Sunbeams coming through the window of the waiting room pry my eyes open. Michael is still fast asleep, lying along a row of seats across from me. I sit up and check the clock on the far wall. It’s 7:25am. Dean won’t wake up for at least another five hours. It’s also too early to pay Stacy a visit. Just then, an idea pops into my mind. I need to confront Laura, and to do that, I have to head back south once again. Nevertheless, I’m forced to put that idea aside. I don’t know where she’s staying. More than that, a crowded beach isn’t an ideal place to accuse someone of attempted murder. We would draw too much unwanted attention. The most important reason has nothing to do with her accommodation or any prying eyes around us, though. I need to appeal to emotion. Wherever Laura is, I can’t barge in and start yelling at her. Maybe Michael or Dean would do that, but not me. That’s not the way I’m made. A calm approach will make her feel comfortable around me. Once she’s relaxed, I will make my move. Finding out the truth is going to be much easier, or so I believe. Therefore, I send her a text:

“You know where I’m staying. Be there in two hours. I’m ready to talk.”

Perhaps it’s a little unsentimental, but sweet-talking her is out of the question. I was way too blunt the last time we saw each other. Such a radical change in my behavior would not go unnoticed. It’s only a matter of time before she suspects something is wrong.

Back in my suite, I take a quick shower, leave the door slightly ajar and wait for her in my living room. However, concentrating on the task at hand soon proves to be much more challenging than I thought at first. The image of Dean’s face covered in blood is haunting my mind. I didn’t show my horror to Michael, knowing how much such a reaction can affect him, but I’ve never been more horrified. I was aching to scream at the top of my lungs, and yet, I kept it all inside. And I am just minutes away from coming face-to-face with the woman responsible for all this.

Hold on to your temper, Ray. Don’t take out your frustration on her as soon as she walks in, or she’ll run like hell and Dean will never find justice.

A triple knock at the door snaps me back to reality, sending a shot of adrenaline rushing through my veins.

“Come on in,” I say, standing in the middle of the living room, hands in my pockets.

“Heyyyy!” Laura chirps, pushing the door fully open. “How are you? I wasn’t expecting to hear from you,” she continues, strolling inside our suite.

“Well, people change,” I tell her, my voice coming out lazier than usual. “Can I get you anything to drink?”

“Some orange juice would be fine,” Laura requests, with the same, sweet smile on her face. Two years ago, I loved that smile. I loved that voice, those gray eyes, and those long, slender legs. And if I had seen her in that small, tight denim shirt, I would have taken her straight to the bedroom and fucked her for hours. But this isn’t two years ago. Her betrayal is still engraved in my memory. I can’t erase it, and I doubt I will ever forget the most embarrassing day of my whole life.

“Here,” I murmur, handing her over a glass of juice.

“Thanks,” she nods, tossing her red purse across the couch behind me. I watch as she downs the drink, somewhat surprised by her attitude. This doesn’t resemble at all the angry Laura I ran into just days ago. That woman was fuming with rage. She seemed ready and willing to slap me in public. “I’m sorry,” she says, lowering her tone of voice. “It’s a hundred degrees out there.”

“No worries,” I assure her, taking the glass from her grasp.

“So, what made you change your mind?” she asks, her voice reeking with anticipation.

“Our history,” I retort, putting the glass down on the table behind me. “There was a lot of love there once. I was wondering if we can, you know, rekindle the flame.”

“Really?” says Laura in sarcastic tones, her smile fleeing as she steps closer to me. “Did you decide this before or after that bimbo you’re dating had that accident?”

“You know,” I conclude, nodding along, “Why am I not surprised?”

“I have people everywhere, Ray. They’d do just about anything for the right price,” she declares in an emphatic tone, intensifying her stare. “Explain to me this. The same people have seen you, Michael, and Dean dating her. What do you call a woman who fucks three men at the same time? Is it a…” she pauses and leans over towards me, “Sl-u-t?”

That single word is enough to make my blood throb in my veins. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest like a war drum. Every fiber of my being is aching to dispense some severe punishment on her. My self-restraint goes up in flames, like a dry twig in a wildfire. Laura has just crossed the line. It’s not enough that she tried to have Stacy and Dean killed. She insults her, too. This is more than I candle; much more. I thrust my arm up, the veins in my neck bulging as I grit my teeth. Grabbing her by the throat, I rush off towards the wall across from me.

“Slut?” growling, I slam her body up against the wall. “Stacy’s ten times the woman you are, you fucking whore!” I roar in rage, the veins in my neck bulging. “And did I hear you right? Did you say ‘accident’?”

“Yes,” she chokes out, her eyes narrowed to slits.

“You tried to have her killed, you filth!” I snarl, pushing her body upwards, “her and Dean!”

“No,” Laura gasps, the skin on her face slowly turning blue. “I didn’t.”

“Do you really expect me to believe that?!” I yell, pressing my fingertips into her flesh.

“I swear,” she lets out yet another, choked out whisper. “I had nothing to do with it. Let me go.”

Although I’m still not convinced, her drowsy eyes and the almost purple color of her skin force me to stop. I yank my hand away from her, letting her body tumble to the floor. Laura lifts her hand up to her neck, her cough filling the hall. I don’t take my eyes off of her. I squat down to my knees, noticing my trembling fingers.

“What was the plan, you bitch?” I grumble, using my index to tip her chin up. “Who was the main target, huh? Or was it both?”

“Ray…” she pants, lifting her reddened eyes up to mine. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Is that a fact?” I shout, my face twisting with a mix of anger and frustration.

“Yes!” claims Laura, her voice riddled with panic. “I only found out about their accident this morning, when their attending doctor called me. She said they’d been through an accident. That’s all I know, I swear to God.”

“It wasn’t,” I groan, shaking my head in disagreement. “I was there. I saw the whole thing.”

“I would never, ever lay a hand on Dean or Michael,” Laura emphasizes, gazing deep into my eyes. “I know how much they mean to you.”

“We saw each other twice, and you threatened me both times,” I state, my tone firm. “What do you have to say about that?”

“I was mad at you! I didn’t mean it!” She confesses, her voice rising two octaves up. “Haven’t you ever said anything you didn’t mean?”

For a moment, I wish to keep up the pressure on her. Still, I realize that doing so is rather pointless. Laura is maintaining eye contact with me and her tone was steady, up until the last reply that she gave me. Those are clear indications of honesty. Even though she had motive, she didn’t have the will to hurt me or anyone else. I rise up on my feet, baffled and unsure of what to do next.

“Get out of here,” I croak, turning my back on her.

“Not before you apologize for being a dick,” she complains, getting up from the floor.

“Don’t push your luck,” I urge her, hands on my waist as I step out on to the balcony. A cool breeze blows through my hair, just before the sound of the door being slammed shut rocks the suite. Laura can be as angry with me as she likes. I’m not going to bother with her. She had her chance and she blew it. Besides, I have bigger fish to fry, like discovering the identity of the person behind the attack on Dean and Stacy. Unfortunately however, I’m at a total loss. I can’t imagine anyone else who would want to hurt my family or me. In any case, I need to get back to the hospital. Dean’s survival is a lot more important than solving this puzzle.