Gabrielle's P.O.V.

The meeting finished without a hitch and once it was over, most of the men cleared out of the room. However, Mr Styles along with two other men remained behind and I knew this was as good an opportunity as any to introduce myself.

"Excuse me, Mr. Styles," I began, cutting off the small talk between the three men.
"I'm Amelia Longoria, I'm here to represent-"

"Mr. Van Pelt, I know. I spoke with last week, he informed me you would be coming," he finished for me, subtly dismissing the other men with a small tilt of his head. He held out his right hand for me to shake and I took it immediately. "Harry Styles," he stated. "I assume you want to take a look at Mr. Van Pelts investment figures?"

I nodded in response. "Yes, that would be fantastic, thank you," I replied.

"Just follow me, Ms. Longoria," he instructed before making his way out of the meeting room. I followed him along the corridor and to the elevator, where he stepped in smoothly, idicating that I do the same.

"So, how long have you been working for Mr. Van Pelt? He's one of our main investors, yet this is the first time I've heard of you," Styles' smile was genuine as he raised a curious eyebrow.

"It will be three years soon since I first started working for him. Up until recently I was a junior employee. I got promoted," I repeated the story that I had rehearsed so many times.

He nodded. "You're accent is interesting. Where are you from, Puerto Rico?" He continued as the elevator reached the tenth floor. I knew it was the eleventh floor we were heading for. That's where all the records were kept on various investors, employees etc.

"Cuba, actually" I answered his question. That much of the story, at least, was true. Burrows thought it best that I used my real home place, mainly to save confusion or the risk of slipping up on an accent.

"I've never been," he admitted as the elevator doors slid open on the eleventh floor. "But I heard it has amazing beaches," he continued, walking toward the desk.

"Helen, I need you to pull me the file on Mr. Van Pelt's investments," he spoke quietly to the woman who was seemingly in charge of the computer. Within moments I was handed the file on my 'investor's' finances.

"Any questions at all Ms. Longoria, do feel free to ask," Mr. Styles assured me as I held the file in my hand.

"Thank you, sir" I smiled gratefully and began making my way toward the elevator when Harry stopped me.

"Please, Amelia, call me Harry," I glanced back to see him smirk and I had to refrain from rolling my eyes.

"Well then, thank you Harry," I feigned a smile before continuing walking toward the elevator, swinging my hips slightly as I did, certain he was watching me walk away.


"So where were you exactly between 10.30pm and 2am on March 23rd Mr. Styles?"

"I've told you. I was at Liam's house along with Louis. We were going over marketing pitches rather late and when we were finished we decided to have a drink," Harry Styles replied casually, leaning back in his chair.

"And it is correct that you made a phone call to Mr. Swanson at 12am?"

"Yes, he was meant to meet us at Liam's. I was curious as to exactly where he was and why he hadn't shown up," Styles continued, his voice even.

"And he answered?"

Styles nodded. "He said he was at the office. Wanted to get ahead with his paperwork."

"I see. And why wasn't Mr. Horan invited to this little gathering at Payne's?"

"He was spending the night with Zoey," he answered, keeping his gaze locked on Burrows'.

"Zoey Ciupalo, his girlfriend?" Burrows asked.

"Actually, officer, Zoey's his fiance."


I paused the footage of the interview and lay back against the couch, moving my laptop off of me.

I had watched all of the interrogations several times and their stories were rock solid.

I glanced around at the unfamiliar apartment and sighed. This would be my home for the time being, despite not feeling like one. This was Amelia Longoria's home. Not Gabrielle's.

I glanced at my laptop, pulling it back onto my lap and switching to a different interview. I didn't watch it. There was no need to, considering I had seen it so many times. However, I simply stared at the screen, at the woman being interrogated, knowing that she was the next part of my plan.



"Zoey Ciupalo. She's 24. Originally from Budapest. She moved to Montauk when she was eighteen and worked in a strip club for a year. She spent the following year in a state penitentiary after assaulting a customer at the strip club when he refused to tip her extra. When released she moved to the city, got a job waiting tables and seemingly turned her life around. She met Niall Horan two years ago and the pair got engaged not long before Swanson's murder," Burrows went through her profile and I nodded.

"Harry Styles is your way in, but Zoey Ciupalo will help you get closer to him. Strike up a friendship with her and you have access to Styles outside of work hours too," he continued.

"Understood boss,"



This weekend, Zoey Ciupalo was having a relaxing time at a spa not far from here. Coincidentally I was too.

Notes