Chapter 5 #2
“Yes. Why would Mrs. Sheridan write to Rose asking her to tell you she’s sorry, and she tried? Any ideas?”
“Hmm … let me think.” She’s quiet for a moment. “Could this have to do with wrecking her car last month? That’s the only thing I can think of. What do you think, Rose?”
Rose peeks up at me, most likely for permission to answer. I nod. “I’m just as surprised as you are.”
Denny comes in next. “Maggie, did you talk to Mrs. Sheridan before you departed for Italy?”
“I did. The day before I left for the airport.”
“What was discussed?”
She sighs heavily. “Not much. She said how happy she was for me, and I could tell she was thrilled to send me on this trip. We talked about how Rose wasn’t able to come and how that bummed us out.” There’s a pause. “She told me she loved me and to be careful and safe. The usual motherly stuff.”
“Where was she when you spoke to her?”
“I have no idea.”
I press some more. “Think hard, Ms. Colbert. Could you hear anything in the background? Did she say anything at all? Or was she with anyone?”
“All I heard was like maybe clothes rustling. It sounded as if she was getting ready for something. But the conversation was about me and my trip.”
Denny purses his lips together. Rose still hasn’t moved. Silence fills the room. “I need to get back to my friend. Is there anything else?” Maggie asks.
Denny clocks me with a look. We know what this means. The person being questioned is feeling defensive and trying to gain control of the conversation.
But, then again, being questioned by the police can make anyone jumpy and nervous.
Denny continues. “Ms. Colbert, we understand you are on vacation, but we may need to contact you again for further questioning. Please keep your phone with you.”
“That’s no problem. I want to help however I can. Am I allowed to ask Rose something?”
I shift; my boot lightly grazes Rose's foot. She relaxes. Her posture deflates as her breathing slows.
“Yes, that’s fine,” Denny replies.
“Thank you. Well, it’s not really a question, but Rose, I forgot to tell you earlier that they had Orange Crush on the plane.”
Rose stiffens, and her eyes whip up. “Orange Crush, huh?” she asks.
“Yep, it was amazing.”
A code word. That’s exactly what this is. It’s completely out of left field, and based on Rose’s reaction, I would bet my kidney that’s what’s going on.
Once again, Denny glares at me. He sees it too. “Alright, Ms. Colbert, like I said, make sure you are available.” With that, Denny hits the red button, ending the call.
“You could have at least let me say goodbye,” Rose accuses while aggressively grabbing her phone and shoving it in her purse.
Denny ignores this. “She mentioned wrecking your mom’s car.”
“Yeah, it was nothing really.” Rose shrugs dismissively.
“Maggie is a terrible driver, and one night, Mom, Maggie, and I were helping some friends decorate for their daughter’s graduation party.
They realized they hadn’t bought enough wine, so Maggie volunteered to pick some up at the store.
Her car was blocked in, so she took Mom’s SUV instead.
Well, she rear-ended someone while texting.
Mom was pretty upset, to say the least, and they got into a massive argument.
They both said some things they regretted.
This wasn’t the first time Maggie had been in an accident. ”
“Do you think that’s what your mom was referring to?” I ask.
She shrugs again. “I mean, maybe. But they apologized and hugged it out the next day.”
Denny gives me a side-glance and sighs. He knows she isn’t going to like this next demand. “Rose, it’s important that you limit contact with your cousin until we have a better grip on the situation.”
She shoots out of the chair with her back to me, and of course, because I’m a guy, my eyes land on her butt. It’s perfect, just like I remember.
Oh, my God! I need to stop! Which, in the presence of Rose Sheridan, is very difficult.
“She isn’t involved in any of this!” she says in defiance.
“We aren’t accusing her of anything.” She turns and peers over her shoulder at me. As soon as her huge, gorgeous brown eyes meet mine, my knees almost give out. “However, your mom included that in her note for a reason. We need to figure out why.”
Denny pulls out a folder that he’s been holding. “Ms. Sheridan, Maggie’s parents died in a house fire when she was twelve, is that correct?”
She freezes. “Yes. How do you know about that?”
He tosses it onto the desk. “This is part of the file from the night Maggie’s parents died. Did you know your mother was there that evening?”
