Page 84 of Script Swap
“Okay,” I said, “I guess we’re done.”
“You haven’t had processed sugar in six weeks, Dash.I’m afraid you’re going to go into a diabetic coma.”
That was highly unlikely, since my body is basically a well-oiled machine that runs on caffeine and high-fructose corn syrup, but maybe Indira hadn’t added quite enough streusel to cancel out the huckleberries because I felt simultaneously jittery and exhausted, and I ended up dozing on Bobby’s shoulder while he read on his phone.
I stirred when he kissed the side of my head and said, “I’ve got to get ready for work.”
Let me tell you: that woke me up.I turned onto my side so I could watch him as he padded around the room naked.(Hard work, but somebody’s got to do it.) “Does the sheriff know Jonni didn’t kill any of those people?”
“The sheriff is still investigating,” Bobby said.With some reluctance, he added, “But she wouldn’t have arrested her without evidence.”
“But Jonni didn’t do it.She’s being framed or—or something.I mean, it couldn’t have been Jonni.”
“Why not?”Bobby asked as he pulled on boxers.(Blue cabana stripe was about as wild as Bobby got in the underwear department.Not that I was complaining.)
“Because she didn’t kill them.”
The khaki trousers went up next.“You understand how that might not convince the sheriff?”
“I know.”I eyed one of the muffins—maybe I needed another to soothe myself.Plus, I hadn’t had sugar in six weeks, and God only knew the kind of damage that could do to, um, I wanted to say the joints?“But I know Nora did it.”
“How?”
“Because she did.She staged that whole production for the sheriff’s benefit.”
“How is that any different from what you do?”
I squawked.
“I’m not saying you’re wrong,” Bobby said as he pulled on the khaki shirt.His fingers did up the buttons deftly.“But accusing her of being guilty because she solved the case isn’t exactly a strong argument, especially coming from you.”
“You’re supposed to be petty and use air quotes.Like ‘solved’ and ‘case’ and ‘coming from you.’”
Bobby wrinkled his nose, kissed me, and stole some of my coffee.
“I know we need evidence,” I said, “but I don’t know where to find it.She did everything perfectly.If there were any physical evidence, the sheriff would have found it by now.She doesn’t have an obvious motive.Heck, she’s even got an alibi.Hang on a second.”
Dropping onto the bed, socks and boots in hand, Bobby said, “Please do not confront Betty and try to extort a confession out of her.”
“Extort is such an ugly word.”
“I’m serious, Dash.If Betty is willing to lie to provide Nora with an alibi, it means that she’s either an accomplice or a victim, and either way, you’d be putting yourself in danger trying to get her to confess.”
“But she’s lying!”
“I’ll talk to the sheriff.We’ll bring her in for questioning.”
“Bobby, that’s not going to work.Nora already won.”
Here’s the thing: another way Bobby can be communicative is when he yanks on his socks.
“What if I’m careful?”I said.
“Ha.”
“Rude!”
But that smoothed out the hard line of his mouth.“Please don’t go alone.Please be safe.Please talk to her in public.”He knotted the laces of his boots, leaned over, and kissed me.“I feel like I just got you back, and someone involved in this murder has already tried to kill you once.”
