Page 49 of Hard Heart

“Oh, and he’s engaged,” Serafina added. “To a private investigator from Las Vegas.”

Levi had taken a sip of lukewarm coffee, and he almost spluttered it across the table. A desperate swallow set him coughing instead.

“You okay?”

“Yeah. A PI? She’ll enjoy unearthing the skeletons in Zach’s closet.”

“He rarely mentions her, but I gather she does in-house work for a big sportsbook. And they have a little girl. Actually, I’m not sure he’s the child’s biological father because there’s no mention of her when she was younger, but they entered a dad/daughter surf contest last year. He’s also fronting a line of kids’ surf accessories.”

“Maybe crime really does pay?”

“You think he could be a suspect?”

“If his and Justin’s positions were reversed, then one hundred percent, no question. But I can’t see Brax lying to protect him, not about that. Brax is slick as fuck, and he’d bend the truth to get ahead in business, but he wouldn’t cover for a killer.”

“So we’re back to Justin.”

“We are.” Levi swallowed another mouthful of coffee, this time without drama. “And Justin always seemed like a genuinely nice guy, which is why I’m sitting here. None of this makes any sense. Whichever way you look at it, the only plausible story is the one they told at my trial, and I’m the one person who knows with absolute certainty that it isn’t true.”

“I believe you,” Serafina said softly. “I don’t know the answers, but I believe you.”

Her leg still rested against his, and for the first time in ten long years, Levi Sykes felt a sense of peace. But it was fleeting.

“I could spend a year and a day trying to twist facts to fit explanations and still get no farther forward. I’m more grateful than you could ever know that you’re sitting here to hear me out, listening to me putting my thoughts into words.” Even if the whole endeavour was ultimately futile. “So, the bar exam, huh? I guess that’s a lot of work.”

Levi was as tired as Serafina looked. Tired of talking about Blackstone House, tired of working to someone else’s schedule, tired of paying for someone else’s crime. Tired of life in general.

“It’s slightly easier the third time around, and I haven’t had much of a break in my studies. Everything’s fresh in my head.”

“Are you going to college?”

“Nope. I’m going it alone.”

“No family here?”

“Just my roommate. Can I ask you a question?”

“You’ve done nothing but ask me questions for the past hour.”

“I mean a personal one.”

“That depends? Does it involve the size or shape of any appendages?”

She giggled. Levi was already half hard, and that didn’t help.

“No, it’s about me. Well, kind of. I’m interested in a man’s perspective.”

Uh-oh. “Colour me intrigued.”

“So, my fiancé dumped me last year…”

“Yes, he was a fool. Is that what you’re looking for?”

“No, although it’s nice to hear. He left me for a singer, quite a famous one, but last week, he texted out of the blue to ask how I was doing. Does that mean anything?”

“It means he’s realised he’s a fool.”

“Do you think? According to BuzzHub, he’s still dating the singer.”