Free Her Destiny by Monica Murphy

raises a skeptical brow. I’d estimate Detective Jacoby is around Dad’s age, shorter and with a paunch around his middle. He’s watching me like a hawk, looking down the slope of his large nose as if he’s waiting for me to slip up. I’ve got nothing to hide from this man. “From what I understand you two were involved.”
    How in the world would he know that? Who told him? Nick? “Not any longer,” I say.
    “Strange that he’d come all the way here last night and you wouldn’t talk to him.”
    “We’re not together anymore. I told him that and sent him away.”
    “Uh huh. Bet he got real mad after all that driving when you told him to take a hike.” He shoves his hands in his front pockets and leans back on his heels, contemplating me. I watch him in return, not about to back down. I don’t like this man and I’m usually accepting of everyone. But after being tricked for so many years, I’ve come to trust no one.
    I hardly trust myself, or my instincts.
    “He wasn’t mad.” Sad and disappointed and shocked, oh yes. I can’t get rid of the vision of him staring at me when I got on the bus. I know he couldn’t believe I walked away from him.
    I still can’t believe I did either.
    “You sure about that? Fairfield has a bit of a temper.”
    This detective is trying to bait me or scare me, I’m not sure which. “Nicholas Fairfield is the most giving, sweetest person I’ve ever met. If he has a temper, he’s never shown it around me.”
    “Well, aren’t you lucky then.”
    Sniffing, I back away from him, my butt colliding with the hostess stand. “I don’t like what you’re implying.”
    “I’m not implying anything, sweetheart. What’s throwing me off is you saying you didn’t talk to your boyfriend when he came to see you last night. I’m finding it hard to believe.”
    “I’m telling the truth.” My voice rises but I can’t seem to care despite my being at work. I’ve had it with this guy. My newfound rebellious streak decides to show itself. Authority figures don’t scare me. “He tried to stop me when I left work and then again at my apartment but I refused to talk to him. I went inside and haven’t seen him since. We’re not together anymore. We haven’t been since I came back here at the end of summer.” It’s the truth, no matter how hard it is to say it.
    “So you live in an apartment? Where are your parents?” He changes the subject, his tone innocent enough but I see right through him.
    Jerk. If he knows as much as he’s letting on about Nick then he must know all about me. “I live with my older brother.”
    “Right. Evander Hale.” He pushes his sleeve up to check his watch before he settles his gaze on me. “He’s part of a murder investigation you know. Your boyfriend.”
    Krista. Of course, I know. “He didn’t do it,” I say firmly.
    “How can you be so sure?”
    Pausing, I press my lips together, contemplating what I should say next. The truth would be good, right? It’s the least I can do. I refuse to be dishonest like Mom and Dad. Lies are destructive and the more you tell them, the bigger they grow. What my parents did, how many people they hurt, I can’t change what they did. I can’t take their actions back and make everything right again. It’s too late.
    But it’s not too late for Nick. I can defend him. I can tell the truth and get the police off his back once and for all.
    “I’m one hundred percent sure because the night of the murder you’re talking about?” I swallow hard before I blurt out, “Nicholas Fairfield was with me.”

 
    November 13th, later that night
     
    W atching that jackass cop exit the restaurant where Reverie works just about does me in. Frustration threatens to overwhelm and I tell myself to get a grip but it’s damn hard. I thought it was over. I thought they were letting me be because they had no evidence against me but clearly I’m wrong. That asshole followed me here and actually went in to her work to