Lia sat at the bar with her wine, so far neither Dr. DeGraff nor Connor Butler had arrived, but she was fifteen minutes early. She took a sip of her wine and people watched as she waited. Since the decision had been made, she had recovered some of her common sense. It was something that always happened to her; whenever a stressful decision had to be made, she tended to focus on it to the exclusion of everything else, and because of that sometimes the important questions didn't get asked. Sometimes she also said insensitive things because she wasn't paying attention to what she said.
She would have to apologize to Faye tomorrow, she had offered to help, and she had brushed her off, and it was only after the fact that she realized she had done it.
"Miss Haven," Dr. DeGraff greeted as he took the bar stool next to her.
"Please call me Lia," she insisted.
"Lia," he agreed.
"This is the part where you invite me to call you Silas," she explained as he ordered a beer.
"Forgive me, please call me Silas," he offered, but she had the feeling that if she hadn't of made a point of it, he wouldn't have offered. Perhaps it was because he was a doctor and there was an unspoken rule that nurses call doctors by their sir names. Maybe it made him concerned that she would call him Silas at the hospital. Some doctors objected strongly to being called by their first names.
"Of course, if it makes you uncomfortable..." she offered.
"It's fine," he said paying for his beer.
Lia watched him as he took a sip of his drink, looking around the crowd, gauging the atmosphere. She noticed he was starting to get some looks from a few of the women, but he appeared unaware of it. There had been something about him that Lia had been trying to figure out, and she only just realized it was that he reeked of money, old money. She had been in Savannah long enough to know the look, and that was part of what drew people to him. It was an understated sophistication, and it made him more of a mystery.
"Why did you offer to come with me tonight? We've only met a few times, hardly enough for you to stick your neck out for me?" She suddenly had to know the answer to the question.
"Stick my neck out?" he asked.
"Yes, put yourself in a bad situation or at risk," Lia explained.
He gave a small smile. "I know what the phrase means, but I don't understand how I'm putting myself at risk. I won't be part of the conversation, will I?" he asked.
Lia shook her head. "But it still seems odd to me."
"You're a friend of a friend, and since you won't let your fiancé join you, I thought he might appreciate it if I was here. I know if the situation was reversed and someone I loved was trying to keep something from me I would wish for a friend to step up if they were able."
Lia looked at him, was it really that simple? Was he really just a nice guy with a chivalrous streak?
Lia felt someone on her other side and saw Connor leaning in to order a drink.
"Lia," he greeted.
Silas turned towards the television over the bar, separating himself from the conversation.
"Mr. Butler," she greeted, trying some of Silas's formality. She swore she saw Silas's lip twitch. Should we go find a table?" she suggested.
"Sure." He grabbed his beer and waved his hand for her to proceed him. Lia picked a table away from the bar near the window and within Silas's sightline. There was no use in having him there if he couldn't see her.
Once they were seated, Connor leaned back in his chair watching Lia, appearing as if he was settling in for a nice chat. "You look nice," he said with a charming smile.
"Just get to the point, I've had a long day and I want to go home."
"To Ben no doubt. I'm quite sure he doesn't deserve you." He tried charming her again, but Lia remained silent. "Fine, how much has Ben told you about my sister?"
"Nothing, he hasn't offered, and I haven't asked." Lia said honestly.
"That surprises me. I would think he would share with his fiancé." Connor took a sip of his beer.
"I respect his privacy, and perhaps he is not as disloyal as you think." Lia shrugged.
"Spoken like a good fiancé," Connor's laugh was full of condescension. "He was a cruel and cold husband to my sister, just as his sister is a cruel and cold wife to her husband."
Lia knew he was getting at something, but she wasn't sure what.
"Did you know that my sister was pregnant when she was killed?"
"I had heard that," Lia said, glad that she was able to keep all emotion out of the conversation thus far, but then nothing he had told her had shocked her.
"It wasn't Ben's baby, it was Trinity's husband's." he watched Lia closely, but she managed to keep all expression from her face.
