Chapter 17 #2
"No, it didn't. At first, when he was face down, I had hope, but when I turned him over to administer CPR, I knew he was gone. Now, I need to know why. Our team took a lot of things out of his house. I'm going to head back to the station to see if they found anything."
"Will you tell me what you learn?"
He frowned. "I don't know."
I appreciated his honesty but not his answer. "Really? We're back to that?"
"If I feel you can be helpful, I will let you know. That will have to be good enough for now."
"Okay. Do you want your Jeep back?"
"No. I have a car. I can get it later."
"I can bring it to you at the station so you can drive it home."
"I'll text you this afternoon and we can figure it out. In the meantime, you can use it."
"Thank you. I no longer have access to my aunt's car. It burned in the fire. Do you know if there are clues as to who might have set it?"
"I know there are investigators working on it.
The camera at the back of the building was disabled, and a window was broken, which was the point of entry.
They're looking at cameras in the area to see if anything or anyone pops out as being tied to Paige's case or to you.
In the meantime, I would take what happened as a very severe and urgent warning.
They didn't burn down that building to scare you.
They were hoping you wouldn't make it out. "
A cold chill ran through me. "I know. But that makes me want to find whoever did that even more."
"That's the wrong reaction."
"I'm just being honest."
"I'll walk you to my Jeep. Where did you park?"
"The parking lot behind the building." I fell into step alongside him. "I'm glad you're digging into all this."
"Well, you didn't give me much choice, and after what happened to Vincent, I am all in."
I gave him a quick look, hearing the painful emotion in his voice. "Do you think you have it in you to prove that your mentor deliberately closed an investigation to keep a friend out of jail?"
"I'm not sure that's what happened. But I follow the facts, Tessa. And if that's where they lead, I'll deal with it."
"You're very pragmatic. I tend to be more impulsive and emotional," I said as we reached the Jeep.
"I hadn't noticed," he said dryly.
I gave him a smile that suddenly made him blink. "Now I get it," he said.
"Get what?" I asked warily.
"Your smile. It's dazzling. I bet you got a lot with that smile."
"I got some stuff, but a good smile doesn't get me everything."
He gave me a speculative look. "Where are you going now?"
"Probably back to the hotel."
"You don't have any more meetings planned?"
"I'm going to see Liam later. I'm not sure why. He texted me that he had something to tell me."
"Maybe you shouldn't do that alone."
I was surprised by his words. "Why? You don't think I can trust Liam?"
"I don't think you can trust anyone."
"I know Liam. You know him, too. He said you play in a basketball league together."
"We're in the same rec league," he said. "But I don't know him. We had a few beers one night, that's it. Do you think he knows more about Paige's death than he's saying?"
"He says he doesn't, but I was surprised when he wanted to meet. He made it pretty clear in our previous conversation that he wanted nothing to do with me or the investigation."
"What happened between you two? I still don't understand why you both went back to your separate apartments at nine on a Friday night. That seems unusual for a college couple."
"We weren't getting along. We had a big fight earlier in the night.
The show was taking all my time, and Liam worked long hours at the bar.
He was putting himself through school, and he didn't like that whatever time we had together was filled with me ranting about the play and the people who were standing in my way.
It didn't get better after Paige died; it got worse.
We broke up at graduation. I hadn't seen him since then until this week. "
"I don't like this, Tessa. Your ex suddenly wants to help you. Why?"
"I don't know."
"Maybe I should meet him with you. Besides you, he was one of the last people Paige tried to contact."
"I'm aware of that, but it's not necessary.
I'm not afraid of Liam. I don't think he's a violent person.
And I don't believe he had anything to do with Paige's death.
He liked her and felt sorry for her." I knew I was talking too long and too defensively, but I didn't appreciate the doubt Barclay had put into my mind.
Could I trust Liam? The only other time I'd wondered that was when I thought he might be sleeping with Paige.
I believed his explanation and description of their relationship now because I was in a more objective place.
Or was I giving him more credit than he deserved because he'd been so angry with me?
Shaking the confusing questions out of my head, I added, "Anyway, I'll let you know what he has to say if it's relevant to the case."
He didn't look thrilled with my answer. "All right. But do me a favor, meet in a public place. Don't be alone with him."
"I was alone with him earlier. Nothing happened."
"That was earlier. A lot has happened since then."
I couldn't deny that. "You're right. I'll be careful."
"I'm surprised that word is even in your vocabulary," he said dryly. "But give it a shot."
I gave him a faint smile. "I'll try. Text me later. I'm eager to hear what else you learn about Cabot's death. I'm hoping that whoever killed him left some clue behind that will end all of this."
"You and me both," he said.