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Cold Hard Cash

Page 103

by K.L. Hiers

“What is it?”

“I think I’m in love with him,” she wailed hysterically.

Jimmy blinked.

Clearly, there was something he was missing here.

“But, Rowena? Dario is a really nice guy.”

“No, no.” Rowena pouted. “You don’t understand, Jimmy. I’m not a nice guy.”

“Of course you are. I mean, you’re a girl, of course, but you’re super nice. You’re sweet, you’re funny, you’re—”

“A killer,” Rowena screeched.

Jimmy gulped. “What?”

“You know how all the cops think Roddy killed Dickie? Well, it wasn’t him.” Rowena took a long sip of tequila. “I did it.”

Jimmy was glad he was sitting down because otherwise he would have fallen over. “Oh. That’s… um.”

“You want me to say I’m sorry or, or that it was an accident? I can’t.” Rowena blubbered. “I’m not sorry at all. He was a prick. A ridiculous fuckin’ asshole prick. Who I shot a tiny bit.”

“You shot him?”

“Um, about exactly nineteen times.”

“Nineteen?” Jimmy squeaked. “What did you shoot him with, a freakin’ machine gun?”

“No, my Glock,” Rowena clarified. She innocently took a small sip, adding, “I may have reloaded.”

“You reloaded. That’s, that’s good.”

“Roddy hated him sooo much,” Rowena went on. “Said he was just like Boris, told me I was being stupid. I didn’t see it. Until it was too late.”

Jimmy scooted closer, and he reached for Rowena’s hand. “Did he… did he hurt you?”

“Yes.” Rowena’s beautiful face contorted with anguish, and she sniffled as an obviously painful memory washed over her.

“Oh, Rowena.” Jimmy sighed in sympathy, leaning close and putting his arm around her shoulders. “I am so, so very sorry.”

“Hey.” Rowena smiled weakly. “Shit happens. You know… So. When he was done, I grabbed my gun. I wasn’t going to let him hurt me or anyone else ever again.”

“That could be considered a crime of passion, um, even self-defense under the right circumstances,” Jimmy said quickly. “There are ways—”

“Jimmy. I stopped to reload. Twice. That shows all that cognitive thought shit, so crime of passion would have been hard to sell.”

“Well, maybe…”

“I unloaded two full clips into him, and then I shot him one more time right in the dick.”

“Oh.”

“And I tried to set him on fire.”

“Oh!” Jimmy did his best not to show how horrified he was, patting Rowena’s hand as he stammered, “Well… uh. Jules probably would have… liked that.”

“That’s why they think it’s Roddy,” Rowena said sadly. “The cops found the body, saw the burns. They think Roddy offed him and Jules tried to hide the evidence.”