his partner.
“We met at the auto repair shop.” I keep my voice low and my eyes hooded.
“An auto repair shop?” Liam, John and Nicky repeat, all looking dumbfounded.
“Yes, like I just told you, my car was acting funny and upon arriving there, I saw Mia Montague. Her car was in the shop for a custom job, I think.”
“Then what happened?”
“Well, she had a bit of an argument with the guys there who failed to fix the scratches on her car. If your witnesses are talking about an argument, detective,” I hold his gaze, wondering if he’s somehow connected to the Matthews. “It could be that one.”
“But, witnesses say it was an argument with you and that she might have been bitter—"
“Bitter enough that’s she would purchase explosives to kill her soon to be step-brother?” Nicky argues. “My niece is not violent and I’m pretty sure she doesn’t know a thing about explosives or what have you.”
Err, your daughter is smart ma’am, she knows how to kill with nothing less than her smile.
“That’s true, all she knows is glittery shit and shopping.” Liam steps forward then glances at Nicky. “Besides, we’re family.”
“So far, we just have these witnesses, a car that exploded from a bomb and a maybe suspect.” Potbelly says, rubbing his beard.
“Have you talked to her.” I start, feeling her eyes on me. “Have you spoken to Miss. Montague?”
“Unfortunately, not since that night at the scene of the accident. But we’re on our way now to the Montague home.”
“There’s no n…” Nicky starts but I effectively cut her off.
“Good,” I step forward, blocking my soon to be stepmother from view. “But I have to agree with my brother, your witnesses seem bogus. Her niece is nothing but a clueless little girl. Things like bombs would confuse her.”
I know she’s listening to every word and the fact that no one knows she’s there means one thing. She’s terrified right now. She should be. She just became the number one suspect in an attempted murder.
“You know her well?” the stoic detective questions.
“I don’t need to, when it’s obvious that someone who knows cars, like I do, knows that my brother is right. There was something wrong with the car that day even when I was driving it, but I couldn’t place my finger on it. So, whatever investigation you’re conducting on whatever basis, drop it.”
“That’s—,”
“There wasn’t any foul play, detective.” Liam steps forward, now standing side by side with me. “We don’t have any enemies that would go to those lengths. The car malfunctioned.”
“And the explosive?” The detective questions, a suspicious look on his face.
“Detective, you’re smart enough to know that when engines are overheated, over worked and all that jazz, especially engines of Camaros, they tend to explode at times. I mean, have you driven those beasts? They can blow up.”
“But there were traces of—,”
“Yes, traces of explosives. Tell me, did your team find that from the car itself or from around that area?” I question.
“Well, from the crash site, but that’s hardly…” he starts, but I smoothly cut him off.
“And you also know that same area is used by so many people to set off fireworks for celebrations right?” I don’t relent, I don’t look away, I just watch him.
“We’re well aware of those activities happening at the cliffs, but still—,”
“So, we both agree that there might be a chance that these ‘traces of explosives’ found by your team, actually came from those fireworks and not the car itself?”
A heavy silence falls over the great foyer. I can see m y father’s jaw ticking from the corner of my eye, Nicky has unshed tears in her eyes, her facial features twisted in shock.
“The chances of that are, in fact, possible, Mr. Fitzgerald.” The detective finally relents, his eyes narrowed.
“Then we’re done here. My brother is not pressing charges and as the owner of that car, I’m telling you to back off and let my brother rest.”
“Son,” my father steps forward then. With a slight shake of his head, I know he wants me to stand down and back away. “Detectives, I apologize for my sons’ behavior. I have to say, it’s been one week from hell around here but both of them are right. We’re not pressing charges on anyone, as we all know that there’s no one to press charges against.”
“But, with what we’ve been hearing from witnesses—,”
“Witnesses from where, detective?” Liam says. “There aren’t a lot of people that just happen to hang around the cliffs that