Page 74 of The Alibi Club

Jamie seemed caught off guard by the question and squirmed at being put on the spot even though it was like a slow-moving trainwreck. She took a swig of wine and then let out a breath. “I need a decent date to my mother’s wedding or else she’s cutting me out of her will.”

Shannon smirked. Kyle fiddled with a straw and frowned. Rick chewed his sandwich and shook his head. They were all waiting for more. Holly finally said, “We’re being honest to our cores, and you throw us that line of shit?”

“What? It’s true,” Jamie retorted.

“I’m sure it is true, but that can’t be all.” Rick gestured for her to continue.

Cliff sat back in his chair and waited. They all did. The spotlight was on her. He was curious if Jamie could let down her guard enough to share the truth, like they all had.

She fought it. “Not everyone has a sad singles story, you know,” Jamie quipped. “Just everyone at this table.”

They all wadded up their napkins and threw them at her.

Jamie finally relented. “Okay, okay.” She stared at the floor and played with the stem of her wine glass. She started slowly. “The truth is, I shouldn’t be here.”

“What does that mean? Are you married?” Rick asked.

Jamie let out a sigh. “One night, I was attacked by a man who escaped police custody. My testimony would have put him away for a long time. It was dark that night, no moon, pitch black. He came for me with a rope and a can of gasoline. I woke up to the smell of hot, sour breath in my face, and a man twisting a rope around my neck. I’ll never forget how course the fibers felt, like they could tear into me, or tear me apart.” Jamie paused and lightly touched her neck, remembering. “I could feel the sheer force of his rage. He was laughing while he did it. I tried to fight, but he was so strong. I remember the blank, dead look in his eyes, like a shark in a frenzy. The stench of sweat and gasoline, and that he only had half an earlobe. He kept telling me he was going to set me on fire. That I deserved to burn.”

Cliff squinted at this information. Wait, what?

“Jesus,” Shannon said.

“Oh my god,” Holly added.

“How did you get away?”

“My police captain had a hunch he would come after me. Seconds after I blacked out, officers stormed my apartment. But, the trauma of the attack left me…” Jamie trailed off, still staring at the floor.

“Left you what?” Gentle prodding from Shannon.

“When I recovered, the trauma of that attack left me changed. Warped, I suppose you could say. I didn’t feel safe, even in my own head. I ended up leaving my job. Soon after that, I found out my thirty-five-year-old boyfriend was actually a middle-aged man with a fiancé in London. So, if there was any silver lining, it was that I found out he was a duplicitous, lying cad before I sold everything and moved to England. My relationship fell apart, my career fell apart, everything fell apart.”

“Shit,” Shannon said quietly. “I’m sorry.”

“Me too,” Cliff added. But here she was, he thought, taking a chance anyway.

Jamie looked up at him with an appreciative glance. “So, I guess my mother’s ultimatum sort of forced me back into the dating pool and well, let me just say—it is as awful as I remember it,” Jamie chirped with a tear in her eye but a small smile on her face. Cliff saw the gathering emotion in her eyes.

The group had a chuckle.

“Dinner for Six. Worst date ever,” Rick said and raised his glass in a toast.

“Do not recommend,” Holly joined in.

“Zero stars,” Kyle piped up.

“Never again,” Shannon added.

“Terrible,” Cliff said with a smile.

“I barely survived,” Shannon added as she put on lip gloss. “But seeing as we have survived this date, anyone want to keep in touch? Kinda like a support group?” There was a collective shrug. “Great, I’ll get everyone’s number and put us on a text chain,” Shannon said brightly.

Everyone raised their glasses just as the SWAT team marched back into the restaurant with an update. “Detective Sergeant Arliss Roverson will be joining us in just a few minutes,” one of them said.

“Excuse me, I just need a minute.” Jamie got up and walked in the direction of the bathroom. Holly and Rick made their way to the bar. Shannon went to go find her purse.

Cliff stood idle for a moment before walking over to Kyle, who was sitting with his back against the wall, twisting a napkin into shreds.