“I’d love that,” Hannah replied with a wide smile. “And that’s a promise. Let’s not let so much time go by without seeing each other.”
As Hannah walked away, Kelly felt a strange mix of gratitude and determination. In a town trying to forget, Hannah was one of the few people willing to remember. It wasn't much, but in Bergen, it was something close to courage.
"She seems sincere," Ben murmured once Hannah was out of earshot.
"She is," Kelly replied. “But I’m less sure about others.”
In a town full of secrets, how could she be absolutely certain of anyone's sincerity? She could only follow her gut instincts and hope she wasn’t making a huge mistake.
Kelly watched her friend weave through the crowded bar, her practiced smile back in place as she greeted the customers by name. Once Hannah was safely out of earshot, Kelly leaned across the table toward Ben, her voice dropping to barely above a whisper despite the protection of the noisy room.
“Ethan might be on the suspect list.”
“Why?”
“Not for any specific reason except that I haven’t been able to rule him out,” Kelly explained. “He was part of our friend group. I’ve kept him on the list because I don’t know enough about what he was doing the day Lori disappeared. And of course, Callum is on the list. I can’t rule him out either. Not yet.”
“Both of them?”
"Sadly, yes. They both had the opportunity, although technically, all of our friends did. We were constantly in and out of each other's lives, houses, and cars. Access wasn't an issue."
"What about motive?"
“Ethan? None. Cal? Well, he was a jealous boyfriend. He always worried that she was with other guys.”
“Was she?”
“No, but that didn’t stop him worrying about it.”
"We can't rule out Hannah either," he said, his voice neutral but firm.
"Hannah? She's been so helpful. I don’t think she’s a suspect. Not really. She's the only one who seems to want to remember Lori."
"Is she glad? Or is she trying to be a part of it?" Ben's question wasn't accusatory, but analytical. "Sometimes killers try to become part of an investigation. They get a thrill out of it."
“No,” Kelly replied firmly. “Just no on Hannah. Besides, I can't see Hannah physically overpowering someone. Lori was taller and athletic. I've always assumed the killer was a man."
"You make a fair point," Ben replied pragmatically. "But right now, no one is off the list.”
Kelly stared into her beer, watching the bubbles rise to the surface and burst. She'd spent years working on cold cases, telling her podcast listeners to consider every possibility, to set aside personal feelings in pursuit of truth. How many times had she said that the most painful revelations often came from the closest connections to the victim?
"I know it's hard to consider people you've known your whole life," Ben said, his voice softening. "But we have to look at everyone who had motive, means, and opportunity."
"I know," Kelly sighed. "It's just so damn different when it's your hometown, your friends." She looked up at him. "You can be the detached one of the two of us."
“I can do that,” he agreed. “I don’t have the emotional entanglements here that you do. I know that can’t be easy for you, Kelly. I hope my being here can help.”
Kelly studied him across the table, really looking at him for perhaps the first time since they'd arrived in Bergen. He spoke about investigative techniques with such confidence, analyzing motives and behaviors as if he’d done it professionally. Yet he'd said he was in business development and complex data analytics, not law enforcement.
"You know a lot about this stuff," she observed. "Criminal psychology, investigation methods. I know you said your dad was a sheriff, but you sound like you've done this before."
Something flickered across Ben's face. It was so lightning quick she couldn’t identify it, and once again her curiosity about this man was piqued.
”It's a long story. I'll tell you sometime," he said, effectively closing the subject. "For now, I think we should eat, then pick up those groceries, before heading back to the condo and organizing what we've learned. Make a plan for tomorrow."
Kelly wanted to press further, curious about the depths he seemed determined to keep hidden, but she recognized his deflection for what it was. He had a boundary she wasn't yet invited to cross. She couldn’t blame him, of course. They didn’t know one another well, but by the end of this trip, she had a feeling they would.
If she wanted him to respect her privacy and her emotional reactions to being back in Bergen, then she needed to extend the same courtesy.
