Chapter 28
Mia spent most of the drive staring out the passenger window as we made our way to the house. As the gate swung open at the end of our driveway, Mia’s eyes widened when she saw the man seated inside the security booth.
“You have a security guard?” she said.
“We have a security guard, yes,” I repeated.
I left it at that and drove up to the house, glancing at her as I shut off the engine. “How are you feeling?”
“Not great.”
We stepped out of the car, and I grabbed her bag, the porch light clicking on as we made our way to the front door. The second I opened it, Luka came charging toward us from somewhere inside the house, his paws skidding across the hardwood floor when he reached the entryway and saw Coco.
The dogs circled each other for a moment, and then Mia crouched down and opened her arms to him. “Well, aren’t you sweet?”
Luka responded to the compliment by wagging his tail.
Giovanni came around the corner dressed in dark lounge pants and a charcoal-gray T-shirt. He looked at Mia, then at me, his expression shifting from curiosity to concern.
“Mia,” he said. “It’s good to see you again.”
She stood and pointed at him with the kind of exaggerated seriousness only a person who’d been drinking could manage.
“You,” she said.
Giovanni raised a brow. “Me?”
“Georgiana told me a story about the two of you tonight. She said you’re the man she’s been in love with since college, or maybe she said it was even before college. Sorry, I’ve had a few drinks, and the night is a bit of a blur.”
Giovanni seemed amused to hear he’d been the topic of conversation.
“I’ll explain later,” I said.
“I look forward to it,” he replied.
Mia tried to take a step forward, and she stumbled. Giovanni reached out, grabbing her so she wouldn’t fall.
“Again, I’m sorry,” she said. “I had wine, and then more wine, and then tequila, which I don’t even like, so I suppose that says a lot about my state of mind right now.”
“I’m sure you’re tired,” I said. “Let me show you to your room, and you can get settled.”
“I suppose it would be a good idea to go to bed before I say anything else I might regret.”
I led her down the hallway to the guest room, Luka and Coco trailing close behind like furry escorts.
I switched on the lamp beside the bed, setting her bag on a folded blanket at the end of it. The room was simple but warm, with cream-colored walls, floral bedding in earth tones, and an oversized window overlooking the backyard.
She moved a hand to her hip and looked around. “This is nice.”
“I’m glad you like it. You have an en suite bath, and there are towels in the cabinet under the sink.”
She nodded, taking it all in.
I walked to the door and paused, turning back. “Is there anything else you need?”
“I don’t think so. I’m exhausted. I’m going to try and get some sleep. Goodnight.”
I left the room, and when I checked on her a half hour later, she was already asleep, sprawled across the top of the bed over the covers with Coco at her side. I grabbed a blanket out of the closet and laid it over her, hoping the sleep would do her some good.
The second I stepped back into the hallway, my phone buzzed.
It was Whitlock.
Just wanted to give you a heads up. Mia’s mystery guy has been questioned and released.
The message was vague. Too vague for my liking. I decided I should speak to him before I made any assumptions. I dialed his number and walked toward the den, settling on the couch.
When he answered, I said, “What happened with Jeremy?”
Whitlock sighed. “Despite his questionable life choices of late and his decision to impersonate a fictional businessman, we don’t have any evidence that he’s involved in Wren’s murder. Not yet.”
“So, you released him?”
“We did.”
It seemed too soon.
“How did he take it?” I asked.
“Like a man whose life just blew up in front of him.”
“He created the mess he’s in. He only has himself to blame.”
Despite what I’d just said, I almost felt sorry for the guy, if he was innocent, and the jury was still out on that.
“Oh, I should add that we’ll be keeping an eye on him,” Whitlock said.
“How close of an eye?”
“If he sneezes in public, one of our officers will be there to offer him a tissue.”
That was reassuring.
“He’s at the top of my suspect list,” I said.
“Ours too,” Whitlock agreed. “People who lie about their identities don’t tend to inspire confidence.”
If Jeremy had wanted to kill Mia, inserting himself into her life the way he had seemed like an unnecessary risk. Then again, people who created entire fake identities weren’t always known for their sound judgment.
I leaned back against the couch cushions, thinking. “Jeremy seems to have genuine feelings for Mia. The frustration and hurt he showed while trying to explain himself felt real enough. But then there’s the matter of his brother’s death and the motivation behind what Jeremy did.”
“Sounds like you've got a thought rattling around. Want to share?”
