“The Chevy was parked along Route 15,” I said, automatically reaching for my cigarette pack. I scoffed in disgust as I remembered it was empty, crumpling the pack in my hand before I threw it to the floor. “He wasn’t there, and his keys were gone too. But all his stuff was in there. What the hell are you looking at me like that for?”

“Vincent was supposed to tell you,” he said. “But he thought you might…”

“He thought I might what?” I snapped without meaning to, and Jason gripped my open window, leaning down as he looked at me.

“He wasn’t trying to stress you out, okay?” he said. “He saw your dad when he and Jess went to Satin —”

“My father saw Vincent with Jess?”

I wrenched open my door and Jason stepped back. I was trying the best I could to keep myself calm, but fucking hell, Vince had known about this for days and hadn’t said anything? Jason tried to start again, but I was speaking too fast as I paced.

“So the man who threatened to kill me, who swore he’d put me six feet under for taking everything from him, saw Vincent with Jess in public, and Vince decided to tell me fucking nothing?” I lowered my voice, anxiety gripping me so tight it was difficult to breathe. “Did he think Reagan wouldn’t recognize him? After Vince came with me to every funeral arrangement, when he was right there in court with me? He knows exactly who Vincent is!”

My dad had challenged Mom’s will before she was even in the ground. He hadn’t bothered to come to the funeral or help with the planning. No, that was all me. Vincent had come to every awkward meeting, whether it was with the funeral director or the probate litigation attorney. He was the calm, optimistic presence I’d needed when I was working through so much turmoil.

Dad didn’t have the funds to pursue challenging the will in court. He’d shown up for one hearing and then vanished again, but not before making it clear to me that if he couldn’t get what he wanted legally, he was willing to try other methods.

Namely, putting a bullet in my skull.

“Manson.” Jason gripped my shoulders, the strength of his hold finally making me pause. “Deep breaths, man. It’s okay. You’re okay. Vincent was going to tell you, I know he was. He was just trying to figure out the right way to do it. Then with work, and Jess, and everything…he must have forgotten. I know he’ll feel like shit that you found out like this.”

I finally took a deep breath. I had to think logically here.