“That’s what I hear, but I was at dinner with Jack.”
“Oh, thank God,” he gushes in relief. “I’m thankful you were there and that you’re safe and well. Makes you really realize how short life can be. All the more reason to get this patent sold and secure my family’s future.”
“Please don’t use Akia as a reason to sign a contract with Big Davis, Dad, and especially without meeting with the second attorney.”
“I’m meeting him today. Jess got me the name, and I set-up an appointment, but, Mia, if this new attorney says the contract is golden, it’s golden. It’s a lot of money on the line and a hell of a lot of security for my family. That means you, baby girl.”
“I care about you and your invention, not money.” I round the corner to bring the library into view and halt at the news trucks and crews all around the building. “I have to go, Dad. The library is surrounded by press and chaos right now. Just please think hard before you sign. I love you.”
“I love you, too. Be safe.”
We disconnect, and I hurry forward, spying what appears to be a memorial for Akia in front of the library, flowers, and notes, and random items displayed for all to view. Because no matter what a jerk he was to me, he was a human being with family and friends who loved him. He didn’t deserve to die. Nearing the entrance, I press through the crush of the crowd and activity, showing the police my credentials and eyeing the line to enter the library. Even our security guard is a police officer today. Once I’m inside, I spy Jack behind the help desk, a line of people waiting on him. I hurry forward, join him, and offer him his coffee.
“Thanks,” he says. “I need this. It’s chaos here.”
“Have you checked on things upstairs?”
“Our team is holding down floor three. Here is the problem. Half the staff down here called in sick. Apparently most of them were at the happy hour with Akia when he died. They aren’t taking it very well, as you can imagine.”
I can imagine, I think, wondering how many of those people were close to Akia, even his version of my two Js.
“Well, let’s handle things so they don’t have to,” I say, and with that in mind, my phone goes into the pocket in my dress. “I’m ready,” I add, opening the cabinet beneath the counter and shoving my purse inside, ready to get to work.
With speed in mind, Jack and I break the line in two, offering aid where we can, in every way we can, but there are a lot of people just curious enough to want to ask questions. Lookie-loos in the library, which is really not cool at all.
Worse, there’s an event in the auditorium that doesn’t cancel, and I’m forced to manage. It feels weird to do my job that I was scheduled to train Akia to do this very morning—creepy, even, and I fight off guilt. I allowed Adam to know too much about my conflict with Akia.
Once I’ve ensured the group renting the auditorium is settled in, Neil corners me in the hallway. “Thank you for taking care of the auditorium. The police want to talk to you.”
“To me?”
“To everyone. They’re looking for suspects in Akia’s murder last night.”
That’s all he says, just that, before he turns and walks away.
I draw in a shaky breath and press my hand to my belly. I’m going to be a suspect. He took my job. I’m the person everyone is going to point at. I’m starting to spiral when one of the employees calls my name, a call really for me to get back to work. I hurry down the hallway to attend the employee and a patron, which morphs into another employee and patron.
At some point in the midafternoon, I exchange texts with Jess, but I barely remember the content for the craziness around me. It’s around three when Jack and I slip into the zoo break room and manage to down a couple of bites of cold pizza that someone, maybe Neil, ordered hours before.
“They think Kara has an ulcer,” Jack informs me after slugging down a drink of sugary Coke. “Her husband called to check on you hours ago, and he told me. I just never got a breather to tell you.”
“Oh wow. Well, that explains a lot about her chronic problems. How is she?”
“In pain, but they are working on getting her on the right meds.”
I’ve just taken another bite of my slice when a uniformed police officer steps into the room, the sight of him in the doorway jolting me, as if Neil didn’t warn me this was coming. He did. I just seem to have lost the warning in a sandwich of chaos and questions, or, I imagine, more of that mental self-preservation. I didn’t even warn Jack this was coming.
“Can I ask you two a few questions?” the officer asks.
My spine stiffens, my body tense, the line along my jaw tight enough to pop, and yet somehow I manage a friendly enough, “Of course, Officer,” moving to the seat next to Jack to allow the officer to sit with us at the little table we’ve been sharing. “We have pizza,” I offer, “but it’s pretty cold.”
“I’m good, but thank you.” He’s a young man with dark hair and wrinkle-free skin. I can only hope that indicates he doesn’t have enough experience to coax guilt and a confession from me over pepperoni pizza.
“I’m Officer Kelley,” he informs us, claiming his seat and pulling out a little white notebook like the ones you see officers use on television. “This will be fast,” he adds. “Where were you both last night?”
Jack is quick to spare me, answering for us both, explaining our trip to the hospital and then the taco joint that neither of us can name, even under pressure. Officer Kelley scribbles notes on his pad, then takes down our addresses and as much detail as Jack offers him. “We’ll confirm all of this easily enough,” he assures us before he flips to a page, shuts the pizza box, and sets a list of names on top of it for our review. “These employees were at the bar with Akia. Do any of them have a reason to want him dead?”
“Want him dead?” I ask. “One of his friends and coworkers? I thought it was a bar fight?”
“We work on floor three,” Jack replies before Officer Kelley can answer me. “We don’t know Akia or his group well at all. We’re just covering for them because most of them are out today.” He glances at the list. “Those are all his coworkers from this floor.”
“Exactly what I was going to say,” I interject, but my mind is racing. I should tell Officer Kelley about the job situation, but Jack grabs my hand under the table and squeezes, as if warning me to keep my mouth shut.
“We do believe it was a random bar fight,” Officer Kelley says, answering my question. “But it’s standard practice to cover all bases.” He reaches in his pocket and hands each of us one of his cards. “If you think of anything or hear anything we need to know, please call me.” He nods and stands, exiting the room.
I twist around to face Jack. “I should have—”
“No,” he says, his tone soft but absolute. “That information serves no purpose. You kept your pay. You were not at the bar. The end, Mia.”
“But others will tell him.”
“The only others who will talk were at the bar and are far more worried about themselves right now than you.”
“Yes, but—”
“No, Mia. Again, I say, the end.” He stands. “Let’s get back to work.”
Chapter Eighty-Two
The library closes at six that evening, and Jack and I wrap up the paperwork on floor three. “You want to come over?” I ask. “Jess is coming by, but there will be pizza, much better than what we had at lunch.”
“I told my sister we’d go to dinner since I’m skipping the wedding tomorrow. And the party, by the way. I’m not sure I told you that or not.”
“I’d still like you to come, Jack.”
“I’ll cover here and let you leave early. We have piles of paperwork for both floors to catch up on. I might just order dinner here tomorrow night and do it all. I wish I could do that tonight, but apparently Akia dying has freaked out my sister. She wants to see me.”
I’m reminded of what my father said this morning and speak my own version now. “Life is short. Take care of those you love.”