“Sean!”
Pacini’s bark finally snapped Sean out of it. Sean’s senses were on overload. He was surprised at his own response. He released the grip on Malik’s shirt. Malik just stood there, a shell-shocked expression on his face.
Pacini gestured to a chair angled in the corner of the room. Malik silently took a seat. Sean’s heart was thumping now. He started to speak, but Pacini raised a hand to quiet him.
In an even tone Pacini said, “Malik, we need to ask you a few questions.”
Malik sat rigidly in the chair and gave a nod. He seemed to be collecting himself.
“First, you understand you have the right to remain silent and to have a lawyer present?”
That prompted a puzzled look from Malik. “You’re Mirandizing me? Seriously?”
“Do you understand your rights? You’re willing to talk without a lawyer present?”
“Of course, don’t be ridiculous.”
Pacini’s eyes swept over Malik, like he was assessing not just the man’s words but also his body language. Then: “When did you last see Abby?”
“Yesterday,” Malik said. “We went to dinner. Sonoma on Pennsylvania Avenue.”
“Anyone see you there?”
“We didn’t see anyone we know, if that’s what you mean. But the waiter should remember us. And I have the credit card receipt probably.”
“What time was that?”
“I got there around eight, and Abby met me there about five minutes later.”
“And what time did you leave?”
Malik put a hand on his chin. “We left no later than nine o’clock.”
“And Abby came back to your place?” Pacini baited.
“No, actually, she didn’t,” Malik said, a slight edge to his voice now. “She said she was going to the library to study.”
“You and Abby have anything to drink at dinner?”
Malik gave an exasperated sigh. “We each had a glass of wine.”
“So after a night out of dinner and wine, she just went to the library and you came home?”
“Look, man, I’m not one of the poor dumb black kids you’re used to dealing with, so cut the shit.”
“It was just a question,” Pacini said. “Why are you getting so upset?”
“I’m upset because you barge into my house in the middle of the night, my friend is missing, and you’re wasting your time accusing me of something when you should be out trying to find her.”
Pacini washed a hand over his face. “Okay, Malik, so you go to dinner. You said you were there for less than an hour. That’s a pretty fast meal for a place like Sonoma.”
“We actually had a fight, which is why I think the waiter might remember us.” Malik’s shoulders slumped, as though he realized how it sounded the second the words came out of his mouth.
“A fight?”
“She said she didn’t want to see me anymore.”
Pacini held Malik’s gaze. “She broke up with you?”
Malik chewed on his lip. He nodded.
“That make you angry?”
“It didn’t make me happy, but—” Malik stopped himself. “But we weren’t very serious so it’s not like I’m, like, devastated or anything.”
“Did she say why she wanted to break up?”
“She showed up kinda agitated. Said she had too much going on in her life right now. She needed a break.”
“What was going on in her life?”
Malik shrugged. “I don’t know. When she asked to meet for dinner, I kind of knew she was going to end it, but she never would admit the real reason why.”
“The real reason? You thought there was something else?”
“Yeah,” Malik said. “She’s been doing disappearing acts, gone at night—I’m not an idiot. And I’ve heard some rumors.”
“What kind of rumors?”
“That she’s seeing somebody.”
“Do you know who that somebody is?”
“I don’t know. I asked her and she got angry. She wanted to know who was gossiping about her and all that.”
“Who told you she was seeing someone else?”
“One of the other clerks. He was giving me shit about it. He’d heard it from this girl at Georgetown or something.”
“Did Abby say anything about leaving town or going somewhere with this other guy?”
“No. Once I brought up this other dude she got pissed. She stormed out of the place.”
“She just got up and left you there?” Pacini asked.
“Yeah, it was embarrassing.”
Sean could no longer restrain himself: “If she just left you there, how’d you know she went to the library after dinner?”
Malik blew out another long sigh. “I didn’t want to leave it that way. It was stupid. I got my car from the valet and caught up with her on the street. She said sorry for storming out. Said she just has a lot of shit happening in her life”—his gaze flicked to Sean—“family shit.”
“Did she say what it was?” Pacini asked.
Malik shook his head.
Pacini looked to Sean. “No idea,” Sean said.