The Inmate

by Freida McFadden

I look like I’m in college, and I feel like I’m fifty. Story of my life.

It’s because of one of the inmates in this prison. Someone I knew a long time ago, who I am not eager to see ever again. But I can’t tell that to Dorothy. I can’t reveal to her that the man who was my very first boyfriend is an inmate at Raker Maximum Security Penitentiary, currently serving life without the possibility of parole. And I’m the one who put him here.

I don’t quite understand how you can love somebody so much, yet so frequently want to throttle them.

And I can think of a few other reasons why he would be scared about starting school after what happened back in Queens.

The problem with your kid getting older is they know there are some things you can’t promise.

I close my eyes and I can still see his ruggedly handsome face. His eyes looking into mine. I love you, Brooke. That was what he said to me just a few hours before he tried to kill me. And that’s not even the worst thing he did.

Tim was the one who bought me the snowflake necklace I always wear. He got it for me for my tenth birthday,

“I didn’t do anything. That asshole Reese knocked me out with a baseball bat, and then the next thing I knew, the police were shaking me awake and telling me I was under arrest.”

I'm thinking that Tim pretended to try and kill her and play it off as Shane doing it so Shane would be out of the picture and then he can try to be with Brooke himself? Maybe? I'm not totally sure tho

“I would never have hurt you, Brooke.” His eyes are wide and earnest, and he looks so much like the seventeen-year-old boy I fell in love with. “I’ve been wanting to say that to you for the last ten years. You have to believe me. I would never have done something like that. I couldn’t. I loved you.”

I fully believe him

I never saw the face of the man who tried to kill me. The power was out that night and everything was pitch black. But I knew Shane very well. I knew the feel of his body. The smell of him. I knew it was him. It had to be. Because if it wasn’t him, I have made a terrible mistake.

Hey, it’s Tim Reese. I got your number from the parent directory. Hope that’s not too creepy.

Something about him gives me a bad feeling

Tracy Gifford is the girl who was found dead over the summer. Obviously, none of us have been on a date with her. But then Tim raises his cup. And he takes a drink.

Oh shit

After all, ten years ago, he saved my life.

I believe Shane and Tim's roles are mixed up

“Tim brings plenty of girls to the Shamrock. Don’t think you’re so special.”

Are any of them dead???

“That was total bullshit.” Kelli practically spits out the words. “I knew Shane. He was a good guy. He would never have done those things.”

“You got it wrong. Shane was innocent.”

It makes sense, but at the same time, it leaves me feeling a little uneasy. If he’s completely innocent, why wouldn’t he want to tell the police what he knows? Why would he hide it?

LITERALLY

Our son.

“It was Reese.” His eyes are like saucers, now that he has my attention. “It had to be. He’s the only one who—”

Hunt helps me walk Shane down the hallway to the infirmary, and we get him settled in a bed. The bump on his head is swelling up, and he has to stop twice on the way to the infirmary because he’s too dizzy to go on. It makes me think about the night I was almost killed. That night, Shane got a knock on the head the same as he did today—the EMTs on the scene found the lump on his skull to prove it. He claims he was knocked unconscious before anything even happened to me. And for the first time in ten years, part of me wonders if he might have been telling the truth. But he can’t be telling the truth. Because if he is, the man who tried to strangle me all those years ago is still out there.

He’s right—I was worried about him. And I don’t entirely understand why.

“I don’t want to miss taco night. I lope tacos.”

“Right, because he’s manipulating you. He’s making you trust him, but you shouldn’t.”

Now I'm fucking confused. I like to believe he's a good guy.

“Look, I don’t want to talk about this in the parking lot. Why don’t we go get a drink together and we can, you know, talk about this more?”

Really, dude? Yeah, I don't believe him.

Can’t you just trust us for once, Brooke? We’re doing this for your own good. He almost seemed… Afraid.

????

Those eight words are capable of destroying all his plans. Whatever you decide to do, I’ll support you. But he said it anyway. At that moment, I know I chose the right guy to lose my virginity to.

Well, I open up the package of frozen meatballs, stick a few on a plate, and put them in the microwave for sixty seconds. If they’re not done, I put them in for another thirty seconds. “Pretty much the same way, but without the cheese.”

This is taking me out

Sometimes people do exactly what you think they’re going to do, and they still manage to disappoint you.

And then we hear it again. A bloodcurdling scream, except this time I can clearly make out a word being screamed: “Brooke!”

