The Queen Of Bad Things (Book 2)

Chapter 10. Exhumed

            "Let me get this straight," I said. My hands intertwined, and I leaned forward. "You think that Jennifer is alive."

Joey sighed. "Look, I know how it sounds. Especially when you put it like that."

"Man, I'm not putting it like anything." My tone sounded disbelieving, and my expression probably gave away the same thing. However, I knew that Joey was a very rational guy, but for him to think this way worried me. Things weren't easy for Joey after Jennifer died.

"Yes, you are," Joey argued. "You think I'm crazy." Joey rubbed his face with his hands in agitation.

My gaze flickered to Austin and Benny. "Give us a minute."

Austin and Benny left the study and closed the door behind them.

I walked over to the couch and sat down beside Joey. "Joey, I know you have had a tough year, okay? You're grieving. I get it."

"Ace, stop. I'm not five years old!" Joey snapped. Joey jumped to his feet and turned to face me. Joey clenched his hands into fists and stuffed them into the pockets of his jeans.

My gaze flickered from his fists to his eyes. "We've been friends for a long time, Joey and­—" I stopped and sighed.

Joey stared back at me with a mix of anger and sadness.

"I just think you might not be facing the fact that she is gone," I said.

"I didn't see a body. None of us did. There is nobody to testify that it was Jennifer in that box. They didn't even check by DNA," Joey said.

"That's because there was hardly anything left of her to do a DNA test!" I shouted. I got to my feet and closed the distance between Joey and me. Firmly, I gripped his shoulders.

Joey's shoulders tensed under my hold. "I still feel her, Ace. I can't explain it. You wouldn't understand. She isn't gone. I know she isn't. What if whoever blew the place up took her or Andersen or both?"

I sighed and bowed my head in defeat. The argument was pointless. Joey wasn't going to sway on this. "Please tell me you haven't talked to Joanna about this."

"Joanna thinks the same thing, Ace. The coroner refused to let her identify Jenny. They refused to even do an autopsy," Joey explained. "Someone is fucking with us."

"Wow," I said and swallowed hard. The more Joey talked, the more I believed what he said is possible. Crazier things have happened to us.

"It's not just that. They didn't even get her height right. Look, can we just exhume the body? We can pay for a DNA test or something. They don't want us to do it, but I thought if we hired an investigator and you got behind us on it, then maybe. . ." Joey trailed off.

"You think that if I get involved, they're likely to listen to me," I said.

Joey nodded. "Joanna thinks so too. Everyone in this fucking city knows you, Ace, and most people won't cross you or question you. Please?"

I exhaled loudly and plopped down on the couch. "Alright, fine. We'll do it. I really want you to think about what we're doing, Joey. This is really serious. I don't think you want to see what is inside that casket."

Joey shook his head. "You're wrong. I need to know what is in that casket. I can handle it. I have to be sure."

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