I blinked at him.
I wasn’t happy, I’dgrant him that. But it was a stretch to imagine that I might commit murder overthis.
It took me until then torealize I was holding him two inches off the ground.
I’d thought he was taller.
A whimper escaped him as Ilowered him back onto the concrete.
“Sorry,” I mumbled. It washard to be particularly sorry, but the look on Dave’s face told me he was anidiot, not a co-conspirator.
“I like Quinn,” he said,glancing down at my hand still fisted in his shirt.
Letting go would have been amistake. Dave was frightened, and frightened people did all kinds of stupidthings.
“He’s always so nice to me,”Dave continued. “And I mean, he’sadorable, how could I not like him?”
Oh.
Right.
He’d been trying to do theright thing because Quinn wasadorable.
Hard to fault him, since Iwas still hanging onto him by the collar because Quinn was adorable. We wereboth as stupid as each other.
Tentatively, I eased my gripon Dave’sshirt. He glanced both ways down the street, as though he might bolt, but aglare pinned him in place.
Either the glare or hisapparent fear that I was one upset away from murdering him in broad daylight,anyway.
“Let’s say I believe you,” Isaid, because I did. I believed that Dave had a crush on Quinn and had beenquick to do as his uncle said because that seemed like the way to his heart.
Being wrong wasn’t a crime. Evenbeing very wrong.
“I’m telling the truth!”
“Yes, that’s…” I sighed.Interrogation wasn’t my strong suit. “I’m willing to assume you are. So all you’reguilty of right now is being an idiot. An idiot who wasn’t supposed to make acopy of that song, I’d wager.”
Dave’s gaze dropped.
“Right. So let’s help eachother out. I won’t tell anyone I know it was you as long as you answer myquestions. Truthfully and completely. Sound good?”
“Sounds good.” Daveswallowed as he looked up at me again.
“Okay,” I said.
Umm.
What questions did I haveother thanwhy? Would Dave even know the answer to that?
Worth a try, I supposed.
“Okay, so… Vincent leakedthe album too, didn’t he?” I asked, more myself than Dave.
“I think so,” Dave said. “Imean… if you’re asking if I gave him a copy? Yeah. He said, umm. He said it wasfor Quinn’s parents, so they could be the first to hear it. I just…”
“Wanted Quinn to like you, Iknow,” I finished for him. Unfortunately, I understood.
How could I be angry withhim? He’dbeen trying to help, and I was willing to bet Vincent was capable of beingcharming if he needed to be.
