"No, you don't. You're just afraid. Every time you think you might have crossed a line, you come running to me for reassurance or an alibi. But I will never cover for you again. And I will never love you again. This is the last conversation we ever need to have."
"It won't be the last conversation. I'll be back when I have more information."
"I won't hold my breath."
I heard Brooklyn's door open and close. I moved to the door of Kelsey's room. As I opened it, I saw James heading down the stairs. I grabbed my bag and jacket and impulsively ran after him.
When I left the house, James was already in his car. The vehicle I'd used earlier was still in the driveway. I jumped inside and started the engine, following James down the street.
I didn't really have a plan. James might just drive the few blocks to his parents' house, but he didn't. He headed toward town, maybe to get that information he needed to make Brooklyn like him again.
Wherever he was going, I was going, too. At the very least, I could talk to him about what I'd just overheard. He seemed to be relatively sober for the first time since he'd arrived on the island, so maybe I could get something out of him. I probably had a better chance with him than with Brooklyn.
As James drove across town, I kept some distance between our cars, feeling both excited and concerned that I was making a mistake. But at least I was doing something, and that was better than sitting around and waiting. Hopefully, James would lead me to a clue that would help me find my sister.
Chapter Fourteen
James drove toward the harbor, eventually parking in a lot next to a dive bar called Willie's. The bar was frequented mostly by fishermen and locals. It didn't seem like a place James would spend time in, but he was an alcoholic, so maybe he preferred to drink in bars his friends didn't patronize.
I pulled into a parking spot on the other side of a large truck and shut off my lights. I was across the lot from James, and I could see him in the rearview mirror. He was sitting in his car, and he appeared to be on his phone. Five minutes or more passed before he got out of the car and walked into the bar.
I was about to follow him inside when another car pulled into the lot. Carter Chadwick jumped out. My pulse leapt. James had told Brooklyn he was going to find out what was going on between Carter and Kelsey.
It made me sick to think anything had gone on between them. I knew Kelsey had few boundaries when it came to dating men who were involved with other women. She'd always said it wasn't on her to keep anyone faithful. But this was different. Carter was Gage's brother. That would be crossing a line that should not be crossed.
After Carter entered the bar, I stepped out of the car and headed inside.
The bar was small, dark, and smelled like beer and sweat. Looking around, I noted about eight tables and a long bar, at which every stool was filled. There were probably twenty people in the room and eighteen of them were men. This was definitely not my scene, but I was here, and I wasn't going home, not until I got some answers.
I moved through the crowd, ignoring a few rude male comments and offers to buy me a drink. I dragged a chair from a nearby table over to where James and Carter were sitting and took a seat.
They stared at me in surprise.
"Willow," James said, getting his mouth to work first. "What are you doing here?"
"I want to talk to both of you."
"This is not the kind of place you should be in," he told me.
"Don't worry about it. I'm fine."
"How did you know we were here?" Carter asked, giving me an unhappy look.
"I heard James talking to Brooklyn, and I followed him here."
Both of them looked at me with astonishment.
"What the hell?" James said. "You followed me. Why?"
"I have questions about your conversation with my sister."
"You were eavesdropping?"
"Not intentionally. You weren't that quiet. I want to know why Brooklyn lied for you ten years ago."
James turned pale at my question. "I—I have nothing to say to you."
"Maybe I should leave you two—" Carter began.
"No," I said, waving him back into his seat. "Sit down. I want to speak to you as well, Carter."
He looked shocked at my tone. "You're different. When did you turn bossy like Brooklyn?"
"About the time Kelsey disappeared," I snapped.
"Well, I don't know what James and Brooklyn were lying about ten years ago," Carter said. "So, I'm not sure why you need to talk to me."
"I'll get to you, Carter, but first I need James to answer my question."
"It was nothing," James said quickly.
"Be more specific. I'm not leaving until you tell me the truth."
"Maybe you aren't, but I am," James said.
"Sit down," I ordered as he started to get up. "If you don't talk to me now, I'll talk to Ben. And then I'll fill Drake in on what I heard. Believe me, you would rather talk to me than either of them."
He gave me a long, assessing look and then settled back down in his chair. "Carter is right. You are different."
"We're not talking about me. What happened the night Melanie disappeared?"
"I passed out on the beach, but I didn't want that fact to get back to my parents, so I asked Brooklyn to tell the police I was with her. That's it."
"And you didn't think Melanie's disappearance was more important than your parents getting mad at you?" I challenged.
"I never saw Melanie, so I couldn't have helped. And it wasn't just about my parents. Everyone in our circle needed an alibi," James said. "Drake was gunning for us."
"He's right," Carter said. "Drake is still convinced one of us is guilty of something horrific. I don't know how he can think that. We used to be his friends."
"My little lie wasn't a big deal," James added. "Don't make it one now, Willow. There's no point in dredging up the past."
"The past is here, James. We're reliving it right now. Kelsey is gone."
"This is completely different."
"Is it?"
"Yes," Carter interjected. "Kelsey must have left the island without anyone knowing. She must have arranged for someone to pick her up. That's probably why her shoe was on the dock."
"She just fell out of her shoe and left it there?" I asked.
"I don't know. Maybe she changed shoes," he suggested.
"Okay, let's go with that," I said. "If you think Kelsey left the island, then you must have some ideas why she would do that."
"She must have changed her mind about the wedding," he replied. "That's the only logical explanation." His gaze wandered toward the door as he finished speaking.
"Carter," I said sharply. "Look at me."
"What?" he demanded. "What do you want from me?"
"The truth. Did Kelsey bail on the wedding because she hooked up with you?" I asked.
Carter's jaw tightened, anger running through his gaze. He turned on James. "Did you tell her that? Did you tell Brooklyn that?"