Chapter 50: Protecting Simone

She was crying again by the time I joined them, Crew already at her, obviously. And looking like he was settling in for the long haul too, planting his butt in a chair and crossing one shiny dress shoe over his knee, pad and pen in his lap. If only he didn't look so fantastic I could muster some angst against him and feel more like a defender instead of a participant in her questioning. At least I had the satisfaction of accepting he hadn't learned from what Dad said. So be it.

"I swear, I didn't kill him." I knew how Simone felt. I'd been in her place, though I hadn't done any crying. Probably because I'd secretly-and horribly-been relieved Pete Wilkins was dead in my koi pond. That the man who tried to steal Petunia's from me had kicked the proverbial bucket before he could do any more damage than he already had. And, a further note that separated my experience from Simone's was the fact I hadn't been dating the person who so abruptly died.