“That’s okay.” I could feel the heat engulf my body. Looking at my watch, I took my wallet from my purse. “I’m so sorry to have to cut this short, but I have another client I need to meet,” I said as I threw some cash on top of the bill and stood up.
“No problem. I understand. Hopefully, we’ll have another opportunity to talk. I told Asher last night that the three of us should have dinner together.”
“That sounds great. Looking forward to it. It was nice to meet you, Noah.” I lied as I walked out of the restaurant.
The moment I stepped out of the restaurant, I let out a deep breath and placed my hand on my chest as I walked down the street at a fast pace and turned the corner. I hailed a cab, went home and poured myself a glass of wine. Picking up my phone, I dialed Asher’s number. After a few rings, it went to voicemail.
“Asher, it’s Everly. I need to see you tonight. There’s something I have to tell you and it’s very important. Call me back as soon as you get this.”
After my Zoom call ended, I picked up my phone and still no call or text message from Asher. Maybe he was in a meeting. He wouldn’t purposely ignore me. Or would he? Suddenly, my phone rang, and it was him.
“Hello?”
“Everly, what’s going on? What do you have to tell me?”
“Not over the phone, Asher. I’ll meet you at your penthouse tonight. And don’t worry, I’m not staying. But it is important that we talk.”
“Is seven-thirty okay?”
“Yeah. I’ll see you then.”
“I’ll let the doorman know you’re coming, and he’ll let you up.”
23
Asher
I didn’t like the sound of her voice. There was an urgency in her tone. A pleading to see me. I stopped on the way home and picked up a pizza and salad. I wasn’t sure if she’d eaten, but I was hungry, and pizza sounded good. As I was walking down the stairs after changing out of my suit, I heard the elevator ding.
“Hi,” I spoke as I walked over and kissed her cheek.
“Hi.” She smiled.
“I don’t know if you already ate, but I got us a pizza and a salad.”
“That sounds great.”
“Then go sit down and I’ll get the plates.” I gave her a smile.
She looked beautiful and seeing her tonight took a lot of the stress of the day away. But I was worried about what she had to talk to me about. I set the pizza and salad on the table and took the seat across from her.
“I’m sorry. Can I get you a glass of wine?” I asked.
“It’s okay,” she said as she got up, went over to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of beer. “I’ve had enough wine today.”
I arched my brow at her as a smirk crossed my lips.
“I didn’t realize you were a day drinker.”
“I’m usually not.”
“What did you want to talk to me about?”
She sat there for a moment moving her fork around in her salad.
“Everly? What’s wrong?”
“I met your friend, Noah, today.”
“Really?” I asked with surprise. “Where at?”
“The Burger Bar in Greenwich Village. I was meeting with a client and he was there. He kept staring at me.”
“He probably recognized you. I just showed him your picture last night.”
“Yeah. That’s what he said when my client left, and he walked over to my table and sat down. How well do you know him?”
“I know him very well. We’ve been good friends since Harvard. We used to do everything together. Why? Why are you asking me this?” I narrowed my eye at her.
“Don’t give him the money, Asher.”
“How do—Oh that’s right, you fucking know everything.” I slammed my hand on the table and rose from my seat. “You don’t get to do this to me again.” I pointed my finger at her. I went over to the island and gripped the edge of the marble countertop. “I think you should leave, Everly, and I think it’s best if we don’t see each other anymore. But I’m sure you already knew I was going to say that.”
“No. Actually I didn’t.” She got up from the table and threw her napkin on her plate. “Your friend is a murderer, Asher. He murdered his girlfriend, and he’s using you to leave the country. Have a good night.” She grabbed her purse and headed towards the elevator.
A sickness formed inside me as I ran toward her, grabbed her arm and spun her around so her face was mere inches from mine.
“What the hell are you talking about?” I spoke through gritted teeth.
“Let go of me.” She yanked herself out of my grip. “I’m not talking to you when you’re like this. Just don’t give him the damn money.”
“I’m sorry,” I spoke in a calmer voice as I rubbed the back of my neck. “I’m sorry, Everly. Please, let’s go into the living room. I want you to tell me what you know.”
She stood there as she narrowed her eye at me for a moment. After letting out a sigh, she set her purse down and took a seat on the sofa in the living room. Walking over to my bar, I poured myself a double bourbon.
“You know what? I need some fresh air. Let’s go out on the terrace and sit down,” I said.
She got up from the couch, grabbed her beer from the table and we both took a seat outside. The sky was dark, and the moon was just starting to appear.
“I’m sorry, Asher. Do you think I like knowing what I do? I hate it.”
“Just tell me everything.” I brought my glass up to my lips.
“I saw it when I shook his hand at lunch.”
“You saw him kill her? You actually saw him do it?”
“Yes. They had gotten into a fight and were screaming at each other. She went to hit him, and he grabbed her wrists and held them tight. She was telling him that he was hurting her, and he said really awful things. Then he calmed down and said he was sorry. While she was in the bathtub, he walked in and handed her a glass of wine. He asked if she needed help washing her hair and that he’d be happy to do it. He held her down under the water until she stopped breathing.”
I sat there in silence for I had no words for what she had just told me.
“He took her body, wrapped her in plastic, drove out to the countryside and buried her. He packed up and left Paris the next day before anyone knew she was missing. You said he’s staying at one of your hotels, right?”
“Yeah. He is.”
“Is the room under your name?”
“Yes. Why?”
“He doesn’t want to leave a trail. He didn’t fly to New York.”
“What do you mean?”
“He flew to Georgia, rented a car and drove here. So as far as anyone is concerned, he’s in Georgia.”
“He had to give the rental car place a driver’s license to rent the car.”
“He had a fake I.D. and he paid cash. He can’t get an apartment here or a job because the police in Paris will track him down. He knows exactly what he’s doing and he’s using the money you’re giving him to disappear and create a new identity for himself. You’re never going to see him again, Asher. I’m sorry.”