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. I can’t do any of it if I’m in jail.” I had to get some of my mojo back. Being in jail was a wake up call for me.
Riley shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’m glad to help.” He nodded at Garrett. “Good to meet you. Have a good night, you two.”
Sadness pressed on my heart. Right or wrong, something about the moment seemed so bittersweet and surreal.
The men went out and Garrett and I were left standing there. I turned to him and saw a new emotion in his eyes.
“Riley’s back, huh? The infamous Riley.”
“He heard what happened and wanted to help.”
“Sounds noble.” He pushed my hair behind my ear, something unspoken in his gaze. “I know you’ve had a long day. I should go and let you rest, okay?”
I nodded, my heart being pulled in two different directions. “Okay.”
He kissed my forehead. “Anything at all that you need, you let me know.”
***
I sat on my couch staring vacantly at the wall when yet another knock at the door came. Before I could even get up and answer it, the door started to open.
With everything going on, I wasn’t taking any chances. I popped to my feet and assumed a fight position.
Instead, Sierra appeared. Her eyes widened when she saw me, and she raised her hands in surrender.
“Hey, Kung Fu Fighter.” She paused in the doorway. “I guess I should have knocked, otherwise I’m risking having you display some of your ninja-tastic moves.”
I let out a feeble laugh. “Yeah, when I’m not crime scene cleaning, I’m a ninja. I’ve been considering the career change for a while now.”
I sank back down into the cushions, my muscles feeling like jelly. Just Sierra.
She plopped on the couch beside me. Her belly was starting to show, I realized. Seeing that little swollen bump there made her pregnancy even more real to me. She was going to be a mom!
Sierra pushed her glasses up on her nose. “I’ve heard about everything going on. I can’t stop thinking about you, Gabby. How are you holding up?”
I pulled my knees to my chest, my typical “stressed” position. “My head is spinning.”
“Anyone’s would be in your situation. And then there’s Riley …”
“And then there’s Riley,” I echoed, letting out a long sigh.
“Is he back for good?” Sierra crossed her legs as she sat beside me.
For a moment, it felt like old times. Just me and Sierra having girl talk. About boys, of course. The only thing that would make it any more perfect would be Sierra’s world famous acorn brownies.
I shook my head, remembering Sierra’s question. “No, Riley’s only lending a hand until I’m cleared of the charges.”
She squinted at me. “How’s that make you feel?”
I nibbled on my bottom lip for a moment before grabbing my cat blanket and pulling it across my legs. “Strange. In one way it’s great to have him back. In another way, it just throws my emotions into a tailspin.”
“Did he give any indication as to where the both of you stand? Where you stand together, I should say?”
I shrugged and leaned back harder into the couch. I’d kept all these thoughts silent, but it felt good to have Sierra pull the answers from me. Talking about it helped me make sense of my thoughts. “No. I know Riley needs time before making any big decisions. Even then, the answer might be no.”
“I see. You’re kind of between a rock and a hard pace.”
“An all too familiar place. Plus, there’s the picture …” I winced as I remembered the photo I’d seen in his old apartment.
“What picture?” Sierra rubbed her belly and scrunched her eyebrows together.
“I paid a visit to Olivia across the hall. There’s a picture there of Riley with his arm around a woman. A nurse, at that.” I told myself not to frown, but I felt my lips pulling downward despite me.
Her eyes widened. “No …”
I nodded. “It’s true. I saw it with my own eyes.”
“Did you ask who she was?” Sierra stopped rubbing her abdomen, her lips slightly a part.
“Olivia said the woman’s name was Daniela. Then she had to go. She had class.”
“Did you ask Riley about it?”
“Then I’ll look neurotic. I mean, every time I see Riley with another woman, I assume the worst. First there was Veronica.” His fiancée. They’d called things off, Riley and I had started talking, and then Veronica had shown up again.
“In your defense, they did get back together,” Sierra reminded me. “Only temporarily, though.”
“That’s true. But then there was Veronica again.” I remembered that outing to Riley’s law school reunion a little too well. Just when I thought that woman was out of my life, she’d realized what she had in Riley and decided she wanted him back.
“And in that instant Veronica was trying to win him back. Your fears weren’t unfounded. Of course, Riley wasn’t interested because he was engaged to you.”
Thank goodness. I remembered that moment when Riley had reaffirmed his love for me. I’d felt so secure and loved.
“And then there was Juliette.” I’d discovered information about her when Riley was in a coma and I’d found correspondence between the two of them. Of course I’d assumed the worst. What woman wouldn’t?
