by Kodi Heart
“Grant! Are you in there?” Paul’s gruff voice carried through the wood and glass. He tapped on the glass again. “It’s Davis. We need to talk.”
Why would Grant be there? His car wasn’t in the drive. Mine was. Robyn’s wasn’t or that would’ve caused all kinds of problems.
Then suddenly it was quiet. I could almost feel that he’d left. I nudged out again, looking with just one eye.
Robyn’s brightly colored hair bobbed in front of the window and she was motioning animatedly at Paul who’s black uniform had stepped to the bottom of the stairs.
Raising their voices, Robyn and Paul yelled back and forth and then lowered to a civil tone. I couldn’t understand what they were saying until Robyn opened the door, still talking to him. “Paul, if I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”
Paul’s voice reached his own level of frustrated. “You’re abetting a killer, Robyn. You know better than that. Your brother is law enforcement, for crying out loud.”
He thought of me as a murderer? Honestly? I’d always counted on Paul being an option, even if he wasn’t an option I wanted, at least he was there in the background. With his assertion that I was a killer, I had to erase him from my “just in case” list. Well, that was disenchanting on the allure of my feminine wiles.
I slumped to the ground and leaned my elbows on my knees, rolling my eyes. I’d been immersed so deep in my novel, I waxed romantic on losing out on someone like Paul.
“Good for nothing.” The front door clicked shut at the same Robyn muttered. “Liv? Are you in here?” The soft tread of her shoes whispered as she crossed the wood floor.
“Yes.” I didn’t get up. I didn’t want to admit I was hiding, but I didn’t want to come out. I liked the solitude of the bathroom and the safety of no windows. I sighed, and rested my chin on my arm.
Sitting across from me in the hall, Robyn smiled sympathetically at me. She wore the same clothes she’d left the day before in and her hair had been tossed back into a multi-colored bun. “I don’t think he saw you. He’s definitely a scorned man, though.” She clucked her tongue and offered me a sad side-smile. “He did say I wasn’t a suspect, though. So that’s good, right?” Scrunching her nose, she shrugged.
“Did he say why?” I was glad she’d been cleared. That was a load off my shoulders. Yet, at the same time, I couldn’t figure out why. She’d send David multiple threatening texts and had verbally promised to harm him publicly. How had she been cleared of that?
“My guess? Paul hasn’t found David’s cell phone, or he’d come to the same conclusions Grant did.” She picked at the hem of her jeans, avoiding my gaze. “I’m sorry he thinks you did it. He said it didn’t surprise him of a man eater.” She made a face and then added, “Sounds like Paul has been listening to too many 80s’ stations.” She continued when I didn’t give more than a weak smile. “Apparently he’s stopped by quite a few times since Friday looking for you, me, or Grant. He found something out, but he wouldn’t tell me what.” She leaned over and whispered, “Maybe he figured out how to use a belt.”
I laughed half-heartedly at her lame attempt to be funny. Paul was notorious for his big belt buckles. The flashy metal buckles only made him look shorter and rounder.
The anxiety of the last week caught up to me. My chuckles faded fast while tears fell from my eyes. “I feel completely lost, Robbie. Like,” I leaned my head to the side, resting my warm cheek on the cool wood of the door jamb. Wiping my face, I stared at her. “I can’t even figure out what Roxxy is supposed to be writing.” I didn’t write the cleanest stuff, but that was starting to change. I just hadn’t talked it out with my business partner yet.
“What do you mean? You’re working on book five of the Bite Me series. We have the release scheduled and everything.” She leaned forward, looping her arm around her bent knee and inspecting me in the dim lighting. She couldn’t see much of me, there’s no way, but I still couldn’t help feeling like she could see deep down inside to all the truths.
Did I know what I meant? “I mean, I’m getting burnt out on the steamy romance. I’m not sure it’s what I want to write anymore.” There, I’d said it. I admitted to something I’d been fighting for a while. Not being home had kept me from falling into the same-old-same-old rut and I could finally feel the call of something different, something exotic. “I love writing. I just... I don’t want to write about love. Not when I don’t...” I shook my head, crossing my legs as I swiveled to face her. How would I ever explain?
