Red in Richmond by Fay Smith

Author:Fay Smith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jennifer Fay Smith

14

Red

I knew I had to call Amber, she was my best shot at getting answers and giving me closure on Bax. So why was it so hard to push the dial icon? My heart squeezed as I stared at the screen of my cell phone. Amber brought up so many mixed feelings from my past.

We had been best friends during high school. You never found Amber or me without Jenna and Andrew, and Andrew was gay, so it was like we were all girlfriends. We were a foursome, always there for each other, until we weren’t.

I knew Amber had a crush on Victor, but Victor and I had been dating in secret for years. He even got me pregnant, not that I could tell anyone. If my family ever found out, they would have hurt him, bad. So he pretended to date Amber, my best friend, while he and I were together.

I had to listen to Amber talk about her boyfriend, and how much they loved each other, when he was loving me in secret. It was the perfect cover, but it made me physically sick, and I hated every minute of it. I couldn't tell her; if she told my family out of betrayal, they would have hurt Vic. I was stuck in the middle, knowing the truth. The guilt consumed me, and yet I loved him. I begged him to break it off with her, but he seemed to think it was a convenient relationship to pull everyone's attention away from us. I had worked up the courage to break it off with Vic, right before I found out I was pregnant. I never even got the chance to tell him he was going to be a father before Rocky grabbed me, and my world changed forever.

After I left they continued to date for a while, but it never worked out. She never found out about Vic and I, and the secret felt like a chasm between us. Maybe that’s why I hadn’t stayed in touch with her as well as I should have. I could never break her heart and tell her the truth, and I could never look her in the eye knowing it.

I clenched my eyes shut and pushed the button, as I let out a slow breath.

“Nat!” She squealed as she answered.

“Hey, Amber!” I tried to sound happy, but it sounded flat to my ears.

“I haven’t heard from you in ages! How have you been?” she chirped.

“Well…” My stomach heaved. “I’ve been better. I’m sorry to do this, but I’m actually calling for your professional services,” I said.

“You need a private investigator? I’m your girl! What can I do for you?” She was always so cheerful, and it made me hate myself a little bit more.

“Well, there was this cop in Boston; he was a detective who eventually made Chief. His name was Bill Murphy. Well, his wife Sophia disappeared about fifteen years ago,” I recounted.

“Wait… Do you think your family had her…” She hesitated.

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