She gently pushed her glass away as her expression soured. “But that’s all ruined now.”
“We’re really sorry for your loss,” Amie said softly.
“I should get back to my friends,” Raina said, sliding off the chair. “Thanks for the drink.”
Amie’s mind had returned to her bullet points. She still hadn’t asked about Benny. She had to be natural about it, like Ziya said. Just follow her gut and casually bring up—
“Benny!” Amie blurted out as Raina moved to leave.
Ziya covered her mouth, poorly hiding her wince (or her laughter—was shelaughing? At a time likethis?).
Raina paused. “Sorry?”
“Do you … know him?” Amie asked haltingly.
“I know of him,” Raina said, brows furrowing. “He’s the Harlows’ landlord.”
“Yes,” Amie confirmed, nodding perhaps too emphatically. “Do you know if he and Savannah had … issues?”
“Savannah had issues with everyone,” Raina said flatly.
“Right, right.” Amie’s mind raced as she tried to wrangle the conversation back in her favor. “But do you know if Savannah … I don’t know, was, like, blackmailing him or anything?” The end of the sentence came out in a rush as Amie grasped how poorly she was handling this shift in their exchange.
“What are youtalkingabout?” Raina asked, looking unsettled.
Amie looked to Ziya for help, not sure if a compliment shower could work in this situation.
Instead, Ziya said, “We think someone was blackmailing Benny because he was cheating on his girlfriend—now ex-girlfriend. Savannah, or maybe her husband. Some people think it could be her husband.”
“Ziyathinks that,” Amie clarified.
“We thought if Savannah was the one doing the blackmailing,” Ziya continued, “or if Benny eventhoughtshe might be doing the blackmailing, that he could have potentially killed Savannah because of it.”
Raina stared blankly at them for several long seconds. Amie could almost see the gears rotating in her head as she processed this information.
Then, without warning, her neutral expression crumpled, and she covered her face. “Shewasblackmailing him,” she said through her hands, her voice shaking. “And it’s my fault. It’s all my fault.”
Chapter TwelveGuilt and Pizza
Day 3 A.L.
Amie and Ziya both leapt to their feet and ushered Raina back to the seat she’d just evacuated. Ziya asked the bartender for a glass of water while Amie urged Raina to take deep breaths.
“I’m sorry,” Raina finally managed to get out after drinking some water. “I didn’t want to lie to you. I’ve just been so scared of him, and scared that what you just said might be true, and—”
She’d begun to hyperventilate again.
“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Amie said soothingly, rubbing her back. “Deep breaths.”
“Talk when you’re ready,” Ziya added, earning her a glare from Amie.
What?Ziya demanded with a shake of her head.
Look at her!Amie silently retorted with a hand wave in Raina’s direction.We broke her!
Do you want to find out what she knows or not?Ziya demanded with a widening of her eyes.
Before Amie could respond, Raina took a deep, trembling breath (which was a welcome interruption for Amie, who couldn’t quite figure out how to use charades to communicateWe’re not going to get anything out of her if she passes out from asphyxiation!).
