Grace was the one who paid for the hit. She bribed Alex to stage the car ident -the one that killed Mom.
The second Alex caught the look in Reese''s eyes, he practically jumped back, his hands shaking. “No, no, it wasn''t my fault! I swear!
"It was Grace. She''s the one who killed your mother, not me!
"She gave me a ton of money to cause that ident on Marie''s way to meet Bailey. She didn''t want them to see each other.
"Yeah, I''d had a few drinks, but I never meant for anyone to die. I just wanted to damage the car a little. I didn''t even realize the brakes were messed with until I tried to stop!
"Don''te after me. Go after Grace if you want revenge. She''s the one who had someone tamper with the brakes!
"I''ve already spent more than ten years in prison for this. I paid my dues. Please, just leave me alone!"
Reese''s voice was tight, every word dragged out through clenched teeth. "Why should I believe you? Where''s your proof?"
She red at Alex, forcing herself not to break down. "You were behind the wheel. You hit her. She''s dead because of you. Why do you get to keep living?"
"No, please! Don''t do this! Have mercy!"
The moment their eyes met, Alex''s whole body went rigid. It was like he was right back in the nightmare he''d been running from for years.
Cornered, he stumbled backward andnded hard on the coffee table. The jolt seemed to snap him out of his panic, and he nodded frantically.
"I have proof! I swear, I do! It''s buried under the tree behind my old house in Greenville!
"I recorded Grace when I confronted her. She admitted to ordering the brake sabotage. She told me to take the me and promised she''d take care of my family.
"But after I went to prison, my wife got sick and died. My daughter doesn''t even speak to me anymore.
"I''ve lost everything. I''m a victim too!"
Reese and George exchanged a look-both of them realizing how serious this
was.
"You take us to that recording," Reese said, her voice ice-cold, "and agree to testify in court. I''ll talk to my client about letting you go."
George stepped forward, crouched down in front of Alex, and handed him a business card.
Alex took the card, and when he saw George was just awyer not some
of
kindster, he finally rxed a
little He wiped the sweat from his forehead and tried to negotiate.
"That''s not enough. If I give you that evidence, my charge goes from drunk driving to murder."
Reese stared him down. "Isn''t that what you did?"
"You think just because you served your time, I can''t put you right back inside?"
"If you help me, maybe I''ll let you
walk. If not..." She narrowed her
eyes, her tone turning sharp
"T
me know thousand ways make your life a living hell
"Oh, and you still have a daughter, right?"
Reese tilted her head and gave Alex a chilling look. "If you don''t help me, I''ll make
sure you and your daughter are reunited-and not in this world."
Alex''s eyes flickered with something like hope. "You can find my daughter?"
Reese raised an eyebrow. "Of course."
"I''m working on some big projects with the government here in Bridger Lake. There''s nothing I can''t get done."
She was bluffing, but Alex didn''t need to know that. All he saw was power-and a threat.
He hesitated, then slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out an old, worn photo. It showed a girl, maybe ten or eleven, beaming at the camera.
"I haven''t seen my daughter in over a decade. Let me see her, and the recording is yours."
That was his only real regret not watching his daughter grow up.
If he could see her, just once, he wouldn''t have any more regrets.
"Her name''s Nicole. I heard she''s somewhere in Bridger Lake. That''s why I came here, but I couldn''t find her."
Reese took the photo and stared
down at the bright, smiling girl.
There was something familiar about her but she just couldn''t ce where she''d seen her before.