Page 51 of The Master
“Yes, but neither of us have been home since around six o’clock this morning,” Perry said, his face a tight mask of anger. “I wish we would have been here. Please tell me you were still with Nate when it happened.”
“I was,” she said, reaching for me.
I put my arm around her and pulled her close to my side. I knew there wasn’t anything romantic between her and the guys, but I still wanted to be the one comforting her and taking care of her.
“This is awful,” Gary said, shaking his head. “How did anyone even get into the building?”
“That’s on the list of things we’re looking into,” Detective Lotte said. “Have any of you noticed anyone suspicious hanging around the building? Maybe asking to be let in or just watching it?”
“No one,” Perry said. “Everyone here is really good about not letting strangers in and taking note of anyone who doesn’t belong.”
“We had a tenant whose abusive ex kept trying to sneak in,” Gary explained. “People have actually been evicted for buzzing someone up they don’t know.”
“Just for the record, where were both of you today?”
“Work,” Perry answered for both of them. “I’m an accountant at Grossman & Paulsen. Gary does interior design with Home Comforts.”
“And after work? Or do you both work late?”
“I worked late,” Perry said, tapping his chest. “One of the partners went on maternity leave, and I’m picking up some of her clients.”
“I had a date,” Gary said.
“Oh, so you’re not—”
“Just friends.” Gary answered the question before it was finished, not like he was annoyed, but more like he’d answered it hundreds of times before. “Anyway, the woman I was with was on call with the hospital where she works and got called in before our dinner even arrived.” He held up a plastic bag. “Would you like steamed rice, quinoa, and kale? She told me to take her dinner.”
“No, thank you.” Detective Lotte closed his notebook. “I think I have enough here to get started.” He dug a couple cards out of his jacket pocket and handed one to each of us. “If any of you remember anything, let me know.”
“Will I be able to get any of my things?” Ashlee asked before the detective could walk away.
“I’m sorry, Miss Webb, but no. Due to the possible connection to other legal matters, we want to be thorough in searching for DNA, fingerprints, or any other evidence. In fact, we’ll want fingerprints and DNA samples from you, Mr. Lexington, your friends here, and anyone else who’s been in your apartment recently.”
“Oh, um, okay.” Ashlee looked thrown, and I didn’t blame her. Not only had her possessions been destroyed, but the only personal belonging she’d have until she was allowed back here were what she’d packed on Tuesday to stay with me. Even after she was allowed back inside, not much would be salvageable.
“I’ll get you anything you need.” I kept my voice low, so only she could hear. “And anything that needs replaced, I’ll take care of it. I know some cleaning crews too. You won’t have to do this alone.”
She opened her mouth like she was going to argue, and I put my finger on her lips. A brief touch, but full of electricity that I knew she felt too.
“This is my fault. Let me fix as much of it as I can.”
“It could’ve been a random vandal.” She pushed a strand of hair back from her face. “A drug addict who came in looking for money or pills and got pissed when they didn’t find what they wanted.”
“I suppose those are possibilities, but with everything else going on, it seems highly unlikely that this isn’t connected to the other mess I got you into.”
She leaned against me and wrapped her arms around my waist. “It’s not your fault. None of this is your fault.”
Detective Lotte met my eyes, and I saw the truth I already knew written in his. None of this would’ve been happening if it wasn’t for me.
Thirty-Four
Ashlee
I couldn’t sleep.
Again.
Actually, it was worse this time because I hadn’t even been able to fall asleep in the first place. True to his word, Nate had taken me shopping for anything I’d need for the near future, and then we’d gotten dinner before heading back to his place.
