Page 56 of Break Me Beautifully
In a daze I gape at my sister's concerned face. I'm numb everywhere, barely aware of the officer who hurried inside and unlocked my cuffs. My shoulders twinge in pain as I pull my arms around, but I don't care. I ignore the fire-hot pins and needles because Ineedto touch her face, her arms, to hug her while she hugs me. "Are you real?" I ask.
"Of course I am!"
"Katy, when did you get here?"
She hesitates, then holds me tighter, her hand on the back of my head. "I've been here for weeks."
Oh, yes, I'm definitely going crazy. "That's impossible."
"I think I have a lot of explaining to do," she says gently. "Here, sit, I'll get some water." She starts to leave but I snatch her wrist. Katy blinks at me, her smile tender. "It's fine, Leona. Everything is fine. I promise."
"The last person who promised me anything was a liar," I mumble. Her eyebrows scrunch, but I release her. She leaves the room, talking to someone just outside. A minute later she sits across the table from me with two bottles of water. I take one wordlessly even though I'm buzzing with a hundred questions that keep getting tangled in my throat, not able to exit cleanly. I startle when she touches my hands. "Leona, I'm sorry. You must be so lost right now," she begins.
"I am. I feel very in the dark."
"I hope you don't hate me too much when I tell you that's good."
"What?" I squint at her. "What are you talking about?"
"It was to protect you. If you knew what the plan was, you'd be in danger."
I rip my hands away like I've grazed something scalding hot. "The plan? What the hell are you telling me, Katy?"
She pulls her hat off of her head, shaking her short hair, nervously fluffing it with her hands. "I had to do it. I know you'll understand. I love Willbur so much, and when everything else failed, when all the people with their suits and ties and expensive retainers said he was guilty ..."
"Willbur?" I blurt out. "What does he have to do with me getting arrested?"
"You aren't in trouble," she assures me, eyes all wide and mouth agape. "Sorry! I should have made that clear first!"
"I wasarrested!I didn't imagine being handcuffed and driven here!"
"No, no, of course. That's what I mean about how we had to keep it all from you. No offense but you're a terrible liar, you could never fool me or anyone when you were hiding some secret and—"
"Stop. Stop." I slap the table, the sensation painful as it radiates through my skin, but it wakes me up, clears my head. "You said we. Who's we?"
"Marshall, of course."
The ringing in my ears grows until I can see her lips moving but hear nothing.Marshall? She was working with Marshall because of our brother?I grasp my skull to keep it from splitting apart. "From the beginning," I manage to say, my jaw tense as I force the words out. "Tell me everything."
"Of course. Of course I will," she says soothingly. I'm not fucking soothed. "It started when Willbur met Bradford Mink. He'd gone to some club—you know how he likes to drink and party—and Bradford was there. For whatever reason he invited Willbur into his VIP room. The way Willbur tells it, he got wasted, and he got talked into giving two of the girls a ride home. Bradford asked him to do it as a favor. He offered money, but Willbur didn't want it, he said he felt good being seen as useful." She pauses, frowning so deep it makes dimples in her chin.
I know what she's thinking; our brother is like the rest of us, feeling useless and ignored and wanting to be appreciated. Our parents have done a number on us, for sure.
"Anyway," Katy goes on, "Someone tried to talk Willbur out of it. Marshall Klintock."
My heart stutters when I hear his name, imagining him meeting my brother.
"He didn't say it outright, but he was trying to warn Willbur about what was really going on."
"Which was?"
"Drugs," she sighs, shaking her head. "Bradford was using the girls to transport drugs. They had huge duffel bags. Said they were for their costumes because they were dancers at the club. Willbur sobered up enough to drive them where they asked. The cops were watching the club, though. They pulled him over and that's where everything fell apart. He didn't know about the drugs, but you heard the court case, no one cared. No one believed him, except for me."
That cuts me deep. She doesn't have to spell it out, but I know she's insinuatingIdidn't believe our brother. A jolt of unease makes my muscles tense.Marshall asked me about Willbur. He knew what had happened, and he asked me, and I made it clear I thought he'd done the crime and belonged in jail.God, I feel awful.
Hugging myself, I lower my head. "What happened next?"
"Well. I talked to Willbur about everything. He told his lawyer what happened, but it didn't matter. There was no proof. The girls said Willbur was selling the drugs because they were terrified of turning on Bradford Mink. I don't blame them. I thought there was a chance Willbur would go free, but when he lost, I was furious. What else could I do but get revenge on the man responsible for putting him behind bars?"
