Page 57 of Diamonds & Deception

Lenora lies on her pillow, her eyes wide open in horror, and a bullet hole between her eyes. I scramble backward and trip over Daisy, stumbling to the floor.

“No. Nononono. Lenora!” I scream. Tears pour out of my eyes as my body shakes uncontrollably. I can’t stop staring at my friend, my best friend dead in her bed. I don’t know how long I sit on the floor sobbing and shaking.

Daisy pushes her snout under my arm and licks my face, bringing me back from panic. I fumble for my phone in my pocket and attempt to dial 911. My hands tremble and I drop the phone three times before I finally get through.

“My friend... she’s dead... in bed. Someone shot her.” I pant out the words in a frightened whisper.

“Ma’am. Are you safe? Is anyone in the house with you?”

“I... I don’t know... I came home... she’s dead. Why would anyone kill her?” I sniff my tears, my eyes still locked on her big brown eyes. Her skin is white, lifeless.

“Ma’am. Can you tell me your name?”

“Nora. Nora Winters. My friend is Lenora Jane Sumner.” I rattle off the address and she tells me help is on its way.

What kind of help? A superhero who can bring Lenora back to life? I don’t move from the floor, and a few minutes later, I hear knocking at the front door. Daisy growls and I absently rub her back.

“Ma’am? Miss Winters? It’s the Boston Police. Are you still on the line with dispatch?”

I look down at the phone sitting on my lap. “Yes,” I whisper, knowing they can’t hear me.

“Miss Winters?” the 911 operator says. “The Boston Police are there now. I’m going to hang up. Deputy Malone is in the apartment. You’re safe now. You can hang up.”

I close my eyes and nod, burying my face in Daisy’s neck.

“Ma’am,” the man who must be Deputy Malone says from behind me. “I’m going to help you up and bring you into the other room, okay?”

I let him and another officer lead me to the couch. I don’t remember the next hour. Or it could be twenty minutes or two days. Someone offers me a glass of water. They ask questions. I answer with short responses. Daisy doesn’t leave my side.

“Do you have somewhere else you can stay?”

I sniff and rub my nose against my shoulder. “I was staying here until Monday.”

I’m in no condition to travel back to Philly. I came on a train and had planned on renting a car since I now have Daisy. There’s no way I can drive home tonight. And probably not even tomorrow.

“Is there a friend or relative you can call?”

I shake my head and hug Daisy. “I can stay in a hotel.”

“She’ll stay with me.”

My head snaps up and my eyes meet Drake’s. “What are you doing here?” My throat is raw from crying.

He ignores me and shakes hands with the deputy. “I’ll take care of her, Malone. You know how to get a hold of me if you need to speak with her.”

I don’t have the strength to stand, much less to question or argue with Drake. The deputy doesn’t ask me if I’m okay with this and heads back to the bedroom with the other police officers.

“I’m sorry, Nora.”

“Why? Are you responsible for her murder?” I snap and instantly regret my words. I close my eyes and lower my head in my hands and sob. Daisy rests her jowl on my thigh as I cry into her neck.

“Come on,” he says softly, helping me off the couch. “It’s not helping being here.”

“I can’t leave her.”

“You need to.”

I only follow him because I have no idea what else to do. “Daisy.”

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