What the fuck

Shane opens his mouth to protest again, but the words are drowned out by another scream: “Brooke!”

Her friend screaming??? Maybe??? What if Brandon is the bad guy? I still have a weird feeling about Tim tho

If Brandon did anything to hurt her, I’m going to kill him.

Chelsea is on her knees next to Brandon, who is lying on the damp porch on his back, his chest a mess of dark red blood. The same dark red material is dripping out of his mouth, and his eyes are cracked open, staring at nothing. Chelsea is holding his hand, sobbing uncontrollably as the rain pours down on them.

The only one who really hated him there was Tim.

All four of her tires have been slashed.

I'm so fucking stressed

“Sure, why not? After all, everybody knows Brandon was cheating on you. Maybe the two of you had it out, and it didn’t end well for him.”

I just don't think it's any of the girls

“You need to stay away from Reese.” His slightly bloodshot eyes are huge staring up at me. “Just do that for me. Okay?” “Shane…” “I don’t care if you think I’m a… a killer,” he chokes out. “Just… you’ve got to stay away from Tim Reese. He’s dangerous. Please, Brooke.” I look into his eyes, and there’s real fear there. A chill goes down my spine. I don’t know how he could think Tim is dangerous. Tim is so obviously not dangerous. I could never believe that about him. Shane has to be faking it. He has to be.

I mean, I personally feel like Tim is more suspicious than Shane

“You need to stay away from Reese.” His slightly bloodshot eyes are huge staring up at me. “Just do that for me. Okay?” “Shane…” “I don’t care if you think I’m a… a killer,” he chokes out. “Just… you’ve got to stay away from Tim Reese. He’s dangerous. Please, Brooke.” I look into his eyes, and there’s real fear there. A chill goes down my spine. I don’t know how he could think Tim is dangerous. Tim is so obviously not dangerous. I could never believe that about him. Shane has to be faking it. He has to be.

Tim could be the real manipulator

And it’s only when I’m in Tim’s arms that I notice another smell. Something extremely familiar, but not nearly as pleasant as garlic and butter. It’s sandalwood.

Oh shit

But for some reason, I can’t turn off Shane Nelson’s voice inside my head. Stay away from Tim Reese. He’s dangerous. Please, Brooke.

Listen to Shane

I grab him by his shirt and pull his lips onto mine. He kisses me back just as eagerly. And all the while, I ignore the tiniest hint of sandalwood clinging to the collar of his shirt.

I fear you're being a fucking idiot

Or Kayla lying on the bed, her chest covered in fresh blood, her eyes staring up at the ceiling.

WHAT THE FUCK

“You were alone here while the girls were out back and I was out looking for a signal.” Shane’s voice is hoarse. “You’re the only one who had a chance to do this. It was you.” He makes an excellent point. Tim is the only one who had the opportunity. But it couldn’t have been him. Not Tim. Never. I’d sooner believe that I killed Kayla myself.

Tim totally did it

There was something that happened that night I am missing. One little detail that has escaped me. I’m sure of it.

Unlike his father.

Unlike your new boyfriend

I pick up the necklace, holding it up until I can see the charm hanging off the gold chain. It’s a snowflake.

Yeah, get her the same necklace as the one she was choked with

How could he possibly forget that the snowflake necklace almost killed me? Stay away from Tim Reese. He’s dangerous.

Maybe he was planning to strangle you with it again

“It makes the most sense, Brooke.” She tucks a strand of wet hair behind her ear. “Shane’s right—Tim’s the only one who had the opportunity to go up there and do it. And he was the one who was cuddling up with Kayla all night. Shane barely knew her.”

“And he dated Tracy Gifford,” she reminds me. “What’s up with that? He had a bunch of dates with a girl who turned up murdered, and he figures he doesn’t need to mention that to anyone? That is hella suspicious, Brooke.” “I know, but…” “Plus, he’s frustrated,” Chelsea adds. “Because you’re dating Shane, and of course, he wants you for himself.”

“Come on, Brooke. You must realize that Tim is madly in love with you.”

Oh God. She’s right. Tim is in love with me.

My stomach drops. I had abandoned the necklace on the kitchen table and then forgotten all about it. Well, I didn’t forget about it so much as I hoped it would vanish into thin air while I was out with Tim. Or at least, he would know enough to throw it in the garbage bin, where it deserved to be. But he didn’t. He left it there for me.