“After Jeremy found out Christian died, I’m sure he felt a considerable amount of guilt that the two of them didn’t mend things before it was too late,” I said.
“When he saw the photos of Mia and learned how much Christian was in love with her, it might have angered him that she’d ended things with his brother. ”
“Makes sense.”
“He said he wanted to meet her because he was curious about the woman his brother cared so much about. But what if that wasn’t his intention at first? Think about it. As far as we know, Christian died while trying to send her a text message. What if Jeremy blames her for what happened?”
Whitlock went quiet, and then I heard him tell someone he was on the phone with me.
Seconds later, I heard Foley’s voice over the line. “Ask Georgiana why Mia was last seen getting in the car with her.”
“Foley wants to know—”
“I heard,” I said. “Put him on speaker.”
There was a pause and then Foley said, “I’m here.”
“I stopped by Mia’s house tonight to check in on her after what Jeremy put her through earlier today,” I said. “She’d been drinking, and she said some things that concerned me.”
“Like what?” Foley asked.
“She was feeling defeated, but I’m sure it was just because of the day she had. She’ll be fine.”
“Can you be more specific?”
I was starting to regret mentioning it at all.
“She was talking about standing on her front lawn and announcing to the killer that she was there, and he could come and get her,” I said.
“Geez.”
“She didn’t mean it. She was frustrated and feeling alone, so I suggested she stay the night at our house. She’s here now, and when I checked on her a few minutes ago, she was sleeping.”
There was a long pause.
“You still there?” I asked.
“Sure am,” Foley said. “It was good of you to ask her to stay at your place. Keep me updated if anything changes.”
“I will.”
We ended the call, and I sat staring at my phone, my mind returning to the same questions that had haunted me for days: who wanted Mia dead, and why?
Footsteps sounded from behind, and I turned to find Giovanni standing in the doorway.
“How’s our guest?” he asked.
“Sleeping, last I checked,” I said. “I hope she stays that way.”
He crossed the room and sat beside me. “Tell me about your day.”
I started with my drive to Paso Robles and the news that Christian was dead.
From there, I told him about my conversation with Bernice and the photographs she’d shown me.
I recounted my visit to Mia’s house, meeting Simon, and the realization that his real name was Jeremy, and he was Christian’s brother.
Then I told him about confronting Jeremy at Cliffton Villas and Mia’s reaction when she learned he’d lied about his identity.
I ended by explaining why I’d gone back to Mia’s house and how, the moment I saw the state she was in, I knew she shouldn’t be alone tonight.
When I finished, he said, “This Jeremy fellow … it’s hard to know his true intentions.”
“That’s what worries me.”
Giovanni turned toward me. “Why?”
“Because even if his feelings are genuine, it doesn’t erase his deception.”
“It does not,” he agreed. “But deception doesn’t always erase genuine feelings either.”
I considered that.
“If it turns out he’s innocent of Wren’s murder, I imagine he believed he could control the situation by lying to Mia,” Giovanni said. “He told himself he’d explain everything, and then his emotions complicated it.”
“You sound sympathetic.”
“I’d like to think I’m observant, like you. People are messy, and when grief and loneliness are involved, it makes matters even worse.”
“All I know is that he lied, and Mia’s devastated. Jeremy walked into Mia’s life carrying secrets he chose not to reveal until he had no choice. What I can’t decide is whether those secrets make him my prime suspect or just a man who made a series of foolish choices.”
“Aside from Jeremy, do you have any other promising suspects?”
“I don’t, and even though I think I’m close to getting to the truth, I also feel like I’m going in circles.”
Giovanni draped an arm around me. “Maybe a good night’s sleep will help you too. You might wake up with a fresh perspective.”
I glanced down the hallway leading to the guest room. “You think she’ll be okay tonight?”
“At least here she can rest knowing she’s safe. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to spend each night in that house after what happened to her sister.”
It was something I’d thought about too.
Even with a patrol car out front, I was sure she’d had some sleepless nights.
We stood, turned off the lights, and I peeked in on her one last time. She was still sleeping, which was good to see.
As I headed upstairs and changed for bed, my mind drifted back to Jeremy, to the panic in his eyes, the desperation in his voice, and the way he’d looked at Mia when she walked out.
Maybe it had all been an act.
Maybe none of what I’d witnessed was real.
If that was true, Jeremy was one hell of a liar.