18

Selena

“How’s that blouse now, Selena?”

Jesus. I couldn’t shake Joshua’s words or his face. Even the music I’d selected, heavy metal music to be exact, had done almost nothing.

I was jumpy, more than usual so when I heard a sharp rap on the door, I almost yelped in surprise. After taking a deep breath, I headed into the foyer.

“I saw you on the news,” Jenny said as soon as I opened my door. Her smile made me cringe all over again.

“Nice to see you too,bestie.” I jerked the bag holding the wine out of her hand, leaving her to close the door behind her. The day had been arduous, my office phone ringing off the hook. I was thankful my cellphone was kept a secret from almost everyone or it would still be ringing off the hook.

“Hey, I watch television. You don’t appear happy at all in the shots. But you did look fabulous in red, darling.” When I threw her another hateful look, she rolled her eyes.

“How could anyone be happy while being bombarded by sharks and piranhas?”

I’d tried everything to discount the timing of the murders, replaying the hours I’d spent with him over and over again in my mind. The conclusion I continued coming up with didn’t bode well for my anxiety or my mood. Unless I was missing something significant or the man was a genie, there was no chance he was the murderer. What I hadn’t been able to come to terms with was how I was going to handle the news and his alibi. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I’d spewed the word several times during the day. Still, it was early. I needed to determine if he’d brought anyone with him and so far, I hadn’t found a commercial flight he’d been registered as coming in on. I doubted he’d driven from Montreal.

“Metal music. That means you’re really down in the dumps,” she teased.

“I have every reason to be.” Great. Now I was taking out my bad mood on her.

“Ouch. You had a very bad day. Maybe we need to skip wine and go straight to tequila,” Jenny suggested.

“Wine first then tequila.”

“Good idea.”

She trailed behind me into the kitchen. While I’d shut my laptop case, the notes from the crime and my thoughts on Joshua were in plain sight given I’d lost track of time since coming home.

“Jesus. You’re still working,” she said, peEricag down at the items on the table. As I would do given our profession, she started flipping through the information I’d gathered. Right on top was a picture I’d printed of Joshua from the internet. He’d been attending a swanky event, more handsome than ever in his tuxedo. I could stare at the photograph for hours, which didn’t bode well for attempting to prosecute a case I wasn’t certain had any merit any longer given the time the murders had occurred. “Whew. He is something.”

“Yeah, well, looks can be deceiving. You should know that better than anyone.”

“I know, girlfriend. Just saying.”

I wasn’t certain how to get the news across that there was no chance in hell the man in custody had done the terrible deed.

I placed the wine down, yanking the other bag from her hand then closing the manila file I had everything in. “Yeah, it’s a hell of a case.”

“You know what I think? You need to consider getting another job. Being prosecutor of the year isn’t making you happy any longer.”

She wasn’t wrong, but I also wasn’t ready to give up on it just yet.

“What about you?” I teased.

“I’d give anything to handle prosecuting cases versus being forced to act as if I believed or cared about the lowlifes I’m representing.” She caught herself, looking away. “I know that’s terrible to say.”

“We all have bad days,chica. That’s what I’m chalking my bad mood up to.”

And the fact you fucked the suspect like a wild, bucking horse.

“I know. You just don’t know how lucky you are to be the golden girl.”

“Me? The golden girl? Right.”

Huffing, I yanked out the ice cream container, grateful she’d also brought my favorite chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies with her as well. I hadn’t eaten all day and after being at the morgue, I couldn’t handle the thought of eating anything other than sweets. That was my form of self-medication, including the wine.

“Aren’t you being a bit testy,” Jenny said, teasing me. She was a brilliant attorney as well, but she preferred being on the defense, enjoying being the hero to her clients. Or maybe I was wrong. It had to be tough trying to remain princess of the family she’d grown up in while toeing the line in defending criminals. I couldn’t do what she did for a second.

“I have good reason to be.” I pointed to the cabinet. I didn’t need to tell her to get out the bowls. We’d had this routine for several years after grueling events or breakups with bad boyfriends. I’d known her since college, which meant we knew almost everything about each other. Secrets. Fears. Fantasies. She was like a sister to me.

