Page 144 of Dark Romeo

“You think Eduardo Sanchez deserved what he got?”

“I already told you, detective, I don’t know this Eduardo character.”

Espinoza paused. “Where were you two nights ago?”

“With a girl.”

“This girl have a name?”

He looked over to me, his eyes piercing into my soul. I stopped breathing. I was fucked if he opened his mouth. He was fucked if he didn’t.

I would lose my badge. My father would kill me. But Roman had no choice. He would be alibi-less if he didn’t.

I braced myself.

“Julianna,” he said deliberately. I could feel Espo bristling beside me at his informality. “You know my girl, don’t you? Gorgeous face, long honey-brown hair, a body to kill for.”

I gritted my teeth. What was he playing at? Just say my name already. “I’m sure I don’t.”

Roman leaned across “Don’t play coy. She’s sitting in this very station now.”

My heart stopped beating.

“Rosaline?” Espo said.

Roman smiled. My heart stuttered back to life. Of course, Rosaline. I had totally forgotten about her. He was talking about his girl, Rosaline. The image of their arms around each other at his apartment door flashed through my mind.

“You’re telling me,” said Espinoza, “that your alibi for this murder just happens to be the same alibi as the last one we pulled you in here for?”

He shrugged. “Coincidence.”

“That’s one hell of a coincidence.”

“What can I say,” Roman looked squarely at me as he spoke, “I really like this girl. Want to spend all my time with her.”

I flushed.

“We have a witness that puts you at a gas station on the road leading out of Verona at around midnight. The same road where we happened to find poor Eddie. What do you say to that?”

Roman smiled like he didn’t have a care in the world. “My girlfriend, who happens to be the daughter of a prominent Verona businessman, says otherwise. Are you calling her a liar?”

With the interview and audio recording suspended, Espo and I conferred in whispers on our side of the table. Roman watched us carefully.

“I’ll go talk to Rosaline right now,” Espo said. “Get her side of the story. You stay here and keep an eye on him.”

And be left alone with Roman? “I, er, I should go with you.”

Espo pursed his lips. “No offense, but you and Rosaline don’t really have a rapport. I think she’ll open up to me more if I speak to her alone.”

That wasn’t something I could argue with. I nodded, resigned to my fate.

Espo shot Roman one last glare before he left the room. The door clicked behind them. I was left in the dim interrogation room alone with Roman Tyrell. Had it only been less than forty-eight hours since we had kissed goodbye? How much things could change in so little time.

Roman’s face twisted with the first sign of any emotion from him. “Here we are again, detective.”

“Roman, you don’t have to call me that. There are no recording devices on.”

“You sitting on that side,” he continued, “me right back here on the side I belong. You, the cop. Me, the guilty party.”

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