Page 51 of East

“It was hardly help,” I say. “I was just giving out information to your friends.”

“Information that resulted in Maddox’s and my lives being saved,” Alissa says. “So I’m calling an audible on this. No charge to you for the rental. Just return it in the same condition you found it and we’ll be square.”

Thea furrows her brow. “I’m sorry, you saved her life?”

“She’s exaggerating,” I say. “It’s a long story. I’ll give you the whole lowdown later. It’s a doozy.”

“That’s certainly one way of putting it.” Alissa chuckles, turning to Thea. “Suffice it to say, I’m getting married in three weeks. Without Aus here, that wouldn’t be the case.” She gestures toward me. “But trust me when I say this is a good man, Thea. You couldn’t do any better than Aus Waverly.”

“I’m beginning to see that.” Thea smiles warmly. She turns to me. “You look like a million bucks. Shall we?”

“Of course.” I offer her my arm.

“Ta-ta!” Alissa calls out behind us. “Make lots of wonderful memories!”

I look into Thea Storm’s beautiful brown eyes. “We will.”

Wrigley Manor’s ballroom is decorated in dark purple and champagne. Since this is an animal rescue charity, a small petting zoo has been set up in the corner with baby animals that you can take a picture with. We made a beeline for the photos, of course. Thea took one with a baby bear, and I took one with a baby tiger. Easily the most badass picture of myself I’ll ever have. It would be perfect for social media if I had any profiles.

After the baby animals, Thea leads me over to the table ChicagO2 news purchased for the night. I meet a slew of people I half-recognize from the news, including the head anchor Micaela Fields—Thea warned me on the way that she’s a fake bitch, which is exactly the impression I got when I met her—along with her husband Michael. She then introduced Tip Sanderson—the co-anchor—and his partner, Daniel. Then Cal Dahmer, who covers sports. Cal, like Thea, apparently brought a last-minute date. She, like me, will have to head out early. That is if she shows up at all. An empty chair sits to Cal’s right.

“She probably isn’t real,” Thea whispers in my ear. “Cal’s a player with a new girl every week. Word might have gotten out about him.”

I suppress a chuckle as I check my watch. I have about an hour until I’ll have to excuse myself and head over to Jade to prep for the evening, but I can at least enjoy the first course or two at dinner. I sit down next to Thea and dig into the salad—a tasty raspberry vinaigrette over a bed of mixed greens and spinach finished off with a smattering of pine nuts. Micaela drones on about her upcoming vacation to Tokyo with her husband and daughters. Thea tosses me several well-placed eye rolls.

The waitstaff collect the plates to clear the way for the meat course—filet mignon, which I’m looking extremely forward to—and the rest of the people at the table get up to dance before the next course is served. Cal’s date still hasn’t showed. I can’t help but wonder if she stood him up the same way that Twistr asshole stood Thea up. I turn to Thea⁠—

Just as a cop taps her on the shoulder.

What? Behind her are two more officers.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” the cop says. “Are you Dorothea Storm?”

Thea scrunches her forehead. “Uh…yes.”

The cop nods curtly. “I’m Officer Mona King with the Chicago PD. Can you please follow me to a private room? We need to ask you a few questions in connection to a possible homicide.”

19

THEA

“Can you tell us what your relationship was with the deceased?” the detective asks.

“He was my stepfather.”

At least that’s what Emmy called him. I preferred “that bastard Bill.”

“He was the husband of your stepmother, Emelia.”

“That’s correct.”

“Were you with your stepfather the night he died?”

“I was in bed. He and Emmy had a big fight so I went to my room early and closed the door to block out the shouting.”

“Had he been drinking?”

“He always drinks. He says—said—it helps him focus.”