Rose’s attention whips to Denny, disbelieve spreads across her beautiful features. “What?”
Denny opens the case file and fishes out a grainy black-and-white photograph. Rose picks it up, studying it. The photograph is of a house ablaze in the background. Firefighters and police officers are scattered, and dead center, looking at the house with her hand over her mouth, is Diane Sheridan.
With slow and deliberate movements, Rose’s fingers grasp onto the photo. Shaking her head, she slowly sits. “I don’t understand. She never told me she had been there.”
She looks completely shocked and gutted. “What do you remember about that night, Rose?”
She steadies herself before starting. “Not much, honestly. I was only twelve years old. Maggie and I were at a slumber party. My mom came and picked us up in the morning, and I remember Maggie being confused because Mom wasn’t taking her home.
We went to my house instead. That’s when Mom told her what had happened.
We were so young. I don’t think she fully grasped what transpired.
She lived with us after that, and Mom became her guardian. ”
“Is that everything?”
Rose continues to study the picture. “I mean, we were kids. We helped Maggie cope with her grief, and then life soldiered on after that. School, growing up, boys. All the typical stuff.” She sets the photo down. “I swear, this is all new to me.”
I’ve done this job long enough to know if someone is lying.
And Rose is not lying. Denny can tell as well.
He has an interrogation persona he puts out there when he is trying to extract information from someone.
But right now, he’s softer. Kinder. It’s a side of Denny I don’t see much.
But Rose has a way about her. She must have Denny under her spell as well.
“Well, this is all the more reason that finding your mom is our number one priority, and I know this may be hard, but limit your contact with Maggie.”
Rose nods in agreement. “I understand.”
Denny slaps his hands on his legs. “Okay then.” He stands with purpose.
“Cal, I’m going to send you and Rose to the Black Onyx.
Check out the security footage. They finally got it ready for us after I decided to make this case everyone’s problem.
They were dragging their feet, and I was done.
Talk about frustrating.” He gathers up the photo.
“Plus, check out the room she was staying in. The manager promised her room would remain untouched.”
“Got it,” I pause. “Wait, her room hasn’t been searched yet? Why the delay?”
He continues. “You can blame me for that one. The Collins case has kept me busy these last two days.”
“Denny, you should have told me. I would have …”
He raises his palm to halt me. “Later. Rose, stay close to Cal. Do as he says.” He addresses me again. “I want hourly updates.”
I salute him as he gathers up the file and scurries out of my office.
Rose turns in a flash to address me. “I’m driving separately.”
I roll my head with a groan. “Did you not hear Denny? He wants us to stay together.” I grab my keys from my desk. “Let’s go.”
“Nope. I’m driving myself.” She starts to make her way out of the office, but I cut her off, slamming my hand onto the door frame.
Her glare reaches mine and, per usual, my stupid heart spikes. I can’t stop staring. “Why are you so infuriating?” And why do I like it so much?
“Me? I’m infuriating?” she asks in disbelief.
My jawline goes rigid as she shakes her head, explaining.
“You have made it abundantly clear with your”—she waves a hand over my chest—“body language that you don’t want me here helping.
I figured I would do us both a favor and drive myself.
You said it earlier; we have never been good at small talk.
Right now, I need as much space from you as possible.
” She adds a final truth. “Plus, I need to be alone to process all this.” She pauses. “Please.”
I watch the words leave her red-tinted lips as her plea pierces through me.
I swallow hard. My hands clench.
A few things. She’s not wrong. I have been rather curt with her, along with giving her the cold shoulder. Her mom is missing, and I need to show some more kindness.
But also, arguing with her, fighting, all the snark … I love it.
Probably too much.
The fact remains, if she were shadowing me again, and we weren’t in the middle of an active investigation for her missing mother, I would have slammed this door shut and lifted her up onto my desk. Then kissed those ruby red lips until she was mine.
Geez, I need to stop.
Pushing off of the doorjamb, I wave my hand, gesturing for her to go. “Fine. But I’m following you there.”
“Okay.” She exhales, taking a step back.
“I’ll meet you in the hotel lobby.”
She waltzes past me, her hips swaying rhythmically down the long, echoing hallway. I watch. For much longer than I care to admit.
Rose Sheridan is back in my life.
I smile.