"You have proof of course?" Lia asked.
"My sister's word," Connor said.
"Yes, the word of a dead woman, that will mean a lot in a court of law." Lia all but rolled her eyes. It was a rude thing to say, but she was nervous, and she wanted this conversation over. Part of her hoped he would get mad enough to get up and walk out, but he didn't. He slammed his hand on the table, getting her attention and others around her. Lia looked around, spotting Silas at the bar watching her, along with Ben.
He looked pissed, and if looks could kill she would be dead from the one he was shooting her over the rim of his glass.
She cleared her throat forcing her attention back to Connor. "Get on with it." She was thankful his back was towards Ben. "So far nothing you have said is all that upsetting." Upsetting for Ben maybe, but not her.
"Trinity's husband, Chris, is willing to testify that he dropped Trinity off at Ben and Ilianna's house prior to her death. That would make Trinity that last person to see her alive."
Lia's eyes opened wide. "Is that really all you have, is that why I'm here?"
"He also found clothing with blood on it the following day." Connor threw the last morsel he had out there.
"It was probably Trinity's. He probably got so drunk that he didn't remember beating the hell out of her. Where are these clothes now? Why didn't he go to the police then, why now, when he is in jail? It seems suspicious to me and it would to the police too."
"Maybe, maybe not, but it will cause problems for Ben and Trinity either way. It will bring it all back up and put them back in the news, and that would be a real shame now that everyone has almost forgotten about it."
"And I suppose you want something to keep both you and Trinity's husband quiet?"
"Chris wants Trinity to drop the charges, and I want Ben to give me the money that I know Ilianna left me," he hissed, leaning forward.
Lia shook her head and stood. "Not a chance, go to the police, I'm sure Ben would rather take his chances with them then have his sister's life on the line, which is what would happen if Trinity dropped the charges. As for stirring up all the rumors again, go ahead, neither he nor I care." She turned to leave, and Connor grabbed her arm, stopping her.
Lia didn't see Ben surge forward, or Silas hold him back.
"You'll both be sorry. I hope Ben doesn't kill you like he killed my sister."
Lia cocked her head, looking at him. "I'd trust him over you any day." She yanked her wrist out of his grip and headed towards the exit. Ben was gone, and Silas was waiting to escort her out of the bar.
"Are you alright?" he asked, as he placed a hand in the small of her back.
"Yes, only angry. Where's Ben?" Lia asked, looking for him.
"I suggested he head home. I told him we would be right behind him and you two could talk there."
"How strongly did you suggest it?" Lia gave a weak smile, knowing he was going to be livid. She wasn't scared he would hurt her, but she was scared that he wouldn't forgive her.
"Scale of one to ten? A strong nine." He gave a comforting smile.
Lia nodded. "I walked here."
"I'll drive you back then," he walked towards a very expensive looking car and helped her into it, and Lia sighed as she sunk into the deep leather seats, the silence that surrounded her was blissful after the loud bar.
"Can we sit for a few minutes?" she asked. She needed to gather her strength before she saw Ben.
He nodded and started the engine, turning on the air.
"Did you learn anything new?" he asked. "Was it worth it?"
"Yes, but nothing that can really hurt Ben or his sister. It was a weak attempt at best."
Silas let her sit in silence for a few minutes and when she told him she was ready to go, he pulled out into traffic.
"How angry was Ben?" she needed to know what she was walking into.
"I'm sure he's angrier about the man's treatment of you than at you."
"That's not really helpful," Lia said with a nervous laugh.
"Perhaps not, but it proves he cares, doesn't it?" Silas asked for directions and Lia gave them before falling into silence once more.
Did he care? if he did, he might just forgive her.
Silas dropped her off after the very short ride home, and Lia looked at her backdoor, not wanting to enter, knowing he was on the other side of the door. Realizing she couldn't put it off any longer, she took a deep breath and opened the door.
However, Ben wasn't there, the apartment was empty. Huck was there alone, snoring on the couch, and Ben's absence only made her feel worse.