still waiting for the last of the forensic evidence to clear, since everything else we have is purely circumstantial.”
“Oh,” Bekki frowned with disappointment as she continued to listen.
"Right now we don't have enough evidence on anyone to do anything," Nick explained diplomatically. "So, you can tell that to your lawyer," he added, his eyes gleaming slightly.
"He's not my lawyer," she admitted quietly, trying to hide the surprise in her tone at the hint of jealousy she heard in Nick's voice.
"Oh?" Nick asked as he leaned back against the front wall of the house. "Because he seemed pretty convinced that he was."
Bekki did not take the bait, and remained silent as she stared out across the front lawn.
"Is he the reason you're back here?" Nick pushed, unwilling to let the subject rest. "Some kind of history there?"
Bekki glanced over her shoulder at Nick and studied him for a moment. "Aren't you supposed to be investigating a murder?"
"I'm on a break," he replied with one of his easy smiles creeping across his lips. "So answer the question Ms. Wilson."
"We were together," she sighed as she shook her head. "At least I thought we were."
"And now?" he asked as he stepped forward, laying the palms of his hands on the back of the porch swing.
"Now I'm, home," she replied and glanced up at him so that her nose was nearly grazing his chin.
"You certainly are," Nick breathed, and then abruptly released the back of the swing. "As I said, I'll keep you up to date on any new developments, but please stay away from Pete. He is our prime suspect."
"You mean other than me?" Bekki reminded him with a playful smile.
"I mean, be careful," he warned her. He started down the steps of the front porch.
"Thanks Nick," she called out without even realizing that she intended to speak. Nick looked back at her and nodded his head slightly. Then he continued down the walkway and out to the street. Bekki watched him walk away. She couldn't believe that so many years could pass, their lives could change so much, and yet, there it was, that subtle flutter that was sure to drive her mad.
When she was sure he was gone she jumped up from the porch swing. With a quick check of her watch she knew that she was running low on time. She hurried down the steps and to her car. When she pulled off onto the street she set her cell phone on the seat beside her. When she pulled into the parking lot of Pete's shop she sent a quick message to Nick. She wasn't trying to be reckless, just thorough. She let him know where she was and what she was up to. She had Nick’s number ready to dial and then she left the phone accessible in the front fold of her purse.
Pete was just getting ready to close up for the night when Bekki pushed her way confidently into the shop.
“You,” he glowered in her direction. “You can't be here, you have to go.”
“It's a free country,” Bekki pointed out and closed the door behind her. “I believe there is something also in my rights about being able to confront my accuser.”
Pete winced as he turned away from her and slapped the palm of one hand against the counter. “Bekki, I need you to leave,” he warned her in a menacing tone. Bekki was not intimidated, instead she strode closer to him.
“I want to know why you faked the voicemail Pete. I know, it wasn't because you killed Daisy,” she added coolly. “I know that you were in love with her. You wouldn't do that.”
“No, I wouldn't,” he sniffed, tears beginning to fill his eyes. “I would never do something like that to her. But it was my fault,” he sighed and closed his eyes for just a moment.
“What do you mean?” Bekki asked sharply and crossed the final distance between them. Pete abruptly stood up from the counter and stepped in front of her, effectively trapping her between himself and the counter. The moment he did, Bekki slid her hand into her purse. She dialled Nick directly and left the line open.
“I mean, what does it matter who
“Oh,” Bekki frowned with disappointment as she continued to listen.
"Right now we don't have enough evidence on anyone to do anything," Nick explained diplomatically. "So, you can tell that to your lawyer," he added, his eyes gleaming slightly.
"He's not my lawyer," she admitted quietly, trying to hide the surprise in her tone at the hint of jealousy she heard in Nick's voice.
"Oh?" Nick asked as he leaned back against the front wall of the house. "Because he seemed pretty convinced that he was."
Bekki did not take the bait, and remained silent as she stared out across the front lawn.
"Is he the reason you're back here?" Nick pushed, unwilling to let the subject rest. "Some kind of history there?"
Bekki glanced over her shoulder at Nick and studied him for a moment. "Aren't you supposed to be investigating a murder?"
"I'm on a break," he replied with one of his easy smiles creeping across his lips. "So answer the question Ms. Wilson."
"We were together," she sighed as she shook her head. "At least I thought we were."
"And now?" he asked as he stepped forward, laying the palms of his hands on the back of the porch swing.
"Now I'm, home," she replied and glanced up at him so that her nose was nearly grazing his chin.
"You certainly are," Nick breathed, and then abruptly released the back of the swing. "As I said, I'll keep you up to date on any new developments, but please stay away from Pete. He is our prime suspect."
"You mean other than me?" Bekki reminded him with a playful smile.
"I mean, be careful," he warned her. He started down the steps of the front porch.
"Thanks Nick," she called out without even realizing that she intended to speak. Nick looked back at her and nodded his head slightly. Then he continued down the walkway and out to the street. Bekki watched him walk away. She couldn't believe that so many years could pass, their lives could change so much, and yet, there it was, that subtle flutter that was sure to drive her mad.
When she was sure he was gone she jumped up from the porch swing. With a quick check of her watch she knew that she was running low on time. She hurried down the steps and to her car. When she pulled off onto the street she set her cell phone on the seat beside her. When she pulled into the parking lot of Pete's shop she sent a quick message to Nick. She wasn't trying to be reckless, just thorough. She let him know where she was and what she was up to. She had Nick’s number ready to dial and then she left the phone accessible in the front fold of her purse.
Pete was just getting ready to close up for the night when Bekki pushed her way confidently into the shop.
“You,” he glowered in her direction. “You can't be here, you have to go.”
“It's a free country,” Bekki pointed out and closed the door behind her. “I believe there is something also in my rights about being able to confront my accuser.”
Pete winced as he turned away from her and slapped the palm of one hand against the counter. “Bekki, I need you to leave,” he warned her in a menacing tone. Bekki was not intimidated, instead she strode closer to him.
“I want to know why you faked the voicemail Pete. I know, it wasn't because you killed Daisy,” she added coolly. “I know that you were in love with her. You wouldn't do that.”
“No, I wouldn't,” he sniffed, tears beginning to fill his eyes. “I would never do something like that to her. But it was my fault,” he sighed and closed his eyes for just a moment.
“What do you mean?” Bekki asked sharply and crossed the final distance between them. Pete abruptly stood up from the counter and stepped in front of her, effectively trapping her between himself and the counter. The moment he did, Bekki slid her hand into her purse. She dialled Nick directly and left the line open.
“I mean, what does it matter who
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