AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey yourself.” He locks his hands at my waist. A small smile, kind of sad but mostly real, tips his mouth. “Letting me talk, just being here, Allie, means more than you know.”
Not many times in my life have I sat this still this long, but wrapped in Marco’s arms, I could linger until sunup. I hope I’ve eased some of his pain as he has mine.
The car with the booming stereo cruises its way back up the road. Marco and I slowly pry ourselves apart, me wiping my eyes. “What are you going to do?” The question gnaws at me to the beat ofprison, prison, prison.
His folded hands rest between his knees. “Not sure what there is to do.”
“But you have to fight.”
“Don’t worry. I intend to. I’ve got a good attorney, but who knows? There’s already no gun, and if a jury believes Anderson never actually entered the apartment, there goes my right to defend my home. After that, I figure it’s a pretty short walk to a murder verdict.”
He says he’ll fight, but he sounds fatalistic. I know there have been some egregious police shootings lately, but I don’t believe—I can’t believe—Marco, Mr. Calm and Steady, is a loose cannon. Sure, people make mistakes, but someone is going to have to prove to me that he messed up before I believe it.
“There are some things that bother me.”
“Like?”
“I’m human, Annalise. I make mistakes, as you well know, all the time, but…”
I think he’s pretty awesome. “But?”
“There was some light, and I know what it looks like when someone is holding a gun. I know it sounds crazy, but I did fall kind of hard. I’ve wondered if maybe…”
“Maybe you passed out?”
Sober, he nods. “Maybe I missed something and someone else was involved. The idea’s been floating around for a while now. Seems kind of conspiracy theory-ish, though. The thing is, the narrative has always been that Anderson was just some innocent kid who came to my door by mistake that night, but it’s never been clear who he was actually looking for.”
“That sounds fishy.”
“I agree, but…still, I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel here. Tripp’s had zero luck investigating the guy—”
“Wait. Tripp’s investigating?”
Marco stiffens. “Trippwasnosing around for me since I was ordered to stay out of things. Came up empty, and after this week, he’s off the case. But…” Though his words trail, I hear the significance of what he’s omitting.
“But what, Marco?”
“You know, I’ve been so wrapped up in whether the kid had a gun, doubting myself, I keep forgetting one thing…He didn’t just say something threatening.
I’m about ninety-percent certain he threatened me by name.”
CHAPTER 29
Marco
The bedroom door squeals, but Annalise doesn’t budge. The lamp from the living room paints a swath across the bed. I call her name. Nothing. On the second attempt, she raises her head, her hair wild around her face. She’s so beautiful.
“Sorry to wake you, but can we talk for a minute?”
“Umm…” She shoves a wave of golden hair over her shoulder. “Sure. What’s up?”
“In the living room?” Because I know better.
A giant yawn engulfs her. “Yeah, okay. Give me a minute?”
I spend the next two minutes pacing the worn-out carpet, trying to shake it off. But my attraction to Annalise—Allie—is the least of my problems this morning. I said my goodbyes to Mom and Rachel when they left for work and school before sunup. Their tears almost stopped me. Well, Mom’s tears. Rachel still isn’t talking to me.
Annalise comes into the room, hair brushed, but otherwise unprepared for the day. Bruised circles still cup her eyes. I hate disturbing her. Her body has been through considerable trauma, and she needs rest and time to recuperate.
