“And my father? Was he any part of this?”
“Not that we can tell. At least, not beyond the incident at the football game. We hauled him in a couple of hours ago. He told us that he got a call from Knox letting him know that you were back in town. Claimed you were coming back to stir up trouble and finish something you started years ago. Any idea what he’s talking about?”
That also tracked. Knox couldn’t be here all the time to cause havoc, so he farmed out that responsibility to someone he could control. Probably supplied him with drugs, then used his manipulative tactics to cause paranoia that Tripoli would return. Luckily, she’d never told Knox details of that night. Just that a Good Samaritan came to her rescue and scared the crap out of him. Even if he mentioned Tripoli, the statute of limitations had long since run out on the incident.
She looked Quint square in the eye. “Not a clue. He’s a drunk and an addict. Who knows what scenarios he’s invented inside his head.”
He stared at her. Neither one blinked.
“All right then. I think that’s it. I suggest you head home and get some rest.”
Cruz corrected him. “Actually, we’ll need to search your house for evidence of your ex as well. Do you have somewhere to stay for a few days? Maybe a week?”
“Yeah. Since my alarm system is down and my patio door hasn’t been replaced yet, my boyfriend is letting me stay with him. Can I at least go and pick up a few things for the duration?”
“As long as an officer escorts and observes, that should be fine. Clothes and toiletries only though.”
“Understood.”
“We’ve shut down the school through the weekend for evidence gathering,” Cruz added. “We’ll notify the superintendent when students and staff can return.”
“Got it.”
“You need a ride home?” Quint asked.
She could call a rideshare, but even the thought of pulling her cell phone from her pocket and opening the app was too exhausting to consider. Instead, thinking back on her promise to Lucas to let people help her when she needed help, she nodded. “That would be great.”
“Give me ten minutes, and I’ll take you. I’m heading home myself.”
True to his word, Quint was ready to leave within the time frame given, and they rode in silence for the first five minutes, which she appreciated. Making small talk after answering questions nonstop for the past however many hours was not enticing. However, when Quint made a left when he should have made a right, she perked up in her seat and looked around.
“You went the wrong way,” she told him.
“No, I didn’t,” he corrected her. “I offered you a ride home.”
“Yeah, but my home is the other way.”
Shrugging, he explained, “Yourhouseis the other way. Not your home.”
“Quint, I’m far too exhausted for riddles,” she complained.
He pulled into the Vaughns’ driveway. When he did, the door opened, and Lucas walked out onto the front porch, wearing a T-shirt and well-worn jeans, his hair slightly awry as if he’d woken up from a nap and hadn’t combed it yet. He didn’t come down the two porch steps. He just stood there. Waiting.
As she sat there, staring at him through the windshield, Ezra stepped out and stood next to him. Same stance. Same outfit, although the shirt was a different color. Even the same goofy bedhead. She could just imagine them sprawled on the twin couches in the living room, the television on the sports channel, soda cans and pizza boxes strewn all over the coffee table.
The image didn’t suck.
In fact, it felt warm and peaceful.
It felt good.
It felt right.
She wanted to be a part of that.
“Home is where your people are, Elyxandre.”
She turned to look at Quint.
