Regards,
Jonathan Oakland
Click here for my entrepreneurship course
Amie gaped at the email, skimming over it twice more before putting her phone down. She hadn’t expected a response, and that was before she even suspected that Jonathan Oakland could have been Savannah’s murderer. If hewasguilty, why would he invite over someone who wanted to ask questions about his victim? Did he want to steer Amie off course? Was he planning on killing Amie, too?
She shook off the second thought, rolling her eyes at herself. If this was the person who seemingly lured Savannah to be murdered in her own store by impersonating her on the phone, inviting someone over to his own apartment to murder them would be a significant downgrade in the murder strategy department.
Picking up her phone again, Amie opened her texts with Ziya. She had been trying to play it cool and let Ziya take the lead on their romantic reconciliation, but she figured this was reason enough to reach out first.
Amie: I’ve got a lot of new Savannah info to fill you in on. Are you free tonight?
The typing bubbles from Ziya popped up almost immediately. Amie waited. The bubbles disappeared. In the interest of her own sanity, Amie put down her phone and walked away, looking for something to occupy her while she waited for Ziya to reply.
Finding nothing of interest, she ended up doing a lap around her apartment before returning to her desk and retrieving the phone. To her relief, there was a response:
Ziya: I have plans tonight, sorry
A sick feeling began to bloom in Amie’s chest. She was used to Ziya having plans; that didn’t bother her. It had been a long shot to expect Ziya to be free that night. What bothered her was the lack of a follow-up, or even any interest in—
The bubbles popped up again.
Ziya: What did you find out?
The sick feeling withered on the vine, and Amie took a deep breath. Everything was fine. Ziya wanted to hear from her.
She typed out a summary of what she and David had learned from Madeline and sent it, walking away again. This time, she attempted to occupy herself with making dinner, only getting as far as preheating the oven and removing the burger patties from the freezer before giving in to the siren call of her phone.
Ziya: Wow. So Madeline probably didn’t do it then
Ziya: Oakland guy sounds suspicious
Amie: Yeah. I have a meeting with him tomorrow at 6. Can you come?
This time she stayed at her desk, staring at the phone for a full minute before Ziya began typing.
Ziya: I might have something. Can you bring David?
After “Detective Richards” accidentally gave David a motive for killing Savannah, Amie thought it would be best to keep her neighbor away from anyone else who could mention to the police that David Lenski was asking questions about Savannah Harlow. That, and Amie didn’t want to go with David. She wanted to go with Ziya.
Amie: He can’t go. If you’re not free, I’ll just go by myself.
Amie: Alone
Amie: To talk to a potential murderer
Amie: Who might murder me
Amie: Dead
Ziya’s response came faster than any of her others:
Ziya: Okay, I can meet you there
Ziya: Send me the address
Amie texted the address Oakland had listed below his email signature. Her thumbs hovered over the screen, multiple follow-up messages running through her mind.How was your day? What are your plans tonight? Can we hang out tomorrow night? Are we okay?She considered scrapping all of those options and pressing the call button, just so she could hear Ziya’s voice.
