Chapter Five
Luna
I felt like a prisoner. I’d been so anxious to get back to my hotel room, hoping it would ground me and make me feel safer – not because the place had acted as my home base for the past few days, but because it was familiar and that’s where my bags were. It seemed that’s where I was supposed to be and certainly not upstairs in the suite belonging to Gabriel. Instead, it felt like another holding cell, another birdcage to the reporter outside waiting for me to chirp.
I stared at my hands, which were wringing in my lap, and contemplated calling my father. He must have been worried sick if this was all over the news. I hoped if it were, he hadn’t yet seen it. What was I going to tell him? I had been putting off my call home to him because I had no idea what to say. How could I explain that I was safe when my boss, the only other person I knew in Las Vegas, had been arrested for murder?
I checked the time on my phone and realized I couldn’t put it off much longer. He’d never forgive me, and I said a silent prayer that his not calling meant he hadn’t heard anything. He’d have called if he had seen it, of that I was sure, unless he’d panicked and something terrible had happened.
Don’t even think that! I sank down on the sofa and covered my face with my hands as I took a deep breath and mustered up the courage. But it was too late. As I heard the phone ring, I knew it was going to be him. Sure enough, I looked down to see his smiling face in his profile photo.
I swiped the screen and put the little black phone to my ear. “I’m fine, Dad.”
A strong release of breath sent static through the phone. “Praise God.”
There was silence, and I could imagine the look on my father’s face. His eyes were no doubt closed as the news sank in, and he was probably shaking his head until he found his next words. I’d seen him give that look to too many people over too many years. “I was scared to death when you didn’t call me. You know, it takes all of two seconds to pick up a phone!”
I sat and took the scolding, not because I appreciated him yelling at me, but because I understood the shock of it all. “I know, I was about to call you. I had to go out, and the media is swarming the hotel. They are camped outside my room as we speak.”
“Don’t talk to anyone! I’ll come and get you and-”
“No, Dad. I’m fine. They can’t sit there forever. Besides, I think the police are going to want to talk to me.” Think it? I knew it, but I didn’t want him to worry more.
“Well, if they’re accusing him, they’ve got a damned good reason. You should have an attorney on standby. Jesus, help us all.” I listened as he struggled, and though I doubted there were any tears in his eyes, I knew they were close.
I was all the man had since my mother had passed away. He’d been driving her back from a dinner party and had had a little too much to drink. One tiny slip up and the car went off the side of the road into a small canal. My mother had died on impact, and my father had never forgiven himself.
Because he always blamed himself, I grew up thinking that if I could be perfect and make him proud, he’d have some sense of joy, and so I lived to make him happy. When I went off to college, he’d had a hard time, but then he found the church. He’d learned to forgive himself and was all about second chances. Thank God for that.
“He didn’t do it, Dad. He’s a good man and this is all a terrible misunderstanding and mistaken identity. There has to be a good excuse.”
A frustrated groan of disapproval sounded from his end. “You can’t be sure of that. I understand you work for the man, Lu, but you never know someone or what someone is capable of.”
“I know Gabriel.” I couldn’t tell him that I knew Gabriel was innocent because he’d been with me the entire night. That would kill him – and then he’d kill me. Or worse, drop dead and haunt me.
“Well, I hope you’re right. I hope this doesn’t affect your job, but I feel I have to warn you, honey, you need to be thinking of your options if this doesn’t die down anytime soon. If he goes on trial, you’re going to have to distance yourself from him. It might be best to move on to something as soon as possible regardless, what with the way he’s being portrayed in the media. It’s ugly.”
I thought about the man outside my door and nodded in agreement. My head, which had only let up slightly since morning, began to throb again. “I’ll keep you informed and I’ll be home as soon as possible. Trust me when I say there is no place I’d rather be. I’m sorry this has all happened.”
“No, don’t be sorry. You can’t help what’s happened. Just know that I love you and call me when you know more.”
“I love you, Daddy.”
He responded in kind and the phone went silent on the other end as my stomach growled. I wasn’t even sure that Gabriel had made it as far as ordering my breakfast before the cops took him away, but it was well into the afternoon now, and with the headache returning, I needed something in my stomach so I could take a painkiller.
I called down for something to eat, asking if they could bag it as takeout. I knew it would be easier to open the door a bit and slip a bag inside rather than deal with the reporter who had taken up a new home outside my door.
While I waited for it to arrive, I decided to gather my things. As soon as I had the all-clear to go home, I was going to be on the first plane.
My father had a point: I needed to figure out what I could do if my work with Gabriel wasn’t going to continue – and that was not because of the arrest, but because of what happened between us. I’d have to tell him it couldn’t go on and apologize for making a fool of myself by getting drunk and see what he had to say.
