“Her birthday isn’t until October,” she said, pointing out the obvious.
He shrugged. “I hate being late.”
She opened her mouth to respond, but a loud knock came at the door. I looked at Keely, Harrison looked at me, and Keely looked toward the door.
“Expecting someone?” Harrison asked.
Keely shook her head. “No, Sierra said she was going to be home late.”
“I’ll get it,” he said.
I stood, standing beside Keely, while we listened to Harrison talk to someone on the other side of the door. A minute later, he came in, followed by two men in suits. It was the same two lawmen from Macchiavello’s.
“Keely,” Harrison said. “This is Detective Scott Stone and Detective Paul Marinetti.”
The younger of the two, Detective Stone, stepped up first, offering his hand. The older man offered his second.
“Ms. Ryan,” Detective Stone said, a serious look on his face. “I regret to have to inform you that your roommate, Sierra Andruzzi, was found dead. We’ve been trying to get in touch with you, but this is the first time we’ve been able to.”
Keely stumbled back, clearly in shock. She took a seat on the sofa after Harrison and I helped her sit. “She…” Keely shook her head. “She told me she wouldn’t be back until later. Her ex-boyfriend. Armino. He was at our door earlier. Mad. She broke up with him. Did he…”
“From what we’ve pieced together, Ms. Andruzzi ran to the store earlier, and that’s when she was assaulted and then murdered. It seems like she was headed back here. As of right now, we can’t say for sure. That’s why we’re here. To piece the time together.”
“I—I mean—” Keely struggled.
“We hate to ask you to do this, Ms. Ryan, but would you mind coming with us to identify the body? We cannot find a next of kin for Ms. Andruzzi.”
“No,” Keely said. “She was a foster kid.”
“My sister is not—”
“No,” Keely said, cutting Harrison off. “I’ll do it. It’s the least I can do for her.” She was visibly pulling herself together, using a reserve of strength to stand. “Let me grab my things.”
Detective Stone pulled out a business card and wrote the address to the place where Sierra’s body was being held on the back. He handed it to Harrison, who told him they’d be there shortly. I stood in the middle of the room, not sure what to do. I didn’t like Sierra, but no one deserved to be murdered.
Shit. Was it Armino?
Before Detective Stone left, he warned us that Armino might be lurking. Armino’s last name was Scarpone. He need not say any more. They were one of the meanest crime families around.
“Mari?”
I turned at the sound of Harrison’s voice. Keely stood next to him. “Come with us.”
“No,” I said. “I’d rather not.”
“You can’t disappear,” Keely said, and the pleading in her voice hit me straight in the center of my heart. “I need to know where you are. After what happened to you…and now tonight.” She sniffed, even though she wasn’t crying. Then she barreled into me, almost knocking the wind from my lungs.
“Can I stay here?” I said, barely able to take a breath. I wasn’t good with affection, but I wasn’t sure how to remove myself from her embrace without making a deal of it.
“Sierra’s old man.” Harrison shook his head. “It might not be—”
“He’s not coming back here.” I took a step back. “He’s probably long gone.”
Keely released me fully, nodding. “Yeah, he’s probably gone. Just make sure to lock the doors.”
“I will,” I said.
“Use the cellphone—” Harrison nodded toward the sofa “—to call me if you need anything. My number’s programmed in.”
