Page 95 of Saving Sophia

“Yes,” Hayden said, picking up his pen and tapping it against the pad. “But it’s not that simple. There’s a suspect already in custody.”

“You arrested Mr. Roscoe?” I asked, my tummy lurching.

“Not Roscoe,” Hayden corrected. “Valerie Vasili. Nik’s wife.”

Daddy shifted in his chair, sitting up and staring intently at his brother. “Why?”

“We found evidence in her car, the home, and the body was found on the outskirts of their estate,” Hayden answered. “It’s not looking good for her.”

My heart locked up, forgetting to beat. That wasn’t right. Nik’s wife didn’t kill him, so how could the police have evidence that she did?

“She has motive too,” Hayden added. “They were seen arguing earlier that night. He’s a known cheater and they had a volatile relationship.”

“What about what Sophia saw?” Daddy asked, his hand resting on my knee, steadying me.

“Look, what I’m about to say …” Hayden hesitated, dropping his pen and rubbing his hand against his temple.

“Spit it out.” That unfamiliar edge was in Daddy’s voice, like when he was negotiating with the shopkeeper for the dolls, cool, strategic, holding back any emotion.

Hayden scratched his chin and looked carefully at me. “Is it true that Tommy Roscoe fired you the night of the raid?”

I shrunk down in my seat, not sure what to say.

“Does that matter?” Daddy frowned, his eyes wary.

Hayden clicked his pen and then set it back down on the pad. “I’m just saying, it doesn’t look great. You didn’t come forward until after we found the body. There’s no motive for Roscoe to kill Vasili, but there is motive for a disgruntled former employee to make an accusation.”

I sat with my eyes glued to my lap, letting what Hayden said sink in. He thought I was making it up? Humiliation roared inside my head, dulled only by memories of my father’s disgusted voice.

Dolls and nonsense. That’s all you care about. It’s time to stop being dramatic and join the real world. Get out of the little fantasy running in your head.

Self-doubt slithered in my tummy like a snake. What had I actually seen that night?

“Sophia?” Hayden’s voice was kind, placating, which only made things worse. “Did he fire you?”

My eyes felt chained to anchors as I forced them up to meet his gaze. “Well, yes but?—”

Evie’s arched brow stopped me short. I waved my hands in front of me, trying to make myself clear, trying to wave away their disbelief. “It wasn’t like that. He did fire me … but my shoes were full of beer … so I went back to get them …”

I sounded insane.

“Then who attacked her?” Callie’s indignant voice broke through my embarrassment, and my heart gave a painful thump at her loyalty. She might be hurt that I didn’t tell her, but she believed me. “That’s pretty fucking suspicious. Or are you saying she’s lying about that too?” Callie glared at Hayden, all silly flirtations drained away. “You saw our apartment. You know this isn’t random, or you wouldn’t have told me to come here.”

Daddy shook his head in agreement.

Hayden pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked tired. “The print we found from the second break-in came back with a match for Brad Talbot. The bartender from the club. I told you, Callie, he’s got a fixation on you. And he has a record of assault.”

No. That wasn’t right. None of this was right.

“I don’t know about the second break-in,” I said. “But Brad didn’t attack me. It was the moon-faced man.”

It popped out before I could stop it. Even I heard how crazy it sounded.

Hayden looked at me with blatant pity. Evie pursed her lips and glanced away. I was proving the evidence right. A silly little waitress with a big imagination.

“Why would Brad attack Soap if he’s so obsessed with me?” Callie demanded. She also ignored my ‘moon-faced man’ outburst.

“She’s right, Hayden.” Daddy put his arm around me, his fingers giving my shoulder a squeeze. “That doesn’t make sense.”

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