Texas Secrets, Lovers' Lies

“What happened?” she finally asked. “I know you said you two were splitting up. What else was going on that would make her want to go into hiding like that?”

“First off, let me reiterate again—Shayna and I didn’t work out. We were never engaged. She was moving on and moving out. As to what else was going on in your best friend’s life, I can see you have no idea,” he muttered. “Really, if you’re basing your information on what she was like in the past, you didn’t know Shayna at all.”

If he thought his harsh tone and narrowed eyes would scare her away, he had no idea how far she could go.

“Then tell me,” she pushed, wishing she dared touch him. She considered herself a brave person, but even she wouldn’t go that far. “Fill me in on what was going on.”

But he simply shook his head and walked away, his entire body stiff and unfriendly. Despite that, she ached to go after him, if only for the simple excuse of touching his skin.

Damn. This yearning for the past needed to stop. Obviously, she wouldn’t be getting any help from him without a battle, which was understandable. She couldn’t blame him for still holding a grudge against her for what had happened between them five years ago. Though she hadn’t stayed in touch with him—her heart had been too broken—Shayna had kept her filled in on what was going on in Brock’s life. As far as she knew, he was happy and content with his life. He didn’t seem the type to be carrying a torch for anyone.

Unfortunately, she was definitely the type to pine for someone. Brock McCauley had been the love of her life. She’d never met anyone else who even came close to measuring up.

He’d obviously moved on. It had to be something else, some other reason he refused to discuss Shayna with her.

Again, the prickling sense of unease. No, she told herself. Not Brock. It had to be something else. Maybe whatever had driven a wedge between him and Shayna had hurt him. He had to be saying there’d been no engagement to mask the pain he must have endured when Shayna broke things off.

That made sense. Zoe looked once more for Brock, unable to find him in the crowd. He had to be lying. Because the Shayna she’d known all her life was giving and generous, happy and carefree. And she didn’t tell her best friend outright lies or keep secrets.

“Wow. What’d you do to set him off?” Cristine appeared again, right behind Zoe, as though she’d been watching and waiting for the opportunity. “Then again, it doesn’t take much these days.”

Trying not to show her irritation, Zoe shrugged. “I have no idea. I simply asked him something about Shayna.”

A shadow crossed Cristine’s face. “Oh. That would do it. He and Shayna weren’t getting along at all.”

Debating, Zoe decided against asking Cristine if Shayna had told her she and Brock were engaged. In view of Brock’s denial, and Mama Bell’s shock, that particular bit of information could wait.

“You and Shayna were good friends?” Zoe asked.

Cristine’s sallow complexion lit up. “Best friends,” she emphasized. “We ran around together every single weekend.”

Zoe cocked her head. “What did you two do?”

Cristine’s smile widened proudly. “Party. Though I tried to keep up with her, Shayna could drink me under the table.”

“Oh.” Zoe wasn’t sure how to respond to that. “So do you have any idea what might have happened to her?”

“Zoe, Shayna was worried.” Cristine looked around, her furtive behavior making Zoe tense up. “You might as well know that we—she and I—experimented a little with drugs.”

At Zoe’s dismayed expression, Cristine shook her head. “Oh, nothing serious. A little X, some weed, the occasional hit of crank.”

Nothing serious? While Zoe was still trying to process this, Cristine took her arm. “She was worried about something, but she wouldn’t tell me much more than that.”

Damn. Zoe’s heart skipped a beat. Yet again, the last conversation she’d had with Shayna replayed in her mind. She should have listened, should have done something. Maybe if she had, Shayna would still be here.

Guilt flooded her. Then, as blood rushed to her head, she inhaled deeply, trying to catch her breath.

“Zoe?” Cristine leaned in, peering at Zoe’s face. “Are you all right?”

“Yes. No,” Zoe said, taking a deep breath. “Cristine, what’s the deal with the sheriff’s office? Mama Bell says they’re not exactly helping to find her.”

Cristine grabbed her arm. “They say since Shayna’s an adult and has been talking about leaving town, she probably just took off. They won’t take us seriously.” She sounded bitter.

Zoe shook her off. “Why the hell not? Shayna is missing. How can they dispute that?”

“According to them, an adult has the right to go anywhere they want without telling anyone where they went. Without evidence of foul play...” For a second time Cristine looked around, lowering her voice. “Part of it might be that Shayna was seeing Roger Giles, the new sheriff.”

Dumbfounded, Zoe narrowed her eyes. “Recently?”

“Yes.”

Oh jeez, this really didn’t sound like the Shayna Zoe knew. “You’re telling me she was seeing someone behind Brock’s back. Was this before or after they broke up?”

“Who knows?” Cristine gave a brittle laugh. “Honey, Shayna was seeing lots of people behind Brock’s back.”

“Brock told me they’d become like roommates.”

“Okay.” Cristine gave a short bark of laughter. “But she was still living there. I told her to wait until she moved out. For Brock, I think it was a slap in the face.”

Gut twisting, Zoe nodded. “So you’re telling me Shayna was...cheating?” She could scarcely say the word. The Shayna she knew despised both liars and cheaters.

“No, not cheating. Shayna wasn’t exclusive with anyone. She made that clear up front. Roger Giles was aware he wasn’t the only one. Brock knew it, too, though he wasn’t too happy about it.”

Zoe had to give Cristine credit for sticking by her friend. In fact, Cristine actually managed to sound indignant.

“What about Brock?” Zoe asked. “You say he knew she wasn’t exclusive, but was he aware of all this?”

Cristine shrugged. “It wasn’t that way in the beginning. The two of them tried, they really tried. All I know is Shayna was pretty devastated when she and Brock didn’t work out. At first, I think she started fooling around trying to make him jealous.” She shrugged. “Or maybe she was getting even. Who knows?”

Zoe didn’t know what to say.

Again, Cristine leaned closer. “Think whatever you want to about her, but I can tell you this much. Shayna sure knew how to live life to the fullest. She and I had a lot of good times together.” Wiping a tear from her eye, she looked away. “That’s why I don’t believe she left willingly. She has to be in trouble. Otherwise, she would have let me know. We were best friends.”

So were we, Zoe added silently. Once. Only now she was finding out she really didn’t know Shayna at all. The woman she thought she knew was turning out to be a remnant of the past.

Scary thought. Just like with Mama Bell, Shayna had shut Zoe completely out of the truth about her life.

Drugs. Alcohol. Sex with random men.

Zoe’s mother had been a party girl. Zoe could only hope Shayna hadn’t gotten mixed up with the same type of people. After all, that was the reason Zoe’s mother had ended up dead, with her killer in prison.

Zoe made a mental note to check online later and make sure nothing had changed. The last time he’d come up before the parole board, he’d been denied.

Meanwhile, Cristine watched her like a hawk. A concerned, slightly ditzy hawk, but closely nonetheless.

“I’m still going to talk to the police,” Zoe repeated. “Now, please excuse me.”

Cristine stared and then nodded. “Let me come with you.”