Page 55 of The Dark Obsession

I stomp up and down the balcony a couple times. “Enough.”

Rafael coughs to buy himself some time.

Adriel steps forward. “I had some friends investigate Dale. It was noted that the late Eliza Thomas, the one who was murdered, had mentioned being in a relationship with Dale not long before her death.” Adriel takes another step forward.

“We don’t know the specifics yet, Rosa.” Rafael interjects, watching Adriel step forwards to close to the gap between us.

Adriel reaches an arm around my shoulder and walks me to a small table, adorned with a tray of tea and some toast, and chairs at one end of the balcony. “Eat.”

I sit rigid and stare at the cup in front of me, my hands shaking. My stomach feels knotted and so does my throat as I try to swallow. My back heats fast, my whole body burning. “Dale was with Eliza?”

“We don’t know for sure,” Rafael answers, “but she mentioned it to her friend.”

Adriel pats my head. “They’re looking into it, Rosa.”

“How? What are you?”

Adriel stares at Rafael, as if I’d figured out a top secret.

“He works in London,” Rafael hurries.

Adriel composes his face. “I work in London.” Adriel side eyes Rafael, “I can’t really specify where, but it enables me to be able to help. If you would allow, I’d like to stay a little longer here.” Adriel smiles tentatively.

I look at him, confusion flitting across my face. “It’s not my house.”

Rafael laughs loudly. “Yes, Adriel. You can stay.”

My world tries to catch up with me in the brief few seconds I have to gather my thoughts before Rafael sits next to me.

“Good morning,” he says, watching Adriel leave the balcony.

“Hey,” I mumble into my cup of tea.

“You look like shit.” He laughs. He brushes my hair back and laughs as I stare at myself in the back of a spoon.

The remains of my mascara are spread across my face like an abstract piece of artwork. “Oh, God.” I laugh and stand.

“Yes, God …”

I leave for the bathroom and scrub my face in the mirror. The mascara is stubborn under my eyes. I brush my hair back, letting it cascade over my shoulders. I stare at myself, then relinquish the idea of trying to look even half decent on a morning where nothing is going right. I take one last attempt at cleaning the dark circles around my eyes before concluding it’s not makeup and giving up. I return to the balcony and sit opposite Rafael.

He smiles, a silent compliment.

It’s cooler on the balcony now the initial adrenalin rush is subsiding, and I sink into the nightmarish news. My knees crack against each other, and I hold the hot tea in my hands.

Rafael stands silently and leaves for his room for a moment before returning with a warm-looking grey cardigan. “Rosalie, it’s freezing out here. You’re shivering.” He holds it open for me to insert my arms.

An amazingly warm smell comes from his cardigan as it wraps easily around me. I take a deep breath and let a shudder run down my back. “Yeah, I didn’t feel it until I had time to come back down to earth.”

Rafael refills my cup with hot tea.

I watch the steam spiral from my cup, and I add a bit of milk.

“Try not to think about this too much, it just questions. He probably has nothing to do with any of this, and he might even help us.” Rafael frowns darkly at the thought.

I blink furiously at Rafael, at the thought of having to be around Dale again.

Rafael stares at me, understanding washing over him like a slap in the face. “Rosa.” He stands quickly. “You won’t talk to him, and neither will I for that matter. I don’t think I can after what he’s done. I just mean he could talk to the officers working the case.”

---