Page 24 of You for Her (The Edge of Retaliation 2)
My head is spinning.
I feel sick.
They’re going to break in? Go through my things?
I can’t judge, of course, I’ve done the same to them. I just still can’t believe they actually believe the stories they’ve made up in their heads. The lies they’ve forced themselves to believe. Now they’re going to try and find proof, just to make themselves feel better about what they’re doing?
It’s so wrong.
“What?” I rasp.
“Yeah, which is why I needed to tell you as soon as possible. Tatum even went for it, which made me a little suspicious, because if they don’t find anything, they’re back to believing maybe you’re telling the truth and he doesn’t want to risk that.”
He’s going to plant something.
It makes perfect sense. If he puts something in my place, to look like I’m lying, then everyone will go back to believing it and continue on keeping the heat off him.
It’s genius, really.
Well done, Tatum.
You lying asshole.
“He’s going to plant something at our place,” I state.
Jo’s eyes widen. “Oh, god, I didn’t even think of that.”
“This is bad, Jo. This is so fucking bad. Tatum is going to make me look guilty, and they’re going to believe it, and they’re never going to stop. I’m never going to get away from this. I can’t take it anymore.”
I grip my chest as panic takes over, and Jo quickly reacts, standing and grabbing my arm. “We need to walk, honey. Come on.”
We hurry out of the café and walk down the sidewalk, me still on the verge of a panic attack, Jo still telling me over and over that it’ll be okay.
I don’t know how it’ll be okay.
These people, they’re so determined to make me suffer for Celia’s death. So determined to make sure I live the rest of my days remembering what I’ve done.
I can’t take it anymore.
I can’t.
I make a pained sound in my throat and stop, leaning forward and clenching my eyes shut.
“Callie, look at me!” Jo orders, forcing me up and turning me to face her, placing her hands on my shoulders. “You’re strong. You’re the strongest damned woman I know. I’ve given you this speech before, and I’m giving it again because it’s true. You can’t give up, do you hear me? You do not deserve this, and I’m not going to lie down any further and let you suffer. Because of that, I have a plan.”
“A plan?” I croak, taking a deep, shaky breath.
“Yes,” she confirms, “a plan. This has gone on long enough. We’re not going to keep playing their little game. We have enough, enough to call them out, enough to bring them to their knees with the truth. We’re going to use it.”
“We don’t have enough,” I say, my voice frustrated. “We have a few emails and Chase’s number, that’s it. We still don’t know exactly what happened to Celia, and we still can’t prove she took her own life.”
“They don’t know that, though,” Jo goes on. “All they need to know is that we know, they don’t need to hear any more than that. Chase fell for it, we can make them, too. We print the emails, we share the story, we tell them we’ve located Chase and we tell them what we know. It’ll be enough. If we’re smart, it’ll be enough.”
“How the hell are we going to do this? Just waltz over and throw down?”
Jo grins. “No, ma’am. We’re going to catch them in the act, and then we’re going to make them wish they never messed with you.”
I swallow and tip my head to the side, narrowing my eyes. “Go on.”
“We’re going to be there when they break in.”
Oh, god.
This does sound dangerous.
But I like it.
“ARE YOU SURE THIS IS a good idea?” I ask Jo as we sip cocktails at the local bar the next night. “I mean, so many things could go wrong.”
I glance at my phone where yet another phone call from Ethan is flashing through. I press the decline button. I have nothing else to say to Ethan, nor do I want to hear anything he has to tell me. He made his choice, and nothing he can do now will change how much that choice hurt me.
“You’re right, it could go wrong, but are you willing to keep dealing with what you’ve been dealing with? They’ve kept low for a few weeks, but that won’t last forever. If they decide to go with the fact that they think you’re still guilty, then they’re going to keep tormenting you until they feel like you’ve suffered enough. I’m not going to let that happen, so we’re going into that damn house and we’re going to turn this around so hard on them, they’re not going to be able to deny it.”
She’s right. I know she’s right. I can’t deal with this any longer. The fact is, they’re not going to let this go, they’ll get answers, or they won’t, either way they’re too scarred and they’re too broken and they’re not going to rest easy until they make me suffer for those wounds. I’ve suffered enough. I don’t need to suffer anymore.
