CHAPTER 004

NINA.

The drive to the police station was a nightmare, the kind where you're screaming and screaming, but no one can hear. My body was moving independently, my fuzzy flip-flops smacking the pavement as I was led away by the officers. There were onlookers. I heard some of them whispering, their glances flicking from my ridiculous pajama bottoms to my face.

I wished I could scream at them. What are you gawking at? Y’all never seen a woman being arrested in nightwear?

They escorted me to a cold, clinical interrogation room, the fluorescent lights overhead humming gently. I stared at the table stupidly until a detective, middle-aged, tired-looking, sat across from me.

"Miss Davies," he started, extending his palms wide on the tabletop.

I bestowed upon him a skeptical blink. "I wish to make a telephone call to my attorney."

He shook his head and scooted a tacky police station phone over in front of me. I grasped it up in shaky hands and called the number of Lauren Hilton.

She answered on the second ring. "Nina?"

My throat was dry. "Hey, Lauren. I…" My voice cracked. "I need you to go to the NYPD 1st Precinct. I've been arrested. They're charging me with…" I took a shaking breath. "They're charging me with murdering my dad."

There was a pause, and then a boisterous, "What?"

"I don't… I don't know. They just took me in."

"Tell nothing to nobody," she said sternly. "I'm coming."

The phone clicked dead.

I took a gasping breath, holding onto the phone. "Can I…" My voice trembled. "Can I call my husband?"

The detective hesitated but then nodded.

I tried Bryan's number.

It rang. And rang. And rang.

Voicemail.

My heart compressed in anguish. I tried again.

This time, he answered. "What is it, Nina?"

I took a deep breath. "Bry, do you know? My dad… Somebody killed him. They arrested me. I need you to come down here. Please."

There was silence.

Then he let out a sigh. "Look, I can't help you, Nina. Just… leave me alone."

The phone hung up.

I stared at the phone in horror. My fingers went numb.

"Time's up," the detective said, wrenching the phone from my hand.

Tears stung at my eyes. I pushed them away quickly, sniffling angrily. I had no choice but to wait for Lauren, my mind racing with possibilities I couldn't prevent.

—

When Lauren Hilton entered, the mood in the room changed.

She strode in like she owned the place, all business like, dark blond hair in a tight bun, expensive navy-blue suit tailored to perfection, Jimmy Choo shoes clicking on the floor. She was slender but projected herself like a woman twice her size.

"Miss Davies isn't going to be answering any questions without me," she said matter-of-factly, placing her bag on the table. "Let's get started."

The detective nodded and opened a laptop. "Surveillance tapes," he said, tilting the screen between us.

I had my fists clenched as the tape ran.

There was no audio, but there was no missing the fight. I was entering my dad's office, my position firm, my expression tense. He was waving his hand in my direction, his face set in rage. I waved my hand back, moving toward him.

Then the camera cut to me walking away. And Dad was lying in a puddle of blood.

My stomach churned.

Bile crept up my throat as they produced crime scene photos, Dad, lying on his back, eyes open, his shirt stained red. My breathing came in quick gasps.

Lauren's hand flew out, clamping around my wrist. "Breathe, Nina."

"Dad's dead," I whispered. "Dad's really dead."

The terror scratched at my neck. I shuddered so hard that I could barely sit still, remembering my conversation with him.

Lauren's attention swung to the detective again. "Reverse the video."

He frowned but complied.

Lauren inched closer to the detective, her pointed gaze sweeping across the screen. And then she clicked her tongue. "This jas been edited."

The detective blinked. "Excuse me?"

"The footage is edited." She pointed at the screen. "Look here, there’s a skipped frame. The timestamp jumps. That means whatever happened after Nina left was cut out."

The detective’s brows furrowed. He leaned in, examining the footage. Then he sighed. "We’ll send it in for further analysis."

Lauren stood, smoothing her blazer. "Until you have actual evidence, my client is not staying here. I'll be paying bail."

He paused, then nodded. "Fine. But her release has quiet."

Lauren nodded. "Good."

—

A few minutes later, Lauren led me to a small bathroom off the back door.

She turned to me, her face serious. "We need to change clothes."

I blinked. "What?"

"You in my suit, me in your pajamas. We have to sneak out. Whoever arranged for you to be set up will be watching."

I swallowed hard. "You think they'll try to kill me?"

"I think we shouldn't take chances."

We changed clothes silently.

I pulled on her suit, the fabric a little too loose on me but respectable enough to pass. She pulled on my pajama bottoms and tank top, frowning at my furry flip-flops.

I tried for a weak, wheezing laugh. "You look fantastic."

She smiled. "Shut up."

With her in front, we crept out the back.

—

The ride was quiet at first. The city lights flashed past us, my mind foggy with exhaustion and grief.

"What now?" I finally said.

Lauren exhaled. "The video has been tampered. Your father was alive when you left. That means he was murdered after your meeting. I need to get an investigator to find out who actually did it."

I swallowed. "I can't believe he's dead."

Lauren's hand tightened around the wheel. "His death wasn't natural, Nina. It was murder."

The words settled in my chest like a burden.

Then a red light appeared ahead. Lauren slammed on the brake.

Nothing. She glared and pressed harder. "Why..?"

The car just kept going at full speed. "Lauren?" My gut tightened. "Step on the brake."

"I'm trying—"

“Lauren!” I screamed.

It was a head on collision with an incoming truck. The world blew apart before I could get the words out.

Fire seared my flesh as the car upturned.

Glass burst, slicing through me. Metal grinding sounded in my ears, the smash sending me into my seatbelt. My head slammed against the window.

Spinning everything around.

My eyes went hazy.

The car swerved, flipped once more, and skiddered to a stop. I couldn’t tell what happened after. Pain. There was so much pain everywhere.

My head pounded, my ribs ached, my lungs burned.

Blood filled my mouth. I rasped, turning my woozy head toward Lauren.

She wasn’t moving.

Her head lolled to the side, eyes closed, blood dripping from her temple.

I tried to croak out her name, but my strength was slipping, the darkness swallowing me whole.

The fight left my body. My head fell back.

And everything…stopped.