I reach into my purse and pull out one of my business cards (or “cahds,” as he said it). As I pass it to the detective, I notice he takes it only with the tip of his fingers. It strikes me as a little odd, but I try not to get too paranoid.
The detective and the policeman disappear into the house, leaving me alone. Good—I can finally get the hell out of here. I turn around to walk back to my car just as the slightly beat-up green Ford pulls up in front of the house next door.
Caleb. Thank God.
I sprint over to him as briskly as my too-tight Louboutins will allow me. Caleb is getting out of his car and I throw myself into his arms before he can even get the door closed. I bury my face in his chest, the tears gathering in my eyes. This is the worst day ever.
“Hey.” His large hand strokes the back of my head. “It’s okay, Nat. I’m here.”
“Something terrible happened to her,” I murmur into his shirt. I’m probably getting tear stains and mascara all over him, but he doesn’t seem to care.
“Don’t say that.” He squeezes me to his chest. “I bet she’ll turn up.”
I pull my face away from him to stare up at him. Even in my heels, he’s nearly a head taller than me. I’ve always liked tall guys. “What are you basing that on?”
“Um…”
“Because if you saw how much blood was in her living room, you wouldn’t be saying that.”
“Look, I don’t know.” He offers a helpless shrug. “I just think the best we can do is hope she’s okay. You know?”
I feel guilty for snapping at him. He didn’t deserve that after running out here for me. “I’m sorry. I’m just so shaken by everything.”
“Yeah,” he breathes. “I know. It’s awful.”
I rest my head back against his chest. His heart thumps reassuringly in my ear. We remain that way for a good two minutes—me pressed against him, him gently stroking my hair. More points for Caleb—he’s kind to me during a tragic event. This is taking our relationship to the next level.
“Hey,” I say.
“Yeah?”
“I need you to do me a favor.”
“You need a ride home?”
I would love a ride home. But my car is here, and there’s no way I’m going to leave it here. So I have no choice but to get back in there and drive back through the treacherous rush-hour traffic. “No, that’s okay.”
“So what do you need? Anything you want.”
I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear as I pull away from him. “I need you to tell the police we were together all night last night.”
Caleb stiffens. “What?”
“It’s so stupid.” I shake my head. “The police were asking me where I was last night. Like I need an alibi or something… As if I could have done something to Dawn! It’s just a formality, I’m sure. I was there, so they had to ask me. So anyway, I told them we were together all night last night.”
“But…” He scratches his chin. “We weren’t together all night last night. I left around 9:30.”
“Well, so what? We were together most of the night. That’s good enough.”
“So that’s what I’ll tell them. That we were together most of the night and I left at 9:30.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Is it that big a deal? I mean, you work with Dawn too. It helps you also to have an alibi.”
His eyebrows scrunch together. “But it’s a lie.”
“It’s a white lie. Neither of us did anything to hurt Dawn. So it will just confuse the investigation if we don’t have an alibi.”
“I don’t know, Nat.” He rubs the back of his neck. “I don’t feel right lying to the police. Why is it so important that we have alibis? They’re not going to think either of us did anything to hurt her.”
I fold my arms across my chest. “Right, but I already told him we were together. So if you don’t go along with it, I look like I’m lying.”
“But you were lying.”
There is a stubborn tilt to his jaw that’s pissing me off. Caleb is a decent, honest guy. I always thought that was a good quality. Now I’m realizing it’s not necessarily a positive thing.
“Caleb…” The tears that had started to dry up spring back to my eyes. “This has been an awful day. Look, they’re probably not even going to ask you. But would it really be so awful to go along with my story?” Hesitation is in his eyes, and I squeeze his arm. “Please?”
After what feels like an interminable pause, his shoulders sag. “Fine. I guess it’s not that big a deal.”
I’m surprised by the rush of relief I feel when Caleb agrees to confirm my story. I mean, it’s not like I would be a murder suspect or something. But given everything, it’s better to have an alibi.
Chapter Eight
SEVEN MONTHS EARLIER
To: Etsy Seller
From: Dawn Schiff
Subject: Problem with turtle figurine
Dear seller,
I recently purchased a product from your Etsy store advertised as a glass sea turtle figurine. Unfortunately, the product was not a sea turtle, and I would like a full refund.
Sincerely,
Dawn Schiff
To: Dawn Schiff
From: Etsy Seller
Subject: Re: Problem with turtle figurine
I’m so sorry to hear that, and we would like to try to make this right for you! What is the product you received?
To: Etsy Seller
From: Dawn Schiff
Subject: Re: Problem with turtle figurine
Dear seller,
As I stated, the product was advertised to be a glass sea turtle figurine. Unfortunately, the turtle I received was quite obviously a land turtle! Sea turtles have flippers instead of legs and the two front flippers are generally longer than the two back flippers, but the turtle I received had all four appendages of approximately equal length, and their legs did not in any way resemble flippers. Also, on the turtle I received, the head was slightly more circular rather than rectangular, which would indicate a land turtle as well. I am terribly disappointed, as I was hoping for a sea turtle, and I clearly received a land turtle.
Sincerely,
Dawn Schiff
To: Dawn Schiff
From: Etsy Seller
Subject: Re: Problem with turtle figurine
Is this a joke?
To: Mia Hodge
From: Dawn Schiff
Subject: Re: Greetings
Dear Mia,
Yesterday on my drive home, I stopped off at a store that sells assorted little tchotchkes and unusual items. Ordinarily, I visit this store to see if they have anything turtle related. The old man who owns the store is aware of what I am looking out for, so when I stop in, he will always tell me right away if he has anything I would appreciate. Last time I purchased a hinged box in the shape of a turtle—the shell opened up and one could put their trinkets inside, but I just put the box on my bookshelf, empty.