Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Reyes put his pad of paper in his jacket’s inside pocket. “Were you aware Liam’s grandmother was a Bertal?”
“Yes, but not until the night of the event.” I could say this. I knew it had no bearing on me. “Cole Mauricio said that name, and I didn’t understand the implication. I looked up Bea Bertal on the internet that night.”
“The internet?” Reyes’ mouth twitched. “You found out about your deceased husband’s family from the world wide web?”
“Yes.” I frowned. “Why are you surprised by that?”
“You’d never thought to look up his family before?”
“Why would I? We were happy. Liam was a counselor. I wrote freelance. There was no reason to be suspicious.”
He shrugged. “I guess so.”
They shared another look before swinging their gazes back to me. “Is there anything else we should know, Addison?” Reyes asked.
“About the break-in?” I shook my head. “No. Can I ask you a question?”
“Go for it.”
“Why are there two detectives on this case? Wouldn’t normal protocol be that one police officer take my statement?”
Both reacted, unreadable masks slamming down on their faces. Reyes coughed. “We’re just being thorough. If you find that anything was taken, let us know. Otherwise it looks like no harm done. We don’t have much to go on.”
“Yeah. Could’ve just been teenagers looking for an empty house to party in.” Smythe pointed to a corner devoid of furniture. “Sometimes they’ll look on real estate websites and watch to see how long a house is listed. They’ll scope it out, and if it’s empty, they’ll throw a big rager. Although,” he mused, “doesn’t seem like that either.”
They left soon after that, and Sia joined me in the kitchen, watching them go through the window. “That was weird.”
I grunted my agreement.
“So, nothing’s missing?”
The detectives got in their car and pulled away. The squad car that had come with them followed behind. I turned toward Sia. “I really don’t think so. Nothing stood out to me.”
“Oh.” She chewed her bottom lip, glancing around the empty house. “This place gives me the chills sometimes.” Her eyes got big. “Oh, I’m sorry, Addison. I didn’t mean it like that.”
I shook my head, sighing. “It gives me the chills, too. Come on.” I linked our arms together as we walked to the door. “It’s been a weird day. Let’s go do something fun.”
She grabbed my hand, intertwining our fingers. “I thought you’d never ask. Gianni’s?”
“Let’s try somewhere new.”
“I have the perfect place.” A smile stretched over her face as she went down to the car.
I stayed behind to lock the door. I knew eventually she’d question me about where I was last night, but so far she just seemed relieved that nothing was missing and I was okay. Maybe she’d forgotten where I’d told her I was going. I slid in next to her and glanced back at the house as the driver pulled away. I wanted to come back later, but with Cole instead.
I looked over at Sia, smiling until I remembered my alibi for the night before.
I told her I was going to be at my house last night.
Once we were back in the city, Sia should’ve gone to work, but she didn’t. She took the day off, declaring it Best Friend Day. For me. For the ass best friend. For the friend who had been lying to her.
We went to a new restaurant. We laughed. We drank. Fuck—we got drunk. The day, for all the craziness that had happened, was fun. Sia got my mind off of everything: Cole, the attack, my house. The only thing that wasn’t fun about the day was me. Sia was intent on celebrating me, while I was lying to her face.
How could I make that right in my head? How would I even try? I couldn’t. There were no words, no ways. At the end of the day, as we were giggling and tripping over ourselves going into the elevator, I knew who the bad guy was: me. Sia was being my friend, like she always had. I wasn’t doing the same. Nope. Douchebag. That was me.
She helped me into my place, and I fell on the floor.
“Oomph!” I felt nothing. I was just startled, and laughter pealed out of me.
Sia fell down beside me, laughing too. “We’re horrible.”
“No.” I pointed at her, my finger pressing into her skin. “We did what every burglarized person should do.”
She snorted, fighting back a grin. “Get wasted?”
“Yes.” I offered an emphatic nod. I meant business. “And when you get burglarized, I’ll do the same.”
“Spend a paycheck on cheap whiskey?”
I sat up and drew in a breath. “You spent a paycheck? A whole one?”
She rolled around, arching her back as more laughter came from her. “God, no. I love you, Addison. I probably spent two hundred dollars tonight.”
I touched her hand. “I’ll pay you back. I promise.”