Nick shook his head in disbelief after hearing the end of my story. "You were nineteen years old and you overpowered a man almost a foot taller than you."
"He wasn't expecting it," I explained, feeling almost sheepish. "He underestimated me. My agility and strength training from parkour paid off."
"They never suspected you?"
"They asked me questions, like if I knew he was working at the Starbucks near my school and where I was that night. I told my roommate I was taking a bath and left an audiobook playing before sneaking out the bathroom window. She had no idea I was gone and when the police asked, she told them I was in the dorm all night. There wasn't enough evidence to even bring me in for formal questioning."
"But if they know what to look for it could be pinned on you," Nick surmised.
I nodded. "I was the easy suspect because of what happened to Cindy but in the end they classified it as a random mugging. Once the investigation officially ended, I figured it was better to get out of California to be safe. I transferred to the University of Houston because they matched my scholarship and I didn't kill again until moving here."
"Is there anyone from California who would still suspect you?"
I sighed and rubbed my eyes. "Probably Detectives Haycock and Lopez. They saw me get violent on multiple occasions right after Cindy's death and knew about my hospitalization. Possibly the prosecutor for Cindy's court case, Andrew Rossum. I'm not sure if any of Harrison's friends or family knew about my grudge. Maybe if someone else was at Starbucks the day I stormed out?
"I just don't know. If anyone looked me up online, they'd find the articles written about me finding the body and the court case. From there they could feasibly find the detectives and prosecutor and talk to them about me."
"So anyone can look you up online is what you're saying," Nick said grimly. "That information is available without even having to do a background check because of the publicity."
I hung my head. "Do you see how screwed I am? I have to start over somewhere else before that can happen."
"Could you really bear to leave Jonathan and Faye?" he asked. "They care about you and I'm pretty sure you care about them."
Tears filled my eyes again. "Do you think I want this? It's my last resort! But I can't stay here without going to jail. I can guarantee neither of them would visit me there so what's the point? I'm losing them anyway."
"Lori," Nick said gently, grasping my hands. "I'm not giving up on you. So don't give up on yourself, okay?"
I nodded and wiped my nose. "Okay. Can I stay here a while? I don't want to be alone."
"Yeah, make yourself at home. I'm going to make some pancakes, want any?"
I sat up straighter and asked in a small voice, "Do you have chocolate chips?"
"No, but I can get them," he said with a fleeting smile. "Maybe chocolate can cheer you up."
"You're the best," I said appreciatively as I flopped back down on the couch and turned on the TV.
My phone buzzed with a text from Jon. 'Hey, are you okay?'
I sighed and sent him one back saying I called in sick but would be fine before turning my phone to airplane mode. I didn't want to be bothered by anyone today, however well meaning. Nick was going to make me chocolate chip pancakes and make sure I didn't get the death penalty. That was all the caring I needed right now.
"Are you watching Cupcake Wars?" was Nick's greeting when he waltzed back through the door with a bag of chocolate chips and a half gallon of milk.
"Don't judge me," I warned. "Just make me my pancakes."
He chuckled. "Back to ordering me around. If I'd known that chocolate chips were the way to cheer you up I would have done it a long time ago."
"Shut up, Nick."
"Shutting up."
We ate the pancakes in comfortable silence and I felt much better. I was even able to relax enough to fall asleep on the couch in the middle of Cupcake Wars and didn't wake up for over four hours. When I did wake up, Nick was watching ESPN.
"Look who finally decided to wake up."
My only response was a groan and putting my arm back over my eyes to block the light.
"You should really text Jonathan back," he said. "He's been texting me since you turned your phone off, wanting to know if I knew if you were okay. I told him you were here so he wouldn't march over to your apartment after work."
"Have I mentioned you're the best?"
"Yes, but you could stand to do it more often."
"I'm serious, Nick. You really had my back today and I needed that," I confessed. "So thank you."
He looked at me earnestly and said, "I've always got your back, Lori. You're not alone anymore." Thinking about the two of us hanging out and watching TV in our pajamas, I really felt like I wasn't. It felt like I had family again.