Guest Found Dead ✓

Chapter Eleven

Pablo was ruffling his hair in thought when he heard her sobbing gently. She was crying.

He went to her side and slowly put his hands over her shoulder and gently pulled her towards him.

"I... I try to think that he didn't do it. That he couldn't have but why did he run away? Why did he leave? He could've stayed. I would've believed him.", she said and continued crying.

Then a thought came into her mind. She pulled away and looked at Pablo hopefully.

"You sure you don't have any idea where he went?", Lisa asked. Pablo saw her for the first time since she started crying. She looked broken and distraught as lines of tears formed down her face.

His hand slowly went up to her cheeks and cleaned her tears. He looked deeply into her eyes.

"If I had even the slightest idea where he was I would tell you. I wouldn't let you cry over it.", he said and she looked into his eyes.

She had never seen Pablo as anything but a friend, but now she felt different and it was not just because she had seen him half naked, but because she realised he was always there, always. Even after she met Hugh, Pablo had always been there, asking her how she was, checking up on her, being there for her.

"I've been having dreams.", she said. She didn't know what it was that made her say that. Maybe it was the fact that she felt she could always rely on him.

"It's almost like the night Sarah died but different.", she paused and Pablo sat there beside her, his hand over her shoulders, listening.

"In the dreams, she's sitting on the floor and looking at me. She's repeatedly saying it's my fault she's dead. If I had come to meet her earlier I would've known who did it. I would've been there and I could've helped her... I should've....", and she continued crying into Pablo's shirt as he held her.

"Lisa, it's not your fault. You couldn't have known that somebody was going to murder her. Sarah barely had issues with many people so it's absurd to even think that someone would want her dead. There's no way it's your fault.", he said gently.

"But she's... right... isn't she?", she said in between sobs.

"No, Lisa look, look at me.", he said and when she didn't he held her chin so she would.

"You are not at fault okay? Those dreams are just your mind playing at things. They're not real and that's not how Sarah would feel wherever she is. Okay, it's not your fault.", Pablo said.

She didn't say anything. She just looked at him. Then it was as if everything faded and it was just them both. But before things could change further, she sniffed and cleaned her tears as she moved out of his embrace.

"Thanks. And uh... we should get going. Miles said we should meet with him at the diner so....", she trailed.

"Yeah sure. Let's go.", he said and they left.

》》》》》

Ian parked the car.

"The Lidden Pub.", he said as he and Madisyn got out. "How many other things, a school, a motel and now a bar? This town is not so small after all.", he said.

"Yes, it is. Those are just normal things in a town.", Madisyn said and he opened the door for her.

As they entered, all heads turned to them. Some men whistled.

"Dude is she yours?", someone asked and Ian gave her a mischievous scowl.

"Nope. She's not taken. You can have her.", he said and moved fast to a table as a man blocked her path.

After politely trying to turn them down and later embarrassing one of them verbally, Madisyn made her way to the table Ian was seated at and he was laughing gently.

"Ha ha, very funny of you to leave me there.", she said dryly.

"What?", he asked feigning innocence. "You said you were fiery.", he said and laughed again.

But the scowl she gave him was enough to silence him.

"Plus, you aren't taken. What was I supposed to do, lie.", he said incredulously and she looked away in anger.

"You've always turned down guys who came after you, so I guessed turning these guys down wasn't going to be hard for you either."

"I always did 'cause the guys that came... weren't my type.", she said.

"Oh so you're the picky type.", he said.

"Every girl's picky when it comes to guys. He has to be boyfriend or husband material.", she said.

"He has to be, and what if he's not? You won't date. What if he has hidden qualities that he won't show immediately?", he asked.

"Well that's his loss, if they are good qualities, why would he not show them from the first date then.", she simply said and shrugged.

"His loss.", Ian said incredulously. "Girls, this is why I'm never gonna date.", he said proudly and Madisyn sobered a bit.

"Never?", she asked but Ian didn't notice her tone as he shrugged and simply said, "Never."

They were both silent for a while. Then the waitress came but only Madisyn ordered herself something as Ian declined. But as the waitress turned to leave Madisyn noticed his eyes following the waitress' hips.

"You're such a perv.", she said and he looked at her.

"What?", he asked like he didn't hear her.

"And yet you say you're not gonna date.", she said.

"Yes that's true, but I didn't say I wouldn't have fun.", he said and looked back at the waitress. "Excuse me.", he said and left while she shook her head and another waitress brought her drink.

She sat alone, sipping on her drink as she scrolled through her phone but then someone sat on his chair.

Expecting it to be him she said, "You're done with your waitress friend so soon."

"What", another voice said and she looked up to see someone who wasn't Ian.

He was a handsome guy with dark hair, some of which fell to his face and gorgeous brown eyes.

"Oh sorry, I thought you were someone else.", she said.

"Your brother?", he asked and she laughed at the thought of Ian being her brother.

"Oh no, my partner.", she said and then realised how that sounded as the stranger's eyes darted to her fingers.

"Oh no, not my partner. I mean he's my partner, but... at work. Yeah, we're work buddies.", she rambled.

"I'm Josh and you are?", he asked and it took her a moment to answer 'cause she was admiring his features. When she realised she had been quiet for some time,

"I'm Maddie... Madisyn.", she said.

"Can I call you Maddie then.", he said flashing her a toothy grin and revealing his set of pearly white teeth.

"Yeah sure.", she said.

Seems like Josh decided to take his mum's advice didn't he? What do you think of that? Is he doing the right thing, or is he too early?

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