Page 122 of Die for You

We park the car and get out. The detective’s face says it all. “Three bodies inside, Lenny.”

Lenny runs a hand through his snarled hair.“Who?”

The detective reaches into his pocket to retrieve a pack of Marlboros. “Tian, Kong, and Matias. Any idea who wants to leave you a very public message?”

The detective offers Lenny a cigarette, but he waves him off. “No fucking idea. The person who would normally do this shit is…indisposed.”

The detective shields his smoke with a palm to light it. “Well, I hate to break it to you, Lennon, but you’ve now got someone else gunning for you. And this person is pissed. The attack was very personal.”

“Why?”

The detective retrieves his cell and shows Lenny some photos.

“This is not good.”

I shift to look at the phone and see the image of three men hanging upside down, the insides on the outside, just like Lenny’s men who were slaughtered at the delicatessen.

“I suggest you be careful and reevaluate everyone.”

It begins to drizzle.

“Thanks, Derrick. Check your front porch tomorrow morning at seven thirty.”

He nods, flicking his smoke to the ground. “Keep your nose clean. I can’t be cleaning up your mess no more.”

“I don’t want a mess,” Lenny says, defeated.

“Well, just so you know, there was no sign of forced entry. The door was either left unlocked or someone has the key.”

My stomach drops. Nico worked today. Did he leave the door unlocked on purpose?

Lenny shakes the detective’s hand.

He stands staring at the burning rubble. White smoke rises into the night sky. Bystanders gather and no doubt all wonder why someone would set an opal store alight.

“It’s not Nico,” I say, reading his thoughts. “I know what it looks and sounds like, but what’s he got to gain from any of this?”

Lenny never takes his eyes off the building. “The same thing we happily sacrificed our lives for.”

Lettie.

We don’t speak further.

Lenny doesn’t bother going into what’s left of the store.

We drive home in silence.

Nico is in bed with Lettie, both asleep. This was my entire world once upon a time, and now, I wonder if maybe that has all come crashing down.

I close Lettie’s bedroom door and amble to our room. I’m exhausted. I leave my clothes where they fall and don’t bother washing off my makeup. I slip under the covers and close my heavy eyes. The bed dips beside me, and Lenny’s familiar scent comforts me.

We don’t speak.

We simply fall into the darkness once again.

I jolt upright, slathered in sweat.

On instinct, I reach out, and a sigh leaves me when I feel Lenny beside me.