I didn’t have to ask her why. There in the water, bobbing against the bridge with the current, was Rob Thompson.
Guess we wouldn’t have to keep an eye on him after all.
Chapter Six
I’m sorry you had to go through this again, Lila. This isn’t what I had in mind when I asked you to keep an eye on the pageant.”
Detective Park had arrived minutes after the ambulance. After issuing orders, he took me aside while another officer questioned Sana. “Lila, are you OK?”
I’d been shaking my head back and forth for the last few minutes. Again. I couldn’t believe I’d found a dead body again. “What happened to him? Was it an accident? Or was he . . . ?”
Murdered? No, that wasn’t possible. He’d probably slipped and fell, hit his head or something. There were no guardrails on that bridge, so it wouldn’t be the first time. The Shady Palms Lounge was just on the other side of that bridge, and many a drunk had stumbled and ended up in the river.
None had ever died though.
Detective Park echoed my thoughts. “It’s hard to say without an autopsy, but he had a head injury. Likely he fell, hit his head, and got knocked out. Drowned when he couldn’t get back up.”
“So this is just a tragic accident? It doesn’t have anything to do with the pageant or those threatening letters?” The desperation in my voice was obvious even to me. I picked up Nisa and clutched her to my chest. She struggled （she hated being picked up）， but I needed her near me.
Detective Park let out a breath. “I sure hope so. The sheriff’s going to have a fit if there’s another murder in this town, not to mention the mayor and his precious pageant. Still, I’m uncomfortable with you being involved with these people. Is it too late to drop out?”
I frowned. “Way too late. Besides, I can’t abandon those girls. You’ve met Joy. You know how badly she needs this. And I promised Yuki I’d watch over her daughter. They’ve got so much riding on this. If someone is targeting the pageant, who’s going to watch out for them?”
“The Shady Palms Police Department, Lila.”
I shifted Nisa to my other arm. I didn’t understand how such a tiny dog could have the density of a dying sun. “Do you really believe that? I know you care, but the rest of the department has proven as inept as usual.”
He didn’t answer for a moment. “Officer Clarkson has a daughter in the pageant. There’s no way he’d let anything happen to her.”
“His daughter’s name is Abigail, right? Yeah, no, she tried to use the fact that her dad’s a cop to ‘convince’ me and Sana to vote for her. Valerie kicked her out of the pageant after we reported her.” That was a particularly fun part of the evening, happening shortly after Rob’s scene with sandwich guy.
Detective Park cursed, then collected himself. “Sorry about that. But don’t worry, I’ll handle it. Now tell me everything you saw, starting from the beginning of your run until I arrived.”
* * *
? ? ?
After the police had taken down our statements, Detective Park dropped Sana off at her studio and took me and Nisa home. He came inside with me and pulled Tita Rosie aside while I headed straight to the kitchen. All evidence of this morning’s failure was gone, and the kitchen was its usual sparkly, inviting self.
I sank down into a seat and laid my head down on my arms on the table. How could this have happened? I had just seen Rob the other night and he had been so . . . full of smarmy charm and himself, yes, but also full of life. So confident. So sure of his place, not just in this town, but the world. Yet all it took was one drunken mistake and he was gone? Just like that? If accidents like this could end the lives of people as rich and important as the Thompsons, and as good and simple as my parents, then—
I shook my head. No need to go down that road. I needed to focus on some sort of mindless activity—dwelling too much on Rob Thompson’s death could lead to a panic attack. I’d had more than I cared to count in the last few months. No, I just needed to deal with my pain the Macapagal way—work through it.
My thoughts suddenly turned to Valerie. She’d just lost the last member of her family. She didn’t seem particularly close to Rob, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t be devastated. I understood how complicated love and family could be. I couldn’t do much to ease her grief, but I wanted to whip up something delicious, something that would bring a little sweetness during a bitter time.
As I racked my brain for a suitable gluten-free treat, I remembered Sana’s advice. I could easily bring her some kakanin, the various Filipino rice cakes that my grandmother was known for, but then that’d be a gift from her. Besides, she’d likely be seeking the comfort of something familiar. And what was more comforting than warm chocolate chip cookies? But I couldn’t resist mixing it up, just a little.