Dead Breath. Melody Jade Allen
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are you trying to find in it?”
“Well, Leandra was talking about some kind of secret in this a damn piece of a wood. I think there is a double bottom or something like that.”
Tom chuckled. “And are you really going to look for that secret? Gosh, she could mean anything like storing a picture of a guy that she was crazy about. You understand everything too literally.”
“No, you see everything superficially.” Mireya teased.
“Sometimes I do.” Tom smiled. “But I don’t live with illusions.”
“Hey!” Mireya slapped Tom on the shoulder. “Do you think I live with illusions?”
“Partly! What did you do before?”
Mireya looked at the road. Indeed, she didn’t even contact Rick to explain to him what had happened in her life. Although, for sure, it did not matter anymore – the police had already notified him and she had already been dismissed. “I was a graphic editor.”
“Not bad.”
“Well, yes.” Mireya looked at Tom. “What about you?”
He looked at her. “I’m here illegally, do you remember?”
“But you did something, right?”
Tom stopped the car in front of a red traffic light. “You know that I worked with Leandra. I already told you.”
“But that is not everything?”
“No.” Tom pressed the gas again, looking at the green light. “Okay, if you insist. In addition to this entire hacking world, I was also a con man. It’s nothing spectacular. I told people that I was like a psychic. It was stupid.”
“And how did you do it?”
“With Dennis’ help, who was looking for information about my clients. Well, it also was just my fantasy.”
“Oh…” Mireya exhaled. “It’s disgusting.”
“Yes, you’re right, Lady.” Tom grinned.
“So where are we going now?”
Another incoming call to Mireya’s cell phone didn’t allow her to get an answer; she took it out of her pocket and looked at the caller's name. “This is Dennis.”
Tom turned the steering wheel and stopped the car on the roadside. “Well, answer him.”
Mireya pressed the green button. “Dennis? This is Mireya, Tom is with me.”
Dennis said from the other end, “Then turn on the speakerphone.”
Mireya did so.
“Are you are brother and sister for troubles now?” Dennis said as if mocking.
“It’s a long story, my friend.” Tom said. “What do you have?”
“Okay, I was trying to track down Leandra’s phone as you asked, Mireya.” Dennis paused. “You see… The signal comes from the hotel room in Los Angeles where she was killed.”
“What kind of nonsense?” Tom exchanged glances with Mireya. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely I am!” Dennis answered. “I’ve checked several times to make sure I also know what it looks like, Tom.”
“It’s clear…” Mireya thought about it. “Is there something else?”
“No, that’s all.” Dennis said. “Our Boss is here, I have to go. Good luck there.”
“Thanks for the info, Dennis.” Mireya said and the phone interrupted.
“So Leandra’s phone is in the room where she was killed.” Mireya ran her hand over her forehead.
“Yup…” Tom snorted. “And her killer is hiding under the bed. By the way, why did you ask to find her phone number?”
“I needed it.”
“I got what you mean. But what for?”
“You know, not only one of us has secrets.” Mireya crossed her arms.
“Well. But since we are in the same boat, maybe it’s worth starting to share them?”
“You lied to me.”
“Sorry?”
Mireya looked at him silently for a few seconds. “I didn’t want to betray Dennis. But he said you are her ex-boyfriend. That’s where you got the keys to her apartment. By the way, I found a pair of men’s T-shirts and jeans in her dressing room – your size.”
“Did you find the second toothbrush in her bathroom?”
“Tom?”
Tom exhaled loudly. “Okay, damn it. Yes, I was her boyfriend.”
“Why you didn’t tell me?”
“Because it could give me a motive for her murder. We quarrelled before she left Las Vegas’ and the quarrel was about money.”
“What you…?”
Tom raised his hand, not letting Mireya finish her question. “We made bets. She worked in a Casino Hotel, and we had a kind of business in it. I understand the programming of gaming machines, so we often cheated. I also worked there for a while as a so-called psychic, but then I gave it up to work with her. The profit was not big, but it was enough. We decided to save money to start a new life in another country. The day before she left, I noticed that the money was gone – we kept them in a case. Leandra said she needed go to Los Angeles to save someone and she needed money for that. I didn’t believe her. I decided she just betrayed me. Nothing terrible happened – I just called her a bitch and walked away, slamming the door. I did not go to Los Angeles for her… I can’t just buy a plane ticket, in short… That’s the whole story.”
Mireya smiled slightly at him. “Thank you for this truth, Tom.”
Not saying a word, Tom pressed the gas again, and under the first rays of the Sun they continued their way together…
***
“What are you distracted by?” Mireya asked Leandra, standing in front of the refrigerators with drinks in the supermarket of Los Angeles.
Leandra was fascinated by her mobile phone, but was distracted by hearing the words of her friend. “Don’t worry… Do you want something with caffeine?”
“Leandra?” Mireya noticed the cold in her eyes.
“It’s all right. There’s just a guy who’s going to get me.” Leandra lied.
“A guy?” Mireya took a bottle of energy from the refrigerator. “Who is he, blondie?”
“Just… someone.” Leandra waved and looked at the rack with the chips.
When they left the supermarket and already got into Mireya’s car, Leandra said she forgot to buy wet wipes and dry shampoo, so she headed back, leaving her cell phone. She was not a few minutes, but it kept on compulsively ringing. In the end, Mireya could not stand it and answered the call.
“Leandra?” A man’s voice said.
“No, this is her friend.” Mireya answered him. “Who am I talking to right now?”
“Where is she?”
Mireya realized that the voice was partly not male – it was computer. “She went out. Can I help you?”
“Tell her that she does not have as much time as she thinks. And they will be here soon. She will understand what I meant. Bye, Snow White.”
The call was ended.
“Snow White?” Mireya chuckled. “What the…?”
“Hey?” Leandra got in the car, holding the bag with new purchases. “Did you just answer my call?”
“Sorry, but it put pressure on my brains.” Mireya repeated what the caller told her.
“Wow.”