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After our totally fun and carefree chat, Leesha went off to go glare at her mom some more. My house was officially lucy-less. That was fine by me. I had plenty of stuff to do. I took a peek at Leesha’s Facebook. Her mom had posted a photograph of her with sentimental garbage, and people were commenting more sentimental garbage. Nothing new there. For kicks, I also caught up on local news. Apparently, “new evidence” had come to light in a cold case, causing an unsolved murder to finally be put to rest. Terry’s wife couldn’t wait to get a divorce. I did not blame her one bit.
My vague work done, I sat back and relaxed. I was finally alone, and could have some long overdue me-time. I drew myself a bath, made a huge soda float and settled down to watch a couple movies that George had banned me from watching with him. I was looking forward to a few hours without his incessant rambling throughout a movie.
That was, until I put on the first one. It was too damn quiet.
I switched it off almost immediately. It felt wrong, almost as if he’d died or something. You know when you go somewhere with somebody and then they leave and you can’t go back there anymore? Yeah, that’s what it felt like. I couldn’t even relax without him.
My God, I truly was crazy.
I sat in silence on my bed, sipping at my soda which now tasted of nothing but sweet distress. George had somehow become a part of me. I can barely remember a time when he wasn’t in my life.
I also didn’t want to.
Before I met him, I was a mess. Even more so than now. I’ve gone into it and brushed past it so many times that I won’t bother going into it again. George came along in the middle of it all and I didn’t have the heart to tell him to leave. Okay, that’s a lie. I didn’t care enough to tell him to leave. I was... was I depressed? Who knows, maybe? Either way, I was in a bad place. I kinda thought “meh” and let him tag along. Six months later, here we are. I’m suddenly realizing that I can’t let him go while he’s starting to drift away. What if he decides he no longer wants to be a lucy?
What the hell was I going to do then?
I would help him, obviously, because I had to. Wouldn’t I?
Would I?
‘Hey.’
Think of the devil, and he will appear. Trying not to jump, I gave George a small wave and a quick once-over to see what he looked like. No anger, relaxed stance, same stupid-ass haircut.
He looked normal.
‘Hey, where’d you go?’ I asked nonchalantly.
‘Movies,’ he shrugged.
‘See anything good?’
‘Yeah, it was amazing. The cinematography was perfect, the whole thing was intense. I kept getting closer to the screen until I accidentally went through it. The room was crowded. The atmosphere was incredible. You would’ve hated it,’ he finished shrewdly.
‘Undoubtable. Listen, I want to apologize about earlier.’
‘Which part?’
Ugh, I hated when he did that. Can’t he just accept my blanket apology for whatever the hell I did? Still, I bit my tongue, literally, and swallowed my blood as I answered.
‘I do care about Jessica.’
He staggered back through the wall in surprise and asked me to repeat myself. I told him again.
‘You care? About helping people and working toward the greater good?’
‘I do,’ I said, as his eyes widened. ‘I didn’t want to admit it earlier because it’s difficult for me to talk to people like this. The last person I could truly speak to was Tommy, and I haven’t really gotten over him. I’ve always cared about justice, but sometimes it gets to me, which is why I take it out on people. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.’
Man, I was laying it on so thick you could drive a truck over it. I think it worked, though.
What, don’t tell me you thought I was being sincere? Come on.
He had been rambling on about helping people ever since we’d met. Me caring about people was the only thing that he cared about. And if I pretend that I do, he’ll stick around. We’re a team now, whether he likes it or not. Whether I like it or not. We need each other.
So, I lied. Water is wet and the sky is blue. The world carries on turning.
‘I am so happy to hear you say that,’ George enthused, his little face brightening. ‘I always knew the cold thing was an act. I mean, you risk your life to help people. Of course you care. Does this mean you’re okay with David eventually being arrested for murder?’
I faltered slightly, but nodded. I sure as hell wasn’t okay with that, but what choice did I have? If I didn’t find evidence against him, Izzy would never get off my back. The way I saw it, it was him or me.
‘That’s great. Speaking of, I passed Rathers on the way back. I think he was coming here.’
Oh boy, I could not wait. Well, I had to get that over with sometime soon.
‘Did he seem happy?’ I asked.
‘Of course not. Did you think he was coming by to thank and congratulate you?’
Touché. I headed downstairs as I heard his car door slam shut. I’d heard it so many times recently I could recognize it.
George was right, he didn’t seem happy. Rathers looked like he’d stepped in dog crap without any shoes on. I held the door open for him to come in but he shook his head.
‘I’m not staying long. I just wanted to let you know that you’re not always right,’ he said.
‘Oh, thank you, that’s very kind. Seemed to be earlier, though.’
He avoided my gaze and nodded.
‘Yeah, a full-on confession. I told my boss it was a team effort, and we’d been looking over old cases to find new evidence.’
‘New evidence, I read about that. Is that my new nickname?’ I pondered.
He quickly glared at me.
‘I told him the truth off the record. It’s not the first time he’s heard of your name. He thought I was insane, going back to you after what you’ve done.’
My head chose a good time to start pounding. You know, I wondered whether I’d ever be able to move on from this. What with George reminding me of Tommy every two seconds and now Rathers sneering at me, it felt like I was being constantly reminded. Okay, I get it. I made a mistake. People paid the price, including me. I mean, if it bothers people so much why do they keep bringing it up?
‘Is that all?’ I asked crisply.
‘No. I meant what I said. You’re not right all the time,’ he said, and I distinctly noticed a twinkle in his eye.
‘Just say what you have to and leave.’
I was not in the mood for games.
‘I spoke to David earlier,’ he shrugged, and my heart sank. ‘I played the “new evidence” card and he called my bluff. He admits to being bullied by Elizabeth and Chuck, but says he left prom as soon as it happened. He also said he was nowhere near Leo’s bar on the night Leesha was murdered.’
‘Just because he said that, it doesn’t mean he’s telling the truth.’
To be honest, I was surprised David denied it. And annoyed. I was counting on him being a weasel and admitting to doing the deed. Without that, I had nothing.
Literally nothing.
‘Just because you said he did it, it doesn’t mean you’re telling the truth,’ Rathers bit back. I know you are but what am I?
‘He did it, I’m telling you. He killed Izzy after prom and Leesha after a date. He strangled them both.’
‘Just like he strangled Jessica?’
Ooh, I’d forgotten about that.
‘And how’d he do it with only one working arm?’
Ooh, he’d lost me. George and I glanced at each other, baffled.
‘Huh?’ I asked. Rathers chuckled as though he’d expected me to not have a clue.
‘He had an accident at work over twenty years ago, working with heavy machinery. He tore a couple ligaments in his left arm. He’s barely been able to lift that since the 90s.’
Holy mother of God. He wanted to catch me out in a lie and boy, did he do it. I cannot believe that Izzy didn’t-
No, wait, I can believe it. It was my own stupid fault for believing her in the first place. And also, for not asking what he was like now. High school was almost forty years ago. Why was I still thinking of him as purely the little bullied kid with asthma? Well, there was an obvious answer to that. I was an idiot.
Rathers took my stunned silence as confirmation that I was a liar. I mean, technically I was lying anyway, but shut up. He smiled and whistled a merry tune as he headed back to his car. Clearly, all was right again in the world.
‘You know, maybe you should have asked Izzy-’
‘I know,’ I hissed at George. He coughed, abashed.
‘What do we do now?’
Rathers wouldn’t believe me anymore, and he certainly thought David was now off-limits. I wouldn’t trust a single word that came out of Izzy’s mouth. Nope, it was down to me. As usual.
‘I need to see this David Schaffer.’