Page 76 of Little Bitter Truths
“Petty grievances have led to worse.”
Giovanni, who had just cleared the breakfast plates and was tidying the kitchen, turned toward us.“A few weeks ago, a man in Phoenix killed his coworker because he kept parking in his assigned spot at work.”
“Sometimes you never know what’s going to set a person off,” I said.“Tell me everything you know about Adrian.”
“When he first moved to the neighborhood, it was nice knowing I wasn’t the only new face around anymore.Then I realized he was single, and let’s just say I wasn’t disappointed.He’s an attractive man.”
“What kind of dog did he have?”
“A Saint Bernard named Moose.”
Giovanni raised a brow, smiling.“A fitting name for that breed.”
“He’s enormous.”
“Aside from the dog relieving himself on your lawn, what was the dog’s temperament?”I asked.
“He was sweet.He’d wander over with his tail wagging, hoping I’d pet him, and at first, I did.”
“Before he started using your lawn as his own personal bathroom.”
“It bugged me that Adrian didn’t keep him contained.All dogs should be on a leash, especially one that size.”
“What did he say to you when you talked?”I asked.
“He promised Moose would do his business elsewhere.But that promise didn’t last.By our third conversation, he seemed annoyed with me, as though I was asking for something unreasonable.I wasn’t.I was even polite.At least until the barefoot incident.”
“What did he say when you left the bag on his doorstep?”
“I didn’t stick around long enough to find out.I dropped the bag on his porch and hurried back to my house.I’ll admit, I laughed the whole way.”
“Did Adrian confront you?”
“We spoke once and then Moose disappeared.That’s when he decided he needed someone to blame.He said I’d made no secret of how I felt about the dog and pointed out that I was the only neighbor who’d ever complained about him.From there, he jumped to the conclusion that I knew what happened.”
“Have the two of you talked since then?”
“He hasn’t spoken to me, but he stares at me sometimes.”
“From his house?”
“From his front porch.It’s never threatening, just unpleasant.”
“Have you seen him anywhere near your house since Moose disappeared?”
“I haven’t.”She looked at me, her expression weary.“I’d always thought Adrian was just a difficult neighbor.Now I’m beginning to wonder if I underestimated him.”
Part of me couldn’t imagine a man committing murder over his missing dog—especially when he had no real reason to believe she was involved.Then again, to many people, a pet was family, and the attachment ran as deep as the bond between a parent and child.
I turned toward Luka, who was lying by the window next to Coco, basking in the morning light, and pondered what I’d do if I was in Adrian’s position.
“I’ll see if I can talk to him today,” I said.
Mia leaned back and sighed.“I’m not ready to go home yet, to face everything that’s happened, but I know I need to, so I will.Being here has been a much-needed reprieve.Thank you.”
“There’s no need to rush back.You can stay as long as you like.”
“Georgiana’s right,” Giovanni said.“Besides, you’re safe here, which I hope gives you peace of mind.There’s no shame in accepting protection.”
