How they even knew one another puzzled me, unless Stacey had heard about me dating Cindy and called her up. I couldn’t imagine what the two would have to talk about, and Cindy didn’t seem like the type to deal with Stacey’s immaturity.
Cindy had been the more recent of the two relationships, and she and I dated for three months before I’d learned that she had a habit of sleeping with wealthy men in hopes of getting knocked up.
Stacey had been a good girl in the beginning, but got too hung up on jealousy. I’d dated her a good year before Cindy, and it had been months since I’d seen either one – not counting the encounter the night before.
My head bobbed up and down almost robotically as my heart started to pound. “Yes, I know them both.” A million things went through my mind as to what could have happened. Surely they were okay. Surely nothing had happened to them. It wasn’t normal for investigators to come in and ask about people unless something awful happened to them. No, I was in a panic. Nothing had happened to them.
But part of me could imagine they’d both die before doing something to hurt me, unless they were teaming up to go after my money. People did shitty things for money, even people who were supposed to be your friends, and most certainly family.
Detective Hatcher’s eyes narrowed. “When was the last time you saw them?”
I shook my head as I tried to remember the exact time I saw Stacey, but came up short. “I haven’t seen Stacey in at least eight months, but I saw Cindy just last night in the casino. She came up to say hello and that was it. She disappeared into the crowd, and I haven’t seen her since.”
“How did you know them?” the woman asked, sounding a bit like she already knew the answer to that question.
“I used to have a relationship with them, but not at the same time, of course. I dated Stacey first and then Cindy.”
Detective Hatcher looked over at his partner. “That’s all I needed to hear. I’m afraid we need to take you in for further questioning.” The man’s arm locked on my bicep and I stumbled, my knees trying to give out with the excitement.
My jaw went slack and I felt as if all the wind was knocked out of me. “What’s this about? What kind of crime are you investigating?” I had the urge to pull away from the man, but I didn’t want to look as though I was resisting. No, nothing good could come from putting up a fight.
“Can I at least get my shoes?” I motioned across the room and Hatcher gestured for Schaffer to grab them. She walked across the room, found them, and brought them to me, allowing me to shove my feet down into them. I supposed a pair of socks was too much to ask for. I was suddenly thankful I’d put on pants and a shirt, though the thing was barely buttoned.
I could hear the shower in the distance, but they thought nothing of it. I needed to get Luna’s attention but hesitated. Should I get her involved? She could help me, and I’d have her get my lawyer much faster. “I need to talk to my assistant.”
They weren’t listening. Instead, they acted like they hadn’t heard me.
Schaffer went to the door and turned around as Detective Hatcher led me into the hall. “We’ll need your full cooperation, Mr. Grant. You’re being questioned in the investigation of the murders of both Cindy Clarke and Stacey Boyd. You’ll be allowed to call your lawyer from the station.”
My legs went out from under me. Cindy and Stacey were dead? It couldn’t be. I couldn’t accept it. They had both been so full of spark and such fighters. Despite what had happened between us, I never had any ill feelings against either of them. Both had their own flaws, but I couldn’t even fathom a world without them somewhere in it.
Hatcher dragged me along beside him to the elevator. “Please, I need to talk to my assistant! She’s in-”
Hatcher let out a long sigh, as if this sort of panic from a suspect was not only boring, but overdone. “You can call her from downtown.”
“Are you placing me under arrest?” I pulled away, my nerves getting the best of me.
“We’re taking you in for questioning, but if you keep resisting, we’ll arrest you.” I met his eyes and knew he meant business.
I didn’t fight it as I was led down to the lobby. Reporters and photographers from the press had gathered and were waiting as the elevator opened. Apparently, whatever went down, it took a while to point a finger my way. While I was upstairs regretting the night’s sins, they were gathering to see me emerge.
Worse than that, though, Cindy and Stacey had been murdered somewhere in the hotel, and even though I didn’t kill them, I couldn’t help but feel responsible.
As the first camera flashed in my eyes, I ducked my head, knowing my life was never going to be the same again. Thinking of Luna upstairs in my suite, I realized things couldn’t get any more fucked up.
Chapter Three
Luna
My fingers had pruned to impossible extremes, and I wondered how long they’d take to go back to normal as I shut the water off. I grabbed a towel off the rack and wrapped the fluffy white cotton around my breasts, tucking the end in to keep it secure.
The bathroom was steamy again, and like a big baby, I’d taken my time letting the pressure from the shower head work its magic on my tired muscles.
Feeling a tad more normal, I contemplated putting my wrinkled clothes back on, but decided to grab the plush white robe, instead. Taking it from its hook, I dropped the towel from around me, and after I finished patting myself dry, I slipped into the robe and secured its belt. Its length was to my feet, and the instant warmth enveloped me, making me feel much better, considering my headache was still nagging.
As my stomach let out a growl, I stepped into the other room, hoping that room service had left a nice big breakfast, though looking at the time, it was closer to lunch.
First, I’d get Gabriel to go down to my room and get me some fresh clothes and we’d talk through thin