Sierra scrunched her nose up in an adorable frown. “That was all so complicated. It did look bad, on the surface, at least.”
“I have trust issues.” Of course, when I looked at my track record with men, I’d practically been programmed to have these issues. Something about me obviously screamed, “Cheat on me!”
Sierra leaned closer, almost as if conspiring. “How about this—I’ll visit Olivia and see what I can find out for you. I actually do have a piece of her mail that I need to return.”
I sat up straighter. She was conspiring and I loved her for it! “You’d do that?”
“Of course I would. That’s what friends are for.” As Sierra studied me for a moment, she pressed her lips together in what appeared to be deep thought. “Listen, Gabby. I know Chad has been tightly wound around you lately. Give him some time to cool down.”
I raised an eyebrow, wary about how much to share, how much to even let on that I knew. “You know?”
She let out a soft chuckle. “He wants to protect me. Me being pregnant has ignited something in him. In one way, it’s cute, I suppose. But in another way, it’s grating. He’s taking everything entirely too seriously.”
“He doesn’t want to stress you out
.”
“That’s kind of him, but I’m a big girl.” She pushed her glasses up higher on her nose.
“I think I’m majorly stressing him out.”
She opened her mouth and then shut it again. She wanted to say something else, I realized. I hesitated a moment, pondering whether or not I really wanted to know. Could I handle the truth?
“What aren’t you telling me, Sierra?” I finally said.
Sierra tilted her head, softening her gaze. “Gabby, everyone knows you were made for more than this. I’m not sure if you’re hanging on to life the way it is now because you’re afraid of letting go, afraid of changes, afraid of disappointing people. But, whatever is, it’s okay to look out for yourself.”
“Look out for myself?” That concept seemed so foreign sometimes. It seemed like every time I started making progress in my life, something happened to stop me. Someone always needed me—at least, they needed someone. I knew what it was like to have no watching out for you. Was that why I didn’t want anyone else to experience that—because I knew how terribly isolating it was? No one should feel that alone.
Sierra nodded. “Get out there. Apply for more jobs. Don’t be afraid to take risks.”
“I take risks all the time.”
“But you still keep plenty of safety nets. I just want to see you live up to your potential.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I’m trying.”
She wiped under her eyes. “Everything just makes me so emotional lately!”
I pulled her into a hug. “Oh, Sierra. Thank you so much for caring. It’s good to know I’ve got a friend like you. Everyone should.”
“You’ve got a friend in me.”
My lips parted in surprise. “You’ve been watching Toy Story?”
She patted her stomach. “What can I say? I need to familiarize myself with children’s movies.”
“Good for you. I look forward to watching them with you.” I stood and stretched. “But right now my first order of business is figuring out what’s going on at the Cultural Arts Center.”
Sierra stood also. “Any leads?”
“A lot of leads. Maybe I just need a good night’s rest in my own bed.”
She smiled. “That’s right. In the morning everything looks better. Unless you’re beef cattle.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle as my friend walked away.
CHAPTER 37
My phone rang at six a.m. the next morning. I put it to my ear without even looking at the caller ID first. “Hello?” I mumbled.
“Gabby, the show is going on—with you!”
I sat up a little straighter, unsure if I was still dreaming. “Paulette?”
“Yes, it’s Paulette. I know you’ve missed a couple of practices, but opening night is tonight. We need you there.”
I blinked a few times, trying to come to my senses. “Last I heard, I wasn’t allowed close to the school.” And you were royally ticked at me.
“I dropped the charges.”
“What?” My voice rose in pitch. Had she pressed the charges against me? I had no idea she was actually involved in the process.
“If I don’t press charges for the vandalisms at the school, then there’s no case. I didn’t mean to press them against you specifically. Now, the murders … I don’t have much say in that. But as far as the vandalisms go, there’s nothing. I’m calling them even. I’m done. I don’t care. All I care about right now is the show going on.”
I had no idea what to think about that. Instead, I said, “If you need me, Paulette, I’ll do it.”
“We need you. Be there at three so we can run through some things. We have a lot of work to do to get things together.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I hung up feeling dazed.
Even though the play was plagiarized? Even with everything that had happened? The dead bodies? The lead—me!—being arrested and then released?
This was the moment that someone had been working hard to make sure didn’t happen.
I could only imagine what that might mean for tonight’s performance.
***
I peeked out into the audience from behind stage.
I had no idea how this performance would go tonight. Practice had been rough. We’d made some changes and adjustments because of the constraints. Everyone had been so hurried and stressed that there’d been little time for interaction.
But tonight, of all nights, I needed to really keep my eye on things.
