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But that wouldn’t be fair. I had to explain my reasoning to Roy.
I toweled off, moisturized all over, and then put on my shortie pajamas and clad myself in the lush white hotel robe. I inhaled deeply and opened the door, leaving my bedroom and entering the living area of the suite.
Roy was still on the phone with his brothers. He put his finger to his lips, motioning for me to be quiet. I nodded.
But I didn’t leave. If he didn’t want me there, he’d say so. I’d stay until he was done with his conversation, and then I’d talk to Roy about cooling things off.
Rock’s voice: You sure that’s what she said? What were her exact words?”
Roy: I can’t recall her exact words, but Charlie took really good notes.
Rock: Is she there?
Roy: Yeah. Right here.
Rock: Get her on the line.
Roy nodded to me, and I grabbed the laptop out of my briefcase. I also grabbed my phone. I hadn’t told Roy I recorded the conversation. Was now the time?
“Did you write down Leta’s exact words about her conversations with Nieves?”
I smiled.
He cocked his head.
“I took good notes,” I said, “and I also recorded the call.”
Rock: You’re a genius! No wonder Lace loves you so much.
Reid: Good call, Charlie.
Lacey: That’s my girl.
Roy simply smiled and mouthed, “Nice.”
“Can you play the recording for us?” Lacey asked.
“Yeah, of course. I was afraid you all would be angry at me for recording it.”
“Of course not,” Lacey said. “I was actually going to suggest you do so, but then I thought it might not be a very good idea. After all, it won’t be admissible in court.”
Rock: So what?
Reid: I’m with Rock. Thanks for thinking of it, Charlie.
I smiled to myself while Roy beamed at me. I pulled up the recording on my phone.24RoyShe was perfect. Perfectly beautiful, perfectly adorable, and perfectly brilliant. Who could ask for more in a woman?
I relived the conversation as the recording commenced.
When it was over, Reid spoke.
“What did she mean by that, Rock? Was she telling the truth? Did you tell her sister that Riley was the reason you were sent away?”
A cleared throat. Rock, I assumed. “I don’t recall telling her that.”
“Then she must have made it up,” Reid said. “This was all a waste of time.”
“The thing that bothers me,” Lacey said, “is the same thing Charlie brought up. Why would she be talking to her gynecologist about this stuff? I’ve got to say, I’ve never told my gyn about any conversations I had with an old boyfriend. Any conversations I had period. It doesn’t fly.”
“Did she know you were acquainted with Manny, Rock?” Reid asked.
“Leta? I don’t know,” Rock said. “Nieves did. Nieves hung out with me on the weekends. We rode, and we often ran into Hoss and Manny.”
“I meant Nieves,” Reid said. “That’s where this information allegedly comes from.”
“You think Nieves—or rather, Leta—could have told Manny on purpose?” Lacey queried. “And this is after she got the phone call the night of Derek’s murder.”
“Pretty convenient, all told,” Rock said. “But I sure can’t see how it means anything with regard to the murder. I couldn’t have done it. I wasn’t in the state, so why talk about it at all with her doctor?”
“I agree,” Lacey said, “in theory. But I also agree with Charlie that women don’t normally discuss this kind of thing while some doctor is looking between their legs.”
“Especially when that doctor is Manny,” Rock said.
“What do you mean?” Lacey asked.
“You saw him. Would you let that guy salivate between your legs?”
“That’s gross, Rock,” Lacey said. “I’m sure he’s a professional. But he is a little creepy.”
“A lot creepy,” Charlie added.
I thought of Charlie on the exam table, Manny’s fat head between her legs.
Yeah. That would never happen.
But still something bit at my neck. My little sister. The sister Reid and I had envied because she had our father’s attention.
He never beat on her. Only on us boys.
Did Rock feel the same way? Did he get angry because our father favored his only girl? Time for him to fess up.
“Is there any truth to it, Rock?” I asked. “Was Riley the reason you got sent away?”
A throat cleared, presumably Rock’s.
“There’s a story to tell,” he said, “about what happened back then. I always felt it was Riley’s and not mine.”
“Things are getting real, here,” Reid said. “We need to know all that you know.”
A pause. Then, “You’re right. We meet when Roy and Charlie return.”
“Good enough,” Reid agreed. “We should all be together. But what about Riley?”
“I’d like her there. Any word?”
“No,” Reid said. “The best PIs in the business can’t find her. I don’t know who can.”
“We’ll fly home first thing tomorrow,” I said.
“Good. Come straight to the office when you get here,” Reid said. “We’ll be waiting.”
“All right. We done here?”
