Tim claimed he got it at the town flea market. A flea market? What flea market is he talking about? I have lived in this town since I was a baby, and I never once heard about any sort of flea market.
Was he lying?
Stay away from Tim Reese. He’s dangerous.
Is it possible that Shane was telling the truth about that night? Is it possible he wasn’t the one who tried to strangle me with that necklace? I never got a look at his face. The only person who testified with absolute certainty that they saw Shane with a knife was Tim. Even though my testimony was damning, Tim was the one who put the final nail in his coffin.
What if Tim was lying about everything?
No, I can’t think this way. Tim is my boyfriend. I’ve known him my whole life. He’s a good guy. He wouldn’t lie, and he sure as hell wouldn’t kill anyone. I know it better than I know my own name.
But then how did he get that necklace?
Chapter 37
Tim and I have made up since the night of my birthday.
He came by the next evening with a bunch of roses and a pair of beautiful earrings. We never discussed the necklace again, but I did do one thing he asked. A few days ago, I scheduled an interview with that primary care practice. He was right—working at a maximum-security prison isn’t exactly my dream job, and at the very least, the primary care practice is much closer.
If I quit my job at the prison, I’ll never have to see Shane ever again. It will be a relief.
Mostly.
Tim and I are engaged in what has become our nightly routine of washing the dishes together after dinner. We’ve been together for about two months now, and since we told Josh about our relationship, Tim has been spending three or four nights a week here. Of course, he lives right down the block, so he hasn’t relocated too much of his stuff here, since it’s easy enough for him to go back and forth to get whatever he needs.
“Are we becoming like an old married couple?” I ask him as I slide the last of the dishes onto the dish rack.
Tim chuckles. “Do you remember when we were kids, and we always used to talk about what life would be like when we got married?
It was mostly Tim who used to talk that way, but I do remember it. “Yes, of course.”
“I just assumed we would end up together, you know? Like there was nobody else in the world that I could possibly marry.”
“I know.” I allow him to pull me close to him. “When did you stop thinking that way?”
“Never.”
I laugh but Tim isn’t smiling. He’s looking into my eyes with a serious expression on his face.
“Brooke,” he says. “I just want you to know that… I love you. I have always loved you, and I’m pretty sure I’m always going to love you.”
Even though it’s the first time he’s said that, his declaration of love doesn’t come as a surprise. I could tell he was itching to say it to me. And even though I felt it too, I was scared to hear him say it.
Because the last man who told me he loved me tried to kill me.
But there is no way I can leave him hanging. It’s obvious how badly he wants me to say it back. I’m sure he would pretend it’s all right if I didn’t, but inside, it would kill him.
“I love you too,” I say.
He kisses me, and I want it to be this wonderful moment when we tell each other we love each other for the first time, but I can’t stop thinking about the last time I said those words. I love you, Shane.
Then a few hours later, he was tightening that necklace around my throat.
Our kiss is interrupted by the sound of Josh yelling at the TV screen. I had told him to go up and do his homework, but apparently, he decided to play more Nintendo. “Oh my God,” I say. “That kid is in serious trouble.”