“Yikes.” She reaches into her purse, retrieves a clear plastic baggie, and snickers as she offers me some Oaty-O’s. “Want some?”
“Thanks, but no, I’m trying to quit.”
She hands the cereal to her son who picks up a morsel and stares through the telescope.
God, her kid is exactly what I needed to cheer me up. “Don’t get me wrong. Kade is a great guy. He helped me through the incident but is gratitude enough? I mean Ilikethe man, there’s simply no…”
“Zing?” The PI saves me from having to find a euphonism for clitoris amorous.
“Precisely. I also can’t see myself as his old lady disassembling stolen car parts.”
“Don’t worry. Kiss some toads. One may be a prince. You have plenty of time.”
“But not enough to make huge mistakes. God, I have never crashed anything before; not a bike, a car… or a fucking helicopter.” My eyes close as the throbbing in my head increases to the point where I consider calling the nurse.
When my lids lift, I must be hallucinating because Amy’s standing in the doorway. I hardly recognize her. The last time I saw her, she had long, straight dark hair. Now, it’s bleached, cropped and curled,
My dear friend lifts her son to go but I’m in desperate need of an emotional support human. As I embrace my sister, I motion them to stay.
“You didn’t have to come.” Using the back of my hand, I wipe away my tears. After our last conversation, I never thought we’d speak again.
“It’s all over the news.”Here we go.At her accusatory tone, I sigh. Despite my hopes, our relationship hasn’t changed.
“No shit? People are talking about me?” I widen my eyes and try to look astonished.
As always, my sarcasm flies miles over her head. “Oh my God, have you even looked on social media?”
“Actually, I have not. I’ve been somewhat busy what with dying and all.” Okay, perhaps I should tone down the drama, but old habits die hard.
“I’ll give you some alone time.” Sam ignores my pleading eyes to stay, kisses my cheek over the bed bars, and whispers in my ear. “Call me if you require the services of a good hitman.”
I’m pretty sure she’s joking but the sentiment is sweet. “Keep your phone nearby. I may take you up on your offer.”
While Sam and Mikey say goodbye, Amy brushes the crumbs off the chair, sinks primly to the edge, and crosses her ankles. As she adjusts her floral dress and matching coral sweater, I can’t help but think if kid gloves and hats come back in style, she’ll be the first in line.
She puffs out her pouty pink lips. “Do you need money?”
“What? No!”Dammit. I am not taking a cent from her rich hedge-fund husband.
“Don’t blame me for asking. None of us can fathom why your lawyer isn’t shutting down the bad publicity. Were you drinking again, is that it?” I hate how she uses the word ‘us’as if it defines the entirety of everyone in the whole damn world.
God, help me now.I count to ten. Sure, I’ve had issues. Who the hell hasn’t? I was an unhappy teen and after the incident, I had a setback. She would’ve known all about it if she’d ever bothered to call. In all fairness, I probably would’ve hung up on her. She’s got the empathy of a hornet trapped under a lawnmower.
A forced smile struggles to my lips and thankfully as I’m about to take her head off, two of New York’s finest enter the room.
The older one nods at my sister and turns to face the bed. “Ms. Lanita Manuel? We’d like to ask you a few questions if you’re feeling up to it.”
“Y’all need me to leave?” My sibling bats her eyelashes at the youngest, an Elvis lookalike with an empty ring finger. Like me, she only spent summers in Texas, but by her thick accent, you’d think she’d been baptized in the Rio Grande.
“No miss, you can stay. This will only take a minute.” Officer blue-eyes smiles at her and it morphs to a grimace by the time his gaze reaches me. “We need a few things cleared up. Can you give us your whereabouts the night before last?”
“I was sleeping alone in my bed. I got there around seventeen-hundred and didn’t leave until morning.” The line of questioning worries me. Haven’t they read the toxicology report?
The older man picks up the teddy bear Mikey left on the floor, brushes it off, and places it on the bedstand. “Where were you before, say… five PM?”
“I went to the grocery store, then stopped and got a burrito on Onderdonk.”
“Did you take anything to help you sleep?”
