Page 86 of Diamonds & Deception

“What is it?” I ask before reading the article he’s pulled up in the Globe.

“Micky’s son got himself a bad batch of coke last night. OD’d in a backroom of Bouncing Babes. Rory Junkins, his weasel of a sidekick, didn’t kick the bucket, but he’s in ICU. Another guy, John something, didn’t snort as much, so he’s already out of the ER and recovering at home.”

The blood drains out of my face. I’ve never been involved in any type of crime before. Not even petty theft of a Snickers bar when I was a kid. My eyes blur, and I’m pretty sure I would have passed out if I wasn’t already sitting. I stare at the screen and take a few deep breaths.

“The piece of shit didn’t deserve a spot on the planet,” Trey says.

“He’s responsible for two deaths in the past five months that we know about. Who knows how many there were before or during,” Nolan says.

“And how many more there would be if he was still walking this earth?” Ryder taps the table to catch my attention. “It’s no one’s loss. Everyone’s gain.”

“I’ve never—”

Nolan interrupts, “And you didn’t. This isn’t on you or me or anyone else we know. This is one hundred percent on Eddie Fucking Donahue.”

“It’s still early, but there’s no mention of foul play. He’s a known user and dealer. An addict. It’s not surprising to anyone.” Trey spins his laptop around. “There’s also an article on your woman’s friend.”

I blink at the screen, but my head is still fuzzy. I rest my elbow on the table and prop my head up with my hands. “Did the detective connect—”

“No,” Trey says. “But it’s not good. Nora isn’t gonna like this.”

I snap my head up and reach for his laptop. I scan the article while Trey fills me in.

“Lenora’s sexual history sort of came out of the closet. Speculation is a scorned lover or jealous girlfriend of one of the guys she fucked. Timing works. Jealous chick learns Lenora’s back in town, takes her out before she’s been back in the country for twenty-four hours.”

“Another article,” Nolan says, “hints at a sexual predator she may have encountered at a sex club she frequented. No links to Eddie, to Nora, or Four Aces.”

“Her reputation is getting shattered,” I groan. “That’s going to destroy Nora.”

“She’s a tough woman. She’s endured a lot worse.” Trey squeezes my shoulder. “I can send Avery over after work if you think she needs a friend.”

“Thanks. I’m going to go back over and talk to her. I’d rather her hear this from me than come across the news on her own.”

I stand and shove my hands in my pockets. We’re not a touchy-feely group. Sarcasm, dirty jokes, and insults are our love language. I’m not feeling any of those right now, so I look each in the eye and give them a soft, “Thank you.”

I expect to find Nora still in bed, not hunched forward on the couch with her hands wrapped around a cup of coffee, staring at her phone that sits on the coffee table.

“Hey, you okay?” I sit next to her and drape my arm across her back. She doesn’t look up or even acknowledge I’m back. “Nora? What’s wrong?” I rub her back.

She shakes her head and sniffs.

Shit.She already saw. “Is this about Lenora?”

“You knew?” She lifts her sad eyes to mine.

“I just found out and came back to talk to you about it.”

“Drake, they’re destroying her reputation! The haters commenting on the articles are cruel. They are bashing everything from her career, her writing, her looks, and calling her a whore.”

“I’m sorry, baby.” I take the mug out of her hands and place it on the table, then pull her onto my lap. “I wish I could fix this.”

“It’s my fault. If I’d never come here thinking I could solve a murder trained detectives couldn’t... if I never pretended to be her. If I—”

“Hey.” I pinch her chin between my fingers and lift her face to mine. “Blame me. Eddie was after me. I’m the one who put her in danger.”

“But her name wouldn’t have been connected to you if it wasn’t for me!”

I wrap my arms tighter and hold her as she cries. “Baby,” I whisper in her hair. “We can go round and round, back and forth, about this forever. Absolutely. If x, y, and z didn’t happen and weren’t in a certain place at a certain time, the world would be right again. Do you blame Carly for falling in love with Owen?”

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