Sadly, what had occurred with Joshua couldn’t be revealed to anyone. Maybe I was embarrassed or just angry with myself for being so stupid. I yanked out two wineglasses, almost breaking both in the process.

“Why are you so upset? Is it the case or the hounding from the press?” she asked a few seconds later.

“Both.” I fumbled before I managed to hold onto the wine opener.

“Please don’t tell me you’re angry about Matt. You are better off without him.”

“Oh, fuck, no. Our breakup was long overdue. Would you believe the bastard erased every picture of the two of us on his F******k and I*******m account?” I’d actually looked for no other reason than to try to reground myself. Maybe I was also attempting to find a reason for my reckless behavior.

“I noticed. I’m sorry but you know how I felt about him. I still think a bad boy is in order for you.”

That’s how the entire ridiculous situation started in the first place, my foray and drop straight into hell.

“Nope. I’m done with men for a little while.” When I broke the cork in the middle, I growled.

“Methinks you protest too much. Did something happen at that swanky hotel?”

“Uh, no. Of course not.” I sensed I’d answered too quickly. Shit.

Jenny slapped the bowls on the counter then yanked the bottle and opener from my hand. “Ri-ight. Spill it. What is going on? Were you a bad little girl?”

I walked to the kitchen window, peEricag out at my tidy little front yard. I’d finally gotten around to planting flowers, even purchasing two gorgeous vases for the front porch. Yet I rarely watered them or bothered paying any attention like I’d promised myself I would. I’d even purchased myself a swing that was hanging from two thick steel hooks from the porch ceiling. I’d honestly believed that I would take some time off frommy arduous work schedule to enjoy my beautiful home, even chatting with the neighbors. That had never happened. Not once.

If it hadn’t been for the continuous rains, the flowers would be dead.

“Nothing I can’t handle. My mood also isn’t about my weekend. I was strongly encouraged to go see the murderer today.”

“By whom?”

“Christine.”

“Wow. That was fast.”

“Tell me about it.”

She moved toward the file again, wine bottle still in her hand, snatching another look at his picture. “Tell me about him.”

“I don’t know what to say. Joshua James is a suave man with more arrogance than almost any male I’d ever met. He had a way of making me feel naked, more vulnerable than I’ve felt in a long time. I could swear the man could read my mind.”

She shook her head, easily maneuvEricag the rest of the cork from the bottle, and immediately pouring two full glasses. “I’m surprised you were required to go see him. He is a looker though.”

“Yeah, he certainly is. More so in person. Handsome. Debonair. Cunning.”

“Interesting. From the way you’re acting, I’d say you know the perp.”

When I didn’t say anything, she groaned. “Oh, no. You do know him. I want details. How? Didn’t I hear he’s from Canada or something?”

“Yes, he is.”

“Hmm… I’m seeing the hotel in my crystal ball.”

Before I could rebuff or try to figure a lie that she wouldn’t see through, my phone rang, the sharp sound forcing me to jump. I glanced down at the screen where I’d placed the phone on the table and grimaced. I had no idea who was calling me. While my number was unlisted given my profession, only given to those I considered friends, family, or co-workers, I had a very bad feeling.

“Aren’t you going to answer that?” Jenny asked as she placed my glass right next to the ringing phone.

I took a deep breath, catching it on the fourth ring. “Selena Barrios.”

“Be very careful, Ms. Barrios, how you handle the case. You won’t want to find yourself ending up like Mr. and Mrs. Voltair. Now, would you?”

The call immediately ended and I was frozen, still holding the phone to my ear. What the fuck? How did the asshole get my number?

“Are you okay?” Jenny asked. “You look like you’re going to be sick.”

I couldn’t speak, another trickle of fear skating down my spine. While the call had been mechanically altered, that didn’t mean the man’s voice wasn’t just as terrifying. I pulled the iPhone away, immediately redialing the number. As I suspected, thequick beeps followed by the plastic voice that the number I’d reached was no longer in service kept the chill racing all the way to my toes.

I’d been threatened before more times than I could count, but never had I felt such terror. And as I glanced out the window, I was certain I was being watched.

This would need to be handled carefully.

Stonewalled.

That’s exactly the way I felt.

And I hated it.