BooksBarbecue
Back Someone Had to Do It
Chapters (39)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. Dedication
  4. About the Authors
  5. PROLOGUE
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  37. THE STORY BEHIND SOMEONE HAD TO DO IT
  38. SOMEONE HAD TO DO IT: THE PLAYLIST
  39. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Glover softens for once. “Okay, we’ll look into it. We’ll talk to him. Do you know where I can find him?”

Three hours later the service is over and I’m back at the house. Once I make it downstairs, people crowd around me wherever I step: aunts and uncles and cousins I haven’t seen for years. Strangers. I wouldn’t recognize most of them if we passed on the street. Asking me if I’m okay.

I try to answer all their questions, but talking is even more exhausting than smiling. I want to scream. I want to get the hell out of here, away from their questions and their kind, concerned faces. It must show on my face. I can see some of them looking at me in confusion. I hear their whispers. What’s up with her? Do you think she’s all right?

The burner phone rings just as I get surrounded by another group of faces I barely recognize. I turn away slightly, check it. Fuck. Jared. I have to answer. I have to.

I make my excuses and peel away from the sea of black, head down, rushing toward the powder room off the kitchen. I pull out the burner phone from my pocket and answer it.

Jared. He’s talking too fast. I can’t understand anything he’s saying.

“Wait. Slow down. What’d they say?”

He huffs a breath in my ear, maybe trying to calm himself, but it doesn’t really work. “They know I deleted the security footage. I don’t know how, but they do. And they asked about the emails too. They’re fucking on to us, Tay.”

“Don’t panic. Just destroy your hard drive.”

“What if that’s not enough? Maybe you can survive in prison, but I—”

“Jared, calm down.” I drag a hand through my hair, my chest pounding. “What about Mei?”

I never wanted it to come to this. The only person who was supposed to get hurt was my father. Not my friends. Not the people I actually care about. But I have no choice.

Jared pauses. “What about her?”

“Did you tell the detective she’s the one who bought the cyanide?”

“Why would I...” He pauses, then I almost hear it click in his head. “You want to snitch on Mei?”

“Would you rather go down for this by yourself?”

27

BRANDI

The charges against me were dropped yesterday. I found out from the lawyer the state appointed me this morning, a phone call that lasted no more than two minutes but felt like forever stuck in time. I have no idea what they could possibly want now.

My heart starts to pound, and I’m not sure why. I know I’m innocent. I know I’ve done nothing wrong. I know I’m right about Taylor.

I just need this all to be over so I can forget any of it ever happened.