I blink. “What?”
“Rita Skeeter used one. This is mine.” He taps play.
Meghan’s voice floods the room. Every word. Her confession. The setup with Riser. Faking the restraining order violation.
I gasp. “Atticus! This is… this is everything!”
He smiles shyly. “Sister Charlotte deserves her love story.”
Tears flood again. I wrap him in a hug, squeezing hard. Then I leap to my feet, grab the keys, and fly out the door with Atticus’ phone in hand.
Grayson’s not staying behind bars. Not if I can help it.
Besides, I need to know the truth, like why he talks to Meghan instead of me.
And once and for all, the secret she won’t share:Why he needs to hurt me.
Chapter 41
Charlotte
I race through the courthouse, passing plaques and empty offices until, ah-ha!Thereit is.
The lawyer’s office, Nevin.
I don’t knock. Just barge in, beaming. “Hi! Hello! Remember me? I’m Charlotte.”
He glances up, surprised.
“My brother is Brax, the drug trafficking case? My mom’s a whole mess, but I’m the one who begged for my little brother back!”
A smile tugs at his mouth. “Right. That was a big case for our office.”
I nod enthusiastically. “Well, I got Atticus back. I became an EMT. I pay bills. Like an adult. Life is still hard, but... better.”
He leans forward, elbows on his desk. “That’s wonderful. So what brings you here now, Charlotte?”
My fingers curl tightly around the phone in my hand. “I—I have a recording. A confession. I think it can help getmy boyfriend out of prison. Or... well,ex-boyfriend. But I still love him and—”
He holds up a hand. “Easy. One breath at a time.”
I force a breath through my nose.
Then he drops the hammer: “I’m a prosecutor. My job is tokeeppeople in prison. Not spring them out.”
“But he’s innocent.This time,I swear,” I say quietly.
“They all are,” he mutters, already looking bored.
“No, seriously. This evil woman set him up. Meghan. I have her ontape. She admitted it.”
He blinks, attention sharpened. “Let me guess. Rowen Grayson?”
I nod.
He exhales slowly. “We know Grayson very well. Charlotte, you seem like a smart girl. What are you doing with someone like that? The man’s record reads like a criminal resume. Robbery, assault, rape. A classic repeat offender.”
“He’s not who he used to be,” I whisper.
