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“Fuck,” I mutter through my teeth as I turn toward the stage.
My teacher, perched on high heels, beckons me to join her. Her little smile makes me ask myself many questions.
“Yes?” I asked as I reached her, my bag pressed against my chest.
“Larey case.” She approaches me. “Where is your classmate, Mr. Bomley, who was working with you?”
My lips open but no words come out. I swallow hard.
“He had…a problem. A family problem.”
She nods, not looking for more information.
“I recently saw my colleague, Larey’s lawyer. Now that things are coming together, I can tell you one thing. Two things, actually. First…”
My heart misses a beat. “What?”
“We have a new witness.”
I widen my eyes, increasingly interested. “What kind of witness? A witness who could clear Mikael’s name?”
My teacher doesn’t answer directly but smiles at me, silently confirming my theory. “I can’t tell you anything concrete, but Helena had mentioned her suicidal desires to her own mother several times.”
The suicide hypothesis. The one I had considered myself.
“What’s the second thing?”
“This new witness—the mother—has concrete evidence accusing Helena. She refused from the beginning to cooperate to protect her daughter—even though she is dead—but she finally agreed to help us.
“What evidence does she have?” I know she won’t tell me what it’s about, not right now, anyway. “Is it possible that he will eventually be found innocent? Released?”
Professor Richards crosses her arms and purses her lips.
A lot of questions come to mind as hope is reborn in me.
“I won’t say anything more. Have a nice day, miss.” She dismisses me openly, apparently in a hurry.
I walk away from the stage, my heart a little lighter. I believe it. If an innocent man is behind bars, I pray that justice will be done and that Mikael will be released, cleared of the crimes he did not commit.
***
Two hours later, I pull up to the Bomley property. Thank God the gate is open this time.
I know I shouldn’t be here, but I’m totally consumed with pain and stress. I’m probably doing something wrong, but I need to see Tucker. I need him to listen to me, to know that I’m here. That I will be there when he needs me.
We are a couple, he and I. At least we used to be. What about today? What’s going on between us? Another unanswered question…
I stop my car in front of the mansion and take a deep breath.
“Come on, you can do it, you sissy,” I mutter through clenched teeth.
I open the door and get out of my car, looking at the huge wooden door. I fiddle with my fingers, stressed, and climb the few steps leading to the entrance. The door swings open.
Tucker frowns at the sight of me. He stares at me, but I feel like he’s not really there, like he’s just a body shell with no soul. The thought scares me but I ignore it. I stop on the first step, unsure.
“I…hi.” My voice is a whisper.
He closes the door behind him and walks towards me. His beard is longer than before, his eyes darkened.