She knowingly examined me, her eyes somber. “Not when you don’t have a love of your own? Do you feel like a fraud?” How did she know? Robyn knew me better than anyone and she got me. Even with this... she got me.
I jerked my head up and down in what I hoped looked like a nod. My whisper was tight but barely controlled. “Yes, and it’s painful. How dare I write about something I don’t understand?” If she only knew what truly tormented me about all of it. It wasn’t that I couldn’t find love, it was that I couldn’t gather enough courage to claim what was so freely offered in front of me.
Right then would be the perfect time to ask her. Why couldn’t I find the gumption? Just open your mouth and talk about it, Olivia. Right now. Then you can be with Grant.
I worked my mouth but her phone buzzed, cutting off my attempts to face my fears.
Robyn held up a finger. “Just a second.” She answered, looking toward the ground as she spoke. “No, I don’t think we should change the time. It’s going to be hard enough going as it is. Well, if you guys want help with critiques, you’ll leave the time alone. Okay, thanks. Yeah? No.” She glanced at me and then down again. “I’ll let her know you asked about her, Kami.” Her voice got softer and she frowned. “Yeah, I know he was your boyfriend once, too. That’s not the problem. The problem is she’s a suspect in his murder. That’s not something she really wants to deal with.” She nodded a couple times and then, “Okay, well that makes sense, then. Let’s move it up two hours and we’ll do the Spokane library rather than the Post Falls one. Okay, yeah, okay. Thanks again, for thinking of this, Kam. It means a lot.”
She smiled and hung up. Climbing to her feet, she reached down and offered me her hand. “This is pretty hard on her. I saw her at the store before coming home and she looks like she hasn’t had her nails done in weeks.” Shaking her head, Robyn pulled me up and we wandered into the kitchen.
“Are we going Friday?” Please, say no. I knew what the answer was. I just didn’t want to drive clear over to Spokane when I was a suspect for a murder I wasn’t any closer to figuring out. The clues were at a dead end and clearing my name was hopeless.
“Yeah. She moved the meeting to Spokane and a couple hours earlier than normal. She said it’d be better for you since Paul is planning on making an appearance in Post Falls that night. I guess he’s contacted everyone in the group and you’re the only one he hasn’t spoken with. He’s even dropped hints that he suspects you.” She made some coffee, glancing over at me while doing so. “I’m telling you, this could’ve been avoided, if you’d just gone out with him.”
“Maybe, but even if I could avoid all of this with him, that doesn’t mean we’re any closer to knowing who did it.” Working my way back onto the stool in front of the computer, I sighed. “What if we never figure it out?”
That was my biggest fear. Everything pointed at me. Even I was beginning to doubt my innocence.
~~~
Friday night came fast with no new clues and flashes of me merging from the novel and editing long enough to use the bathroom and eat.
We were huddled together over the round table on the far end of the conference room, six in our group and five in the other group. Critiquing wasn’t my favorite, but I was glad for a break from the real mystery in my life. Maybe if I paid attention, I could pick up some tips from the murder writers in the room and figure out the crime that had gone on at my own house.
My group consisted of Craig, Kami, Robyn, Tesha, and the Elisha I sti
ll hadn't had a chance to get to know, but who seemed very nice. Someone wore an expensive perfume and the strong scent tickled my nose. Every time I sneezed, Robyn shot me a look like I was crazy or something.
“Okay, enough about the young adult novel. No matter how many times you move that comma, it’s not going to fix the fact that you have a lot of things happening without consent, Craig. People won’t read that.” Robyn slashed her hand through the air, shaking her head.
Craig looked around the group and his face turned red. “Some might.” Was he still upset that we’d exposed his affair to his wife? I couldn’t look at him normal since our visit and I was very uncomfortable sitting there talking about the topics in his book.
Kami took a deep breath and whooshed it out as she sat back from the group. “No, actually, Craig. I don’t know anyone who would read that. Statistically? Women read more than men and, if you tried getting a woman to read that – and she didn’t know you, like we do – she might become one of those crazy stalker types and come after you.” Kami kicked the table leg to get his attention. When he looked up at her, she continued. “And not in a good way, Craig.”
