Page 70 of Love and Lies

Carter’s expression slipped for a second; then he gathered himself again and his grin returned. “Ah, so that’s why you’re here. I have to disappoint you, though, baby Helena. Everyone knows what happened that night. You’re not going to find any skeletons.”

“Oh no?” I leveled him with a steady gaze. “So you didn’t send Colton Pratt to the suite with a load of goods that you so generously donated to Valerie and Adam’s engagement?”

“No, I did,” he admitted. “But it wasn’t my idea.”

“Whose was it, then?” I pried, my hands trembling a little—I sensed I was getting one step closer to the facts.

“Valerie’s.”

I stared at Carter, aghast. One second, two, five, ten.

“Wh-what?” I croaked. My ears were ringing. That couldn’t be true. It just wasn’t possible.

“It was Valerie’s idea,” he repeated slowly, like I needed it spelled out. “She asked me for the suite because she thought it was the right environment for Adam and her to celebrate properly. And she asked me to throw in a few extras as well.”

I shook my head in outrage. “But she didn’t mean drugs!”

Carter laughed. “Yeah, right. She gave me ten grand in cash to organize everything, and she didn’t want cocaine. Seriously, Helena, we knew each other really well. I knew what she wanted.”

“She never took anything,” I insisted. “She didn’t want anything to do with drugs.” I suddenly felt ice-cold. As if my body knew my mission was threatening to go up in smoke, but my brain hadn’t caught up yet.

“No, that was Adam,” Carter corrected me. “He had a red line; that’s why he sent Pratt away that night. I have no idea why he ended up taking the stuff later. But love makes fools of us men, I guess.”

“You’re lying,” I said quietly, sharp as a knife. That was the only explanation: Carter was lying to save his own skin. I’d been trying to clear Valerie’s name for so long. It wasn’t possible that I would fail because what they said about her was true. I’d known her better than anyone. She wasn’t responsible for what happened.

“Why would I lie?”

“To put yourself in the clear,” I snapped at him. “Who says Pratt didn’t come by the suite again later at your request? That he didn’t force that stuff on the pair of them?”

“Jesus, Helena.” Carter shook his head sadly. “It’s a terrible tragedy, what happened to the two of them. I liked Valerie; no one wishes she were still alive more than I do, believe me.” Carter put his hands on his heart as if to swear it. “But she wasn’t the saint you clearly took her for. You should leave this thing alone, if you ask me. Live your life, and don’t look back.”

“You have no—”

At that moment the door opened, and my reply got stuck in my throat.

“Carter, what… Oh, Helena, it’s you.” His grandma gave me a skeptical look, as if she thought I might be making advances on her grandson. I figured she thought I was the younger version of my sister.

“Helena and I were just discussing something, Gran, but I’m all yours now.” Carter’s smile seemed painted on as he turned to me. I wanted to wipe it off his face with my fist. “All the best. You’ve got this, I know you do.”

I didn’t reply. I simply nodded to his grandmother, shuffled off the back seat, and got out of the car. Barely ten seconds after the driver had closed the doors, the car drove off, weaving its way into the New York City traffic. I stayed behind, staring after it, totally baffled by what I’d just heard.

“What are you doing out here?” I heard my mother say some time later; I had no idea how long had passed since Carter had left. “You look pale—did something happen?” For once she didn’t sound suspicious, only worried, which made me think I really must look like I’d seen a ghost.

“No, everything’s okay. I was just waiting out here for you.”

“Okay, then, let’s go.” She made for Raymond’s car, and I followed her, slumping onto the back seat.

Luckily, my mother got a call, so I just stared out the window dumbly and organized my thoughts. Or tried to, at least, while the city sped past—the city my sister had loved just as much as I did.

Be straight with me, Valerie, I pleaded silently. Is it true, what Carter says? Tell me what really happened.

But, of course, there was no reply.

32 Jessiah

I took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and stepped inside, still holding my breath. I had been putting this off for weeks, but the rumors were getting louder now, and I couldn’t be a coward any longer. As soon as the ambiance of Harper’s hit me, and I caught the scent of good, honest food, and took in the room around me, I knew my fears had all come true. The place was a dream.

Only it wasn’t going to be my dream.