Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
I’ve been on the phone for half an hour with a representative from the insurance company. I feel as if I’m going around and around in circles. “Ma’am, first you have to submit a copy of the police report, then your claim can be processed,” he says.
“Thank you. I guess I’ll contact the police for that report then.” I hang up without saying goodbye.
“What’s wrong?” Charlotte asks.
“They won’t do anything without a police report.” I sigh.
“Okay, so let’s get the report. The fire was an accident. They can’t not pay you out,” she says.
I shake my head and whisper, “It wasn’t an accident.”
“What do you mean? Did you do it?” she whispers back.
“No, it was Amy. And why are we whispering?” I ask her.
“You started it.” Charlotte shrugs. “I just went with it. Amy? Why would she burn down the store?”
“Remember that fireman you dated? Phil? He came by my house the morning after everything happened and said they had evidence it was arson. Amy was the only one in the store and she said it started from the garment steamer.”
“Oh my gosh, I hope you told the police. Have they arrested her?”
I shake my head again. I don’t know how to tell my friend they can’t arrest anyone because Emmanuel got to them first.
“Why not? You don’t owe her anything, Evie,” Charlotte presses.
“She’s dead,” I tell her. “There was a house fire the day after the store burned down, and Amy and her boyfriend were caught inside.”
“Really? That’s… a strange kind of karma and a waste of eye candy. Her boyfriend was hot.” Charlotte smirks.
“Who was hot and what karma?” Louie’s voice from behind us has me jumping out of my skin.
“Holy shit, don’t sneak up on a girl.” I gasp, a hand firmly planted on my chest.
“Evie’s store fire wasn’t an accident. Her employee did it. And then, the next day, the girl’s house burned down with her and her boyfriend inside it,” Charlotte explains. “Karma, right?”
“Karma or a psychotic Mexican,” Louie mumbles under his breath before repeating, “Who was hot, Charlotte?”
“Amy’s boyfriend.” Charlotte’s smirk widens.
“Good thing he’s already dead then,” Louie grumbles.
“Phil was looking rather fine still,” I chime in.
“Who is Phil?” Louie asks.
“Oh, just the fireman Charlotte dated a few years back.” I smile at my friend.
Louie looks to his wife. “You dated a fireman?”
“Mhmm.” Charlotte nods.
“I’ve been told she has shitty taste in men.” I chuckle as I relay what Emmanual said.
“Had,” Louie corrects me.
Something on the television screen catches my attention. “Wait! Can we turn up the volume?” I point to the screen. “I know those men.”
Charlotte picks up the remote and the reporter’s voice starts recalling the three home invasions resulting in multiple murders and fires.
“This happened today?” I ask.
“Seems that way. How do you know them?” Charlotte replies.
“They were all judges, at the pageants.” I swallow, my throat dry. Then the reporter mentions one of the homes included a man, his wife, and two teenage daughters.
“Oh…” Charlotte’s eyes bulge out of her head.
“I feel sick.” I run from the room, straight into the bedroom I’ve been using, and then into the adjoining bathroom.
Falling in front of the toilet, I empty the contents of my stomach. This is my fault. People are dead because of me.
“Evie, I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t have to see that.” Charlotte rubs a hand up and down my back. “Louie, get some water!” she calls out.
Once I’m sure I’m not going to throw up again, I grab some toilet paper and wipe my mouth. “It’s my fault.”
“It is not your fault. You didn’t do anything to those men,” Charlotte insists.
“Here, drink this.” Louie hands me a bottle of water. He looks from his wife to me. “Why would you think this is your fault?”
I can’t tell him. I shake my head as more tears fall down my face.
“Thanks. Can you make me some coffee?” Charlotte asks. “We’re fine in here.”
“You sure?” Louie appears undecided. He doesn’t want to leave his wife with me. I don’t blame him. People have been dropping like flies around me.
“I’m sure. It’s girl stuff,” Charlotte tells him, her voice firmer. He nods once and turns down the hallway.
“I’m sorry, Charlotte. I’m going to pack my things and go home. I shouldn’t have come here. I shouldn’t have brought my problems to you.” I choke down a sob.
“Nonsense. You are not going anywhere. You are my best friend. Your problems are my problems,” she says.
“You’re supposed to be enjoying the honeymoon stage.”
“Trust me, Louie and I are getting plenty of honeymoon time in.” She waggles her eyebrows up and down. “You think he did this?”
I shrug. “Who else?”
“I don’t know. But I mean, it could be anything and not even linked to you. How many other girls do you think they’re were?” she asks.
“I have no idea.” I’ve thought about it. Often wondered why no one had come forward. But what can you say if you don’t remember anything that happened? “I’m really sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing again?” Charlotte says.
