I never really knew her either.
“Why Lori?” Archer asked Knox as the detective stopped just shy of opening the door.
“The more I thought about it; the more it made sense. The secret affair with a woman Russ refused to identify…no sign of forced entry into Cassie’s house…the killer knowing Cassie’s habit of having wine before bed…It all seemed to fit.”
Hearing him lay it all out like that, Cassie had to agree with almost every part of it fit. Everything except the part where Lori was supposed to be her friend.
“That’s it?” Archer stared back at Knox with an incredulous expression.
“Dude, I wasn’t even supposed to be investigating the case anymore. As far as the higher-ups were concerned, this case was closed. And no, that wasn’t all. I was also planning on handing over a copy of the full case file.”
“Why would you do that?” Cassie had to ask.
Those blue eyes turned her way, regret filling them as they became locked with hers. “Because like your boyfriend, I never truly thought you were guilty. I couldn’t show it to you…to anyone.” A quick glance in Archer’s direction. “But while I have the utmost respect for the system, I’m also not naïve enough to think it isn’t flawed. And when you throw politics and money into the mix…” Knox blew out a breath. “Let’s just say I knew you weren’t getting a fair shake. And believe it or not, I couldn’t just stand by and watch an innocent women get sent away for something she didn’t do.”
“Thank you, Detective.”
“Your welcome. And…you can call me Travis. My mother does.”
With a quick flash of a grin, Travis turned and opened the door. Pointing down the hallway to his left, he said, “Just go back down that way and take a left. That will lead you back to the main lobby.”
“Thanks, Travis.” Archer shook the other man’s hand. “Appreciate all your help.”
Knox returned the gesture. “Just doing my job.”
With a slight scoff, Archer took her hand in his, and as the two of them went left, Detective Knox turned right. They were almost to the precinct’s main entrance when Cassie stopped dead in her tracks.
“Cassie?” Archer looked down at her. “What’s the matter?”
She couldn’t speak. She could barely breathe. And as she stared at the woman who wasreallyto blame for this whole mess, Cassie realized her entire vision was starting to turn red.
“Cassie?” Lori rushed across the lobby toward her. “Oh my god! What are you doing here? Have you seen Eddie? Is he okay? The officer who called wouldn’t tell me anything other than he’d been arrested. They wouldn’t even tell me why!”
“I’ll tell you.” Cassie’s voice sounded cold, even to her. “The police arrested your husband because he did this to me less than an hour after you and I spoke on the phone.” She jutted her chin and pointed to the painful marks on her neck.”
“What?” Lori chuckled nervously. “That’s…that’s ridiculous. Eddie would never?—”
“He put a rope around my neck and tried to kill me, Lori!” Cassie yelled loud enough for those around them to stop and stare.
But for once, she welcomed the looky-loos and the recordings being taken from people’s phones. Because finally, after all thelies and gossip that had been spread about her, everyone was finally going to learn the truth.
“Do you want to knowwhyEddie nearly murdered me today, Lori?” Cassie didn’t give her ex-friend time to answer. “Because he blamed me for the fact that you were fucking my husband!” Several gasps came from their unexpected audience, and she was glad as hell others had heard what she’d just said.”
“Wha…what? Cassie, I don’t know what Eddie said, but Russ and I never?—”
“Stop!” she shouted again. Then, in a lower, calmer voice, Cassie begged the other woman to, “Just…stop. Stop with the lies, Lori. I know Eddie found you and Russ in bed the day he went home sick. And I know Russ broke things off with you the night he came over to my house.” The night he died. “Of course, at the time, I had no idea you were the woman he was sleeping with. But hey…at least now, thanks to your husband’s confession, everyone will know I’m not a killer. No, no…that would be Eddie.”
The color drained from Lori’s lying face. “Y-you know I love you like a sister. I would never, ever intentionally do anything to hurt you. What happened between Russ and me…we didn’t plan it. It just sort of…happened.”
“Just sort of happened?” A humorless laugh echoed throughout the marble tiled space. “Like what, my husband slipped and fell, and his dick just happened to find its way inside you?”
“Cassie, please.” Tears fell freely from Lori’s guilt-ridden eyes as she begged for forgiveness.
Not in this lifetime, you lying, backstabbing bitch.
“Save it.” She started to march past but stopped long enough to say, “You were like a sister to me.” Her own eyes filled at that, but Cassie refused to let a single tear fall. “I confided in you…Jesus, how many nights did we stay up on your couch while Iwent on and on about Russ’s sleazy sidepieces. And all that time, you were the sleazy sidepiece. God, you must have had some good laughs at my expense.”
“No.” Lori shook her head vehemently. “I never laughed at you. I felt awful for what I’d done.”