Vendetta by Jennifer Moulton Page B

that’s why I’m pursuing this on my own and I hired Detective Williams. I‘ll be meeting him tomorrow at Allie’s favorite coffee shop,” Mark looked at Nick, who now looked very worried.
         “I know that they don’t see the situation as I do, and I can‘t prove anything right now, anyway. I just want to uncover the truth, and put whoever is responsible, behind bars,” he took a drink of his now cold coffee and shot a glare at Nick. Why was his friend acting so sketchy?
         “No kidding!” Nick blurted out. “What kind of fucking sicko would want to poison a little girl anyway? I hope you get all the proof you need, man,” Nick was rocking back and forth in his wooden chair, causing it to creak loudly with every jerking motion. Julie noticed again, how weird her husband was acting. That wasn’t a rocking chair.
         Mark had to admit, he was slightly entertained by Nick, picking up on this awkward outburst. Mark had suspected that he was on drugs for a while, and this just proved him right. After all, Mark used to be a narcotics agent. He hadn‘t said anything to Dom, let alone Julie, but with him acting out like this, it shouldn‘t be hard for them to figure it out on their own.
         “Thanks, Nick, but we don’t know for sure if she was “poisoned”. We won’t know anything until after the autopsy is performed. Dom is just as anxious, he’s scheduled it for me as early as possible after this long holiday weekend,” Mark mentioned.
         The sudden image of Allie’s cold body flashed in his mind.
         “I keep seeing her… all laid out in her pretty dress with her brown curly hair all fanned out like a little porcelain doll,” Marks eyes clouded over with darkness as he stared off again.
         Julie’s body shuddered as she too, remembered the image of Allie in the triage unit.
         Nicks face turned white as he listened to Mark and noticed Julie’s body language.
         “Nick, why don’t you go get desert for us,” Julie suddenly suggested. She gestured to the kitchen with a nod of her head.
         “Yeah, sure, I’ll be back in a few minutes. I need to go use the bathroom anyway,” Nick said. He got up from the table, tripping over his feet. Finding his footing, he turned and made his way into the kitchen.
         She watched hesitantly as Nick left the room.
         Julie quickly turned, leaned in and whispered to Mark, “I need to talk to you about Nick! It’s important, Mark. Just trust me on this. Do you trust me?” She asked, shaking.
         “Yes, I do,” Mark answered softly.
         “Something is wrong; very “off” with him… for quite some time now,” she looked at the closed kitchen door. “I think it has to do with you and your story!” She was very frightened.
         “Okay, Calm down Jules. Just keep it together for a little while longer. He smiled at her and it seemed to give her some reassurance. “I know exactly what you mean,” Mark confirmed.
         She nodded, then straightened herself up and cleared her throat. He heard Nick flush the toilet in the hall bathroom.
         “Do you remember where I said I was meeting Detective Williams tomorrow morning?” Mark asked.
         “Allie’s favorite coffee shop,” Julie said quietly. She remembered, and knew just where to go.
         “Meet me there at eight o’clock,” he silently mouthed the words.
         Julie nodded and sat back into her chair.
         Mark slowly pushed his chair from the table as the chair scraped loudly on the floor.
         “I’m going to get us some coffee to go with that pie,” Mark said loudly.
         “No need for that, I got it right here!” Nick exclaimed. He came banging thru the doors into the dining room carrying the pie and a decanter of hot coffee. “Sorry about that wait!”
         Julie managed to smile at her husband as he poured her a cup of coffee and sat it next to her