Going Together

Chapter Twenty - Xavier POV - A Good Guy

“She’s good. They’re letting her go home.” He replied.

“That’s really good, I’m glad.” I said honestly.

“Yeah so uh, she’s told me to go back to work. She knows how important this is for me. It’s kind of a big break, an actual concert tour.” He started speaking. “But uh, I know you don’t like me and I know that you think I have something to do with the letters.” He stopped and sighed. “So um, I’ll just met you guys in New York as planned.”

Guilt filtered through me, I obviously hadn’t been as subtle as I thought. “What made you think that?”

“The letters? Oh, It didn’t hit me until I left. You didn’t like me, and you saw me as a threat even though you knew I was gay.”

“Yeah.” I replied awkwardly, I knew he was gay. I’d kissed enough people to know when a pure attraction was in their eyes. Ben had that when he’d made a pass at me. Except he stopped when I backed away. He was a good guy.

“About that… I read it wrong, and I’m not sure how. I know what you and Scarlett have is untouchable. I’m sorry. Anyway when I flew out, I knew you hated me still, I realized that you thought I was the creep.”

“You’re right. I did think you had something to do with them” I replied softly.

“Did, as in past tense?” he exclaimed, sounding shocked

“Yeah.”

“So the cops have found someone?”

“No. Scarlett’s dad is a bit of a… Handyman when it comes to finding info people would usually be able to hide. The CCTV footage from the promo tour hotels shows a person in disguise. A female they suspect.”

“That psycho from your tour. Scarlett’s replacement.” Ben said lowly without skipping a beat. “Arafail.” He added, disdain dripped from his words.

I laughed at the nick name and mumbled into the phone. “I think so.”

“I’ll be on the next flight to Seattle. Do you think the police will work quickly?” Ben was walking, fast. Suddenly I wondered how I could have assumed so wrongly Ben’s intention, it was clear now, he really did just care about Scarlett.

“It’s been weeks without a breakthrough even with Nick’s clout. If it’s her, shes managed to slip under the radar for this long anyway. Scarlett is going to need a constant companion at all times until they haul her in for questioning.”

“She’s going to love that.” Ben replied sardonically.

“She’s not going to know.” I breathed out, already questioning my decision.

“Are you sure that is a good idea?”

“She’s got a job to do. She’d hate to pull out of it now, and why should she have to if we’re around to stop crazy bitches.”

Ben didn’t speak for a few seconds. What I was proposing was almost exactly what had got me in to trouble with Scarlett last time. Lying. But this time it really was to benefit her. I just had to hope that when this was all over, she understood.

“Okay, I’m in. Where is she now?”

“She’s rehearsing. I’m about to take her lunch”

Ben was silent again for a moment then he spoke. “Okay, I’ve found a flight leaving in an hour. I’ll be there by 7pm, can you pick me up?”

“Sure there is a rental car service downstairs. Oh and Ben. I’m sorry I misjudged you.”

“It’s okay, it’s kind of cool that someone actually thought I had the balls to be the bad guy.”