Page 32 of Scripted for Love and Poison (Sol and Luke Mystery #2)
“But you still need to go and apologize to her,” Divya declared.
“Seriously? Shouldn’t I be prioritizing the case? We want the client to like us and pay us?—”
“We both know you won’t be prioritizing the case if you’re all worried because you had a row with Sol. Go talk to her, fix this, and then you can start thinking about the case.”
“You’re probably right,” Luke conceded.
“You know I am, and you’ve finally started sounding reasonable and likable this morning,” Divya teased.
Sol saw Divya’s call as she was about to leave Lola’s house that morning for an early Pilates class.
She needed to do something other than fume about Luke, and nothing calmed her more than a good, strenuous activity like exercise—or sex, but that was not an option at the moment. Hence the early Pilates class.
“I was going to call you after my class,” Sol told the detective, picking up the call.
“Good morning to you too,” Divya answered, and Sol could hear the playfulness in her tone. “Did you sleep well?”
“You know perfectly well that I didn’t,” Sol said. “You have that supersonic detective thing where you always know everything. You could probably hear the lack of sleep in my grumpy tone.”
“Yeah, that and Luke was just here and told me what happened,” Divya said. “The idiot is heading in your direction as we speak. Ready to apologize.”
“Tell him there’s no need. I don’t want to see him.” Sol tried sounding as unequivocal as possible, even if she wasn’t sure she really didn’t want to see Luke.
“He knows he really messed up,” Divya continued.
“Because you told him,” Sol said. She wasn’t going to fall for that. She wasn’t going to be convinced by Divya of how awesome Luke was.
“I did have to do a bit of explaining, yes. I’m so glad I’m not into men. They’re all a bunch of troglodytic, immature, emotionally unavailable simpletons. I don’t know how you stand him.”
“I mean, he’s not like that,” Sol said, and why had she disliked those words so much when describing Luke? Wasn’t she hating Luke at the moment?
“Isn’t he now? Does that mean you’re ready to forgive him?”
“Are you playing tricks with me?”
“I would never do such a thing!”
“I won’t be here to listen to his apology, anyway. I have a class and then an appointment,” Sol said.
“Are you taking safety precautions?” Divya asked, and Sol realized if it had been Luke who asked her that, she’d have called him an overprotective ass. But coming from another woman, it was endearing.
“Lola is running an errand, but she’s picking me up after that, and we’re both going together to Pilates. And then she’ll drop me at the appointment. It’s in Santa Monica, and I’ll probably grab an Uber from there. I’m sharing my phone location with her, so she’ll know where I am at all times.”
“Sounds good. Mind sharing your location with me as well?”
“Do you think it’s really necessary?” Sol wasn’t particularly big on privacy, but she was starting to feel not really independent with so much scrutiny in regard to her whereabouts.
“It would put my mind at rest,” Divya said.
“You do realize the last time someone said those words to me, it didn’t end well, right?” Sol fumed.
“Yes, but you’ll still share your location with me because I’m not him.”
“You’re bossy!” Sol argued.
“I’m not, I just want to make sure you’re alright while we investigate.”
“Okay,” Sol said as she put Divya on speakerphone and changed the settings on her device to share her location with the detective. “But only because you asked nicely.”
“And because I’m not Luke,” Divya said, and Sol hated that she was right. “Want me to tell him you won’t be at Lola’s?”
“No, let him look for me.”
“Your wish is my command. But listen, believe it or not, I didn’t call you to talk about Luke.”
“Really?” Sol saw Lola approaching in her car and exited the house, heading in her direction. She jumped into the passenger seat and gave her friend an apologetic look as she kept talking to Divya on the phone.
“Really. He told me you’d told him you’ve found something in Simon Smith’s manuscript.”
“Oh, that,” Sol said .
“Yes, that. Some of us still have a case to solve.” Did the detective sound a bit flustered?
“It may be nothing, it’s just the manuscript came with an acknowledgments section at the very end.
I thought it was a bit odd. It’s nothing you include at that stage in the writing process,” Sol explained.
“I read it mostly because it’s one of my favorite things to read in books in general.
It can be a window into a part of the author’s life and their network of family, friends, and professional relationships.
But unlike what happens in most books, Simon doesn’t have a word of thanks for anyone. ”
“Charming.”
“Very much in character. Plus, it almost sounds as if it was some sort of riddle.” She reached for the last pages of Simon Smith’s manuscript inside her bag and proceeded to read to Divya.
“ I scorn the echoes of my final act. Think I’m silent now?
Look past these lines. If you seek the truth behind this page.
Look beyond death—beyond the final stage. ”
“Oh bloody hell! What’s all that about?”
“I guess you didn’t crack the riddle in one go then,” Sol said.
“Of course I didn’t. I’m good, but I’m not that good. Send me a picture of those lines, will you?”
“On it. And I’ll let you know if I find anything else in the book.”
“Good, and Sol,” said Divya, and she sounded worried.
“Yes?”
“Be careful.”