SWNOVELS The Housemaid’s Secret: Part 3 – Chapter 65
Enzo’s already black eyes darken even further. He’s not thrilled to hear that my ex-boyfriend is calling. But he’s not the jealous type and he’d never tell me not to answer. And even if he did, I wouldn’t listen.
“Just a minute,” I say to Enzo.
He nods. “You do what you must.”
I knew he’d be okay with it. Well, he doesn’t look thrilled. But he doesn’t protest, at least.
“Hello?” I say into the phone.
“Millie?” Brock’s voice sounds distant, like we’re two people who knew each other only briefly and in passing. We only broke up yesterday, and it already seems strange that we once dated. “Hey…”
“Hey,” I say stiffly.
I can’t imagine what he wants. He doesn’t want to get back together, that’s for sure. He’s probably thanking his lucky stars that we didn’t move in together. You’re welcome, Brock.
“Look,” he says, “I… I wanted to apologize for running out on you at the police station yesterday.”
“Oh?”
He heaves a sigh. “I was upset, but it was incredibly unprofessional of me. Whatever you did wrong, you asked me to be there as your attorney, and I owed you that.”
“Thank you. I appreciate your apology.”
“And that’s why I’m calling.” He pauses. “I spoke to the detective again this morning, and I feel like I owe it to you to warn you that they tested some clothing they took from your laundry hamper.”
I grip the phone tighter. “For blood?”
“No, for gunshot residue. And it was positive.”
My mouth falls open. I just assumed they were looking for blood on my clothing. It didn’t even occur to me that they would be searching for something else. “Oh…”
“I think they were waiting for that to come back for their case to be a slam dunk,” he says. “I’m guessing they’re obtaining an arrest warrant right now.”
I freeze, my knees trembling. “Oh…”
“I’m sorry, Millie. I just wanted to give you a heads-up. I owe you that much.”
“Yes…”
“And…” He coughs into the phone. “Good luck, you know, with all that.”
I turn away from Enzo so he doesn’t see my eyes fill with tears. “Thanks.”
Thanks for nothing. Thanks for abandoning me when my life is in shambles.
Brock hangs up and I’m left holding the phone to my ear, struggling not to let the tears fall. I am totally screwed. Wendy has brilliantly set me up to take the fall for the murder of a man I never even met.
“Millie.” Enzo’s large hand drops onto my shoulder. “What happened? What did he say?”
I swipe at my eyes before I turn around. “He said the police found gunshot residue on my clothing that they took from the laundry hamper.”
Enzo nods. “If you fire a blank, you still have the gunshot residue on your clothing.”
I bury my face in my hands. “Brock says they’ve probably got a warrant for my arrest, or they will soon. What am I going to do?”
“I will not give up.” He grabs me by the shoulders. “Do you understand me? No matter what happens, I will not give up. I will get you free.”
I believe he means it. But I don’t believe he’s capable of getting me out of this mess. If they arrest me, that’s it. They’re going to stop looking for the real murderer. Everything will be pinned on me, and it sounds like they have a strong case. Gunshot residue on my clothing, my fingerprints on the murder weapon, and the doorman can testify I was in the building at the approximate time of the murder.
I am so screwed.
“I want to go to that cabin on the lake.” I glance over at the address scribbled on the paper towel. “I want to find that bastard. I need to get to the bottom of this.”
“It will not do any good.”
“I don’t care,” I growl. “I want to see him. I want to look him in the eyes and ask him why he did this to me. And if Wendy is there too, I want to…”
My eyes meet Enzo’s. His eyes widen for a moment, then he races over to the kitchen and grabs the paper towel with the address on it before I can get to it. He crumbles it in his hand and holds it under the sink until the ink bleeds.
“No,” he says firmly. “I will not let you do something stupid.”
“Too late,” I say. “I already memorized the address.”
“Millie!” His voice is sharp, his eyes wide. “Do not go to the cabin. You are not thinking clear right now. You have done nothing wrong and you will not go to prison unless you give them a reason to send you!”
“You’re wrong.” I lift my chin. “I’m going to prison no matter what. I may as well earn it.”
“Millie.” He grabs my wrist with his large hand. “I am not going to let you do something stupid. Promise me you will not go to that cabin.”
I stare up at him.
“Promise me. You will not leave here unless you promise.”
He’s not holding me tight enough to hurt me, but enough that I can’t get away. He’s trying so hard to save me from myself. It’s sweet. Brock couldn’t get enough of saying it, but Enzo truly does love me. And I believe that even if I do get arrested, he will do everything he can to get me out. He’ll do everything he can to expose the truth.
“Fine,” I say. “I won’t go.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
He releases my wrist. He takes a step back, looking miserable. “And I promise, I will make this right.”
I nod. I left my purse on his futon, and I reach for it now. “I may as well go back to my apartment and face the music.”
“You want me to go with you?”
“No.” I sling my purse on my shoulder. “I don’t want you to see it when they snap the cuffs on me.”
Enzo reaches for me. He gives me one last kiss, which is honestly almost enough to get me through a couple of years of prison. Nobody can kiss like that man. Brock sure couldn’t.
“I promise,” he whispers in my ear. “I will not let you go back to the prison.”
I pull away from him, trembling slightly. “I’m going to go home now.”
He squeezes my hand. “I will find you a good lawyer. I will figure out a way to pay for it.”
His tiny studio apartment is filled with furniture from the garbage, and I bite my tongue to keep from saying something sarcastic. “I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too,” he says.
“And… I love you.”
It didn’t feel right when I said it to Brock, but it feels right now. I couldn’t leave here without saying it to him.
“I love you too, Millie,” he says. “So much.”
I do love him. I have always loved him. And that’s why I hate lying to him.
But I can’t let him know that I’ve got his car keys stashed away in my purse.
He’ll figure it out soon enough.