Page 47 of Drowning in Lies
He winked at me and grinned. "Well, thorough plans are my specialty, Princess. That's why I've never been caught."
"Just don't get too cocky," I warned, shaking my finger at him with a smile.
"I wouldn't dream of it," he agreed.
He left a few minutes later, after a final hug and a promise that he would be in touch soon. "Good luck with your meeting with the prosecutor. I have a new burner phone for you in my car, so I'll call you on that next week. I got another one as well, and the number is already programmed in yours. That way, we can talk or text from now on without anything that traces back to David, Scott, or Vanessa."
I walked him out to his car and took the phone he handed me, then I walked back inside. I watched from the doorway as he finished destroying the phone, then gave him a small wave as he collected the bag from the driveway and drove away.
That night, my sleep was plagued with nightmares. It started with David and I on one of our picnics in college, and ended with me shooting him with Liam's gun.
I woke up in a cold sweat, the sound of the gunshot from my dream ringing in my ears. I laid awake for hours after that, crying for all that had been lost. By the time morning came, I vowed that it would be the last time I cried over that chapter of my life.
I stopped by the attorney's office first thing in the morning to sign the paperwork he needed for my mother's estate, then spent the rest of the day wandering around Chicago, visiting the Lincoln Park Conservatory and just soaking up the vibe of the city. I decided to spend one more night at Mom's house, before returning to Indianapolis.
Friday morning, I loaded my car with the last of the things I was taking back with me, and called the realtor I was using there to let her know that the house was ready to be cleaned and staged, so that it could be listed. We had already arranged for her to take care of everything from here on out. I wouldn't need to be involved again until an offer was made for the house.
I drove back to Indy, stopping to pick up lunch before driving to the rental condo. I had arranged to look at a house later that afternoon, so I had plenty of time to unload my car and do a quick load of laundry before I left to meet Rachel, my realtor.
The house was nice, but it just wasn't quite what I was looking for. I was in no rush to find something new. The condo would do for now.
I stopped by Sherry's flower shop on my way home, wanting to get some fresh flowers to brighten up the place. I smiled as I walked through the door. Her shop was gorgeous, housed in an older storefront in the Irvington district. One wall was exposed brick, and it had the original tin ceiling which had been beautifully restored. She had used antique furniture as her display pieces, and the overall effect was upscale shabby chic, and very charming. She was on the phone with a vendor when I arrived, and I chatted with her manager for a few minutes.
Laura was a very nice older woman, who had worked for Sherry for the past four years. She kept the conversation light, very carefully avoiding any mention of David. Sherry had obviously filled her in on the situation. I selected a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers, with an antique pitcher in place of a vase.
David had always preferred clean, modern lines, whereas my tastes ran more toward early American and primitive antiques with a bit of a cozy, rustic feel thrown in. I loved the history of it all, and enjoyed repurposing old pieces for a more practical modern use.
Sherry finished up her call and came out to greet me. We confirmed our lunch plans for the following day before several customers came in, needing her attention. I waved a quick goodbye to Laura, and headed home.
The next afternoon, Sherry and I enjoyed a leisurely lunch, before doing a little shopping. I had a few things I wanted to pick up for the condo, and Sherry was looking for clothes for their trip to Greece. They had decided to go next month, and would actually be gone the same week that I would be in St. Bart's.
"You're still going?" Sherry asked in surprise. "I figured you would cancel that since...well, I figured you might want to go somewhere else."
I smiled at her attempt at being tactful. "No, I'm still going. I actually think it will do me some good to purge the last of my memories of David from my system."
"The best way to get over someone is to get under someone else, or so I've heard anyway," she said with a grin. "Maybe you'll find a gorgeous man on the beach and have a torrid fling while you're there."
I laughed as I told her I didn't think I was ready for a fling with a stranger, torrid or otherwise. My thoughts flickered to Liam, as I remembered our kiss.Hmmm, maybe...after all, Liam wasn't a stranger.
We parted ways several hours later. "Tell Chris I said hi, and that I hope he enjoys that tiny little bikini you bought," I teased her. She laughed and waggled her eyebrows at me. "I'm guessing I'll never make it as far as the beach in it, and I'm OK with that."
I spent that evening and the next day puttering around the condo and mentally preparing for my meeting with the prosecutor the next day. Chris called Sunday afternoon and told me that he wanted to meet me there. I told him it wasn't necessary, but he insisted.
"I want to be there for moral support more than anything, but I also don't want him to pressure you too much. He wants to make sure his case sticks, but I don't want him badgering you to make sure it happens."
I finally agreed, knowing Chris well enough to know that he would show up whether I wanted him to or not. He was very protective of those he cared about, and I was lucky enough to be in that group of people.
I was thankful to get a good night's sleep Sunday, and woke refreshed and ready to face the day Monday morning. I showered and had a leisurely breakfast, then looked through a few more house listings that Rachel sent over. Nothing really appealed to me, so I sent her a return email asking her to expand the search to a few more areas.
Later on, I dressed carefully for my meeting with the prosecutor, selecting a skirt and silk blouse similar to the outfit I'd worn to the arraignment. I mentally ran through my cover story again on the drive to the prosecutor's office in the government building downtown. Chris met me in the lobby as planned, and we took the elevator up to his floor.
We only had to wait a few moments before we were led back to his office, and he greeted us at his door. He shook my hand and ushered my into his office with a warm welcoming smile, then glanced over my shoulder and spotted Chris walking in behind me. His smile sharpened, and he narrowed his gaze.
"Hello, counselor. I wasn't expecting you. This is an informal meeting, you understand, so I'm not sure that Mrs. Montgomery needs legal counsel for this."
Chris gave him his "professional shark" smile, as Sherry called it. She said it was the one he used just before he took a bite out of some unsuspecting witness he felt was lying about his clients on the stand. It was the same smile he had used with Detective Horton until he was satisfied that he wasn't treating me as a suspect.
"My wife and I are extremely close to Mrs. Montgomery. I'm not here in a professional capacity, Mr. Parker, merely as a friend for moral support during such an extremely difficult time for her," he replied, holding out his hand.
