“He said something that made me think of that time Lacey ran into you two by accident. When she was pregnant with Dylan, and Brian had just dropped out of college.”
Amanda froze mid-movement.
I kept going. Calm. Voice low so the kids couldn’t hear me.
“You remember that restaurant in York? All the way up north? She was dropping off a college classmate at her parents’ house and happened to drive by the Beach Shack, where she saw you and Brian sitting on the front patio. The odds of that …” I shook my head. “She was so sure Brian had told her he was visiting his aunt in the nursing home that day.”
I let the words hang a moment before meeting Amanda’s eyes.
“I know you both lied to her. But Lacey …” My voice cracked. “Lacey never questioned your story. That your car broke down in York. That you called Brian to get you. That you just invited him to lunch to thank him. Lacey didn’t even question Brian when his strange late-night shifts just ended overnight after she saw you in York.”
I blinked slowly. My throat was burning.
“She never doubted you. Even when I did. When the whole world did.”
I took a deep breath, just to steady myself.
“Anyway. Thank you. For helping us. The kids love you. I do too.”
I left it at that. I walked to the door, grabbed the cool metal handle, opened it, and pulled it shut behind me as I left. It closed with a thud.
Back in the car, the quiet hit hard. But, to my surprise, I welcomed it. Like the calm before another storm.
I took a deep breath.
I had work to do.
Chapter 24
Nicole
It was early morning and cloudy. The smell of traffic drifted through my cracked window. I sat in my car, staring at the Dustin family’s trailer from across the street. Their white trailer with chipped paint was easy to monitor in the small trailer park.
A white truck sat in the driveway, next to a beat-up SUV. I had no doubt that this was the truck Zach’s killer used. Some “Myers” showing up out of the blue, using his friend’s truck for crimes. Then disappearing again.
And, still, the State acted like he had nothing to do with the murder, despite being caught on a nearby camera with blood smeared on him.
Bullshit.
If Nolan wanted to believe fairy tales, fine. But years of crime shows and real life had taught me better. Patterns mattered. People lied.
Billy Dustin knew more.
Which meant his wife knew more too.
I already knew which one would talk to me.
As if on cue, Mrs. Dustin opened the door. A baby on one hip, a four-year-old boy gripping her hand. Probably in her thirties. Like every mom I’d ever met with two small kids, she looked burned out. Sneakers. Leggings. A thick sweater that had seen better days. Her brown hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, loose strands sticking to her forehead.
She locked the door, walked to the SUV, and buckled her kids into their car seats.
When she pulled onto the road, I turned my engine on and followed.
We didn’t drive far. Peabody’s new space-station-themed playground came into view. Bright plastic rockets set against playground sand. A few swings. Children shouting and laughing.
I tried to look casual as I slowly approached the bench where Mrs. Dustin sat with her sleeping baby tucked against her chest.
I sat next to her, watching the kids as if one of them were mine.
