Saving Us by Wendy Million

Chapter Thirty-Four

While Annika slept, I slipped out of her room to see if Clay was still waiting. He’d gone with my dad and the officers to the alley where Annika had been dropped. I’d texted my dad to make sure Annika had told someone her last memory was of the frat house. She had. Part of me was surprised, but I was also relieved. Maybe she was done protecting Johnny.

In the waiting room chairs, Clay slept at an awkward angle. I shook his shoulder, and he sat up, rotating his neck. He gazed around bewildered.

“Dreaming?”

“Just—” He rubbed his face. “Forgot I was here.”

“You can go.” I gave him a small smile. “You’ve probably got things to do. Dad said they’ll likely release Annika when the cops come later today. No life-threatening injuries.”

Clay ran a hand through his hair and expelled a deep breath. “How’s she doing?” He gestured behind me to her room.

I shrugged. “About what you’d expect. Maybe a little better than you’d expect.”

He gave me a sad smile. “Your dad said he suspects Johnny.”

“Really?” We all wondered if it was him, even Annika, but I was surprised my dad would voice his suspicion.

“Yeah,” he said. “He didn’t say anything in front of the officers. He said it to me later, in the alley, when they were looking for Annika’s things or some sort of evidence.”

“Did they find anything?”

“A lot of blood. However she got to the alley, someone has bloody stuff they’re trying to conceal.” He sighed. “I don’t understand how anyone could do that. Doesn’t make sense to me.”

“That’s a good thing.” I shoved my hands into the rear pockets of my jeans. “Do you think it was the coach who called the meeting at six this morning?”

Clay searched my face. “No,” he said. “Johnny is rallying the guys. Get the story straight. Keep everyone in line.” He gave me a long look. “What kind of guy is Sebastian?”

A good man was my gut instinct. He was someone who’d stand up for what was right. But that’s who I wanted him to be, and I didn’t know if that’s who he was. “In this situation?”

“They’ll be at the National Championship in two weeks, Nat. A huge accomplishment for the team. Johnny should be punished if he did it, but I can see how a lot of people will feel differently leading up to such a monumental game. Our school hasn’t made it this far in decades.” Clay rose out of his chair and stretched.

“If he did it, even if the game was for the Super Bowl, that shouldn’t matter.”

Clay stuck his hands into his pockets. “I can almost guarantee you it’ll matter. It’s going to matter a lot. We’re a football city. Ravens shit is everywhere. Johnny is the golden boy on the field.” He sighed. “I’m worried about the backlash Annika might suffer.”

“She didn’t do anything wrong!” I said. “She was beaten—she could have died.”

“I hope I’m wrong. I do.”

My dad came striding back through the doors, frowning. “Clay,” he said, coming forward. “I’m glad you’re still here. I wanted to say this earlier, but it was chaotic. What you did for Annika last night—stopping to help her, carrying her to your house, getting Natalie, bringing her here—you should be proud of yourself.” My dad shook his hand with two of his own.

Color rose in Clay’s cheeks, and he gave my dad a sheepish grin, his crooked tooth showing. My heart swelled at the sight.

“I’m just glad she’ll be okay eventually,” Clay said. “I’m headed home.” My dad released Clay’s hand, and Clay stared at me for a beat too long. “If you need anything, if there is anything I can do for either you or Annika, just call or text. I’ll be there in a heartbeat, okay?”

I couldn’t meet his eyes. Ridiculous to worry he might get the wrong idea about us when everything else appeared to be falling apart, but I didn’t want to take the chance of leading him on.

“Thanks for everything, Clay. I’ll keep you posted on what’s happening.” I flicked my gaze to his. “My dad’s right. What you did last night, I can’t even begin to thank you.”

He shook his head. “It was the decent thing to do. Never any question.”

He left through the emergency room doors, and in the distance, Annika’s parents and brother approached. I pointed to them. “That’s Annika’s family.”

“Okay,” Dad said, going back into police mode. “I’ll take them to her room. They’ll have questions, I’m sure.”

“What are the officers doing now?” I asked.

Dad grimaced. “We’re on the same page about the most likely culprit. Now, it’s finding evidence and building a case,” he said. “The officers seemed a bit reluctant the more obvious the fallout became. This might hinge on how hard Annika pushes to have someone named responsible.”

“Reluctant?” I frowned.

Dad didn’t answer. He stepped around me to greet Annika’s family. I turned and introduced them and explained Dad’s role. They followed Dad to the room with her mother clutching her husband’s and son’s hands.

Dad had given them the same speech about being supportive that I’d heard a million times. But as I’d watched Annika’s family react to Dad’s words, I understood why he said it well before they reached the room. Once they saw Annika, reason would fly out the window.

I sat down and took my phone out of my pocket. Sebastian hadn’t sent me another message since his “I love you” this morning. His silence, more than anything, told me I wouldn’t enjoy the next conversation we had in person.

My index finger ran over his words, and I hit reply. What to say? Things between us were already crumbling. I closed my eyes, and images of Sebastian from the night before played like a movie. Then my mind drifted to the people who warned me football came first for him. I’d never wanted to find out if that was true.

I typed my message and hit send without giving myself time to reconsider.

My dad came striding down the hall, squeezing the back of his neck.

“How’d it go?” I stood to meet him.

“They’re trying to be supportive. Her father and brother are furious she didn’t say something to one of them sooner about what Johnny’d been doing. At this point, that’s not helpful. But I understand their reaction.”

“Annika told them it was Johnny?”

“No,” my dad said. “She told them the last thing she remembered was being at the frat house with Johnny. A logical leap after that, even if the police here don’t want to make it.”

“I don’t understand.” I had almost forgotten his earlier comment.

“National Championship, Nat. If they can drag out the investigation for two weeks, he’ll get to play in the final game. Then, maybe then, they’ll do something more concrete.”

“You’re kidding me,” I said.

“I’ve taken a leave from work. I’m going to try to apply pressure from here,” he said, flipping open his notebook. “Name people who live in the frat house.”

“Dad—are you allowed to do this?” He shouldn’t put his job at risk.

“I’m going to ask questions, not as a cop, as a parent,” he said. “I have no authority here.”

Hadn’t Johnny said the same thing to me weeks ago? “He threatened me once.”

“What?” His voice was an explosion.

I covered my face and eased my fingertips along my forehead. Meeting his gaze was impossible. “At the time, I talked myself out of it. But he did, he threatened me. He said Sebastian wasn’t always around and everyone knew I didn’t like him. No one would believe me if I accused him of anything.”

My father’s expression morphed into one of disgust. “Name the football players, Nat. Nobody, and I mean nobody, threatens my daughter.”

“It’s why I didn’t tell you. I was worried you’d go all protective,” I admitted.

“Natalie Ann, I am your father. My job, beyond being a police officer, is to protect you and your sister with anything and everything I have in me.” He slipped his paper and pen into his pocket and placed his hands on my shoulders. “You’re one of the two most important people in the world to me.”

I wrapped my arms around my dad’s middle. He drew me into a hug and said into my ear, “He’ll pay, Natalie. The wheels of justice might be too slow to prevent him from playing in the National Championship, but he can kiss his NFL career goodbye.”

“I love you, Dad,” I said. Bringing Johnny to justice wouldn’t be easy. I was sure the football players would toe the team line, at least until after the final game.

I really needed to talk to Sebastian.