I winced. Robyn and Kami had been on edge since we got there and I could feel the tension settling on my skin like a sheet of needles. I held my tone low and met Craig’s gaze with mine. “The story is solid. That’s not the problem. We’re just suggesting you take it out of YA and make it an adult book.” I flattened my hand on my chest and leaned back, too. “I would read the heck out of this, if it was an adult book.” I tilted my head. “But not as a YA. I’m sorry.”
His eyes brightened and he nodded. “Really? Okay, yeah, yeah, I could change the age.” He scribbled a note in the corner of his manuscript and then shuffled to the next one. “Can we move on to Tesha’s?”
Tesha looked up from her knitting and smiled. “Of course. It’s the same scene as before, but I’ve added a few details. I just want to make sure they work.”
“I still think scissors were a good choice. I really like the scene. Are you still caught up on the color scheme?” Craig glanced at me and then back at Tesha. “Olivia, was this scene as impactful as Tesha wrote it with the red props, the scissors and all? You were the only one to see it in action.” He chuckled dryly, glancing around at the rest of the group as everyone gave him the stink-eye and some cleared their throat. He dropped his papers on the table and held up his hands at chest level. “Oh, sorry. I don't mean to bring up anything indelicate. Was that rude to mention that?”
How had he known about the scissors? That was a detail I hadn’t shared with anyone but Grant and Robyn.
“We might need to take a break. It’s been a long week. Craig, can you see if the librarians have the projector I asked about? They were supposed to bring it in thirty minutes ago.” Tesha motioned for Craig to leave and then waited for him to walk out of the room. She leaned across the table, her knitting needles clacking on the hard surface. “You never said it looked like my scene. Was he serious?” She searched our faces, dropping her shoulders at the answers she saw there. “You didn’t say anything. I never knew.”
“It’s okay. I didn’t want to worry you.” I reached across and patted her hand. “Plus, we weren’t sure until later. It’s hard to remember details when all you can remember is the body.”
Before I could draw back, she clutched my hand in hers. Tears in her eyes, she squeezed my fingers gently. “I’m so sorry for everything that has happened to you, dear Olivia. The worst stuff always happens to the best people.” Was it bad that I didn’t lump David in with that?
“Thanks, Tesha.” I withdrew from her grasp. To Elisha, I smiled welcomingly. “How do you like Writer’s of the World?” Any other topic would do fine to get the focus off me.
“I like it. It’s just overwhelming. I thought I was writing a thriller when I might be writing a romance.” She shrugged, her soft black hair moving with her shoulders.
“Well, those drastically different. What makes you think of either one?” Tesha thrust her chin out and narrowed her eyes at the newcomer. If anyone could answer her questions, it was Tesha. The woman defined rule-follower.
While they spoke, Kami leaned over and spoke to me in a hushed whisper. “Are you okay? I spoke to the cop running everything. He’s pretty sure it’s you.” She widened her unmade eyes at me. “Is everything going okay? Did they find any leads yet?” She chewed on her lower lip and held her arms crossed tight to her chest.
I shook my head, suddenly more tired than I’d been in a long time. “No. I haven't been to my house in forever. This is getting ridiculous to be honest.” I'd avoided the topic of looking at her work. I knew she would mention it any second. She'd been asking me forever.
Judging by the look in her eye, I couldn’t avoid it any longer. And here came I could tell by the look in her eye. “Have you had a chance to look at my last books? I really wanted to get it edited and sent in.” “
I grimaced, trying not to seem too pathetic but I didn’t want to underplay what was going on in my life either. “Not yet. I'm really sorry. I have a lot going on, and I haven't even been able to work on my own stuff.” Which wasn't a hundred percent true. I had worked on my stuff, enough to put copyright page on the front and come within almost a complete rough draft. Other than that, I had been pretty much ignoring my deadlines.
She smiled, tightly. “I understand.” She glanced at Tesha's story, and tapped a bright red fingernail on the corner. “Let me know if you need any help with the scene, Tesha. I'd be more than happy to take some time out of my day.” The slight dig didn't go over my head, but I deserved it. I’d promised to be done with the book a month ago. I felt bad, but I would get to it as soon as I got home. It was the best I could do.
