The Night the Music Died by Gregory Payette

Author:Gregory Payette
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: private investigator mystery series, mystery books, florida crime series, clean mystery, fun mystery series, thrilling mystery
Publisher: 8 Flags Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2019-07-23T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

I TOOK A SIP OF COFFEE as I sat across the table from James at the St. Johns Town Center. I waited a moment as he fixed his tea.

“I saw you yesterday,” I said.

He shifted in his chair as he glanced across the table at me. “Saw me? Where?”

“You dropped off Nadia. At Olivio’s?”

James raised his cup. I noticed a bandage on the back of his hand. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m telling you now.”

He put his cup down on the table and folded his hands in front of his chin. “So, what’d she tell you?”

I didn’t exactly answer him. “Why would you hire me and not say a word that there’s something going on with you and Nadia?”

His eyes widened and he sat forward into the table. “What? She told you we were having an affair? That’s just not true!”

“Then why would you have to sneak around like that, drop her off around the corner?”

“I’m telling you the truth,” he said. “There’s nothing between us. She needed...” He stopped for a moment, maybe to gather himself. “She called and asked for help. That’s all there was to it.”

“You’re telling me there’s nothing going on with you and Nadia?”

He shook his head. “No, never.”

I leaned forward on the table. “James, are you sure? Because I assure you...I’ll find out the truth whether you tell me or not.”

He looked past me, toward the turtle pond down the far end of the courtyard. “Okay, it happened once.”

“Once?”

He closed his eyes and put his face in his hands. “It was just a fling. We had a little fun, okay? I’m sure you know what I mean?”

“Did she see it that way? Just a fling?”

He waited, took his time before he spoke. He blew out a breath of air. “One night Nadia came over to the house looking for Bonnie. But Bonnie had gone out. I don’t know what happened...maybe she forgot Nadia was coming over.” He looked at me from across the table. “She could be like that sometimes...not always the most reliable person.”

“Bonnie?”

James nodded. “Yes. Nadia waited for her. We sat out back and had a few drinks.” James sipped his coffee. “Then, out of the blue, Nadia came on to me. I swear, I didn’t ask for any of it. We weren’t flirting or anything, it just happened.” He twisted his shoulders as he turned in his seat. “We kissed. That was it. We heard Bonnie’s car, and—”

“Did she see anything?”

“Bonnie? No.” He paused. “I mean, I don’t think so.”

I waited a moment. “I get the feeling there’s more to it?”

James nodded. “As I’m sure you’d agree, Nadia’s a very beautiful woman.”

“I’d have to agree.”

“And her accent...”

“Okay, I get it. But when you dropped her off at work, why was she with you?”

“She called me, said she needed my help finding a place.”

“Needed your help finding a place, you mean, as a real estate agent?”

“Yes. At least that’s what she said. But she came onto me. We fooled around a little, but—you have to believe me—there’s nothing to it.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.