"They need more than a bracelet to convict him. The bracelet may not even be accepted as evidence in court."
"So what do they need to convict him?"
"Proof that he did it, which they'll probably never have."
"Then the same should be true for you. They can't convict you without any real proof."
"It's different for me. Kristen was murdered. Andrea's death was ruled an accident. They'd have to go back and prove it wasn't an accident and then prove that Braden did it. That's not going to happen." He picks up his chemistry book. "Let's study. I'd rather read about electrons than think about the case."
I don't ask him anymore about it. We need a break from it. It's all we ever talk about. We should be having fun senior year, not talking about murders and lawyers and whether or not he'll go to prison.
When I return to the house at four, Ana is making dinner. We all meet up at the dining table at five. Braden is there but still drugged from the pills Brock gave him. His eyes are droopy, he eats really slow, and best of all, he's quiet. After dinner he goes to his room and we don't see him for the rest of the night.
* * *
Monday morning at school,Peyton shows up as I'm putting stuff in my locker.
"Hey, bestie." She leans against the locker next to mine. "How was your weekend?"
"It was okay. How was yours?"
She just smiles.
"Let me guess, it involved a sailboat?"
She laughs. "You know me so well."
"Hey." I shut my locker. "Can I ask you something?"
"Is it about dating older men? Because this guy I'm seeing has a friend and—"
"No! Gross! I'm not into old guys. And I have a boyfriend."
"Then what do you want to know?"
"The night Kristen died, I heard you went over to her house."
"Yeah, I went to get her ass out of bed so we could go to a party."
"And what happened?"
"Her loser dad wouldn't let me in the house. He wouldn't even let me talk to her."
"Do you know why?"
"He said she was sleeping. He told me to go so I left. I texted her later but didn't hear from her."
"Had you talked to Kristen earlier that night?"
"I didn't talk to her but she texted me, saying she wasn't going to the game. She said she wasn't feeling well but she was fine at school that day so I think she made it up. Why are you asking me all this?"
"I just wondered why you never told anyone you were there that night."
"I told my parents. They told me not to tell anyone."
"Why not?"
"They didn't want me getting involved. But then the cops showed up at my house, saying Principal Edwards named me as his alibi, and what was I going to do? I had to tell them."
