Chapter Forty-Two Cursed #2
Pain flashes in his eyes. “Ev and Nikki aren’t taking it too well. I don’t blame them, I suppose. But it’s been tough, trying to stay strong for them.”
I walk back to him, hesitating only for a moment before giving him an awkward hug. “You’re a good dad, JP.”
“Thanks, Ryan.” He pats my shoulders before stepping out of the hug. “I need to feed the boarding dogs. I’ll see you later.”
Upstairs, I sit on the edge of Everett’s bed, nerves gathering in my belly. As much as it might hurt him, I have to tell him the truth about my uncle and his mom. Everett’s been kept in the dark for far too long, about so many things. He deserves nothing but honesty from me going forward.
While I wait, my gaze wanders to his dresser, and I notice a little box.
Wooden, polished, with an intricate pattern burned into the lid.
It looks handmade, different from the rest of his things.
There’s also a framed photograph featuring a smiling James family.
JP, Leah, Everett, and Nikki. They look happy in it.
I walk over to admire the photo, then the box, tracing a finger along its edges. It’s beautiful. Curiosity gets the best of me, and I lift the lid.
For a second, I don’t register what I’m seeing.
When cold, stark realization finally settles in, my breath gets stuck in my lungs.
It’s my missing necklace.
My locket.
A rush of horror floods my veins as I pick it up, staring in disbelief at the heart-shaped diamond pendant dangling from the silver chain.
How…
Why…
My brain is struggling to work.
Footsteps echo in the hall, and I whirl toward the doorway as Everett appears in it, his hair damp from the shower. He stops in his tracks when he sees me. When he notices what I’m holding.
“What…?” I can barely get the words out. “Why do you have this?”
He shifts on his feet, gaze cast downward, as if already preparing a defense. “It’s…not what it looks like.”
“Then explain,” I snap, anger building in my chest. “How do you have my necklace? It went missing months ago.”
He exhales, finally looking me in the eye. “Nikki took it.”
My anger gives way to incredulity. “Nikki? You’re saying Nikki stole it?”
“She took it when she was over at your house hanging out with Jasmine.”
“Did Jasmine—”
“No,” he cuts in. “Jaz didn’t have anything to do with it.
Nikki lifted it when Jazzy wasn’t looking.
She saw the diamond and tried to hock it, but the guy at the pawn shop wouldn’t take it because he suspected it was stolen and didn’t want to get in shit if the cops showed up.
She…” Everett groans softly. “She steals a lot. Steals money from my dad—”
“Yeah, I know about that.” I shake my head, starting to get mad again. “You knew she took my necklace, and you didn’t tell me? And after she had no use for it, you stashed it for her instead of giving it back?”
He stays silent.
“I can’t believe this! I—” A strangled gasp flies out as something else occurs to me. If Nikki had my necklace, maybe she figured out the pendant was actually a tiny locket. Maybe she managed to pry it open and saw the initials etched inside.
G.T.
Remember…I know who you are, Gabrielle Thorn.
Did Nikki know who I was the entire time?
“Oh my God,” I whisper, my heart pounding against my ribs. “Someone was sending me threatening messages. Telling me they knew who I really was. It was your sister, wasn’t it?”
His silence is infuriating, and his expression barely changes.
“Oh my God. It was. She opened the locket and saw my initials and decided to torment me.” Anger sizzles up my spine, heating my face.
Without another word, I stumble toward the door.
“Ryan,” he calls after me.
“Where is she?” I growl. “Where the fuck is she?”
I burst into the hallway, stomping toward the neighboring room and flinging the door open. It’s definitely Nikki’s, judging by the clothing all over the floor and the makeup strewn across her vanity table, but there’s nobody in here.
“Ryan, stop.”
I race toward the stairs, Everett calling after me. I ignore him and take the steps two at a time, so mad I can taste it. I’m going to wring Nikki’s neck when I find her. But first I have to find her. The living room is empty. Same for the kitchen.
Where the hell is she?
I throw the front door open, but before I can make it off the porch, Everett is right behind me, reaching for my arm. I yank away from his touch, turning to face him.
“Where is she?”
“She didn’t come home last night,” he says, sounding tired. “She hasn’t been around much since the bodies were found.”
I’m still furious, shaking from the force of it. Nikki James stole my necklace and sent those sinister messages. Did she follow me and Jasmine to the lumberyard too? Try to scare us on purpose?
“I cannot believe she did this. Did you know about it?”
His lack of reaction makes my stomach twist.
“Say something!” I demand.
Seconds tick by. A lot of them.
Until finally, Everett shakes his head. “Nikki had no idea who you were, Ryan. Not until the dance.”
Frowning, I wait for him to continue.
“She stole the necklace, yeah, but I’m the one who opened the locket. I saw the initials inside. I put it all together.”
I take a step back, confusion washing over me. “You knew who I was? Before it all came out at the dance?”
He nods.
“And the messages?”
Everett exhales slowly, not breaking eye contact. “It was me.”