You’re the Reason, стр. 49
She glanced to me, fear heavy in her eyes.
“Val, you want to do this. For you, for Sydney, for Sydney’s family,” I reminded her. “Officer Shaw will make sure that you’re shown leniency for cooperating with the police.” I glared at Chase. “Right, Officer Shaw?”
He winced at the tone of my voice and use of his real name. Then he nodded. “I’ll do whatever I can,” he assured her.
She said nothing, considering what he’d said and what she was about to do.
“The entire time I was here, I couldn’t get a lead,” Chase said, as if totally thrown off kilter that Valerie had the information he needed all along. “Sydney’s parents were sure the Alpha Phis had something to do with her death. They needed someone who could get close.”
“Oh my God. Chantel,” I said, not meaning to say it out loud. But it finally made sense why he couldn’t completely cut ties with her.
He nodded regrettably, before looking back to Valerie. “You’d be helping this case tremendously, Valerie.”
She nodded, and her words came slowly as she stared at everything but Chase and me. “Sophia was right about the Alpha Phis taking their pledges up to the roof for initiation. But it’s not done at Salvador Hall and it’s not done as a group. It’s done one at a time right up on this roof where most of the pledges live. They undress and stand on the ledge of the roof. Then, they recite the names of every chapter president who came before them.” Tears dropped from Valerie’s eyes and trailed down her cheeks. “Sydney was scared of heights. I remember her begging Chantel not to make her go up there, but Chantel wants things done her way. And she doesn’t like when people don’t go along with her ways.” Valerie wiped her nose with the sleeve of her shirt. “She forced Sydney up there, threatening to not make her a sister if she failed this final task.”
A tear trailed down my cheek, the vision of the night feeling so real in my mind.
“Sydney’s legs were shaking so badly as she stood up there. I went to try to help her. I was gonna hold her hand to steady her. But Chantel screamed at me to step back. She must’ve startled Sydney because…” Valerie swallowed, her tears falling freely now. “…she fell.” She closed her eyes tightly. “I can still hear her screams in my nightmares.”
I pushed away the tears that fell from my own eyes.
“Why didn’t you call for help?” Chase asked.
“I tried. But Chantel grabbed my phone. She said we’d go to jail. She said we’d never see the light of day. I didn’t believe her. I knew the truth would set us free. But she was worried about herself.”
I shook my head, everything between Chantel and Valerie’s exchanges making so much sense now.
“Chantel’s father’s a lawyer,” Valerie explained. “So, she called him. He told her to get off the roof and play dumb. I was the only one standing in her way. I was the wildcard who could ruin her at any time because, unlike her, I had a conscience. And she knew it. She threatened to release the video of me hazing pledges, so I’d get kicked out of school—even though she’s the one who made me do it. She used the secret against me, holding it over me whenever she could. I didn’t know what to do. I had no one to talk to. I was so scared.”
“Then she released the video anyway,” Chase said.
Valerie nodded. “She wanted to keep me quiet. I think she was getting scared I’d crack.”
Chase’s breath whooshed through his lips. “This was not what I was expecting.”
“Will I be arrested?” she asked, her eyes wild and scared.
“It’s your word against hers. And you’re right. Her father’s a lawyer. One of the best in Texas. She could beat this charge if her story’s plausible. You might not. You could be their scapegoat.”
Valerie buried her face in her palms.
I rushed over and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into my side. “You were so brave to tell the truth. You did the right thing. Chantel doesn’t have this hanging over you anymore. You’re free.”
“I shouldn’t have waited. I owed it to Sydney. And I owed it to her parents.”
An image of Sydney’s mom flashed in my mind’s eye. She’d known her daughter. And she’d known her daughter would never harm herself. She’d been right. I couldn’t wait for her to learn the truth.
“We can’t tell anyone,” Chase said.
Valerie and I both looked to him with our brows drawn. “Why not?”
“We need her confession,” he said.
“She’ll never confess,” Valerie said.
“Don’t be so sure,” he said.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Valerie walked Chase to the door a short time later. “Thank you for not arresting me.”
He nodded.
“Do you mind waiting a minute? I’ve just gotta grab something in my room.” She hurried out the door before he could even respond.
The door closed behind her, leaving Chase and me alone and in complete silence. I think we both knew she wasn’t coming back.
He moved toward my desk and leaned against it while I remained seated on my bed.
My pulse quickened, the muffled sound filling my ears. Could he hear it? Because it’s all I could hear.
“So?” I said, needing to break the uncomfortable silence.
“So,” he said.
“You’re a cop.” I just needed to say it so my brain could finally wrap itself around the knowledge.
“I am.”
“Are you married?” I asked.
He buried his hands in his front pockets and shook his head.
“Do