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Back When We Were Bright and Beautiful Save as PDF
Chapters (72)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. Part One
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. Part Two
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. Part Three
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. Epilogue
  68. Author’s Note
  69. Acknowledgments
  70. About the Author
  71. Also by Jillian Medoff
  72. About the Publisher

“All due respect, Ms. Quinn, but ‘no one’ doesn’t derail your life.”

“He didn’t ‘derail’ anything. I used the word to describe what happened to Billy’s life, not mine.”

Haggerty took out a pad and jotted a few notes. “If you say so.”

“My relationship with Marcus is over. It shouldn’t matter.”

“Of course it matters, Ms. Quinn. It wasn’t supposed to happen, and it did.”

That’s when the dynamic turned. Red flooded the edges of my vision. White noise filled my head. Haggerty was so sure of himself, I got rattled. I added superfluous details. I went off on tangents and had to retrace my steps. I felt skittish, as though he could see all the ways I was compensating. Little in life frightens me, but this man was terrifying.

And now he’s back. “Ms. Quinn? Okay to come in?”

“It’s Cassie. And yes.” When he slides onto the farm bench and pushes Record, I don’t waste any time. “So, Detective Haggerty, where were we?”

“You were telling me about your friend, Marcus Silver.”

“I have nothing to say about Marcus.”

“Oh, I disagree. You seem to have a lot to say on the subject.”

His smugness infuriates me. “You need to leave,” I say suddenly, getting up so quickly my bench turns over and hits the floor. “We need to be done with this now.”

“You say we’re done so we’re done.” He pauses. “One last question: What’s your problem with the police?”

“Do you not read the news? Cops are a menace.”

“You feel ‘menaced’?” Haggerty makes his own air quotes. “How? Did Billy’s security detail use the good towels in the powder room without asking?” He smirks. “Fact is, Ms. Quinn, cops are what stand between you and chaos.”

“It’s Cassie, Detective.” I study Haggerty’s face, but it’s like looking into a mirror and seeing nothing reflected back.

He hands me his card. “Call me anytime you want to talk.”

“We’re done.”

“Oh, I think we’ll be seeing each other soon.”

“Don’t be so sure.” I slam the door. But as soon as he’s gone it occurs to me that I have it wrong. If I’m the one looking into the mirror, then I’m the one who isn’t there. Haggerty’s eyes may be empty, but I’m the one with no soul.

21

HAGGERTY IS RIGHT: I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT MARCUS. I always want to talk about Marcus. I’m bursting to talk. Especially now that it’s over. But I’ve never uttered a word to anyone. Keeping a secret is difficult, which is why so few people succeed. It demands commitment and vigilance, pain and sacrifice. The willingness, the strength, to take it to your grave.