Steel Rush (In the Shadows#5) (32 page)

“Why do you believe it?” I ask, curious as to what would make a son turn against his father.

Ben squints against the cool wind ruffling his dark hair. “Because of what he tried to do to you.”

“Me?” When I gape at him, he nods.

“You were the final push I needed to accept that my father is truly a bad person. I’ve grown up watching him manipulate everyone around him into doing what he wants: my mother, my brother, me, Gregory. I can’t tell you how many times he pitted Jake against me. I would always be second fiddle to Jake in his eyes. When I was younger, I was in awe of his powers of persuasion, but as I grew older, I came to recognize his machinations for what they really were…sheer selfishness. He doesn’t care for anyone other than himself. The fact that he fully supported my request to marry Celeste, overriding Jake’s assumption that he would be with her, should’ve been a red flag to me that more was going on. Celeste and I really seemed to click that night, so I was too happy to question it.”

“I’m sorry, Ben. For all of it. No son should have to compete for his father’s love or approval.”

Ben shrugs. “He’s the reason Jake and I aren’t close like brothers should be. I don’t plan to attend any of his hearings or support him. I’m beyond furious that they let him out on bail.”

I instantly stop and turn to him. “What? He’s out? Since when?”

He glances at his watch. “My mom called to tell me an hour ago.”

And just like that, the sense of relief I’d been feeling completely evaporates and my mind starts whirling.
Does Phillip know I was the one behind the evidence against him?
“But he’s been charged with murder. How is that even possible?”

“My father is one of the best lawyers in New York. He’s been ‘cooperating’ with the police…and there’s no body. No one can work the system like Phillip Hemming.”

Ben is suddenly shoved away from my side, and Calder pulls me behind him, growling in a deadly tone, “Stay the fuck away from her, you Hemming piece of shit.”

“Calder!” Pushing free of his hold, I dodge around him and step between he and Ben just as Ben rebalances and charges back at Calder.

Barring my hands on both guys’ chests, I look at Ben and say in a calm voice, “I think it’s time for you to go, Ben.”

He looks down at me, still fuming at Calder’s unprovoked attack, but I nod firmly. “I’m serious, Ben. Now is not a good time. Please, just leave.”

I wait until Ben drives away to face Calder. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

His expression turns livid. “The moment I find out that Phillip is free, I rush over here to make sure that you’re safe, only to find you chatting it up with the murderous bastard’s son? How many more sick Hemming fucks are you going to hang out with?”

I step back, gutted by that slap in the face. “Why would you say something so mean?”

“So you wake the fuck up and stay away from him,” he bites out.

We glare at each other for a second before he rubs his forehead and sighs. “Go pack a bag, Cass. I’ll take you over to Bash and Talia’s.”

I turn to walk back toward my apartment, fury building in my chest that I let Sebastian’s comments about Calder and me get in my head. What Calder just said was meant to hurt. Who does that to someone they care about? I’m going to take that fucking choker and wrap it around Sebastian’s neck.

When Calder starts to follow me inside the main door, I turn and push him back. “
If
I decide to go to Talia and Sebastian’s, I’ll drive myself there. Since you’re all about keeping your distance lately, you should probably get back to that.”

The muscle in Calder’s jaw jumps. “I’m trying to protect you.”

“Oh yeah? Who’s going to protect me from you?”

Calder steps back, tension etching the brackets on his face. “You’re probably right. This is for the best.”

I watch him walk away, his hands deep in his jean pockets. My heart slowly shreds with each step he takes. I want to call him back and demand that he tell me what’s going on because the Calder I thought I knew doesn’t say intentionally cruel things.

I hadn’t planned on coming, but for some reason after taking three more hours of photos, my car finds its way to Trinity’s cemetery. The cemetery is peaceful with just a few others paying their respects to their loved ones.

Parked outside the gates, I watch the Carvers say goodbye to their oldest daughter, while the pastor reads scripture from the Bible in his hand.

It’s a small group, just the immediate family: Gregory, Nadine, and Beth, while their security guards stand discretely back.

Nadine’s hair partially covers her face as she weeps uncontrollably. Beth tries to console her mother as her father stands there stoically, his face pale and unblinking.

The pastor stops speaking and moves away to give the family some privacy. Beth lays a bouquet of pink roses on her sister’s grave, and then takes the red roses her mom is holding and puts them on the grave too. Standing, she helps her mother walk inside the church, while Gregory follows slowly behind. The pastor goes in last, closing the door behind him.

