Page 30 of Little Dark Deeds

CHAPTER 13

The next morning, Imet Simone and Hunter at the office to talk about our new investigation.Both ladies were former detectives I’d brought on when I formed the Case Closed Detective Agency a few years earlier.Since then, we’d solved a handful of homicide cases, Simone often speaking to the suspects I couldn’t always get to, and Hunter researching behind the scenes.We made a good team, and no matter how much of a knack I had for catching criminals, the business wouldn’t be where it was today without them.

When they joined me on the sofa, lattes in hand, I noticed they were a bit quieter than usual.When the silence became too stifling, I piped up with, “All right, look, I already have everyone else tiptoeing around me like they think I might break.I can’t have you two doing it too.If we need to talk about what happened to Tiffany first and how I’m feeling about it so we can move on, then let’s do it.”

“I’m sorry,” Hunter said.

“You don’t need to be sorry,” I replied.“I know you’re concerned about me.Everyone is, and I appreciate it.No matter how personal this is to me, we have a job to do.”

“We’re just worried,” Simone said.“That’s all.”

“About what?”

She leaned back, taking a sip of her latte as she crossed one leg over the other.“Maybeworriedisn’t the right word.We feel bad that you lost such a good friend.You two have known each other forever, and I’m sure her death is weighing on you.”

“You’re right,” I said.“There is a heaviness that’s been hard to shake.”

“And hey, we don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, okay?We can get straight to the case.I know talking about your feelings isn’t always the easiest thing for you.”

Discussing my feelings with others had always felt like performing on stage without a script.It was weird and awkward, and I never felt like I said the right thing in the right way—if, in fact, there was a right way.

Hunter lifted a finger.

“What is it?”I asked.

“I feel like we need to admit that we know about what happened yesterday at Tiffany’s house—you know, when you threw up and stuff.”

Simone shot Hunter an irritated look like she’d just sold them out.

“What?”Hunter asked.“If we’re sitting here telling her we’re worried, she deserves to know why.”

“It’s fine,” I said.“Continue.”

“Okay, so Foley stopped by this morning before you got here.He was looking for you, and he ...well, he told us about you being in the bathroom.I should add that right after it came out of his mouth, he felt bad for saying it.”

“How do you know he felt bad?Did he say as much?”

“Not with words, no.I could just tell.”

And I could tell a lot of assumptions were flying around.

If I wanted to shift the conversation to investigating Tiffany’s murder, it seemed I was first going to have to share where my head was at.

I set my notebook and pen on my lap, my latte on the coffee table, and crossed my arms.“I’m going to explain what happened at Tiffany’s house and why it did.Once I do, I’d like us to all move on, focus on what matters right now.And it isn’t me.”