By the time I got my clothes refolded, I heard a knock at the door. I got up and crossed the room, feeling a bit unsteady on my feet from lightheadedness, which was no doubt from my empty stomach and pounding head. I peeked out to see if it was room service and sure enough, the reporter was still standing against the wall across the hall waiting for a chance to pounce.
I opened the door a smidge and accepted the food. Once he had placed it in my hands, I promptly tipped him and shut the door. No need to make room for anyone else to push their way in, but the man who’d been waiting for me did have time to throw out a question. As I stood against the closed door, I processed his words. Were you with Mr. Grant all night? Of course I had been, but I couldn’t engage with a reporter or I could surely kiss my job goodbye.
I crossed the room and took my food from the bag and placed it on the table. Thank the heavens for cheeseburgers, and as I opened mine and took a bite, my phone rang again.
Kim Dailey had been my friend since college and as soon as I saw her smiling face and edgy purple hair appear on my phone’s screen, I felt a pang in my chest. I’d tried to call her only to get her voicemail, and I was so relieved to finally get to speak to her. She had long been my rock and my inspiration, and now I needed a good strong shoulder to cry on.
I swiped my screen and put the phone to my ear. “It’s so good to hear back from you.”
“Girl, please tell me that I’m dreaming. Gabriel Grant is being questioned for double murder?” She said the words as if reading a headline. “It’s all over the news sites and TV.”
“Yeah, tell me about it. I’m holed up in my hotel room. There are reporters everywhere, and I’m only now getting to eat, so excuse me while I stuff my face.” I took a huge bite of the burger, and as I savored the taste, I wanted to cry. It was the first real moment of the entire day – it’s strange how food and your best friend can do that.
“You poor thing. Has anyone even told you anything? Did you go down to the police station?”
“No, not yet. I’m scared to leave this place. The investigator gave me a card and told me to stick around and that she’d be in touch. I haven’t heard anything yet, and I’m still not sure how they’ll get back in touch with me.”
Kim made a sound of disapproval. “They have your information from the front desk, I’m sure. You should sit tight, as bad as that sounds. I’d make them come to me. Have you even tried to call Mr. Grant?”
“I tried a few times, but I couldn’t reach him. I’m afraid to try if he’s being questioned still. I’m giving it another hour and then I’ll try again, but I’m sure he’ll reach out as soon as possible.”
“Well, at least you can tell them that you don’t know anything. What did you do last night after the event?” I knew what she expected me to say. I wasn’t the party type and if it had been any normal night, I’d have come straight back to my room and spent the evening reading a good book.
“Actually, we went out and celebrated.” I’d longed to have something juicy to tell my friend about a night out on the town, but now I couldn’t even remember the good time, and it was hardly a day for idle gossip.
“Really? Celebrated how? No, no don’t tell me – nice dinner, a little champagne?”
“Yes, and yes.” As my voice fell on the final affirmative, a groan of worry came through from Kim.
“You don’t sound like that went well, and I’m assuming it’s more than the fact Mr. Grant got arrested.” The long pause of silence that followed had me taking a deep breath to explain. “Tell me everything.”
“Well, you know I don’t drink, so you can imagine what the champagne did. I was so caught up in the fun and being with Gabriel on that level that I guess I overdid it.”
“Overdid it how?” Her tone had dropped a few octaves showing her concern.
“I woke up in his suite this morning with a massive hangover.” I closed my eyes and waited for her reaction as I took another bite of my burger.
“You slept with him? Luna, he’s your boss! Well, at least you’re his alibi.” As she freaked out on the other end, I scrambled to swallow the bite.
“No! I woke up with my clothes on, and I’m quite sure I’m intact. But I have no idea what happened between us other than a kiss.” I tossed the rest of my burger back into its box as I lost my appetite.
“Wait. You don’t remember anything? Shit, Luna, do you know what this means? If you were that drunk and assuming you passed out, then you wouldn’t know what your boss did the rest of the night. He could have slipped out of the room and done anything.”
The idea sank in, but I couldn’t believe it. Not about Gabriel Grant. I was certain he’d been with me the entire night, but as she pointed out, there was no real proof of it. I hadn’t seen him. “That can’t be, though. Gabe wouldn’t do that.”
“What if he was making you his alibi, Lu? He brought you to bed for a reason? Why not take you home if you weren’t going to…you know.”
Kim had always had a fondness for true crime TV, and now it was getting the best of her. “Maybe we were? He was drunk, too.”
“I’m certain a man like him would handle his booze better than you. Think about this, Luna. If this goes to court, you’d perjure yourself saying you were with him the entire night. If you can’t remember, then you can’t say that without a doubt.”
She had a point. No matter what I believed, there was no account for the truth.