I wait a few minutes, and then put on my sunglasses as I make my way through the front gate. I’m thankful that the media has respected Gregory’s wishes for privacy, but the last thing I want is for anyone to see me and recognize
Celeste
.

The flowers are both beautiful and bittersweet lying against the brand new headstone. Untouched by weather and time, the stone shines. My lips tremble when I squat down and read the inscription.

May Celeste and her little angel find peace in heaven’s arms.

“I’m sorry for what happened to you, Celeste. I tried my best to help.”

My heart jumps when Beth speaks quietly beside me. “I had to slip out for a bit while the pastor talks with my parents. It was getting to me.”

When I straighten to stand beside her, she lifts her gaze to mine. “I should never have doubted you, Cass. I’m sorry. Truly I am.”

I shake my head. “I understand. Phillip was very good. It’s how he got away with everything he did for so long.”

“And he still might,” Beth says, curling her lip in disgust. “We just learned that they released Phillip on bail. Our lawyer says bail was probably allowed because all the evidence against him is circumstantial. He says the prosecutor will need something more than just the fact that Celeste was pregnant with his baby and them driving on the same road to try to get it revoked.”

My brow furrows. “But what about the diary? It shows a pattern of Celeste’s dark thoughts that goes back for years, starting right after that Fourth of July vacation.”

Beth blinks. “Celeste only called the person the Deceiver and other names in her diary. She never mentioned Phillip directly.”

I bite my lip, wishing we could have tied the Deceiver text from that burner phone to Phillip. Unfortunately because a baby wasn’t directly mentioned either, lawyers can only make assumptions that that person was talking about an unborn child. But there’s a
definite
threat toward Celeste in the text…if we could only tie it to Phillip.

I sigh my frustration and look at Beth, noting the dark circles under her eyes as she quietly stares at her sister’s headstone. “How are you doing, Beth?”

“My mother cries a lot, though it’s getting less now. My father is devastated. Not only did he lose his daughter, but he was betrayed in the worst possible way by his best friend. He’s decided not to run for the Senate and instead focus on our family. He and I are going to run Carver Enterprises together so he can spend more time with Mom.”

She said all that like she was reading it off a teleprompter. I reach over and clasp her hand. “I asked how
you
were doing.”

She squeezes my hand and exhales a shaky breath. “You’ve been more a sister to me these past few days then Celeste has been since we were kids.” She glances down at the gravestone. “I don’t blame her; I now know that Phillip was the one who changed her.”

Looking back at me, she says, “I’d better get back inside, take care, Cass.” She starts to walk away, then quickly turns back. Opening her purse, she holds out an envelope. “I’ve decided to pull closer to home too. I think you had fun that night we went to Brent’s MMA event. Why don’t you use this? I won’t be going.”

“Are you and Brent over?” I ask, trying to keep the relief out of my voice.

She glances down at the envelope she’s holding, her lips twisted in a wry smile. “Take it and keep me from temptation.”

I quickly take it before she changes her mind. “When you’re ready, the right guy will come along.”

She shrugs. “Honestly, Cass. I don’t really care. Right now I’m just…numb.”

Before she can walk away, I give her a quick hug. “Goodbye, Beth. Take care of yourself.” I’m surprised at how tightly she hugs me back, so I whisper into her hair, “You will always miss Celeste, but over time the pain will fade.”

Sobbing, she squeezes me once more, then hurries back into the church.

I
stand behind a tree, digging my fingers into the bark as I watch them hovering around Celeste’s grave.

Gregory looks pale. Did he ever really care about her? Or is that guilt adding more lines to his face?

Nadine is sobbing. I never remember her being an emotional person.

Beth’s expression is blank as she tries to console her mother.

So much grief over an empty coffin.

I know where she is…but they’ll never find her.

She had to remain mine forever.

I’ve come full circle with my acceptance of her death.

My gaze drops to her headstone as her family walks into the church.

Now no one can try to impersonate her.

Celeste was unique. A one of a kind.

She’ll remain that way, frozen in time.

Peace washes through me. “Things are as they should be.” I start to walk away when someone else approaches her grave.

What’s she doing here?
Cass Rockwell, who all the news outlets are dubbing as Celeste’s “doppelganger,” bends down and stares at the inscription. When I move to another tree to get a better view, Beth joins her by the grave. I watch her straighten next to Celeste’s sister and dissect their expressions. Frustration. Anger. Sympathy.
Friendship?

My gaze sharpens.
No one
can resurrect Celeste.