Chapter 30
Mia’s admission about Adrian had me thinking.
“The day I met Adrian, he was standing in his front yard, staring at your house,” I said.
“He had a curious look on his face. I didn’t think much of it at first, and then after everything fell out of my handbag, Adrian walked over to help me gather it all back up, and we talked for a minute.
He asked about the investigation, and he said the two of you didn’t know each other well. ”
“We don’t, and I’m sorry I didn’t mention him sooner. The argument we had over his dog was ridiculous and petty, too petty for me to believe he’d commit murder because of it.”
“Petty grievances have led to worse.”
Giovanni, who had just cleared the breakfast plates and was tidying the kitchen, turned toward us. “A few weeks ago, a man in Phoenix killed his coworker because he kept parking in his assigned spot at work.”
“Sometimes you never know what’s going to set a person off,” I said. “Tell me everything you know about Adrian.”
“When he first moved to the neighborhood, it was nice knowing I wasn’t the only new face around anymore. Then I realized he was single, and let’s just say I wasn’t disappointed. He’s an attractive man.”
“What kind of dog did he have?”
“A Saint Bernard named Moose.”
Giovanni raised a brow, smiling. “A fitting name for that breed.”
“He’s enormous.”
“Aside from the dog relieving himself on your lawn, what was the dog’s temperament?” I asked.
“He was sweet. He’d wander over with his tail wagging, hoping I’d pet him, and at first, I did.”
“Before he started using your lawn as his own personal bathroom.”
“It bugged me that Adrian didn’t keep him contained. All dogs should be on a leash, especially one that size.”
“What did he say to you when you talked?” I asked.
“He promised Moose would do his business elsewhere. But that promise didn’t last. By our third conversation, he seemed annoyed with me, as though I was asking for something unreasonable. I wasn’t. I was even polite. At least until the barefoot incident.”
“What did he say when you left the bag on his doorstep?”
“I didn’t stick around long enough to find out. I dropped the bag on his porch and hurried back to my house. I’ll admit, I laughed the whole way.”
“Did Adrian confront you?”
“We spoke once and then Moose disappeared. That’s when he decided he needed someone to blame. He said I’d made no secret of how I felt about the dog and pointed out that I was the only neighbor who’d ever complained about him. From there, he jumped to the conclusion that I knew what happened.”
“Have the two of you talked since then?”
“He hasn’t spoken to me, but he stares at me sometimes.”
“From his house?”
“From his front porch. It’s never threatening, just unpleasant.”
“Have you seen him anywhere near your house since Moose disappeared?”
“I haven’t.” She looked at me, her expression weary. “I’d always thought Adrian was just a difficult neighbor. Now I’m beginning to wonder if I underestimated him.”
Part of me couldn’t imagine a man committing murder over his missing dog—especially when he had no real reason to believe she was involved. Then again, to many people, a pet was family, and the attachment ran as deep as the bond between a parent and child.
I turned toward Luka, who was lying by the window next to Coco, basking in the morning light, and pondered what I’d do if I was in Adrian’s position.
“I’ll see if I can talk to him today,” I said.
Mia leaned back and sighed. “I’m not ready to go home yet, to face everything that’s happened, but I know I need to, so I will. Being here has been a much-needed reprieve. Thank you.”
“There’s no need to rush back. You can stay as long as you like.”
“Georgiana’s right,” Giovanni said. “Besides, you’re safe here, which I hope gives you peace of mind. There’s no shame in accepting protection.”
“I know. I’m just not used to accepting help from anyone.”
“I understand. It can be harder than people think.”
Giovanni had always had a way of seeing the emotional architecture of a person, the beams and weak spots, and knowing just what to say and when to say it. I attempted the same but never had his level of finesse.
“I’m used to handling things myself, whether it’s a work decision or a life decision,” Mia said. “It feels weird to admit I need help.”
“I know the feeling,” I said.
“You do?”
“In my experience, refusing help when I need it most only makes things harder.”
“Wren used to tell me I wore independence like armor. According to her, I was so focused on showing people I didn’t need them that I made it impossible for them to care about me in the way they wanted.”
“Awareness is a good place to start. Once we recognize something about ourselves, we have the power to change it.”
Coco walked over, settling in next to Mia. “I think she knows I haven’t been myself these past weeks. I can’t imagine what she went through, being in the house when Wren was killed.”
I couldn’t either.
Mia leaned down, running a hand over the dog’s back. “Switching subjects, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I want to talk about Jeremy. I keep replaying yesterday in my mind.”
“It was a lot to take in.”
Her eyes filled with tears, and she blinked them back. “If I thought all of it had been fake, I could hate him. I mean, I hate what he did.”
“As you should.”
“I don’t want to miss him, or think about him, or wonder where he is and how he’s doing, but I can’t help it.”
Giovanni loaded the last dish into the dishwasher before crossing the room and offering to take the dogs for a walk. As he grabbed their leashes and headed for the door, he caught my eye and gave me a subtle nod, making it clear he knew we needed some privacy.
“I must sound pathetic,” Mia said. “I’m still pining for a man who may be responsible for my sister’s murder.”
“You can’t expect yourself to shut those feelings off so soon after what happened.”
“How can I care so much for a person I don’t even know?”
I went to the sink, filled two glasses with water, and returned to the table, handing one to Mia.
“When I confronted Jeremy, I saw what I believed was genuine fear in his eyes. Part of it came from being caught and knowing the truth was out. But there was something else there too. He seemed afraid of losing you. That doesn’t make him innocent, and it doesn’t mean you should forgive him. I'm just telling you what I observed.”
“Forgiveness. I’m not sure I’m capable of it. When everything came out yesterday, I remember standing there and thinking how much he reminded me of Christian.”
“In what way?”
“It was how hard he was trying to get me to understand him, like he believed if he could explain things to me in the right way, I’d understand, and everything would be okay.
It bothers me a lot. Christian had a way of turning every one of our issues into something negotiable.
I didn’t see it at first because he was charming. ”
“And then?”
“I saw past his charm, and I noticed a pattern, one I didn’t like. The way Jeremy was with me felt gentler and a lot more cautious, but for all I know, it could have all been an act.”
“That’s the trouble with lies,” I said. “They affect everything around them. Until we’re certain Jeremy had nothing to do with Wren’s murder, I don’t think you should be in contact with him.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I won’t.”
I wanted to believe her. Even if she was angry, given how strong her feelings were for him, I knew how much discipline and restraint she’d need in order to keep her distance.
Mia pushed her chair back and stood. “If it’s okay with you, I’d like to stay one more night.”
“I’m glad.”
“One night,” she said, lifting a finger. “Then I need to get back to reality.”
If I had any influence over the decision, she wouldn’t be leaving until after the case was solved.
“I’m going to get ready and then drive over to Adrian’s house and see if he’s home,” I said. “You’re welcome to come with me if you’d like to get some things from your house.”
“Can I think about it while you get ready?”
“Sure.”
As she turned to leave the room, her cell phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and glanced at the screen.
For a second, nothing happened.
Then she gasped.
“What is it?” I asked. “What’s wrong?”
She looked over at me, head shaking. “Last night, when I was drinking, I think I made a big mistake.”