Page 142 of The Slayer
“No one touched anyone.” Alaine huffed.
“But someone did touch you,” Nova argued. “’Cause according to Jules, it looked like you’d been attacked by a bear.” Nova shone his phone on her, studying her critically. “I don’t see anything.”
“Makeup,” Alaine explained with a smile.
“Okay.” Nova nodded, still looking at her. “Nice dress.”
“Thank you. We stopped at an Armani outlet.”
“So after your night of debauchery, Chuito borrowed Tino’s car and went to get Patrón.” Nova arched an eyebrow thoughtfully. “In Miami.”
No one had a response for that.
“Right.” Nova nodded and went on, “Then my brother and Alaine stole the Ferrari to come get Chuito, and this is where you three landed. Romantic.”
“Did Jules believe the threesome story?” Chuito asked, his voice tight as if he was having a hard time saying it. “She believed I let that happen to Alaine?”
“No, she started to question the validity of it about the time Tino did fifty out of the driveway with Romeo chasing after him.” Nova let out another broken laugh. “At which point she called me freaking the fuck out and has continually called me since then. Well, not continually. Sometimes it was Romeo, who, I might add, is going to bury you, Valentino. You stole the Ferrari.”
Tino held up his hand. “You trace my credit cards. I needed the cash.”
“Yeah, that’ll help your case.”
“Wait until he hears it got jacked,” Chuito offered with a glare at Tino. “You told Jules we both fucked Alaine.”
Tino shrugged. “It was half-true.”
“The Ferrari got jacked.” Nova laughed again. “Madonn’, this had better be good.” Except no one was offering an explanation, and Nova looked at them again. “It’s three o’clock in the fucking morning. I’m tired. I’ve been working all day. I had to catch a plane to Miami and take a cab into the friggin’ hood. I’m gonna ask one more time, and then I’m gonna be genuinely pissed off.Why are we here?”
“Chuito and I slept with each other,” Alaine started when Chuito and Tino just exchanged silent glances.
“Congratulations.” Nova took another drag of his cigarette. “No Tino?”
“No Tino.” Alaine shook her head. “Afterward, Chuito had a—” She held up her hand as she looked at Chuito. “An issue with his conscience.”
“Because of fucking you?”
Alaine shrugged. “I’m assuming that’s why.”
“Okay, that’s sweet. Go on.” Nova gestured to her. “Then what happened?”
“He left and went to Tino’s. He spent the night there. I think whiskey may be involved. I saw it on the table.”
“I’msureit was.” Nova looked to Tino. “I heard about the Vicodin, Valentino. Jules found it.”
“It’s my prescription. My name is on the bottle,” Tino argued. “My arm got dislocated yesterday. Did Jules tell you that?”
“You’re not supposed to take it with whiskey. That fucks up your liver.”
“Anyway,” Alaine cut them off. “I went after Chuito, ’cause he’s my love story.”
“Aw, this reallyissweet,” Nova said with another laugh.
“This is gonna be bad,” Tino interjected. “Let me just tell you my version.”
“I sorta like her version,” Nova argued. “Go on, Alaine. He’s your love story—”
“And, um.” Alaine swallowed hard, because Tino was looking at her with wide eyes and shaking his head. She realized they probably should’ve worked harder on their alibi for Nova on the way down here. “Maybe Tino should tell it.”
