“No, not really. She graduated the same year, but they weren’t friends.”
“But Sheila invited her to the reunion?”
“Maybe they’re friends now? Have I mentioned we all left high school behind a long time ago?”
“You’ve mentioned you left high school behind. But I’ve heard there are several people in this town who were a big deal in high school and think they are the same big deal years later, when they aren’t.”
“Huh?”
“Someone told me Sheila pretty much peaked in high school. Her life had been a train wreck since then, but she hadn’t seen it. She still thought she was the popular girl.”
Tyler thought about when he talked to Sheila at the bank. He could see that, he supposed. But it still made little sense.
They talked for another twenty minutes, going through connections and possibilities. Nothing concrete emerged, but patterns started forming. Both were victims from the same high school crowd. Both were killed after Tyler returned to town. Both were connected to him through rumor or fact in ways that made him look guilty.
“Someone knows you,” Joe said finally. “Knows your history, your routines, your connections. They’re using that knowledge to set you up.”
“But why?”
“That’s what we need to figure out.” Joe closed his notebook. “Brooke and I are going to keep digging and look for connections we’re missing. I’ll interview peoplewho knew Sheila and Monique. Maybe the three of us should work together?”
“You think she would? Want to work with me, I mean.”
“I can ask her. You have any plans tonight?”
Tyler didn’t even try to hide his smile. “Nope.”
“Let me reach out to Brooke and see what she thinks. You guys can come to my place. I’ll grill some burgers. We’ll go over everything together and see what comes up. Maybe I’ll see if her brother wants to join us. He seems to have his finger on the pulse of the community.”
Tyler chuckled. “You make it sound like Phil’s nosy.”
“He does hear all the buzz at the print shop.”
“It’d probably be good to bring him in on this,” Tyler agreed. “One thing I do know, we need to be careful. Whoever’s doing this has already killed twice. And I’m positive Brooke was attacked because of this. I don’t want her getting hurt again.”
“We’ll be careful.” Joe stood. “But we need more evidence. More proof. Right now, we have questions but not answers.”
Tyler walked him to the main entrance. “Thank you. For helping. For believing me.”
“Thank you for talking to me. For what it’s worth, I think Brooke made a mistake breaking up with you. She’s scared, and I get that. But you two are better together than apart.”
After Joe left, Tyler stood by the door, staring at nothing.
Brooke was still fighting for him. Still investigating. Still trying to prove his innocence, even though she’d ended things.
He’d agreed to the breakup because he thought it’d keep her safe, thought distance would protect her from whoever was targeting him.
But Joe was right. They were stronger together.
Right now, he had work to finish. But tonight, thanks to Joe, he was going to see Brooke.
Chapter 31
Brooke
Brooke pushed through the back door of the coffee shop and headed toward her car in the alley when her phone chimed.
She tried to balance the coffee in one hand while digging her phone out of her daypack. It didn’t go as planned, and she missed the call.
