Page 80 of Ms Perfectly Fine
Autumn’s bag dropped from her shoulder. In shock, she stepped closer to get a better look.
“They were here when I came in. I was looking for you,” Heather babbled.
Ignoring her, Autumn leaned in. Her hand covered her mouth as she realised the roses were sitting in what appeared to be blood. Tears pricked her eyes as years of pent-up fear rose to the surface.
She rounded on Heather, standing by the costumes. “How could you do this to me?”
Heather shook her head, not saying a word.
“Autumn?” Nina called. “What’s taking so long? Sasaki wants to get started.” She walked in, and Autumn grabbed Heather before she could leave.
“Call the police – ask for a detective called Aiden,” she said urgently. “She has been harassing me ever since—”
“I haven’t, I swear! Please,” Heather pleaded, but Autumn didn’t believe her false tears.
“I’ll get Sasaki,” Nina said, her words shaky, and she took off.
“Autumn, please believe me, it wasn’t me. I have no reason to do this!” Heather attempted to reach for her, but Autumn evaded her grasp.
“Stop lying. It’s been three years since the roses began, and you joined the theatre three years ago. I’m so stupid—how could I not have seen it?”
Heather tried to leave; Autumn blocked her path.
“I won’t let you run away from this. If you weren’t the one to deliver these, then you can explain it to the police,” she growled, backing her up until she was forced into the chair by the dresser.
Heather pulled at her sleeves. “You don’t understand—”
“Then explain it to me,” she demanded, but they were interrupted before Heather could answer.
“The police are on the way. What the hell is going on?” Sasaki asked, entering the dressing room with Nina close behind. Heather sat at the dressing table, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
“What’s going on is that Heather has been stalking me for three years,” Autumn snapped, finally admitting it to herself and those who cared for her the most.
Nina, standing by Autumn, shook her head. “Heather? Why would you want to harm her?”
“I don’t!”
Autumn clenched her jaw, trying to contain herself, but failed. “Then you just give blood-soaked roses toallyour friends?”
Sasaki got between them. “Calm down. We will figure this out when the police get here. Heather, did you deliver these flowers?”
Autumn stared at him, unable to believe he was taking Heather’s side.
“No. I found them when I was dropping off the dress for the show.”
Sasaki rubbed his brow, letting out a sigh. “Autumn, wait in my office. Heather, you will stay here.” He turned to Nina. “Go outside and wait for the police. When they arrive, we’ll sort this out.”
“I’m not leaving,” Autumn argued, not wanting to let Heather out of her sight. For years, she had kept her face hidden, but Autumn wasn’t going to let her hide again.
“Yes, you are. I don’t know what’s been going on or why you choose to keep such an important matter to yourself for so long, but we will get to the bottom of this. If you don’t go to my office now, I will send you home.”
Autumn stormed out of his office as he crouched to talk quietly with a sobbing Heather. Tears—he was going to believe tears over what she had seen with her own eyes! She paced in his office, trying to calm down, trying to stop herself from going back to her dressing room and shaking the truth from Heather herself.
At last, she sat down at Sasaki’s desk, resting her head in her hands. Removing her phone from her pocket, she thought about ringing Elijah, but she couldn’t bring herself to pull him away from such an important day.
Nina jolted her from the thought anyway as she guided a man in plain clothes with jet-black hair tied back out of his face into the office. He was younger than she’d expected; she’d thought all detectives were old and haggard. However, he was probably in his late thirties and not at all haggard. Francis had good taste.
“Autumn?” he asked, and she nodded. “I’m Aiden, Elijah’s friend. You asked for me?”