I scanned the audience and spotted Garrett sitting at the front left. I noticed some familiar faces with him and squinted. He really had brought people from his office. A lot of people, for that matter.
I smiled. It was really heartwarming that he’d been that thoughtful, though I would have preferred he not be so kind in this specific circumstance.
I watched as he walked across the room to talk to Chad and Sierra, who sat in midway in the center section. Clarice sat beside them.
My heart relaxed a moment. Maybe Clarice would speak to me again and I hadn’t lost her as a friend.
I also saw my dad and his fiancée Teddi, my neighbor Bill McCormick, and even my old friend and first real employee Mr. Harold.
As I watched, Riley walked in and sat on the other side of Chad and Sierra. It was like a big reunion out there.
Wow. They’d all come out just to see me? A strange emotion welled inside me. Gratefulness? Surprise? The tears that popped into my eyes truly made me feel off kilter.
I didn’t have time to dwell on the emotion right now. I’d revel in the supportiveness of my friends later.
My gaze continued to survey the audience. Strangely enough, I didn’t see Arie. Where was she? Most likely trying to drum up her press time out front. I could totally see her doing that.
My phone buzzed in my hands, and I looked down to see a text message from Sierra.
I quickly scanned the words. The woman with Riley is his cousin, who also works at the hospital.
My chest tightened before all the tension disappeared in an airy laugh. Cousin? You’ve got to be kidding me.
I let my head fall back in exasperation. His cousin.
How many times did I have to come back to this place? It was like I was only capable of taking baby steps forward. Riley had been the man of my dreams and there’d always been a part of me that didn’t feel good enough for him. As a result, I always rushed to assume that he liked other women better than me, even when he’d assured me of his love. It had happened time and time again.
It was time to stop living with so much doubt and uncertainty.
“Come and play with us,” someone whispered behind me.
“What?” I twirled around.
The Shining Twins stood there, side by side, staring at me.
“I said, ‘Come on. Play’s starting,” Karen said.
“Of course.” I let out a tense laugh.
“Forever,” she whispered.
I looked back and she grinned. I released the breath I held. She was being silly. Thank goodness.
I straightened my costume and looked over at Jerome. “You ready for this?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Paulette had someone come in earlier and double check everything,” Sharen told us. “She said she took every safety precaution necessary.”
“I know that should make me feel better,” I muttered. “But it doesn’t.”
“At least she cut the scene where you were hoisted into the air,” Sharen said.
“Thank goodness.” Still, the doubt wouldn’t leave me. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going to happen tonight. Whether I wanted to be or not, I was right in the middle of the danger. There was really no safety net.
As the lights went low, I tucked my cell phone into my costume. There was something about having it near me that made me feel somehow more secure.
The Shining Twins pushed me on stage as the canned music came up. “Knock ‘em dead, Gabby!” one of them whispered.
For a moment—and just a moment—I actually forgot everything going on and enjoyed being on stage acting and singing.
Until something buzzed against my chest.
My cell phone!
I nearly forgot my line as it continued to buzz.
Who was texting me now? Anyone who might message me was in this room right now.
“Elsa …” a voice floated in the background.
I shook my head. This was part of the play. The part where I first realized the Specter was here and that he liked me.
I’d never gotten chills about it in practice. But my blood felt cold right now as warning bells sounded in my head. Something bad was going to happen tonight. It was just a matter of when.
My phone buzzed again.
“Who are you?” I whispered on stage. It was one of my lines, though it could apply to real life as well. “Why are you talking to me?”
“Elsa … I have plans for you.”
With that last line, the lights went black. End of Act One.
The darkness felt disconcerting. Despite that, I found my way back stage. As The Shining Twins helped change me into my next costume, I pulled out my phone.
Clarice had texted me.
The Specter is Arie’s boyfriend. I saw them together in a celebrity magazine.
What? So Jerome, or whatever his real name was, was in all of this with Arie somehow?
He was a gamer. He could have easily set up that swatting episode. Maybe he was trying to help out his girlfriend by drumming up business for the play. It was a possible motive. I didn’t know.
What do you know about him? I texted her back.
“You’ve got to get back out there!” Karen told me.
She pushed me on stage.
I glanced out at the audience, trying to collect myself and remember my next line. My gaze met Garrett’s and he gave me a thumbs up.
In the center, I spotted Riley. He grinned brightly.
Something about seeing both men jostled me into action. I made it through the rest of my lines. I sang my heart out. Nothing happened, which only added to my uneasy feeling.
Christy Barritt - Squeaky Clean 08 - Foul Play Page 23
