Page 73 of The Five Year Lie

Then I turn my back and get the hell out of there.

24

Zain stares at me from across a table at the coffee shop where I’d demanded that he meet me, even though it’s Memorial Day and he doesn’t have to go to work. “Are yousureit was him in the picture?”

“Of course I’m sure. I’d know that body anywhere. Those muscular shoulders. That strong jaw. Am I right?”

He gives me a feeble grin. “I don’twantit to be him. Why was he at your house on a weekday morning? Unless he was there to see you.”

I shake my head. “I didn’t live on Chadwick Street then. He’d have no business there.”

Zain swallows. “So... during the same sixty-minute period when you got a text from Drew, he was letting himself into your father’s house? And then your father dies the same morning?”

“Something like that.”

He props his head in one hand. “What the hell did Drew say to him?”

“I don’t know. And I don’t see how we’ll ever know. The cop seemed to think he was bringing street drugs to my father.”

“What?” Zain looks incredulous. “There’s no chance.”

“That was my reaction, too.”

“Do you, uh, have a copy of this photo?”

I shake my head. “I know you doubt me, but I’m telling you it was him.”

“Okay.” Zain lets out a heavy breath. “So this took a turn for the weird.”

“Didn’t it just?”

We sit there in silence for a second, until the barista calls my name. Zain pops up out of his chair. “I’ll get it.” He returns a minute later with two cups of coffee.

Not that I need caffeine right now. I’m already jumpy. “You might be right, Zain.”

“God, I love hearing that.” He gives me a rueful smile. “But what about?”

“Your pet theory about Drew finding something bad. And sending my father over the edge.”

He flinches. “Keep the trophy. I don’t want to be right about that.”

“But what the hell did hefind?”

Zain shakes his head. “Get me the third tape, and I’ll figure it out. Here, I brought the second one back.” He leans over and unzips his backpack. Then he awkwardly passes me the tape under the table.

“We would make awful spies,” I mutter, tucking it into my bag. “Tomorrow is our office move, though. So I know I can swap it in all the chaos.”

“Yeah, but...” He takes a thoughtful sip of his coffee. “I’m sorry this got so complicated. I feel bad for pushing you to look into it.”

“You didn’t really push me. I need to know what happened.”

I owe it to Buzz to know everything. Although it’s anyone’s guess how much I’ll end up telling him.

When I carry the tape into work the next morning, it occurs to me that I should have bought Uncle Ray a cup of coffee—it would give me an easy excuse to walk into his office even if he isn’t there.

He is, though. In fact, it looks like he’s spent some quality time in his office over the long weekend. The whole place is a shambles. There are moving boxes everywhere. All the pictures are off the walls. And all the shelves behind him are barren.

I approach the open door and stop on the threshold. “Wow. I love what you’ve done with the place.”