Fire

19. Incandescence

TUESDAY
(Lana's Point of View)

After making love three times last night, We woke up happily tired in each other's arms. The sunlight entered through one of the windows in my room, and I just laid there feeling the warmth in my skin as I stroke Lily's hair while she rested her head in my chest.

"I wish we could always wake up this way." I said interrupting our comfortable silence.

"We can." Lily responded confidently in a soft voice. But I was not so sure this could happen everyday like I wanted to... the uncertainty of my future after tomorrow's hearing in court terrified me.

"I wish I could be so sure. But..."

"What is it Lana...? You don't believe so?"
Lily asked turning her head to look at me. She held on my face and rubbed her thumb on my cheek, staring at me with her brown eyes. "I wanna be with you too, everyday like this." She said with a smile.

I couldn't resist and instantly pecked her lips.
Oh how I loved her.

"Of course I believe so.... but I am obliged to go to trial. And yesterday at the funeral.... You should've seen the way everybody was looking at me." I said remembering the stares of everyone.
"The whole town thinks I killed him. I will have to go to court tomorrow to testify something no one believes. The Governor's wife will be there too, and she will protest it was me who murdered Salvador out of spite for leaving me locked in and because she was the one who caught us kissing. Thanks to her, the whole town knows what happened between you and me, and that is evidence enough for them to accuse me of murder apparently... Not to mention that I am Salvador Alarconte's widow. All his money is now mine by law. So me killing him, makes sense to the eyes of everyone. It's a trial I cannot win...'' I said sadly.

"No Lana, don't say that. There's probably too much evidence pointing your way, and maybe mine too. But even if there's no way we can prove the Quirante brothers killed your husband, there's still a way to get out of this nightmare."

"What are you saying? That I should lie on top of my truth? There is no way anyone is going to believe me. The governor is a close friend of the Quirante brothers and his wife will testify against me. You can't even come to help me cause the whole thing would turn even more suspicious Lily...."

"No baby. I wasn't thinking about lying in court. I was thinking of just skipping the whole damn thing." Lily said seriously.

"What do you mean?"

Lily stood up from the bed and after taking a deep breath she told me. "...I have a plan."

WEDNESDAY

(Detective Molina's Point of View)

I'd drove into the wealthiest area of Pueblo Blanco to fetch Miss Alarconte to escort her to court myself.

I honestly didn't know if she'd been guilty of her husband's murder or not. I couldn't find any evidence that would help her, and the rest of the people I'd interviewed the last couple of days had told me that Elizabeth was cheating on her husband with Lily Navarro. It was a game of who says what. But now I had to go to court with her and both the Quirante brothers to hopefully find out who was really responsible for the murder.

I parked in front of the Alarconte's huge villa and ringed on the bell. The maid came instantly to answer the door.