Page 26 of Double Edged Hearts
“At least you didn’t throw up in front of everybody.” She smirks.
I incline my head to the side. “That doesn’t mean it didn’t make me sick. It did. I don’t know how people can be so evil.”
“Me neither. When we read Matvey’s specs and I saw that he gouges out people’s eyes like a signature move, I was shocked but I didn’t think we’d see it for ourselves in real life. I don’t know what I expected. I’m going to need to toughen up though to continue my work on this case. I get this feeling there’s more. This guy is not just dangerous he’s sick. Psycho sick.”
I think back to what Alex said about Matvey and I definitely agree with her. “Anybody who can take pride in doing shit like that is psychotic.”
“It just makes me wonder how the hell we’re going to find him.”
Matvey has two weeks on us. For all we know, he might have left Chicago and might even be on his way back to Russia. We don’t know, and the fact that we can’t find him suggests that could actually be the case.
“I hate feeling lost,” Lyndsey adds.
“Maybe we should go over the files again and look at the new evidence,” I suggest. “I can’t see anything from the two murders that will help but maybe I missed something.”
“Looking over the files again is a good idea. Maybe we might find something more from yesterday’s findings,” she agrees. “The detective who was working the case is going to call me if anything more comes up on their side. I think at this point going over the files is really all we can do."
If nothing else I need the distraction. Something to take my mind off Alex. I glance down at the paperwork on my desk. When I look back to Lyndsey she gives me a curious stare.
“You okay Cora? You… something doesn’t seem right with you.” She observes. “Something non-job related.”
I straighten up and think of how to answer that question. “I just have a few things on my mind.”
“Like what?” She looks worried.
“Stuff I can’t get my head around,” I confess.
“You…haven’t seemed yourself since before we left LA. Your mood seemed to change when we were asked to come here. What’s going on?”
I bring my hands together. “Have you ever done something you know was for the best, but then you feel terrible after?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“It’s that.”
She blinks a few times and presses her lips together. “Is this guy related?” she asks.
The question doesn’t surprise me because this is Lyndsey. She’s a quick study and nothing gets past her. That means I shouldn’t lie.
“Yeah,” I confess and her eyes snap wide.
“Oh my God I knew it. I did. Cora, why on earth wouldn’t you tell me?”
“It’s complicated.” That’s the best way I can describe the situation between me and Alex.
“Okay, I really loathe that word. It’s an asshole word people use as a get out of jail card. I know there’s a lot you don’t tell me.” She shakes her head. “Everything we end up talking about is very basic.”
Because she doesn’t know my past and my secrets.
“I um…” I try to hold back the tears that threaten to fall but it doesn’t work. I can’t be strong today. When I think of Alex’s face and the disappointment in his eyes as I told him I didn’t want a future with him a tear tracks down my cheek.
Lyndsey gets up and comes around to me.
“Oh my God Cora, what is happening? I’m your friend for God sake. You can talk to me.”
I shake my head. “I can’t talk about it. I can’t… not now. I don’t want to fall apart at work.”
“I guess we’re not talking about Zack, are we?” she asks, holding out a box of tissues for me to take.
