They both looked at me and Michael was about to say something when Marcos beat him to it.
“Mr Bennett, you told me you had a party last night at your house.”
He nods. “That’s right, yes.”
“So if Ana was last in her room before the party and just discovered the note now, then it is safe to say that someone could have left this note last night while your guests were here? Someone who was at the party themselves, or managed to gain entry to the house at some point as the party was going on?”
All smiles were gone and I thought hard about what Marcos said. “I did go into my room briefly this morning to get my phone.”
Marcos quickly got his notebook out and started scribbling again.
“And I take it the note wasn’t there then?”
I was racking my brains trying to figure out whether it was there or not. This information is vital, as it determines whether the person got in during the barbeque, or when Jake and I were out today. If it was while Jake and I were out, then it would be someone who knows the alarm code as there has been no sign of forced entry. My head hurts like hell all of a sudden and the nausea is coming back. I can’t think straight.
“To be honest with you, I cannot say for certain. My phone was on my dresser, opposite the bed. I never looked. I was literally in my room seconds before I came out. I had three text messages, so I was caught up in reading those. I’m really sorry. I know how important this is, but I don’t recall seeing anything as I wasn’t paying much attention.”
Marcos jotted all this down and turned his attention back to me.
“It’s ok, don’t worry. It is important, but you were never to know how much so, until now. Can you let me know who the messages were from?”
Shit, I didn’t want to answer this. One was from Tony and I didn’t want to anger Jake and embarrass Tony with everyone knowing the gory details.
“They were from my friend, Jessie. She was at a wedding last night and wanted to know how the party went.”
“Ok, this is Jessie?”
“Lindsay,” both Michael and Tom said in unison.
“So Jessie Lindsay sent you three messages to ask how a party went?”
I blushed. “Yes, well, when I didn’t answer her straight away last night, she became impatient wanting to know why I wasn’t getting back to her.”
Tom laughed and quickly stopped to compose himself. I looked up at Jake and he was glaring at him.
Marcos finished off writing and looked at Jake. “Can you please run a list of the names of all the people who were at the party last night?”
Jake sighed. “Yes sure. I will get it to you ASAP.”
Marcos nodded and excused himself again to see what was happening upstairs. Jake sat himself up and released his grip from me.
“Now I’m going to say this once to the two of you and I don’t want to ever have to repeat this, or I will have your badges. You are not to breathe a word of this to anyone while this investigation is ongoing. Some sick fuck seems to have more than a little crush here on Ana and I don’t want anyone—and I mean anyone—to know about us, as it may piss whoever’s doing this off. Do I make myself clear?”
They both nod their heads like they’ve been told off by the headmaster.
“If I even hear a whiff of gossip going around the station, then I won’t be responsible for my actions. This has to stay quiet. For Ana’s sake.”
Jake grips my hand, looks round to me and smiles. “Are you ok, Ana?”
I return the smile. “I’m fine, thank you. It is a shock, and still is, but I have you guys to take care of me, so I’m fine.”
Jake squeezes my hand and gets up. “I’m going to speak with Marcos about getting someone to watch over the house at night, from now on. I also need to get that list going for him. Will you be ok for a minute?”
I nod and he leaves.
I can see that both Michael and Tom are itching for information, but I can tell they are afraid to ask.
“Well, go on then. I know you’re just dying to ask me.”
Tom positions himself at the end of the sofa, looking like the cat that got the cream.
“How long, Ana? You weren’t doing it with your mom in the house were you?”
My face scowls. “Eww, that’s gross, Tom. Shut up. It only really happened last night.”
I knew at some point it was going to turn sick, but I didn’t think he would just put it out there like that. This is exactly what I didn’t want—people judging us. Jake is a lot more to me than just a crush or passing whim. He is my life.
“You and the boss. I was starting to think you may have been gay, Ana.”
Complete shock overtook me. Is that what everyone thinks of me just because I never gave anyone there the time of day?