Chapter 87: Police (3)
The color drained from Anastasia’s face. She stared at Adam her mind reeling. "No," she whispered her voice hoarse with disbelief. "You’re lying. Joseph would never do that. He has his faults but he would never send you to your death."
Adam looked away from her staring up at the ceiling. "My life was on the line Anastasia," he said his voice filled with a quiet despair. "I wouldn’t lie about something like this. If the police hadn’t shown up I wouldn’t be alive right now."
He was weaving a tapestry of lies a story so filled with half-truths and calculated omissions that it was almost believable. He was painting himself as the victim the survivor the tragic hero.
And Anastasia caught in the grip of her own grief and confusion was beginning to believe him. The seed of doubt about her brother was beginning to blossom into a dark and poisonous flower.
Anastasia stared at Adam her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Her brother was dead. Her best friend was dead.
And Adam the third member of their inseparable trio was telling her that they had betrayed him for money. It was a story that was too fantastic to be true yet too detailed to be dismissed.
She was not a fool. She knew Adam was a good actor. He had always been good at hiding his true feelings. But this was different. The pain in his eyes the weariness in his voice it felt real. But she had to be sure. She could not let her grief cloud her judgment.
An idea sparked in her mind a test to see if he was telling the truth. "I won’t believe you," she said her voice firm and steady. "Not until I hear it from Eric himself."
The name hit Adam like a punch to the gut. His eyes widened for a fraction of a second a flicker of surprise that he could not quite conceal. He quickly regained his composure his expression returning to one of weary sadness. But Anastasia had seen it. She had seen the brief flash of shock in his eyes.
So Eric is alive Adam thought his mind racing. He had been so sure that he had killed them both. But if Eric was still alive then his story was about to fall apart.