Free The Boyfriend Deal by Charity West Page A

parents and tell them what’s going on. I should probably hang out until Mr. Ryan gets here. I need to give a statement, even though I told him over the phone what I’d overheard. Of course, he said it’s my word against hers, but at least they have a direction to go now.”
    “Why didn’t you say something sooner?” I asked. “If I’d known before practice that Alicia left something for Hadley, I could have warned her.”
    “I just thought it was a harmless prank. I’m really damn sorry. I can’t tell you how sick I feel knowing Hadley could have died because I didn’t say anything sooner.”
    I could tell he was tormented and let the matter drop. There would be plenty of time for finger pointing later, and really, the only person to blame was Alicia. I didn’t know what I was going to do about her. Maybe Mr. Ryan would be able to pin the poisoning on her, and she’d be punished. Although, I had a feeling she’d face jail time since she nearly killed Hadley. It sickened me to think my ex was capable of such a thing. Just what kind of people had I been hanging out with? Did that make me as bad a person as Alicia?
    Robert eventually left and I remained with Hadley, holding her hand and talking to her softly. I told her about practice, told her how beautiful she was, even in a hospital gown, and just rambled about nonsense so she could hear the sound of my voice. It was quite a while later before a man stepped into the room, wearing a worn gray tee and jeans.
    “You must be Tyler,” he said, as he approached the bed. “I’ve heard a lot about you, mostly from my wife since my daughter doesn’t talk to her old man about things like boys.”
    I smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Ryan. I just wish it was under better circumstances.”
    “Me too.” He sighed. “You were right. There was a gift basket in Hadley’s room, along with the remains of some chocolate muffins. I had the lab pick it up, and they tested the leftovers for Hemlock. It came back positive. They were able to lift some prints off the handle of the basket.”
    “Are they going to pick up Alicia and fingerprint her?” I asked.
    He nodded. “Units were on their way to her house right as I was pulling into the hospital parking lot. I appreciate the call your friend, Robert, made. I understand it was your idea. Without that call, we may have never known how Hadley was poisoned, and the girl who tried to murder her would have gone free.”
    “So you’re pretty positive those prints are going to match?”
    “Hadley’s mom called her friend, Amber, and they had a chat about the basket. Amber was with her when she picked it up off the porch today, but thinking the basket was from you, Amber didn’t touch anything in it. Thank God!”
    “Robert said he’d heard Alicia mention the basket during school today. If he’d said something sooner, I could have warned Hadley, and she never would have taken a bite of the muffins.”
    Mr. Ryan placed his hand on my shoulder. “Son, I’m just thankful he came forward now. Yes, it would have been better if he’d said something sooner, but with his statement, at least we’ll be able put Alicia in jail. He was kind enough to stop by the station on his way home since I wasn’t able to get here sooner. My partner took his statement.”
    “I know Alicia is possessive and a little crazy, but I’d have never thought she was capable of something like this. I mean, I’ve dated other girls before and she’s done things like egg their cars, TP their houses, and stuff like that. But I never would have thought she’d try to kill someone.”
    Mr. Ryan smiled. “Maybe she’s seen the way you look at my daughter, and she knows you’ve found your soulmate.”
    “You believe in soulmates?”
    His smile broadened. “Of course. I married mine. Question is, what do you plan to do about yours? I’ve heard Hadley talking to her friends when she thinks no one is listening. Did you really apply to the same