Now You See Her - Michael Ledwidge [74]
“Then the police said that he had done a bad thing with that white woman. That he had done nasty things to her at his job. He lied. He was no gentleman. Mama was right. I could never love such a man.”
“But he was with you on the day the girl was abducted, Fabiana. We know that he was. You went to the Miami Seaquarium together.”
“That never happened,” she said as she dropped the pestle. “On that day, I was with my church group. Mama will tell you. Justin was mistaken. I must get back to work.”
“Wait,” I said, grabbing her wrist. “What Justin did with Tara Foster was wrong. To treat you in such a manner was unconscionable. But he shouldn’t have to die for it. If he was with you on that day, then everyone needs to know. Or you’ll be the one who is responsible for his death.”
Fabiana shook her head. “I have nothing more to say. You must leave now. I must get back to work.”
“Yes,” Queen Isabelle said, coming through the swinging door. “Leave now.”
“Fine,” Charlie said, putting his hand into his jacket pocket. “You know the South Beach Marriott?”
“The hotel around the corner?” Fabiana said, puzzled. “Yes. What about it?”
Charlie handed her his card with a room number scrawled on the back. “Well, we’re going to be there for the next two days. If you want to come by, you can watch the coverage of your ex-boyfriend’s execution with us.”
“But you said you were his lawyers. Won’t you be there to help him?” Fabiana said, confused.
“It’s out of our hands, Fabiana. You’re the only one who can help Justin now,” Charlie said as we left.
Chapter 93
“ROOM SERVICE?” Charlie said into our phone at the Marriott ten minutes later. “Please send up two turkey clubs and a pitcher of—”
I kicked Charlie in the back of the knee with my pump.
“Um, lemonade,” he finished, hanging up.
I dropped my laptop and briefcase in a heap by the couch. I walked across the suite and drew the drapes. Reeling with disappointment and exhaustion, I shook my head at the too bright Florida sky, the too bright glittering ocean.
My return to Florida wasn’t going as I had hoped. I’d wanted to avoid Peter, but I failed. I was continuing to lie to someone I was starting to have feelings for. And now, after we’d finally found Fabiana, she was refusing to help Justin. Talk about cruel and unusual punishment. What the hell were we going to do now?
Behind me, Charlie kicked off his shoes and lay down on the couch.
“Do you think Fabiana will take the bait?” I said.
“Do I know?” Charlie said, closing his eyes. “Depends on how much she hates Justin, I guess. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, right? It’s looking like Justin must have scorned the living crap out of Miss Desmarais. Is it actually possible for a woman to hate a man to death?”
“You’d be surprised,” I said grimly. “How long do we wait?”
Charlie let out a tired breath. “Two, three hours at the most,” he said. “If she doesn’t show, then we won’t have any other choice. We’ll have to go with Plan B.”
“Which is?” I said.
“We still go up to meet with the clemency board in Tallahassee, but instead of Fabiana recanting her testimony, you’re going to have to tell the board your bizarre life story instead. It’s gonna suck, and it probably won’t even work, but it’s like you said. Other than that, we don’t have a damn thing.”
I pieced through that excruciating scenario. I’d had trouble enough telling my secrets to Charlie. How exactly was I going to give them up to the governor of Florida?
A long hour later, after my third game of solitaire, I was heading out onto the balcony to give Emma a call when there was a soft knock on the door.
“Lunch. Finally,” Charlie mumbled from where he lay dozing on the couch.
“No, please don’t get up. I got it, really,” I snapped as I crossed to the door.
My mood definitely lifted when I opened it.
It wasn’t room service.