Locked Out of Heaven [Complete]

Part 20

Zia cracked open Adelina's door and saw that the girl was sitting up in her bed. For some reason, the TV was on, but Adelina wasn't watching TV. Instead, she was staring listlessly into space. She opened the door further and stepped into the room. 

Adelina turned her head at the sound of Zia's footsteps.

"You're awake."

Adelina nodded slowly.

"Are you hungry?"

Adelina didn't reply right away. "A little... I think."

Zia tried again. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired. Where's the remote?"

"It's by your butt."

Adelina looked surprised, then her face scrunched up. "Oh." She dug the remote out, turned the TV off and opening the back, took out the battery. Dumping it out on the floor, she pulled the blanket over her head and snuggled back into bed.

Zia was fed up. She marched up to Adelina's bed and wrenched the covers off of her. That act elicited no response either.

Angry with worry, Zia cried, "What is wrong with you? Are you sick? What happened yesterday? Answer me!"

Adelina rolled onto her back. "Aunty... I'm tired today. Let me sleep."

Zia and Adelina looked at each other. Adelina broke eye contact first and rolled back over. 

Zia stood there for a minute more and then, stormed out of the room. As the door closed behind her, Adelina pulled up her blanket to her chin and tried to ignore the world.

~~~~~

Some time later, she woke up with a bar of slanted sunlight across her face. She squinted and turned the other way. She didn't want to wake up. Her bed was comfortable. She was comfortable. So comfortable that she could fall asleep again. Yes. Fall asleep. Fall asleep.

But sleep eluded her. Finally, hot and suffocated under her blanket, she threw it off. Bits of the news report reran in her mind. Gourmet, murdered. The picture of his face was on the news broadcast. That man in the suit. Roberto. The little red stains, the haunted expression, the sudden wish for her to go home. And the bloody coat. Adelina shuddered. That might be his coat. In fact, it is very likely his coat. She squeezed her eyes shut. A sense of nausea twisted uneasily in her stomach.

His face swam up in her vision, wavering like the air on a hot summer day. Adelina shook her head. No. No. No. He's a nice person. He would never hurt anyone. He wouldn't kill someone.

Her voice of reason spoke up. But weren't  you guys around that same place a couple of days ago? 

It's just a coincidence.

You heard the description of the suspect.

That's a coincidence, too. There's plenty of young white males with curly brown hair. 

If you say so. It was unconvinced.

 Of course. He can't kill someone.

What do you know about him?

He-- he... he... For some reason, nothing came up.

See? 

I'll just have to ask him.

What? Are you going to ask him, "Did you kill someone"?

He'll have some kind of reaction.