas will be here any minute and then we'll figure out what the hell we're going to do."
Deacon moved us to the kitchen so I wouldn't have to look at the dead body in the foyer. Both of us sit shell-shocked at the table. All Deacon could tell me was that Frank called him and said he needed to get over here as fast as possible.
I don't know how much time passes before Silas and Frank are at the back door. Frank lets himself in, just like he has for the last several months. By the way Deacon is looking at him, I'm not sure if he wants to punch Frank or hug him.
"The only reason I'm not kicking your ass is because you saved Aubrey's."
Frank nods. "That's fair."
Deacon quickly fills them in on what happened, then they all go look at the scene. I stay at the table.
When they get back to the kitchen, Deacon sits down next to me while Silas and Frank stand near the sink. "How did y'all know he was here?" I ask.
Frank runs a hand through his hair. "I have one of those doorbell cameras hooked up on the porch. Shows the front yard and driveway." He ducks his head, seemingly embarrassed to admit he was spying on who was coming and going.
I can't even be mad, honestly.
Silas finally sits down across from us. "Hank is actually the one who tipped us off. He had gone back through Paul's file, looking at the list of people who had been at his house that night.
Was shocked to see Nathan Sullivan's name there.
He did a little digging and discovered he was Foster's nephew.
Apparently, he had spent the summer with Foster in Corbeau before going off to the police academy and had made friends with some of the locals, including Paul. "
I'm shaking my head. "I don't understand."
"After Hank told me Sullivan was on that list, I went through some of the more recent files on that USB drive. And there was Sullivan's name. I would have discovered it eventually but Hank helped us get there a little quicker.
"Sullivan was Foster's go-to when he needed help to carry out whatever Dad wanted outside Corbeau.
Dad liked to keep his hands as clean as possible so he only ever talked to Foster about what he wanted done.
He trusted Foster to handle things and didn't get into the weeds of how he did it, so we never knew about the connection.
Foster may have been a big deal in Corbeau, but he wouldn't have had any pull here in Baton Rouge. "
I tell them everything the detective said to me about Ben, including how he planted the knife in my drawer. "He killed him because Ben wouldn't stop looking for those files."