Haunting-Adeline

“Oh, I know that case!” Mark exclaims. "My father was a detec ve
during that me, though he wasn't allowed to work the case.”
By the way her brows raise, her interest has been piqued. "He wasn't
allowed to? How come?"
"Conflict of interest. He and John Parsons were best friends for twenty
years, and Gigi was a good friend of his. His sergeant said it'd be too
personal, so he had to stand by and watch them butcher the case." He
shrugs. "Dad always thought John was the one who did it."
Addie leans forward, hanging on Mark’s every word. “Your father was
Frank?”
Mark quirks a brow. “Yes, he was.”
Addie clears her throat. “My Nana men oned Frank a me or two.”
He chuckles. “Yeah, they played together when they were younger.”
“So, why did your father think John did it?”
Mark shrugs a shoulder. “Not sure, to be honest, but I do remember that
Gigi and John were figh ng a lot. He was real adamant, but there wasn’t
any evidence to prove it. I was pre y young back then, so my memory
might be a li le sparse. But there were a few nights he would drink an
en re bo le of Jack, always mu ering under his breath about making
"him" pay for what happened.” He finger quotes the word him. “I know
their friendship fell apart a er her murder. John was a raging alcoholic, and
my dad was devastated that he lost two good friends."
Addie’s eyes are wide with excitement. Clearly, she cares. Solving Gigi’s
murder means a lot to her. But I know she’s only trying to prove something
to herself.
If it wasn’t for the fact that she has her own stalker, I don’t know if Addie
would’ve even bothered figuring out who murdered her greatgrandmother.
It’s not about finding who did it, it’s about proving that it was Gigi’s
stalker and no one else. I get the feeling that if she can one hundred
percent prove it, then it’ll cement the fact that all stalkers are murderous
psychos, and she can finally hate me and shut me out for good.
And all that tells me is I’m ge ng through the diamond-encrusted
fortress surrounding her heart.
She wants something concrete to believe in because her morals and
fundamental beliefs are being challenged.