Page 61 of A Murder is Going Down

‘He’s a friend of mine from work,’ Elena explains. But she’s frowning. ‘Why would you go to see Adam, Heidi?’

‘I went with Patrick,’ I say, which is only sort of an answer.

‘Tell me you’re not still on thisVeronica Marsbullshit,’ Michael says.

‘That was a great show,’ I say, looking at Patrick in search of a grin. But he’s not looking at me.

‘You’re not still trying to investigate Felix’s death, right?’ Elena says. She seems upset.

‘We’re not trying to investigate Felix’s death,’ Patrick repeats. When Michael scoffs, Patrick keeps talking. ‘We were. I was trying to help Elena. But, after talking to Adam, it’s obvious that nobody else could have been involved that night. Felix was out there by himself. Maybe he fell, maybe he jumped. But I’m convinced he wasn’t pushed.’

After the conversation in Patrick’s room this isn’t a total shock, but it also is. Patrick looks up, catches my eye, then immediately drops his own.

‘Sorry,’ he tells the table. ‘I guess we both got carried away.’

‘Thanks, guys,’ Elena says. Her eyes are still a little toobright, but she’s smiling or trying to. ‘I know you were only trying to help me.’

‘Do you have any plans for the rest of the time you’re here, Michael?’ Aunty Sam asks.

‘I thought we could go for a sibling movie tonight?’ Patrick interrupts, looking at Michael. ‘If you and Elena are up for it.’

This is the first I’ve heard of it. Michael seems similarly surprised.

‘Sure,’ he says. Elena nods too, looking pleased.

I try not to feel the snub and stuff an icing-heavy piece of bun into my mouth. Eating my feelings: always a great idea.

When we’re all full and there’s just a pile of crumbs left behind, I corner Patrick by the fridge. ‘I’ve got something to tell you,’ I say.

‘You were Team Logan?’

This unexpected response derails me entirely. ‘What?’

‘Veronica Mars. You seem like a Team Logan kind of a person.’

‘No, I wasn’t … wait, of course I’m Team Logan. Whose side were you on?Duncan’s?’

Patrick says, ‘I always thought—’

But I don’t let him finish. ‘No, don’t answer that, I’ll lose too much respect for you. Also, I have something important to tell you: Ben deleted that message from Felix off his phone.’

Patrick doesn’t pretend he can’t remember what message I’m talking about. ‘How do you know?’

‘Lilia.’

‘You’re talking to Lilia now?’

‘She messaged me.’

‘How doessheknow?’

‘She looked at Ben’s phone.’

‘Seriously?’

We grin at each other before Patrick remembers he’s over this now.

‘As much as I love that you’ve managed to turn Lilia against Ben, I really think we should leave the police to it,’ he says.