University of Texas in Austin was a very good school.It waselite.
A chime notification indicated that Amanda had accepted his request.Meredith handed the phone back, unsurprised.
He wrote a message with flying thumbs.
“What are you saying?”
“That I’m your friend, and you want to talk to her.”After a pause, he lifted the phone to snap a photo of her and Chico.“For proof.She’s probably got those web-sleuth fanatics hounding her.”
He sent the private message, along with the photo.Ten seconds later, his phone rang.He let Meredith answer it.
“Hello?”
“Meri?”
The sound of her sister’s bubbly voice brought tears rushing to Meredith’s eyes.“Yeah.It’s me.”
“Are you okay?Where are you?”
“I’m okay,” she said, swallowing hard.“I’m in Texas.”
“Why are you in Texas?”
“I’ve been… hiding.”
“Because of Tripp?”
“Yes.”
“You heard he died, right?”
“I heard.”
“What did he do to you?”
Meredith glanced at Wade, hesitant.“He said he’ll kill me if I left him.”
“Oh my God,” Amanda said.“What a psycho!”
“He threatened to go after you, too.”
“Well, he can’t go after anyone now.”
She blinked the tears from her eyes.“No, he can’t.”
They spoke for a few minutes about other family members.Meredith learned that her father had reported her missing, not Amanda.
“You know what’s sad?”Amanda said.“I organized this gathering to spread the word about you, and it’s turned into a freaking vigil for Tripp Gilley.Everybody’s lighting candles for him and playing that goddamned song.”
Meredith caught the unmistakable twang of Tripp’s guitar in the background.For the first time in years, the sound didn’t turn her stomach.She actually started giggling.His death wasn’t funny, exactly, but the irony of the situation was.Amanda must have agreed, but she laughed along with her.
“You should probably get out of the crowd,” Meredith said.“There’s a post about me on some website.”
“I’ve seen it.”
“Reporters might contact her,” Wade said.
Amanda overheard this warning.“If they do, I’ll tell them no comment.”
