The officers moved quickly toward Derek. “What’s going on?” he asked, his eye still black and blue from the altercation with Nick in the breakroom Friday morning.
“You’re under arrest for the murders of Cheryl Baudin and Nick Prewitt,” the shorter one said, cuffing him. They read Derek his rights while he frantically looked around at the rest of us.
“I didn’t do it,” he exclaimed, pulling away in a panic. The officers gripped him hard, wrestling him out the door. I glanced around the room, finding a mixture of horror, shock, and relief on the faces surrounding me.
I tried to find that same relief, but instead I just felt sick.
There had only been one person I’d wanted to call when Ed dismissed us after rehearsal.
Ben and I sat at the table of the little hole-in-the-wall diner where we were grabbing a quick supper before heading back to my place. He had waited until I was halfway through my second drink before giving up on the small talk.
“Eve, the suspense is killing me. What the hell happened this morning?”
I used my finger to draw lines through the condensation of my glass.
“The police came in early this morning and searched our lockers.” I breathed out shakily. “They found evidence in Derek’s. The murder weapon and Cheryl’s missing Epi-pen.”
“Derek? The one you screamed at after we found the—Nick?”
I nodded.
He scrubbed his fingers through his hair. “He could have killed you.”
I snorted, unable to find it in me to be scared about it now that the case was closed.
“Well, he’s in jail now, so I think I’m safe.”
The shock was wearing off and now the whole thing only made me feel more agitated. I’d trusted Derek. I’d trusted that he hadn’t killed Cheryl. Trusted him all the way until I’d seen him coming down the stairs with Warren and I’d realized it was a misplaced trust.
His wife probably trusted him too, and yet he’d been having an affair with Warren behind her back for over a month.
We were on our way out of the restaurant after we’d finished our meal, when a high-pitched voice called out from behind us.
“Ben?”
We both stopped and stared at the blonde bombshell walking our way. Ben looked uncomfortable.
“Rachel, uh, hi,” he stuttered.
I narrowed my gaze, watching the leggy blonde throw her arms around him.
“God, it’s been ages since I’ve seen you,” she squealed.
He hugged her back, albeit a little awkwardly. Likely because the woman he was sleeping with was standing right next to him, watching the entire exchange.
“Uh, yeah, it has.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t had a chance to return your call last week. I’ve been so busy with classes,” she gushed.
Last week?Bencalled her last week?
When I’d been busy burying all my feelings for him, he’d been callingher.
My heart dropped into my stomach, leaving an empty ache in my chest where it should be beating.
There was an awkward pause as she looked at me curiously.
Ben cringed as he glanced at me out of the corner of his eye.
