Page 129 of Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies

He taps the table with his fingers. “But you’re still romantically involved?”

“No.”

“Since when?”

It sounds like he already knows the answer. Which he might. But how? The only person I ever told about that was Oliver, and Tucci hasn’t talked to him yet.

Unless Allison knows? Maybe that’s why she wanted to kill us? Because she still has feelings for Connor?

That doesn’t feel right, but what do I know.

In the meantime, I have to answer the inspector’s question.

When in doubt, go with the truth.

“We had a dalliance a few years ago. It didn’t mean anything.”

“But this is the reason your relationship with Mr. Oliver Forrest ended, correct?”

“Correct.”

“You dated for four years, I believe.”

I’ve counted out the minutes and days, but if I recite them now, I’m going to seem pathetic.

“That’s right.”

“You must have been upset.”

“I was, yes.”

“And Mr. Forrest, too?”

“Yes, of course.”

“You perhaps both blamed Mr. Smith for this occurrence?”

He’s not getting me to fall for that. “No, Inspector Tucci. I was an adult who made a bad decision. Oliver was upset at me, and so was I. It wasn’t Connor’s fault.”

“No? The man generally has some part in it.”

“I was upset at the situation. But that was three years ago. It’s in the past.”

“For Mr. Forrest as well?”

I’m not falling for this either.165 “You’ll have to ask Oliver how he felt.”

“I will. But you resented Mr. Smith. You have for a long time, maybe.”

“We’re not friends.”

“You felt trapped with him. That you, perhaps, had to write about him?”

“He’s the main character in my books, as you pointed out.”

“Books you didn’t want to write anymore?”

Goddamn it, Allison. Couldn’t you throw suspicion off of yourself without putting it on me?

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