Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
Last night was quiet, even when we got home after work. Sophia remained distant, retreating to her room.
She told me she was happy to have me back, so what is the issue then? Everything was fine for Christmas, and now it feels like she’s actively avoiding me. Maybe I am too self-centered, and it has nothing to do with me, but even then, why wouldn’t she tell me what is bothering her?
I am determined to talk to Chiara about keeping Sophia’s house clean, but she told me she’s spending the night at Monica’s, so we’ll have that conversation another day. The last thing I want is to jeopardize things with Sophia because my little sister can’t pick up after herself.
With all the doubt and worry circling about me, I was relieved when Xander texted to invite me to watch a movie with him. I was never good at being alone, but since I always have had one of the guys around me, it’s nearly impossible for me to be alone with my thoughts. Which has been a blessing.
Having so much free time now that I don’t work at the bar is strange. I always dreamed of being lazy, listening to music, sketching, or watching a film. But with all this newfound time, I find myself overthinking things. So I prefer to keep myself busy and with company.
Xander ended up choosing a documentary on fishing. I’m not sure why, but he was fascinated during the whole thing and watched while holding and massaging my feet. It has already started to feel like a new normal. Just him and me, enjoying a relaxed evening together while the others are at work.
We are getting more comfortable with each other by the minute, and the growing closeness doesn’t help my crush on him one little bit.
The way he looks at me with his big gray eyes, how his large hands squeeze my calves, how he chuckles at something funny on the television with his deep voice, well, let’s just say I am in trouble.
At least this time, I manage to stay awake until Joshua and Clay get home, though it is a struggle to keep my eyes open.
So I’m more than happy to go to bed when Joshua asks me to sleep in his room.
I promptly slide under the covers while he takes a quick shower, and the sound of running water lulls me to sleep.
This morning, Sophia texts us that she’ll be bringing bagels, coffee, and tea for breakfast.
“Mm… morning,” I greet Joshua as I stretch and roll over to face him.
He slides his hand over my hip, grabbing my ass and pulling me closer. “Good morning, my Carolina.”
He looks sleepy, his hair disheveled, and I reach out to push it out of his eyes, making him smile. My thumb wanders down to his dimple. “I’m going to take a quick shower but don’t wait for me. See you downstairs,” I say, kissing him on the nose and slipping out of bed.
Joshua groans, and I peek over my shoulder to find him watching my ass as he rubs his erection. “Busted,” I tease.
“Woman, you are cruel,” he accuses with another groan.
I can’t help the smile that spreads as I head into the bathroom, turn on the shower, and quickly strip.
After a swift shower, I join the others in the kitchen. “Morning,” I murmur.
Joshua pulls me close, kissing my temple. “You look beautiful.”
I feel my cheeks heat up with a blush. “Thank you.”
I still don’t feel beautiful, but I might be starting to believe that he thinks I am, and it’s a heady feeling.
“True. A beautiful, blushing little tomato,” Clay teases from the other side of the kitchen island, earning him a middle finger from me.
“Lina, can we talk?” Sophia’s voice carries a hint of seriousness, causing a knot of unease in my stomach.
“Of course. What’s up?” I ask.
Is she going to tell me I must pack my things and Chiara and I need to leave her house so it’s no longer drowning in chaos?
She glances around the table, taking a deep breath. “Would it be okay if I share the information with everyone? It’s about your parents’ case.”
Well, that sure as fuck wasn’t what I expected.
Clay’s eyes narrow in confusion. “There’s a case? I thought it was an accident.”
“You can tell them everything.” I nod, wringing my hands.
I would have told them someday, anyway. I was just too chicken to do it yet. I hope this doesn’t change anything between us. I mean, Clay and Josh are cops. If they believe the file and think my parents were drug addicts, would it bother them? Would they see me differently?
I look over at Josh, who has worry in his eyes but a reassuring smile on his lips.
They won’t, I tell myself.
They already know so much about me, and I feel like a part of this family now. It’s time they knew the whole story.
“Carolina’s and Chiara’s parents died in a car crash,” Sophia starts. “The police report states the accident happened because they were high on heroin.”
Joshua gently tucks a strand of hair behind my ear while Clay nearly chokes on his bagel in surprise.
Xander’s gaze is intense as he looks at me. “But that’s not what happened, is it?” he asks, and I shake my head.
Sophia takes a moment, sipping her tea before continuing.
“Five years ago, when it happened, Carolina insisted that her parents never touched drugs. But no one listened to her. We requested the file two weeks ago, specifically the toxicology report. It did indicate a high concentration of heroin in their system. However, the levels were so high that it would’ve been impossible for anyone to even drive a car.
Not to mention that the blood in the report is the wrong type. ”
Joshua squeezes my hand. “You think the case was tampered with?”
I nod, waiting for Sophia to continue to the part I don’t know.
“We both suspect it,” Sophia adds. “There was other stuff that was suspicious, but I couldn’t look further into it because they took the file away from us again.”
“Who took it?” Clay asks, his brow furrowing.
“The detective who originally handled the case,” I murmur, hating that it all connects back to the Del Moros.
Clay’s eyes narrow as he asks, “Who was that?”
Sophia and I exchange a glance before she says, “Del Moro senior.”
Joshua jumps up from his stool, clearly irritated. “Is that why his son has it out for you?”
“Possibly, but I don’t know. I don’t know what happened. All I know for certain is that my parents weren’t doing drugs. Everything else is a mystery to me too. But his father having a fall out with my uncle and him starting to bully me happened shortly after my parents had the crash.”
“Why didn’t you tell us earlier?” Clay asks, his arms crossed over his chest.
