Page 108 of Want to Know a Secret?

My best friend.

Chapter 55

JULIE

I look down at April lying on the floor, the broken pieces of the vase from my house splayed out around her head. She’s still moving, so I didn’t knock her out, but I knocked her down. I’ve never hit anyone that hard in my life. Zumba doesn’t quite prepare you for that.

“Julie!” Maria’s brown eyes are wide. “Oh, thank God!”

The knife April had been holding fell out of her hand when she collapsed. I see it on the ground, and before my brain can even react, my hand is reaching for it. I pick it up and grab it in my right hand.

April rolls over, clutching her head. There’s a drop of blood running down her temple. “Julie,” she murmurs. “What…?”

In the distance, I can hear sirens. It’s been about five minutes since I called Riley. He got someone here quickly. But it wouldn’t have been quick enough.

“Go downstairs,” I say to Maria. “Let the police in.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay up here?” she asks.

I nod. “I’ll be fine.”

More than fine. I look over at my hand holding the knife. It’s steady as a rock.

April watches Maria leave the room as she clutches her head where I clocked her a good one. The second Maria is out of sight, her eyes lock with mine. “Thank God she’s gone, Julie. She’s crazy. You have to believe me.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Julie…” April tries to stand up, but I shake my head at her and point to the ground. “Julie, you’re my best friend. You have to believe me. She… she murdered Elliot’s secretary and she’s framing me for it.”

“No, she didn’t.”

“She did!” April’s eyes fill with very real-looking tears. “She’s out of her mind. She’s been… torturing me. She has it out for me!”

I almost feel sorry for her. Does she really think she’s going to convince me? “I saw what you were about to do to her.”

“I was just defending myself!” She swipes at her eyes. “Because I thought she was going to kill me!”

“I’m sure.”

We can hear the sound of the front door opening. April’s blue eyes widen with panic. “Julie, please. Look at what she sent me.”

She fishes around in her pocket and pulls out her cell phone. It still has the message I sent her on the screen:

I know you are inside the house, April.

“It’s all been sent from a burner phone I found in her purse,” April says hurriedly. “She’s out to get me. Don’t you believe me?”

“Maria didn’t send you that message,” I say quietly.

There are footsteps on the stairs. Men’s voices. The cops. “Yes, she did!” April cries.

“No, she didn’t,” I say. “I did.”

April’s mouth falls open just as the police burst into the room.

_____

It’s a good thing Riley is there to explain everything to the police who show up, because it doesn’t look great for me. I’m the one holding the knife. But between him and Maria, the truth quickly comes out. April broke into the house. She was threatening Maria. And I’m the hero.