“Because I’m a mess.” I push myself up and look at my reflection in the mirror. I’m horrified by the woman staring back at me. She’s ugly. Inside and out. “I think I’m just going to have a shower.”
She’s the reason two teenage girls are now dead. She’s the reason three homes were burned down today. This woman isn’t a good person. I’m not even sure why Charlotte hasn’t kicked me out already.
“Evie, look at me.” Charlotte forces me to turn around. She brushes my hair away from my face. Then she wipes her fingers under my eyes. “You are a good person. This is not your fault. You didn’t choose what those men did to you. Just like you didn’t choose what happened to them.”
“I told him. I knew what he was capable of and I told him. I should never have said anything…”
“I disagree. Your telling him freed you from carrying the burden alone, and it proved that what happened to you doesn’t define you, Evie. I know you thought you were unlovable, but if the actions of that man aren’t love, then I don’t know what is,” Charlotte says.
Emmanuel has told me that he loves me more than once. I’ve never been able to bring myself to say it back because I’m too scared to let myself. Can I really love someone capable of such brutality? The better question is can I allow myself to love a monster? Because I’m not so sure I don’t already.
“He murdered innocent people, Charlotte,” I mumble.
“One, we don’t know the facts. And two, we don’t know the facts. Did he maybe go a tad overboard? Yes. But I mean, you have met him, right? He’s a little… unhinged at the best of times. But I feel like, when he looks at you, that level reaches all new heights.”
“You didn’t even know we were seeing each other until yesterday.” I roll my eyes. “And now, suddenly, you’re all Team E?”
“So it’s E, huh? I’m Team Evie. Always. And I saw the way you came to life when you were talking about him yesterday. He’s good for you, hon.”
“He’s a murderer…” I whisper.
“So is my husband? Does that mean I love him less? Or that he loves me less?” Charlotte shakes her head. “No.”
“It’s different,” I tell her.
“How so?”
“Louie isn’t out killing innocent people, is he?” I counter.
“Not that I know of,” she admits. “Have a shower. It will make you feel better. I’m going to order pizza and find a whole lot of wine.”
“Okay.” Before Charlotte leaves, I grab on to her and pull her into my arms. “Thank you.”
I spent over an hour in the shower, and then another fixing my appearance.
I blow-dried and curled my hair. Reapplied my makeup and put on a cute little yellow sundress.
I stand by my theory. If you look good, you feel good.
And I do feel better. Or at least I feel like my mask is back in place and I can face the world again.
Do I want to? No. But I need to. I can’t hide in the bathroom forever.
The moment I walk out of the bedroom, I wish I could turn back around and hide. The hushed voices of Louie and Emmanuel stop the moment they notice I’m standing in the doorway.
Emmanuel’s eyes run up and down the length of my body. Slowly. From my toes, up my legs. He takes a moment to look at my hands twisting in front of me before his eyes continue their perusal.
“I’m going to help Charlotte with setting the table. Pizza just turned up. Evie, you good?” Louie asks me.
I nod and give him a polite smile. Something tells me if I said no, he’d stay and wouldn’t leave me with the ruthless monster I can’t seem to find a way to truly hate like I know I should.
As soon as Louie’s gone, Emmanuel takes a step towards me.
Instinctively, I take a step backwards. His eyes squint and his jaw ticks but he continues stalking forward as I continue to move in the opposite direction.
Until he closes the bedroom door and I realize I’ve just locked myself in a room with him. That’s not good.
“I should go and help Charlotte,” I say.
“Why have you been crying?” E asks. He reaches out, grabs my chin, and tilts my face upwards.
“I haven’t.”
“Don’t lie to me, Evie,” he says.
“Why?” I shake out of his hold. “What are you going to do? Kill me like you did those two innocent teenagers?”
“I would never hurt you.”
“That’s not true and we both know it. If I gave you a reason, you wouldn’t even blink an eye before killing me,” I fire back at him. “You’d probably keep me in some unmarked grave like Laura. Visit me when you feel bad about your life choices.”
“You’re angry,” he states.
I laugh. “Now he’s a genius.”
“I didn’t kill those girls.”
“You might not have been the one to pull the trigger, but you were the one who gave the orders. It’s the same thing, Emmanuel,” I tell him.
“Those assholes don’t deserve to breathe,” he seethes. “I will not let them live their lives like they’ve done nothing.”
“Their families didn’t do anything to me, Emmanuel.
The men? I can overlook them. Nothing I say is going to stop you from doing whatever it is you want to them.
But teenagers, Emmanuel? Really? I thought maybe I could get over this whole cartel lifestyle thing.
But I don’t know if I can. Actually, I can’t.
” I shake my head. “I can’t live with knowing that I’m the reason innocent people are dead. ”