Zane stood, and I followed suit, making sure to pick up my coffee. It had already been an extremely long day, and we still had a stakeout at the memorial to do tonight. I needed this caffeine rush.
“When can I get inside my home?” Hunter demanded. “I need more clothes, and this is really hard on Jayla.”
I’d been wrestling with something regarding Mari and her diaries, and I figured now was as good a time as any to ask. “Where did your wife keep her diaries?”
Hunter’s brow furrowed. “What? What are you talking about?”
“Her diaries. I repeat, where did your wife keep the diaries she filled? We found the one in her nightstand. What did—”
Hunter held up a hand. “I get it. Geez.” He shrugged. “I think she kept them in a box she had in the attic. Why?”
Because I was hoping Mari had written about what happened all those years ago. I caught Zane’s eye, and we turned to leave.
“Wait!” Hunter called out. “When can I get back into my house?”
“We’ll let you know,” I said over my shoulder.
We’d just exited the building when I all but stumbled into one of my besties, Crystal Nobel. She laughed and gave me a hug.
“What are you guys doing here?” she asked.
“Work related.” I glanced down at her outfit. “Did you just finish class?”
“I did. I’m actually running inside here to see if the boutique still had this adorable outfit on sale. I was going to get it a couple days ago but talked myself out of it. But Cade called, and he wants to go out tonight.” She grinned. “So I thought maybe I deserved a new outfit.”
I laughed. “You definitely deserve a new outfit.”
We waved goodbye and strolled over to the Aston.
“You think Mari wrote about what happened in high school, don’t you?” Zane pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the long, winding driveway.
I grinned. “I’m banking on it. If she did, that may be the nail in Rayna’s coffin we’re looking for.” I shrugged. “You know, justin case shedidn’tkill Mari, she’ll still be held accountable for her actions.”
“Do you want to talk with Eliza next or find the diary?”
I pursed my lips. “Let’s talk with Eliza, and then search Mari’s attic.”
20
Eliza Nordic lived on a busy street on the east side of town, in a small cottage that sat close to the sidewalk. A handful of kids were playing tag in the street as Zane slowly drove down. Some of them with magical abilities levitated themselves into the air while others hurried off the street.
I waved as we crept by. “I can’t help but think mothers everywhere have to hold their breaths every time their kid levitates themselves like that.”
Zane laughed and pulled to a stop in Eliza’s driveway. “You’re probably right.”
We exited the vehicle and strode up the cracked walkway. A ceramic pot with a plastic plant inside sat by the front door, and the welcome mat in front of the door had seen better days.
Eliza answered on the second knock. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her face had the tight, worn look of someone who’d been crying on and off all day.”I had a feeling you’d be stopping by.” She stepped back and motioned us inside. “Come in.”
We stepped straight into the living room, and she gestured toward the couch. Zane and I had talked about it on the drive over. If Eliza played it like she didn’t know what was goingon, confused about why Mari would name her trustee, we’d go with it. No sense tipping our hand. We also wouldn’t mention whether or not she knew about what Mari and friends did to her fifteen years ago.
We sat on the couch and waited for her to sit in the chair catty-corner to us.
“And before you ask,” she said, “I have no idea why Mari would make me the trustee in her will. I just don’t understand.”
I nodded. “So you are aware you’re the trustee over Jayla in regard to the house and the royalties?”
“Yes.” She shook her head slowly. “I can’t believe it, though. I don’t understand why. I mean, we knew each other, but why me? Surely she had other friends she was closer to. Better yet, why not just have her husband in charge?”
