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.”“It wasn’t me,” a deeper voice said.The door opened farther and I spotted a man there.A Latino man wearing a soccer jersey.My lips parted.“You’re not Roberto.”“Who’s Roberto?” he asked.“Scarlet’s boyfriend.”“I was Scarlet’s boyfriend.” He thumped his chest.“But you’re not Roberto.” Okay, I was a little dense sometimes, but I’d really thought Scarlet and Roberto were together.This didn’t fit the mental image I’d developed.It didn’t fit my theory.At all.“No, I’m Luis.”“Are you Brazilian?” Maybe he was related to Roberto.“I’m from Venezuela.”“But you play soccer …”“For ODU.What’s going on here?” He put his hands on his hips and looked back and forth between Riley and me.I shook my head, realizing I’d jumped to conclusions a little too quickly.“I was wrong, that’s what.”“What’s the nature of this visit?”“I’m trying to figure out who killed Scarlet.I was hoping to find out more information.” I wanted to keep shaking my head, shaming myself for assuming things.I should have known better.“What do you need to know?” Luis asked.“Why are you here?”“I miss Scarlet.I wanted to pay my respects.”“How long did you date?”“Only a few weeks.Then she was cast for this play and seeing her was nearly impossible with both of our schedules.This play was important to her.She’d been taking dance classes and voice lessons since she was three or something.All she wants is to make it on Broadway one day.All she wanted, I should say.”I heard the tenderness in his voice and realized he did care about her.“Luis, what if someone got in Scarlet’s way? How do you think she would have reacted?”His arms moved from his hips to cross over his chest.“What do you mean?”“What if someone was an obstacle to achieving her dreams? What do you think she would have done?”“She’s the one who died here, so it seems pointless to accuse her of anything.” His voice hardened.“I’m not accusing anyone.I’m just trying to find out some answers.Would she have provoked someone enough that they might kill her? Anything you know would be helpful.”His jaw relaxed slightly.“She had some disagreements with the playwright.”Arie! There she was, coming up again.I couldn’t ignore that.“What did she say?”He loosened his arms as he shrugged.“She just didn’t like Arie that much.Nothing Scarlet did was good enough for her, Arie kept threatening to fire her if she didn’t shape up, and she was also critiquing her.I just thought that was Arie’s job, not that she was necessarily being hostile.I also remember that Scarlet said Arie was a wannabe actress who had no idea what she was talking about.”“Sounds like she didn’t like her very much.”“Scarlet could be a bit snooty sometimes,” Marjorie added.She glanced at Luis and tilted her head to the side.“It’s true.”“This has all been helpful.Thank you.” I stepped toward the door.“There’s one more thing I remembered,” Marjorie said.I paused.“Okay.”“That argument I heard outside of my window a couple of nights before she died? The person Scarlet was talking to had this strange way of emphasizing what seemed like every other word.”Arie! Just what was she up to?CHAPTER 36After we talked to Marjorie, Riley dropped me off so I could pick up the car.He said he had some business to discuss with Nolen.I hurried back to the apartment, utterly exhausted and my mind racing a million different directions.Just as I stepped inside, Garrett called and said he was on his way over and bringing dinner.For some reason, I felt uneasy, but I pushed the impending feeling of awkwardness away.I had no reason to feel off balance.Life was going on.He arrived fifteen minutes later with some Thai food in hand.We settled at my kitchen table, loaded our plates with pad Thai and spring rolls, and began digging in.As we ate, I told him what I’d learned, strategically leaving out any details concerning Riley.“Sounds like you’ve had a busy day.”“I’d say.If there’s one thing jail taught me it’s that I never want to go back there again.It also taught me that our law system doesn’t always work the way it should.”“Life is flawed, Gabby, no matter how much we might want to be idealistic and not believe that.”I squeezed his hand.“Yes, it is.Thanks for sticking by me, even with all the flaws.”He leaned closer.“It’s been a pleasure.”I closed my eyes as his lips brushed mine.I wasn’t betraying Riley, I mentally told myself.I couldn’t live in limbo forever.A loud knock sounded at the door.I jumped up, overreacting at the noise.“Who could that be?”I pulled the door open and saw Nolen and Riley standing there.Riley walked right in and instantly grasped my arms.“Gabby, I’ve got good news.”“I could use some good news.”Riley’s gaze fell on Garrett and then on our leftover plates of food.He dropped his hands and stepped back.“I didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”“We’re fine,” I insisted.Nolen stepped inside and nodded.“Garrett.”“You’re Garrett?” Riley said.He extended his hand.“I’m Riley.”“You’re Riley?” Garrett said.The two men shook hands.I clapped my hands once.“You stopped by with news?”All three men turned toward me.Nolen spoke first.“Good news.The police found witnesses that prove you couldn’t have been at the scene of the vandalisms.I guess Paulette Zollin confirmed that she was with you when the gasoline was poured in the hallways.Someone else came forward and said they found a wig in one of the closets that matches the description from the video.”“Does this mean they’re dropping the charges?” I glanced at Garrett, hope igniting in me.“Not yet, but there’s a good chance they will,” Nolen said.“That isn’t good news.That’s great news,” Garrett exclaimed.“Lie low for a while still, just to be on the safe side,” Nolen continued.“I guess Mr.Zollin is really pressing the police to figure out who’s behind these crimes.He carries a lot of weight around here.”Garrett pulled me into a hug and twirled me around.“You see.I knew this would all work out, Love.”My face flushed.“You did.”I averted my gaze, trying not to look at Riley.“We didn’t mean to interrupt,” Riley said.“But we knew you’d want to know.We spent the evening reviewing timelines and evidence.There’s no way these charges are going to stick.”“I can’t tell you all how much I appreciate this.There’s a lot I want to do with my life [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.”