[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.”Ted moved to stand on the step below me.He looked right into my eyes.“And where, or from whom, did you get that idea?”“Bob.”“Why would Morgan threaten you numerous times, thereby tipping you off to his plan?”“Because the next person she planned on being was one of my grandmothers.I’d have the best reason for killing the woman.” I told him about finding notes about my grandmothers in Violet’s bag.“Gussie’s making a celebration of friendship album for my grandmothers.It went missing for a few hours, and later turned up in a box with our clearance items.”“Then why was she following you beforehand? It doesn’t make sense.”“Because the Cropportunity website showed Scrap This was a vendor.There were also pictures of my grandmothers and Steve.She started doing her homework on us before the event.” A thought slithered into my head.“Does Bell know Morgan was here because of me?”Ted shrugged, refusing to meet my eyes.I lowered myself onto the stair and leaned my head against the wall.“Now who’s holding back? You know something I should know.”“I can’t say, Faith.” Ted sat beside me.“I wish I could.I hate being a secret keeper when I know it’s best for it to be out.Some information is more painful when you hold it inside than when you let it go.It’s the keeping it quiet that eats at you, not what actually happened.I wish you and others had a little more faith in the people in their lives.”“It’s not them.It’s what others will say and think about them that worries me.”Ted leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees.“Your grandmothers and Steve can handle it.They haven’t just lived with the roses and rainbows of life.They’ve dealt with the thorns and the storms that come with it.”“So poetic this morning.” I placed my hands behind me and braced myself as I stretched my legs out.My ankles rested on the edge of the second step down.“It’s what happens when I spend time with my brother and his boyfriend.It reminds me some people have to fight for the basic right to love somebody.Makes me realize we shouldn’t take love for granted when it’s so easy for us to grasp and hold onto.”I pivoted, placing my back to the wall and drew my knees to my chest.“Sometimes love is hard and should be let go.”Something flickered in Ted’s eyes.“Sometimes a person you love, yes… but not love itself.When a person who says they love you harms you, then let it go.But don’t let love go because someone hurt you.”I hugged my knees tighter.Was Ted going to profess his feelings for me again? My heart raced.I loved Steve.I wanted to be with Steve.Ted stood and held his hand out to me.“Let’s get the coffee and breakfast I promised you.”I placed my hand in his.Ted drew me to my feet.“So, do you have any idea who might have killed Morgan?”“Leave it alone.” Ted used his arms to box me in against the wall.“Sweetheart, I know you don’t want anyone else to get hurt.You have to realize the people who love you don’t want you to get hurt.”“I can take care of myself.”“Not against everything and everyone.When I go on a case, I take back-up.I wear a bullet-resistant vest.I carry a gun.If I don’t check in, someone at the station sends out a distress call.Even though I can take care of myself, I don’t put myself in a situation where I have to prove it to stay alive.” Ted curled a strand of hair around his finger then tucked it behind my ear.My breath hitched in my throat and my legs wavered.“I’m not putting myself in these situations.”“They just happen?”I nodded.Ted ran a thumb over my lips.“When will you believe the people who love you don’t need you to continually test yourself to prove you’re good? They already know it.”“I’m not testing myself,” I said even as Ted began caressing my bottom lip.“Then are you testing us?”“No.” I held Ted’s wrist, stopping the touch creating a desire in me I shouldn’t have for the man I didn’t choose.“Helping people is what I have to do.It’s part of me.Who I am.I can’t turn away when someone’s life will be altered because of someone else’s choice.”Ted stepped away from me and crossed his arms.“If that’s who are, what you need to do with your life, then do it.But do it right.”SIXTEENCroppers congregated in the hallway.Harsh whispers flowed from one group to another.I stopped and sipped my hazelnut coffee, hoping to catch a few words.My interest increased when I spotted Detective Bell talking to a group of four women.One waved her arms around in exaggerated motions, and the other nodded to whatever statements the other woman’s gestures emphasized.Detective Bell’s gaze clashed against mine.I hurried over to the closed door.Great, now I’d have to juggle my coffee, my eavesdropping attempt, and open the door.I prayed I didn’t splatter any of the steaming liquid onto my hand.“I’ll get it.” A woman grabbed the handle and tugged it.“The croppers last night sure were a rowdy bunch.I thought the manager was going to flip when he opened the door a few minutes ago.”I froze in the doorway.Paper, stickers, candy wrappers, and confetti littered the floor.The entertainment last night must have gotten a little out of hand.Two security guards, real ones, patrolled the perimeter of the cropping room.With Bell talking to croppers in the foyer, I wasn’t sure if the manager stationed the guards in here to protect someone, or keep us contained.I was opting on herding us in as the police were under the assumption the murder was caught, and so far our presence here had only caused the manager headaches.And more than likely multiple nighttime phone calls.On my way to Scrap This, I shifted my coffee mug to my other hand and picked up some of the empty packages and discarded embellishments off the floor.I placed the outer plastic wrappers into the trash and the abandoned embellishments into the “Lost and Found” box I created last night.I was surprised to see Violet’s items at her cropping spot, looking untouched
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]