I then heard footsteps out in the hallway. I sat up slowly and listened as they moved down the hallway toward the living room. I crawled out of bed and slowly went to open the door. I peered outside and noticed that Lucia’s door was open. I leaned a little further out and looked down into the living room. I heard footsteps moving around, but I couldn’t tell exactly where they were. I could hear typing frantically and the sound of a mouse clicking.
I chewed on my lower lip, hating that flipping feeling in my stomach. Something wasn’t right. The only computer in the house was mine, and no one else used it but me.
I heard footsteps coming back, and I quickly headed back into my room and closed the door slowly. I leaned against the door and listened as the footsteps came to my door. My heart stopped for a beat, before they continued, and I heard a door shut.
I headed into bed, curling under the sheets. I swallowed, staring at the door. I felt my heart was beating like crazy. I felt Westley move, his arm swinging around me. I sank against it, allowing it to calm me.
I sank into the sheets, not sure what I was going to do, but I knew I had to do something. Because Hazel had been right, something was wrong.
I woke up the next morning and went straight to my laptop. When I opened it, it was on a banking app. It wasn’t anapp that I used, and I felt my stomach dip. So, Lucia had been on my computer.
I felt a coldness settle over me, and my stomach churned violently. Was Hazel right?
After pacing for twenty minutes, trying to rack my brain over everything, I went through my room. I made sure I had everything and looked through my purse. I realized my library card was gone.
I sat on the couch and waited. I didn’t know what I was going to say to Lucia, but I knew someone need to talk to her. It was better for me than Hazel with how angry she was last night.
I heard footsteps coming down the hallway, and Lucia appeared. She was humming as she walked, pausing when she spotted me. “Oh, morning Gabriella.”
“Morning,” I said, not moving. I swallowed, trying to find my voice. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”
“Sure.” She rounded the other couch and sat down. “What’s up?”
I didn’t know how to word it without it coming off wrong. I didn’t want her to get the wrong impression, and I didn’t want things to turn sour either. But I need some explanation, something to make things connect. “I umm… Hazel was looking for her necklace. She has a pendant necklace that she always wears. Have you seen it?”
She shook her head. “No, I haven’t. Did she leave it somewhere by chance?”
My stomach dipped. If she were innocent, she should mention that she had. Or that it was in her room before.
“I don’t know. She wears it a lot, so it’s unlikely that she would lose it. Umm… I was looking for my library card, but couldn’t find it.
Her face shifted slightly. “Did you leave it in the room, maybe? I don’t recall seeing it, but you never know.”
“I’m pretty sure it was in my wallet…and it’s not now.”
She frowned, her face falling. “Are you trying to say something, Gabriella?”
“I’m just asking because things have been going missing and…”
“And you think I’m taking them?” she asked, crossing her arms. Her soft, relaxed face was gone, and she looked at me, insulted.
“I don’t know… I mean…”
She snapped up. “You are the ones who invited me into your home. I’ve done nothing but help around the house and respect your guys’ boundaries. Why on earth would I take your things?”
“I’m not trying to accuse you…”
“That’s what it sounds like,” she snapped back. She curled her hands into fists. “I haven’t taken anything. Go through my room if you’d like.”
I was almost ready to say I had found what I was asking about. “What were you doing last night? You were on my computer.”
She looked at me like I was crazy. “I wasn’t on your computer. Why would I go on your computer?”
“I heard you.”
She shook her head. “I wasn’t on your computer. I wouldn’t need to go onto your computer.”
I frowned, trying to be understanding. “Lucia, I know that you’ve been through a lot.”
