Lost Souls by J. Bishop (essential books to read .txt) 📕

her affairs?” He narrowed his gaze. “Were you two so at odds with each other that you considered killing her?”

Michelle sputtered. “I would never─”

“No, I agree,” said Trick. “It doesn’t make sense, because as much as you may be willing to let your family collapse around you, you don’t strike me as the murdering type.” He swiped his hand. “You’ve got pictures of your kids, and diplomas.” He eyed one on the wall. “So, if you’re telling me Bradley didn’t do it, and neither did you, that leaves Shay. Did she have a reason to hurt her sister?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Michelle. “None of us hurt Lydia. We argued, but we loved her.”

Trick sat his coffee on the end table. “No. You didn’t. You sat back and watched her fall apart. According to Kyle, Lydia was doing okay, but then she introduced him to the family, and between Shay and Bradley’s interference, Lydia went off the wagon and their relationship ended soon after.” He crossed his arms. “You say Shay’s the drinker, but what else is she?”

“I don’t want to talk about this,” said Michelle.

“And I don’t want to have to tell your husband that the man who just left here wasn’t him.” Trick leaned a shoulder against the wall by the sofa.

Michelle’s tensed, and her face fell. “What are you saying?”

Trick pulled out his cell. “I’m saying I want to know about Shay, and you don’t want me to make this phone call to your husband.”

“Are you blackmailing me?” Michelle asked.

“Blackmail seems harsh. Let’s consider it a challenging moment. We all have to face them. Like you said. Life is hard,” said Trick.

Michelle slammed her drink on the bar. “You want to play this game? You want to threaten me? That’s child’s play. My husband isn’t stupid. Call him for all I care.”

Trick raised the phone. “What’s his number?” Michelle leveled an evil look at him that rivaled Valerie’s but Trick didn’t budge. “If you don’t give it to me, I’ll get it some other way. You know I will.”

“You son-of-a-bitch,” said Michelle.

“I’ve been called worse,” said Trick. “I take after my momma.” He held the phone in front of him. “What’s it gonna be, Michelle? Tell me about Shay or I make my call.”

Michelle began to pace. “Fine.”

Valerie shot daggers at him, but he ignored her. “Fine, what? Did Shay have a reason to hurt Lydia?” he asked.

“Shay…Shay…,” Michelle ran a hand through her messy hair. “Shay never liked Lydia, no matter what she may have told anyone. Shay loved to lord everything over Lydia. Her father was alive and Lydia’s wasn’t. Shay was pretty and Lydia was ugly. She never stopped comparing herself to her sister out of some desperate attempt to prove she was better. Lydia and Bradley were close and Shay hated it. Lydia did well for herself and Shay hated that, too. She’d undermine Lydia any chance she could. That’s why Kyle and Lydia broke up, because Shay kept telling Lydia that Lydia would never be able to hold onto him. He’d leave eventually.” Michelle paused, took a healthy swig of her coffee, and put it on the counter. She hugged herself, her body taut. “For a while, Lydia broke off ties to Shay. They were estranged for several months, and then somehow, Shay wiggled her way back in and changed tactics. Now it was all about Kyle. He was no good and didn’t care about Lydia, only about himself. Lydia had been stable on the pills for a while, sticking to her prescribed doses, but I think the stress of Shay’s interference made her start to abuse again. Lydia seemed to be only half aware of what Shay was doing, and began to believe her. The damn drugs messed with her head, which was already messed up enough. Shay destroyed the relationship, and Kyle disappeared. And then Chad came into the picture, and Lydia went berserk…” She held her head and covered her eyes, then found her drink.

“Berserk? What happened?” asked Valerie.

Trick stepped closer.

Her fingers shaky, Michelle took another healthy gulp and drained the mug. “I don’t know. Lydia barely spoke to me at that point, and neither did Shay, but I heard things through Bradley. There was some sort of argument between them. Shay was jealous and Lydia was livid, or vice versa. If I were to guess, Lydia liked Chad. Shay found out and pursued him because of it. They were hell bent on killing each other, and when Lydia died and Shay didn’t show up for the funeral, I thought…”

Trick waited to hear her finish the sentence. He took a step toward her. “You thought what?” he asked. Noting the diploma on the wall, he saw the picture of Shay, and the name of the beauty school.

“I thought…I…I…couldn’t help but wonder if Shay could have…have…” Michelle put a palm over her eyes. “Oh, God. I can’t even say it.”

“Killed her?” asked Valerie.

Something on the diploma caught Trick’s eye, and he looked more closely. A chill ran up his spine and his skin prickled. “Michelle,” he said softly. “What is Shay’s name?”

Michelle dropped her hand, and Valerie frowned. “What are you talking about?” asked Valerie.

“Her…her name? Why?” asked Michelle.

Trick pointed toward the diploma, his heart thumping. “What is her given name?”

“It…It…” Michelle foundered at the change in subject. “Her given name is Serita. Serita Alvarez. But we’ve called her Shay since she was a child.”

Trick set his jaw. “That man she married. What was his last name?”

Valerie came over and eyed the diploma.

Michelle shook her head. “What on earth…?”

“What was his name?” asked Trick, sharpening his tone.

“Uh…Uhm…let me think.” Michelle’s brows knitted. “Shaun. It was Shaun. Shaun Avery.”

Trick cursed. Shay’s actual name was Serita Avery.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Mason sat in Serita Avery’s bedroom, much as he had a few days earlier, and stared into her mirror. When he’d arrived, Serita had flung open the door, thanking him for arriving so quickly, looking disheveled with her hair in