“Not that I saw. But he stared at her a lot. When he first moved here, he made a point to let everyone know he liked her.”
“He told me Audrey made it clear she wasn’t interested. He backed off after that.”
She shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe he did. I don’t know. I just thought it was weird that when he failed to get Audrey, he started talking to Talia. It’s so cringe.”
I didn’t speak fluent teen, but every once in a while, I managed to understand their lingo. Cringe was their word for something that made a person feel embarrassed, uncomfortable, or awkward.
“Do you know anyone who would have wanted to harm Audrey?” I asked.
She tapped her fingers on her knee, thinking.
“I know I didn’t treat her the way I should have right before she died, but I can say she was one of the most caring friends I’ve ever had.”
“I’m hearing that a lot.”
“That’s why none of this makes any sense. I can’t think of any reason why someone would kill her.”
I took a moment to decide how much I wanted to say. “Did you have a classmate named Anne?”
“Anne? No, I don’t think so. Why?”
Admitting what I’d seen in Logan’s notebook would mean admitting I’d gone into his room without permission. I decided it was best to keep that to myself unless I knew I could trust the person.
“Did you ever see Logan or Audrey with a locket?”
I described it to her.
“I don’t think so,” she said. “You’re asking a lot of weird questions.”
“I get how you see it that way. Let’s just say there are some details I can share about the case and others I can’t.”
She leaned forward, resting her hands on her knees. “After all I’ve told you, I feel like I deserve something. Come on. One little detail won’t hurt. You may not have solved her murder yet, but I bet you have some idea why she was killed. Am I right?”
I crossed my arms. “I haven’t been able to prove it yet, but I believe Audrey stumbled upon something she shouldn’t have, and she was killed to keep her quiet.”
Her gaze locked with mine, sharp and bright. “And Logan? Do you think he’s involved?”
“I’m leaning toward yes.”
“Man, that sucks. Hope he comes home.”
I stood. “Well, I think I’ve covered everything I can think to ask for now.”
She grabbed her cell phone and boosted herself off the beanbag chair. I followed her to the door. She opened it, turning back to say, “This is just my opinion, but I don’t think the person you’re looking for is anyone from our school.”
“Why’s that?”
“I dunno, just a vibe I’m getting.”
I stepped onto the porch, the door closing behind me with a soft click. As I walked to the car, her last words circled in my mind. She was certain none of their classmates had killed Audrey. If she was right, then someone outside that tight group had slipped into Audrey’s life, unseen and unchecked, hiding in a place I hadn’t thought to look yet.
14
I pulled into the driveway at home just as the last bit of the evening’s light faded behind the pines. The sky over Cambria was gorgeous tonight, sweeping bands of orange, pink, and deep gold across the horizon. I stepped out of the car and saw a beaming Luka, ears perked up, happy I was home.
I stepped inside the house and was met with the aroma of garlic and tomatoes drifting from the kitchen. Giovanni whistled, and Luka barreled past, skidding across the kitchen tile and bumped his head against Giovanni’s leg. Giovanni bent down, giving him a quick scratch behind the ear before going back to stirring a pot of sauce on the stove.
He glanced over at me and smiled. “How was your day?”
