Marv shook his head. “He had to take Sarah home. Left about a half hour ago.”
“Call him or Mike,” Violet ordered, then grabbed Justine’s arm. “We have to go over there.”
Justine set her glass aside. “I’ll drive.”
29
10:10 p.m.
What was she missing?
Emily stared at the pages spread across the bed. She’d been juggling information and names for the past three hours. Kept her mind occupied.
You just needed someone to blame besides yourself.
She blocked Clint Austin from her head. Focused on the pages.
These were the names of all the people who had been aware of Emily’s plans that night and a few others who might be somehow connected, like her father and Principal Call. Each name had two columns, “Negatives” and “Positives.” The “Negatives” column obviously represented reasons that person might have had for wanting to hurt Heather. The “Positives” were all the reasons that same person wouldn’t possibly want to hurt Heather.
For more than ten years Emily had lived with the idea that Heather was murdered in her stead.
If Austin wasn’t the killer, then the murder hadn’t been about Emily. It was about Heather.
Marv, for example, had gotten angry with Heather a few weeks prior because she’d gone back to Keith. Keith, on the other hand, had gotten super jealous over her dating Marv. None of which, as far as Emily could recall, had really been investigated.
The police had their murderer; why look any further?
That concept settled inside her like a block of ice.
Focus on the list.
Violet. She’d wanted to be captain of the cheerleading squad. She’d wanted Keith. Heather’s death ensured the path was wide open for both.
Cathy ... well, she was just jealous of Heather’s popularity. Everyone had loved Heather the best out of their tight little group. Heather was simply the most popular girl in the entire high school at the time. Had been for years.
Megan had nothing in the “Negatives” column. Same with Principal Call.
Ed Wallace: “A secret with Fairgate.” There was no reason Emily’s father would have wanted to hurt Heather. The idea was ludicrous. There was only the business with Fairgate.
Fairgate. “Secrets. Lies. Protect his interests.” All those things were listed in his “Negatives” column.
Justine . . . nothing.
Misty ... weird, which didn’t really count.
Austin ... nothing. There was no reason whatsoever that he would have wanted to hurt Heather.
IfEmily was not the intended victim, he had no motive.
Why hadn’t the police considered this theory? Chief Ledbetter hadn’t been a fool. Ray Hale—Emily paused—maybe she should add him to her list. But why? Ray had known Heather, but he was three years older. It wasn’t like they’d hung out together. Every single person who had known Heather couldn’t be a suspect. Otherwise Emily would be adding Mike Caruthers and God only knows who else.
Emily crawled around the papers and off the bed. She paced the small room. If Clint Austin wasn’t the murderer then Heather’s killer was still out there. Just like Clint said.
That subzero sensation sank all the way to Emily’s bones.
If that was the case, Clint would be a target.Shewould be a target. He’d said that too.
A rap on the door nearly sent her jumping out of her skin.
