Chapter 15 Trouble

An excerpt from The Titanium Mysteries Book 1: What Is She Doing Here?

Julian and Zelda were walking down the street. Jessa saw them together and smiled wickedly. She walked over to the detectives.

“How are you, Julian?”

Zelda rolled her eyes.

“Uh, fine.”

“How’s the investigation?”

“It’s going. Do you have anything to tell us?”

“Yeah. You know it had to be Zeta. That bitch thought she could have Phillipe all to herself.”

“Oh, really? You got proof of that?” Julian waited for an answer.

Jessa frowned. “You don’t believe me?”

“No. The only evidence we found was that they were solely working together. No playtime for them.”

“But she is terrible! She liked him! But she couldn’t have him.”

Julian sighed. “She wasn’t interested. She was just working with him.”

Zelda stared at Jessa.

“But Julian, she is quite the seductress.”

“Oh, really? She doesn’t like to be bothered as the deceased found out and so did his partner.”

Jessa frowned. “Really?”

“Yes, really. Why don’t you like her?”

“She’s too attractive for her own good.”

Julian shrugged. He and Zelda walked away and left Jessa standing by herself. She yelled some more, but the detectives ignored her.

Julian sighed again.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m thinking of Zeta again. She’s better than Jessa.”

Zelda nodded. “I quite agree. She has a good head on her shoulders.” She sighed. “She’s easier to talk to than my girlfriend.”

“Are you two fighting again?”

“Yeah, unfortunately. I don’t know what to do.”

“I don’t have any advice.”

“I didn’t ask for any.”

He sighed again.

“This sounds bad for you, Jule.”

“It is bad. I love her.” He facepalmed himself. “I just hope she isn’t the murderer. I’m afraid where she’s concerned I’ll insist on her innocence rather than look at all the facts.”

“Oh, I see. She is pretty and seems to be a good person. She is also fully cooperating with us even though she knows she is a suspect because she was there when it happened.”

Julian lowered his hand and shook his head.

“The evidence doesn’t point to her at all.”

“But how does she feel about androids?”

“I don’t know, but she is interested in this book she was asked to write. I don’t know if she has an opinion on androids. She strikes me as being very focused on this book. I don’t think she does much else other than write and anything related to writing.”

“I hope you’re right. I just want to believe she’s a good person.”

“You’re hoping for a chance with her.”

“Hope? I just hope she won’t kill me and will let me at least be her friend. I… I don’t know how to approach her. I feel like the best thing is to just offer her friendship and stay back. I think she could use a friend.”

“We all could use a friend. I wouldn’t mind being friends with her.”

“You wouldn’t fight me for her?”

Zelda laughed. “No, of course not. She’s not my type, but I can see why you like her so well. She’s independent. She’s smart. She’s quiet. If she is as innocent as the evidence seems to show now, then I think you should tell her how you feel.”

“Uh, I don’t want to scare her or make her feel threatened.”

“Well, offering her friendship is probably the best thing you could do.”

He nodded. They kept walking down the street.