They Just Don't Know You

Chapter 35

Perrie's POV

Thursday, October 10

All these weeks of wondering what the hell was happening around town, it somehow never occurred to me that the guy I trust least of anyone might be involved.

I'm an idiot. And Jade sucks at solving true crime. But none of that matters right now. 

"I'm going to need your phones," John says. He's still in his polo and khakis, but he's slipped on a pair of gloves too. Somehow that's more chilling than the gun. "This isn't a drill, kids. Put them on the side table next to the bed. One at a time please. You first, Jade." We both comply, and John waves the gun towards the hallway. "Thank you. Now come with me."

"Where?" I ask, glancing over at Jade. She's frozen in place, her eyes trained on John's right hand. 

His nostrils flare. "You're not really in a position to ask questions, Perrie." 

Jesus. This is bad, colossally bad. I'm only just staring to grasp how much shit we're in, but I know this much: John would never let any of this unfold if he planned on leaving us alive to talk about it. "Wait," I say. "You can't...Look, it's too late, alright? We found the receipt from Dailey's Auto and gave it to the police. They know something sketchy is going on with Leigh's car and they'll figure out you were involved."

John's expression flickers with a second's worth of doubt, then relaxes again. "There's nothing on that receipt that points towards me."

"There's the fact that you're the only family member who was at home to drive," I say.

John raises his shoulders in a careless shrug. "Ellie borrowed the car and had an accident. Simple enough."

I keep talking. "I just spoke to Mr Coates. I asked him about meeting up with you that weekend and he said you never did. He knows you lied."

"I listened to every word you said Perrie. You told him you must have heard wrong."

"Mom was there when we talked about it," I say, hating the desperate edge that's crept into my voice. "She'll remember. She'll know something is fishy."

"Your Mother will remember what I tell her. She's a remarkably compliant woman. It's her greatest asset."

I want to kill him then, and I think he knows it. He takes a step back and lifts the gun so it's pointed directly at my chest. I strain to keep my expression neutral as my brain cycles through every possible reason why it's too late for John to get away with another murder. "Officer Oxlade-Chamberlain was there when Leigh said Ellie snuck out during a sleepover to meet up with somebody in this house. If she wasn't coming to me, it had to be you."

"If you're not here, there's no reason for anyone to think it wasn't you," John points out. 

Shit. I wish Jade would snap out of whatever trance she's in. I could use another brain working right now. "People are going to question another murder. Another couple of murders. Especially if your stepdaughter is involved. First your daughter's best friend, and now me? This is going to come back on you John, and it'll be ten times worse when it does."

"I agree," John says. He looks completely relaxed, like we're chatting about baseball scores or the latest Netflix series. Not that we've done either of these things. "Now is absolutely not the time for anything even remotely resembling a homicide. I have to insist you come along, though. Downstairs. You first Jade."

Hope pulses through me, even though the coldness in John's eyes tell me it shouldn't. I contemplate lunging for him, but Jade's already moving towards the hallway and he has the gun trained on her back. I can't see any choice except to follow, so I do.