The Drifter

C H A P T E R 4 2

C H A P T E R  F O R T Y – T W O
Clues for the Next Victim

Aidan stood the moment his eyes landed on me.

Aunt Mia was eyeing Aidan up cautiously as she pulled onto the driveway. She turned to me and asked, "Are you okay with this? I can send him away if you want."

Despite her "innocent until proven guilty" mantra she abided by, she was evidently weary of Aidan. I, on the other hand, wanted to hear him out. Wanted to know what the fuck was going on with these allegations against him. Wanted to know what he had spoken to Detective Larkins about regarding the arrest. Were they right to arrest him?

"I want to talk to him. You go inside. I'll be on the porch."

Aunt Mia complied wordlessly, offering a tentative smile at Aidan as she passed him. He offered his assistance with the shopping bags, but she shook her head. "Thank you, but you need to talk to Addison."

He didn't refute that. Instead, he waited patiently for me to approach him as Aunt Mia shut the door behind her gently.

"Hey," he murmured, running his tongue over his lips, and for a moment, it was all I could do to stare.

"Hey."

He stepped closer to me as I adjusted the handbag strap over my shoulder. My arms fell limply to my sides as he glanced over his shoulder at my front door. "I appreciate that your aunt doesn't hate me." He offered a smile to me, but it was weak, like his voice. Usually his words exuded confidence and a large ego and sometimes arrogance, but right now, he was timid. Hesitant. Unsure. "I'm sorry, Addison."

"Can you just explain what happened yesterday?" I asked, sighing. "One second they're showing me a note that had my name on it and a song and then suddenly they're arresting you. Aidan, I need an explanation."

He nodded solemnly. "And you deserve one." He sighed, running a hand through his hair and momentarily disrupting the sweeping across his forehead as he pushed it all backwards. It fell back onto his forehead slowly as he elucidated, "It was a mistake. They found my DNA on Olympia's body and Isla's body, but if you remember, I helped you in the parking lot and I helped remove Isla's body from the girl at Dave's party. That's all they have on me. I promise. It's like when they arrested Dave just because his DNA was found inside the cupboard under the stairs."

Did you guys believe that?

Words were beyond me as all I experienced was an overwhelming sense of being nonplussed. "That's all? Seriously?"

"That's all." He stepped closer again. "Are we okay?"

It astounded me and perplexed me how genuine he could be right now compared to when he was arrested. His voice was devoid of any emotion and he was staring right at me whilst my stomach tumbled out of my body and my heart was thumping in my throat. He watched as I gawped at him being escorted to the police car and shoved in the back. And as he was driven off.

"I think so," I told him quietly.

He stepped closer again and reached out, gently prying my fingers off my handbag and placing it on the ground to the side of us. He leaned down slowly and murmured, "So does that mean I can kiss you again?"

I nodded dumbly, the words lost in my throat.

He leaned down further, his lips tender against mine as he placed one hand on my hip and the other on my neck, urging me closer. This kiss wasn't like the one in the park. The kiss in the park felt as though I could get lost in the ocean, blinded by sand storms and set astray by the darkness. It was powerful and compelling, like I depended on his kisses.