Page 83 of Be Very Quiet

He clutched her and hugged her tight, guiding her away from the gruesome image of Shonda Johns dead inside, her face painted in grotesque shades of pink, blue, and red.

“I’m going to be sick.”

Luca grabbed a trash can and held it for her. They’d known it was a good possibility that The Mortician had Shonda, but this was the proof.

When there was nothing left in Liliana’s stomach, Audria handed him a wet washcloth, which he gave to her before guiding her out of the office. Christian called the police and stood guard outside to keep any of Liliana’s employees from entering since the entire studio was a crime scene.

He eased Liliana onto a bench beside a bubbling fountain as first responders began to arrive. Audria had put Smoke inside his carrier, and she placed it beside Liliana. Christian handed off the task of blocking entry to one of the uniformed cops and came inside. He motioned to Luca and Audria, and they gathered a couple of feet away from Liliana.

“I reviewed the video feeds, and there is no footage of anyone entering or exiting the building after it closed last night until we arrived today.”

“How is that possible?” Audria asked.

“Maybe they used a jamming device?” Luca guessed. He had asked Liliana about other exits when he’d planted the cameras, and she’d assured him there were only two.

“I’ll see if the office can determine what happened,” Christian said, tapping keys on his phone.

Reese Reneau and the FBI arrived, and soon the place was filled with people.

#

Liliana sat on a bench in the atrium, watching emergency personnel rush in and out of her studio, feeling completely detached from reality. She didn’t hear the burbling fountain, usually a source of immense relaxation, or the crackling of police radios or the din of conversation. Even Smoke’s presence didn’t soothe her.

She spotted Kasey and Creed outside waving to get her attention. One of them must’ve called Jody because she was there too. Liliana didn’t acknowledge them because she didn’t want to explain what had happened.

Her sanctuary, her place of ultimate happiness, had been breached in the most monstrous way imaginable. Shonda had been killed here. She clutched her stomach, afraid she would be sick again, though nothing was left inside her.

How was it possible that Shonda was dead? Liliana had just spoken with her. She had been so full of energy. She’d always been a dreamer, planning on bigger and better things with the studio and her life. Liliana had known that she would accomplish whatever she set her mind on. Shonda had been a force of nature and the kindest, most amazing person she’d ever met.

Liliana could never step foot inside the building again without remembering the unspeakable horrors that had taken place in her office. Shonda had been brutally raped and murdered, her body drained of blood. It felt as if a knife had stabbed into her heart and sliced it to ribbons.

It pained Liliana to think of the horror Shonda had felt at the hands of a madman. She’d probably begged him to stop, but he’d ignored her pleas. His only goal had likely been feeling superior over the sweetest, most incredible woman Liliana had ever known.

The numbness that swamped her was the only thing keeping Liliana from screaming out her pain. She wasn’t sure what her next move would be, but she couldn’t stay in Florida. The place she’d called home for over ten years had been irrevocably tainted. The picture of Shonda’s broken body would haunt her for the rest of her days. She would have to leave.

Packing up and moving wasn’t something she was looking forward to, but it was necessary. If the police would let her, she would flee now.

“Liliana!”

Someone was calling her name, but she didn’t care. If she ignored them, maybe they would go away. She didn’t feel like dealing with anyone right now. She wanted to grieve her friend alone.

“Liliana!”

The voice’s urgency made her turn to see Theo rushing over.Leave me alone, she wanted to scream. Couldn’t he tell she was in mourning?

“Liliana, you have to come quick. Rex collapsed, and I’m pretty sure he’s having a heart attack. I know I took the CPR class, but I’m panicking and don’t remember one single thing! Do I check his airway or what? Pump his chest? Help!”

A friend in distress jarred her from her shock. She couldn’t save Georgia or Shonda, but she could save Rex. Luca and Christian were speaking with Detective Torres. Audria was in a deep conversation with Reese Reneau. It would be up to her.

“Liliana, we have to do something. The instructor said seconds matter. I remember that much.”

Theo was right. Time was critical when someone was having a heart attack. She left Smoke in his cage and hurried after Theo, grabbing the portable defibrillator that they kept onsite for such emergencies. It had yet to be used, but she’d been trained in what to do, so she felt confident she’d be able to administer aid.

Theo held the door open that led to her storage room.

“Rex is in here?”

“Yes. Hurry.”

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