“I was trying to figure out how to get Sophia to still help me find out the truth, even though Del Moro threatened her position and job.” I still feel bad for pulling her into this whole mess.
Xander’s voice is a low growl. “He did what?”
Sophia raises her shoulders in a nonchalant gesture, dismissing his outburst. “He made it clear that if we kept digging, he’d ensure I was fired.”
Clay releases a weary breath. “He’s well-connected with the NYPD’s top brass. Those aren’t empty threats.”
“But you didn’t stop, did you?” I lean forward, my hope palpable.
Sophia grins mischievously. “I used the time while you were napping, sleeping beauty.”
My heart races in anticipation. And she’s telling me this now? “What did you find?”
She leans in, her eyes focused on mine. “I managed to speak with the toxicologist who worked the case. It wasn’t easy since he left his job shortly after and moved to LA to work for the LAPD.
However, he recalled the case because he received blood samples, and not long after, Detective Del Moro brought in new samples.
He claimed the original ones were mistakenly swapped with another case.
The toxicologist didn’t think much of it at the time since he hadn’t started the tests, and such mix-ups had happened before. ”
“Motherfucker,” Xander mutters, his hands gripping some of his hair.
“Is there any way to prove this?” Joshua inquires, his brows furrowed and his nose scrunched.
He looks like he is already going over everything he just learned in his mind.
Sophia’s pretty face contorts into a grimace. “No, he didn’t keep any documents related to the switch. It would be hearsay. But it confirms our suspicions,” she continues. “We need to get to the bottom of this.”
“I don’t want you risking your job over this,” I admit. “Yes, I wanted the truth, and it seems my suspicions were right. But I can live with that knowledge without putting you in danger.”
I couldn’t live knowing she could be fired or even hurt because of me.
Sophia looks at me intently, her eyebrows pinched in confusion. “Don’t you want justice? Don’t you want to know why they framed your parents?”
Her words resonate deep in my soul, and it feels like someone finally understands my need for the truth.
“Of course,” I whisper. “But we still don’t know the full extent.”
“Then let’s find out. What do you need from us, Sophia?” Joshua asks, putting his hands on my shoulders to massage them from where he is standing behind me.
She takes a moment before answering, biting her bottom lip in thought.
“There was a witness mentioned in the report. She claimed she saw Carolina’s parents trying to avoid the crash, even though the official report says they drove straight into the wall.
I’d like you to speak with her again. Maybe she remembers more details.
Her name is Rebecca Stone, and she lives right across from where the accident happened. ”
“West Harlem,” I whisper, taking a deep breath.
I could never forget the place. I visited it for weeks, asking myself what they thought in their final moments.
“We’ll talk to her,” Clay promises me, meeting my gaze with a nod.
“Thank you,” I breathe out, though a sense of unease settles in my stomach.
Am I putting all of them in danger with this?
The day is flying by. Sophia and I are working on an interesting case, making the hours pass quickly.
Clay and Josh looked for Rebecca first thing this morning and found her apartment, but she wasn’t there.
And since tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, they said they’d try again in a couple of days.
As much as I want answers, my parents have been gone for a while now.
It’s not urgent, and I am grateful for any help.
We’re in the cafeteria, and I’m eating the sandwich Joshua got for me, watching Sophia be her usual bubbly self. It’s a complete one-eighty from her mood yesterday, but I’m relieved to see her back to herself.
“What are our plans for New Year’s Eve?” she asks.
“We’re on duty,” Clay reminds her between bites.
“Yeah, but only until maybe one a.m., right? I thought we could have a small house party with Xander, Carolina, and some friends. You guys can join when you’re done,” she suggests.
House party? With her friends? Again? Fuck.
I can’t really say that celebrating New Year’s Eve with Professor Summers was on my bucket list.
“So, you want to have the party at our place and hope we agree so the mess isn’t at your house,” Joshua points out, giving her a pointed look.
“That’s true,” she admits, not the least bit embarrassed. “But I also think it’d be fun to have people over. Last New Year’s Eve was so boring.” She glances at Clay. “Don’t tell Xander, okay?”
She doesn’t even have to spell it out. I bet his idea of a good New Year’s Eve party is a boring documentary with the option of sleeping in front of the television.
I smile to myself, my gaze on my sandwich.
Clay chuckles. “I won’t, but I think he wanted it to be quiet so he could go to sleep early.”
“Well, not this year! Carolina, what do you think? Ready to party into the new year?” Sophia asks me, eyebrows wiggling.
I am not going to get out of this, am I? I need to at least try.
“I’m not really into New Year’s Eve stuff,” I share, hoping she’ll get the hint.
Seemingly genuinely interested, she leans in, her eyes searching mine for an explanation. “Why not?”
I pause for a moment, considering my response. “I don’t know, it’s mostly because it’s the day in the bar that sucks the most,” I admit with a nonchalant shrug, hoping the explanation will suffice.
“See, but you always worked, and now you don’t have to. You don’t even know if you would enjoy a New Year’s Eve party,” she counters, her tone eager to convince me.
I have no idea what else I could tell her to change the outcome, so I find myself conceding, albeit reluctantly.
“True,” I admit. “But it’s not my place, so I don’t decide.”
Sophia turns to Joshua, her expression pleading. Joshua, in turn, looks at Clay, who responds with a casual shrug. I get the sense that my fate has been sealed.
“All right,” Clay concedes too, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. “But you have to help clean up afterward. I am not going to clean up your friends' mess again while you’re conveniently absent with a hangover.”
Sophia’s face lights up with excitement, and she can’t contain her enthusiasm. “Yay! This is going to be so much fun,” she exclaims, clapping her hands together.
“I’m sorry in advance,” Joshua whispers to me, making me smile.