Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

ASHLEY

Welcome to Whitstone

Population 4,532

The sign goes by on my right, as the car speeds along the road, and butterflies take off in my stomach. It's been five years since I last came home, after Mom called to say Dad had suffered a fatal heart attack. I came home for the funeral, stayed in a hotel in the next town over, and left the following morning before anyone in town could speak to me. I didn't want to leave my mom alone, not so soon after his death, so I invited her back to New York with me. It lasted a week before she decided she wanted to go back home.

Why am I coming home now? Is it for closure like Scott claims? Maybe.

But there's also a tiny part of me that knows once it's confirmed that Zain Ryder is back in town, I'll never come back. I need to go home now, before he returns. I don't know what being released from prison early entails, but I'm sure there's a lot of paperwork involved. I doubt he'll be back for at least a week.

So, I'm coming home to take one last look around, say a final goodbye to my brother, pack anything from my childhood that I want to take back to New York with me, and then I'll turn my back on Whitstone for good.

I tap the screen of my cell to change the song, and smile when ‘Daisies' by The Orphan The Poet begins to play. I turn up the volume, wind down the window, and sing along as I drive the last mile into town.

Mom's house is off Main Street, and I turn left just after the Post Office, and find a parking space along the road. When I climb out, someone calls my name.

"Ashley? Ashley Trumont? Oh my god, is that really you?"

My heart sinks. Sondra McMillan—head cheerleader when we were at school, only daughter of the McMillan's, one of the founding families of the town … Zain Ryder's cousin and loudest supporter during his trial, declaring his innocence and my dishonesty to everyone. Of all people that could have seen me arrive, it had to be her.

I fix a smile to my face and turn to greet her. "Hi, Sondra. How are you? You look well."

Sadly, it's not a lie. As a student, she'd always been perfectly put together, and she is no different now. Her blonde hair is in a perfect chignon, her clothes beautifully pressed without a single crease. Her nails are manicured and painted a subtle nude color that matches her lipstick.

She holds out her arms, and moves closer so she can air kiss my cheeks. I fight not to roll my eyes at the shallow display. We didn't mix in the same circles at school, and after Zain was convicted, her and her friends went out of their way to make sure I was alienated and ignored.

"You look tired," she says when she steps away. "Not unexpected, all things considered. I'm sure Zain's release came as a huge shock to you."

"Yes."

"Of course, we all knew he was innocent. Zain would never do something like that."

"Really?" I don't even know why I rise to the bait. She said the same thing every day until we graduated and I fled town.

Her laugh is as fake as her smile. "Everyone knows Detective Holson coached you in what you needed to say. But I always knew the truth would come out."

"I wasn't coached in anything ." This isn't a new theory. It was something I heard over and over, and one of the biggest reasons I left town as soon as I turned eighteen.

"Oh come on, Ashley. It's been fourteen years. You might as well admit the truth now."

"The truth is that I walked in on him covered in blood and leaning over Jason's body." My voice is sharp.

"Why were you there, anyway? I've always wondered. Thirteen years old and walking across town so late at night to go to your half-brother's house. That's a little odd, don't you think? It's not something you ever really explained."

"The reason I was there is none of your business." I turn my back on her and walk away.

"I hope you don't think you can come back here and expect to be greeted with open arms. Zain is on his way home, and then the truth will come out. We all know what a lying little bitch you were."

I bite into my bottom lip to stop myself from responding, and keep walking. The last thing I need is to get into a fight with her.

"I'll see you later, Ashley." There's a clear warning in the syrupy sweet voice, but I ignore her and focus on putting one foot in front of the other until I reach the steps leading up to my mom's house.

The door opens before I reach it.

"I thought you were going to call before you decided to come home?"

I shrug. My mom's gaze tracks over my face, then she sighs.

"Come on in, then. You're lucky I'm here. I'm leaving in half an hour to meet the girls."

I follow her inside, and walk through to the kitchen.

"I can book a room in a hotel if you don't want me here."

"I didn't say that. Was that Sondra I saw outside? Did she say anything to you? That woman really needs to keep her nose out of things that don't concern her." She sits at the table. "I was planning to eat at the club tonight. But there's food in the freezer, if you're hungry. Or you could just get something delivered." Her eyebrow lifts, and I know what's coming. "If you'd called first, I could have made other arrangements."

"I know. I'm sorry. I just …" I drag out a chair from beneath the kitchen table and sit down opposite her. "I can't stop thinking about him being freed, and this is the only place I don't have to pretend it didn't happen."

She's silent for a minute, then her arm reaches out so she can touch my shoulder. "I don't understand why you need to pretend at all. But I know how hard this must be for you. I honestly didn't think he'd be released, and I never thought about how that would affect you. Do you want me to cancel my plans? I can stay here with you."

I shake my head. "No. You go. The quiet will make a nice change. It's always noisy at the house with Jessa-Mae and Karla."

"Are you sure?"

I summon up a smile. "Of course I am. I'll go and see if Sondra has gone, get my case and unpack. I want to go through the things I left here anyway, so I'll spend the afternoon doing that."