me. There were nights Iâd even prayed that sheâd get hit by a bus or have a meteorite drop from space smack onto her head. But seeing her now, like this, wasnât how Iâd hoped it would end. I hadnât really wanted her to die. I had just wanted her to go away.
âWho?â I asked, then again, âWho?â sounding like an owl. âBecause if it wasnât you, it had to be someone who was here right before you.â
âI donât know,â Millie said tremulously. âI didnât see anyone when I arrived.â She must have read the skepticism on my face because she added, âI swear I didnât kill her, Andy, no matter how it looks.â
Swallowing the horrid taste in my mouth, I shifted my focus from Olivia to stare at the knife in Millieâs hand. âHow it looks is pretty bad,â I said, because it did. âYouâll have to tell the police what you told me. You really didnât stab her?â
âNo, I didnât stab her!â But as she said it, Millie glanced down at the knife as well. I heard the sharp intake of her breath, like sheâd only just realized what she was holding. âOh, dear,â she whispered and dropped it. The knife clunked onto the rug beside Olivia. âOh, dear,â Millie said again and began to wipe her hands on her tan pants, leaving brick-Âred smears. âMy fingerprints will be all over it, wonât they?â
âYes,â I said. It was a no-Âbrainer.
âI didnât do anything but try to help,â she insisted, her eyes wildly darting about the room and settling on the door. âI have to get out of here, Andy. If anyone sees me like this, theyâll get the wrong impression.â
Um, hello? I was somebody. I had seen, and I would never forget.
âYou canât just take off,â I said, even though I wanted to get the hell out of there, too. I wanted to run home to my condo, jump in the shower, and scrub my brain clean of the past few minutes. But that wasnât possible for many reasons, one of which was the cry of sirens fast approaching. âYou have to stay,â I said, because it was the right thing to do, âthey have to find out who did this.â
Millie rushed to the window, parting the blinds. âTheyâre here! Thereâs an ambulance and a police car, oh, God,â she whimpered. She glanced down at the blood on her pants and her blouse. âTheyâll think Iâm guilty. Theyâre going to take one look at me and get the wrong impression.â
She was probably right but I tried to calm her down. âYou just have to tell them the truth, Millie. I believe you,â I said, and I meant it.
âYes, of course, the truth,â Millie said and turned away from the window, nodding. âTheyâll find whoever did it, and theyâll know it wasnât me.â As she talked to herself, she circled her arms around her middle, further smudging brick-Âred on her white blouse. âThen everything will be okay.â
âYeah, itâll be okay,â I said, but my voice was like a mouseâs squeak. I hope she bought it. I wasnât so sure.
As the sirens stopped smack in front of the building, I used my cell again, this time to call Malone. I prayed he wouldnât sleep through the ring tones and let the call go to voice mail.
âAndy?â I heard him say groggily. âWhere are you?â
âIâm at Oliviaâs office at Highland Park Village,â I told him as tires screeched down below in the parking lot and car doors slammed shut. âCan you get dressed and come down here now ?â
âWhat? Why?â
âWait, scratch that,â I told him, my heart pounding. I had a feeling Millie and I were going to end up in the backseat of a squad car before Malone would even get here. âBetter make that the police station.â I turned my head toward the door and
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