“It wasn’t me,” a deeper voice said.The door opened farther and I spotted a man there.A Latino man wearing a soccer jersey.My lips parted.“You’re not Roberto.”“Who’s Roberto?” he asked.“Scarlet’s boyfriend.”“I was Scarlet’s boyfriend.” He thumped his chest.“But you’re not Roberto.” Okay, I was a little dense sometimes, but I’d really thought Scarlet and Roberto were together.This didn’t fit the mental image I’d developed.It didn’t fit my theory.At all.“No, I’m Luis.”“Are you Brazilian?” Maybe he was related to Roberto.“I’m from Venezuela.”“But you play soccer …”“For ODU.What’s going on here?” He put his hands on his hips and looked back and forth between Riley and me.I shook my head, realizing I’d jumped to conclusions a little too quickly.“I was wrong, that’s what.”“What’s the nature of this visit?”“I’m trying to figure out who killed Scarlet.I was hoping to find out more information.” I wanted to keep shaking my head, shaming myself for assuming things.I should have known better.“What do you need to know?” Luis asked.“Why are you here?”“I miss Scarlet.I wanted to pay my respects.”“How long did you date?”“Only a few weeks.Then she was cast for this play and seeing her was nearly impossible with both of our schedules.This play was important to her.She’d been taking dance classes and voice lessons since she was three or something.All she wants is to make it on Broadway one day.All she wanted, I should say.”I heard the tenderness in his voice and realized he did care about her.“Luis, what if someone got in Scarlet’s way? How do you think she would have reacted?”His arms moved from his hips to cross over his chest.“What do you mean?”“What if someone was an obstacle to achieving her dreams? What do you think she would have done?”“She’s the one who died here, so it seems pointless to accuse her of anything.” His voice hardened.“I’m not accusing anyone.I’m just trying to find out some answers.Would she have provoked someone enough that they might kill her? Anything you know would be helpful.”His jaw relaxed slightly.“She had some disagreements with the playwright.”Arie! There she was, coming up again.I couldn’t ignore that.“What did she say?”He loosened his arms as he shrugged.“She just didn’t like Arie that much.Nothing Scarlet did was good enough for her, Arie kept threatening to fire her if she didn’t shape up, and she was also critiquing her.I just thought that was Arie’s job, not that she was necessarily being hostile.I also remember that Scarlet said Arie was a wannabe actress who had no idea what she was talking about.”“Sounds like she didn’t like her very much.”“Scarlet could be a bit snooty sometimes,” Marjorie added.She glanced at Luis and tilted her head to the side.“It’s true.”“This has all been helpful.Thank you.” I stepped toward the door.“There’s one more thing I remembered,” Marjorie said.I paused.“Okay.”“That argument I heard outside of my window a couple of nights before she died? The person Scarlet was talking to had this strange way of emphasizing what seemed like every other word.”Arie! Just what was she up to?CHAPTER 36After we talked to Marjorie, Riley dropped me off so I could pick up the car.He said he had some business to discuss with Nolen.I hurried back to the apartment, utterly exhausted and my mind racing a million different directions.Just as I stepped inside, Garrett called and said he was on his way over and bringing dinner.For some reason, I felt uneasy, but I pushed the impending feeling of awkwardness away.I had no reason to feel off balance.Life was going on.He arrived fifteen minutes later with some Thai food in hand.We settled at my kitchen table, loaded our plates with pad Thai and spring rolls, and began digging in.As we ate, I told him what I’d learned, strategically leaving out any details concerning Riley.“Sounds like you’ve had a busy day.”“I’d say.If there’s one thing jail taught me it’s that I never want to go back there again.It also taught me that our law system doesn’t always work the way it should.”“Life is flawed, Gabby, no matter how much we might want to be idealistic and not believe that.”I squeezed his hand.“Yes, it is.Thanks for sticking by me, even with all the flaws.”He leaned closer.“It’s been a pleasure.”I closed my eyes as his lips brushed mine.I wasn’t betraying Riley, I mentally told myself.I couldn’t live in limbo forever.A loud knock sounded at the door.I jumped up, overreacting at the noise.“Who could that be?”I pulled the door open and saw Nolen and Riley standing there.Riley walked right in and instantly grasped my arms.“Gabby, I’ve got good news.”“I could use some good news.”Riley’s gaze fell on Garrett and then on our leftover plates of food.He dropped his hands and stepped back.“I didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”“We’re fine,” I insisted.Nolen stepped inside and nodded.“Garrett.”“You’re Garrett?” Riley said.He extended his hand.“I’m Riley.”“You’re Riley?” Garrett said.The two men shook hands.I clapped my hands once.“You stopped by with news?”All three men turned toward me.Nolen spoke first.“Good news.The police found witnesses that prove you couldn’t have been at the scene of the vandalisms.I guess Paulette Zollin confirmed that she was with you when the gasoline was poured in the hallways.Someone else came forward and said they found a wig in one of the closets that matches the description from the video.”“Does this mean they’re dropping the charges?” I glanced at Garrett, hope igniting in me.“Not yet, but there’s a good chance they will,” Nolen said.“That isn’t good news.That’s great news,” Garrett exclaimed.“Lie low for a while still, just to be on the safe side,” Nolen continued.“I guess Mr.Zollin is really pressing the police to figure out who’s behind these crimes.He carries a lot of weight around here.”Garrett pulled me into a hug and twirled me around.“You see.I knew this would all work out, Love.”My face flushed.“You did.”I averted my gaze, trying not to look at Riley.“We didn’t mean to interrupt,” Riley said.“But we knew you’d want to know.We spent the evening reviewing timelines and evidence.There’s no way these charges are going to stick.”“I can’t tell you all how much I appreciate this.There’s a lot I want to do with my life [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]