Page 63 of Always Murder

“To frame Paul.”

“But where did he get it?”

“I don’t know, Dash.We haven’t had a chance to interview Paul again.”

“Why not leave his driver’s license?”

“Maybe Paul left the Pirate’s Cove card in his desk.We don’t know how Elliott got into his wallet.We don’t know anything yet, which is why I don’t understand why we’re having this argument.”

“It’s not an argument, it’s—it’s analysis.Why would he steal Three’s book?”

“What?”

“The manga Three ordered, why would he steal it?”

“He was stealing packages, Dash.He didn’t know what was in them.”

“But everything about it was different.He hid.He waited.He ran up to the porch and grabbed it out of Three’s hands.And it wasn’t worthanything.”

“I don’t know.Why don’t you figure it out and tell the rest of us?”

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.And then, it all came crashing back—the way he’d asked about turning off the light, the way he’d said,Thanks, even that strange little jab from earlier that I hadn’t even realized until now was a jab, when he’d called me Mr.Intuition.

Mr.Intuition I was not.But I wasn’t totally clueless either.

But I couldn’t quite keep the disbelief out of my voice as I asked, “Are youmadat me?”

More of those vast, empty seconds ticked past.And then he said, “I’m not happy with you right now, no.”

“What?Why?”

“Are you serious?”

“I don’t know.If you didn’t want me to help Millie or—or interfere with your investigation, why didn’t you—”

He cut through my words with a barely suppressed whisper.“Why?You want to know why?Because you told the sheriff I was going to apply for the detective role, Dash.I mean, my God, what were you thinking?”

Somewhere at the back of the house, the wind rattled a window.

“I don’t understand,” I said.“I thought—”

“I know what you thought.Everyone knows what you thought because you told everyone, Dash.Everyone.”

I didn’t remember standing, but I was on my feet, lurching back and forth, rubbing my free hand against my joggers.“Bobby, I didn’t—I mean, I wasn’t—I wouldn’t—” Tears stung my eyes.“I don’t understand.I thought you wanted to apply for it.”

“Oh yeah?Why?Why did you think that?”A beat.“Did you ask me?”

I knew, in that second, if I tried to say anything, I’d burst into sobs.

“I have to go,” Bobby said—his voice stiff now that the heat had died out of it.“Let’s talk about this later.”

Chapter 20

I honestly don’t know what I would have done if, at that moment, the front door hadn’t crashed open.

“Because you don’t know what you’re talking about,” Millie said, her voice frayed.“So stop talking about it.”

“I’m your boyfriend,” Keme said.“I’m trying to help—”

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