Chapter 424
Lilly stares at me like she’s waiting for me to laugh and tell her I’m joking.
“Thee Jocelyn?” she asks slowly. “As in the same Jocelyn we put in prison a few months ago p>
I nod once. “The very same one p>
“Wow… I did not see that coming p>
“Me too,” I sigh. “I thought the day she was sentenced was the last day I would ever have to deal with her p>
She leans back against her seat, still looking slightly stunned as she processes the information and for a moment neither of us says anything.
Then Lilly pushes forward. “Did they at least say what she wants to talk about p>
I shake my head. “No… They just told me that she made the request and then gave them my number p>
“And that another thing, how the hell did she even get your number p>
“I honestly have no idea.” I shrug, “But then this is Jocelyn we are talking about and she’s been all up in my business since we were in college. I should be surprised but I’m not p>
Lilly turns and looks at me carefully. “Sooo… what are you going to do p>
I sigh quietly and look out the café window for a second before answering.
“I don’t know,” I admit honestly. “I really don’t know what to do p>
Lilly watches me thoughtfully for a moment before asking softly, “You know what I think p>
I glance back at her. “What p>
“I think you should go p>
My entire body tenses immediately.
“Are you being serious right now?” I ask in disbelief.
Jocelyn tried to frame me, and if they hadn’t helped me, I would probably be rotting in jail for a crime I didn’t even commit. Why would she even suggest I should give Jocelyn even a second of my time?
“Just listen to me first,” she says quickly before I can shut the idea down completely. “There’s probably a reason why she specifically asked to see you p>
I shake my head instantly. “Lilly, Jocelyn and I have never even been friends and after everything she’s done to me there’s literally no reason for me to go there p>
“There is a reason,” she says carefully. “You told me yourself that you once saw Jocelyn with Brook, remember p>
That immediately makes me pause as my mind goes back to that day and how arrogantly they behaved.
“What if this is your chance to finally get answers? What if Jocelyn knows something?” Lilly continues even as I stay quiet, “What if she knows where Brook is hiding? Or maybe she knows something about whatever Brook is planning p>
I hate that it makes sense. She had teamed up with Brook even if it was for a while, so she must know something. Something that could give us a clue about where Brook might be.
I stare down at my hands for a while, thinking about everything that’s happened over the past few months. Lilly is right; this is my chance to dig for a clue.
Finally, I exhale slowly.
“Okay,” I murmur reluctantly. “I’ll go p>
Lilly nods immediately like she already knew I would eventually agree. She immediately starts the car and we head toward the prison.
The entire drive there, my nerves twist tighter and tighter. Part of me feels anxious because the last thing I ever expected was to willingly walk into a prison to meet Jocelyn of all people. Another part of me, though, feels something dangerously close to hope.
By the time we arrive, my stomach is in knots. We go through security checks before being let inside and directed toward the visitors’ area. The entire place feels cold and lifeless, the gray walls somehow making the atmosphere feel even heavier.
I shiver at the awareness that this would have been my home if things hadn’t gone my way.
A guard tells us to wait and a few minutes later, the door opens and Jocelyn walks in.
For a second, I almost don’t recognize her because she looks awful. Her face is pale and thinner than I remember, dark circles sitting heavily beneath her eyes like she hasn’t slept properly in weeks. She’s lost weight too, enough that the prison uniform hangs slightly off her frame.
She takes a seat across from us before finally looking at me.
“Thank you for coming,” she says quietly, trying and failing to give us a smile.
I study her for a moment before speaking. “Why did you ask me to come here p>
There is no need to beat around the bush. No need to pretend that this is anything deeper. I need answers and she might be of help.