Do you remember?

Chapter Seventeen

Gina fell to the floor in a slump. The life from her body drained immediately after the bullet seared through her head. I screamed on the top of my lungs. I thought that I was the one being shot. I was prepared to die. I had never seen a dead body let alone someone who had been shot. Her eyes were still open, staring at me, pleading to me. Blood pooled behind her head. I stared at the man who shot her. It wasn't Nolan. This man was much taller and muscular. He was sharply dressed, in a suit and tie. He had black hair that was slicked back.

"Sorry you had to witness that I had to get rid of loose ends. I can't trust anyone these days." He chuckled to himself.

He walked into the room and kicked her body aside, groaning when some blood got on his dress shoes. He pulled a chair over, placing it in front of the one I sat in and sat down, crossing his legs. He leaned over grabbing a knife from his pocket. I gasped.

"Valencia, don't be so jumpy." He chided playfully as he cut my restraints.

I rubbed my wrists, glad to finally have them free. There were purplish marks were the ropes once were on my wrists.

"Whooo arree yoouu?" I tried to say, my voice shaky with free.

"Ahhhh, well... I am your new best friend." He bellowed his voice echoing throughout the tiny space.

I glared at him, unsure of his statement. If he was here to help me, I would be freed already. But he has cut my restraints. He was very classy looking. Too classy looking to kill a woman.

"It doesn't matter as to I am because the less you know the better. These two idiots who had held you here decided to not consult me before doing so. Once I found out of this I immediately came to kill them of course. I cannot have these hooligans working beneath me screwing stuff up. I should have killed Nolan years ago. He never followed orders." he shook his head, "That is not important. All you need to know is that I am here to protect you. The story you think you know about your friend isn't true. I am going to leave here and trust that you stay here until the police come. I am going to call them. They will question you. Tell them that Nolan shot Gina and Nolan killed himself. That is how I set it up to look. Can I trust you to do that?"

I shook my head, afraid if I said no.

"Alrighty then, I should be getting on my way." he said getting up and throwing the chair back to the side of the room.

He pulled some rope out of his pocket and retied my hands. I understood. He had to make it look as if he wasn't here.

He bent down, placing a piece of folded up paper into my sock.

"When you are ready to find out the truth about Rowan, call that number." He didn't smile this time.

It was the most serious he had looked since he arrived.

"Sorry to leave you here but police will be here in..." he looked down at his watch, "around ten or so minutes."

He tipped his head and disappeared out the doorway.

I didn't know who that man was or why he was trying to help me. There was always more questions. I tried to forget that Gina's body was still in the room. It creeped me out knowing that I was completely alone with a dead body. I closed my eyes, hoping the next ten minutes would pass quickly.