Robyn leaned over to Kami and I, whispering, “Yeah, don't let Olivia fool you. She's not as busy as she thinks. She's just been busy flirting with my brother.” Her serious comment didn't maintain somberness all the way through. She started laughing before she could finish.
I shot a startled glance at Robyn, what was she suggesting? Had I been flirting with Grant? I hadn’t even seen him. He’d been avoiding the house since he’d told Paul he was there. He wanted to run into the local police as much as I did. I swallowed and licked my lips. “Why?” Did she sense something? What had I done? Did I do something to give away my feelings? “I haven't done anything with him. I don't know what you're talking about.”
Robyn arched an eyebrow at me. “Calm down. I'm teasing. He's not your type. He doesn't usually go for the indoor girl anyway.” She pulled out another stack of papers. “Okay, Tesha I'm done talking about the murder scene. Next. Let’s go over Kami’s section.”
But Kami wasn’t interested in the critique of her work. She leaned over to me, her eyebrows arched. “Are you into her brother?” I’d never heard such judgment in her tone before. Her eyes narrowed and she clenched her jaw.
Glancing around the group, I blushed. Embarrassed heat burned its way up my face to my roots. I shot a fleeting look at Robyn who had engaged in the critique of Kami’s story and didn’t appear to be listening. I muttered under my breath, “He's helping me through some stuff. That's all.”
Relaxing her shoulders, Kami winked. “Yeah, I get it. People get busy with stuff like that.”
“I’m not going to critique this, if you don’t care what I have to say.” Robyn poked Kami’s shoulder with her pencil, causing the other woman to grab it and glare playfully. “If you care what I think, this part needs more description. You’ve left out a lot of setting.”
Kami turned from me and smiled at Robyn and the rest of the group. “Okay, let’s have it.” She didn’t speak only to me the rest of the night. I hoped she wasn’t mad, but I wasn’t even sure how I felt about Grant. I couldn’t go spilling my heart.
The weight of the mysteries around me pulled at me. I had to figure out who the killer was to help clear my name, I had to figure out who had sent me the bone quill, and I had to figure out how I f
elt about Grant.
Of the three, the hardest might be Grant.
Chapter 14
I didn’t want to take a chance of going out with the group after the meeting and I didn’t want to be alone without an alibi, in case someone else turned up dead. Since Robyn was stuck with me, we opted for a quick meal at Arby’s which turned into a debate over which sauce was best.
For the record, their horsey sauce was awesome, but didn’t hold a french fry to their signature sauce. Just saying.
We pulled into the Coeur d’Alene Arby's parking lot and made our way into the restaurant. Ordering enough food for an army, we filled our drinks and waited for our trays.
Claiming our food and a table, we sat. Robyn sipped her lemonade and opened her marinara packet. “I can’t believe Craig had to move out. I mean I get it, but wow. I feel bad that we caused that.”
I shook my head, pouring the Arby’s sauce onto the sandwich. “We didn’t cause it. He did it. We just spilled the beans. I’m sure he’d get caught sooner or later.”
Avoiding the events of the last week had become my survival method, but Robyn liked confrontation – the louder the better. “Okay, so who do you think did it?”
Shrugging, I picked up the mess I’d created and took a bite. After swallowing, I replied, “Honestly? I’m starting to wonder if I didn’t do it. You know? Who else could it be?” Even the bite of the sauce and the carby goodness of the bun didn’t help lift my depression. I ate half the burger without noticing, so focused on the turn of my life and what I could do to turn things around.
Robyn lowered her fish sandwich and squinted at me. “Did you?” She leaned over, her elbows pushing the edge of the table. “Look, you can tell me. I won’t judge you. I don’t think you’d be in the wrong, personally. I’d most likely be impressed, to be honest. I mean, come on. The guy was a jerk. He deserved it.” She didn’t move back, but studied me as closely as possible. “Seriously, Liv, you can tell me. I’ll help you the best I can.”
