Again, Blake was slow to answer. Finally, he said, “Yes, it was. I was in the passenger seat, and you were in the back. Until I moved you.”

“And that’s what really happened that night?” Aaron asked.

“It is.” Blake didn’t hesitate this time.

A look of relief passed across Aaron’s face, as if those were the words he desperately needed to hear. Like that of a doctor giving you the all clear when the test results come back, or a lover responding with I love you.

Aaron looked over at me, some of the fire and glee out of his eyes. “Did you hear that, Ryan?”

“Are you working with Dawn Steiner, Aaron?” I asked.

“Dawn Steiner? What a joke.”

“Are you?” I asked.

“Did you hear what Blake said?” Aaron asked.

“I heard it,” I said. “I heard it today, and I knew it already. That’s why you can let him go. Just be done with him. Yes, he staged the accident . . . but I went along with it. I should have spoken up back then. Or anytime since. It’s on me, okay? Not my family. Not really Blake. He’s about to get married. Let him be. And let my family be.”

Aaron leaned down and spoke close to Blake’s ear. “Is that what you want, Blake? You want to get out of here and get married?”

“I don’t want anyone to get hurt,” he said.

“But you want to get married, right?” Aaron didn’t wait for an answer before he continued talking. “You want to get married, even though you were spending time with another woman. The one who is now deader than a doornail. You see, I’ve watched all of this unfold. Blake running around with other women. Ryan, I’ve seen your happy life all over social media. The vacations and the nice dinners. The fancy drinks and the concerts. The wife and baby and house and business. I see it all. The whole house of cards is there for everyone to see. One little puff might blow it down.”

“Ryan’s right,” Blake said. “Leave everyone else out of it.”

“Leave Samantha out of it?” Aaron asked. “Is that what you mean? Samantha? Isn’t that her name?” He leaned even closer, so close I saw spittle fly out of his mouth and land on Blake’s face. “She might be interested to learn about this Jennifer. She might be interested to learn a lot of things. See, that night when you left the Chinese restaurant, I followed you. It was easy. I’m sure you were more interested in your date than who might have been driving behind you.”

Blake cut his eyes at Aaron but didn’t say anything.

“And I saw where she lived,” Aaron said. “Jennifer Bates.”