"The community gazebo." She jerked her chin toward the line of trees at the far side of the park, as if mapping the direction. The gazebo was located near the community stairs, close to Rowan's house, but out of sight. "I sat there. Vaped. Listened to music on my phone."
"Did you see or hear anyone else?"
"No."
"How long were you outside?"
Her mouth pressed flat again. "Twenty minutes? Half an hour? I wasn't timing every second."
"Anything else happen? Did you see anything?"
"I heard something." Her eyes went somewhere else. "I was on my way back. A scream."
The air itself seemed to shift around us. Even the swings seemed to go still.
"A scream?"
"Short. Cut off. Like someone got surprised. I thought maybe it was an animal at first."
"But you don't think it was an animal now."
She shook her head.
"What time was that?"
"I checked after." She shut her eyes for a second. "It was like 12:40, maybe 12:45. Something like that."
"So, you heard the scream around 12:40 a.m.," I said.
"Yeah."
"What did you do?"
"I stayed outside for a while. I stood there like an idiot. Smoked another joint to settle my nerves."
"When did you go back in?"
Her brows drew together. "I remember checking again. It was 1:05 a.m., 1:10 maybe. Around there."
"Who was awake when you got back?"
"Peyton was shifting around in her sleeping bag. I think she was asleep, but restless. Mia's bag was occupied. I could see the lump. And Chloe, I think, but it was dark."
"And Leah?"
"Her bag was facing the wall away from me. I assumed, but I didn't look."
"Who else?"
Alexis stiffened.
There was more. I could see it. "Alexis."
Alexis glanced at her phone. "Falcon! Three minutes to the bus. We've got to go!"
She slung her little brother's backpack over her shoulder and turned away from me.
I was about to lose her. And once she'd had time to think it over, to clam up, for Brooke to get her hooks into her again, I wouldn't get another chance. I took a step closer. "Just tell me."
