“It’s possible he’s been monitoring it from the start, following me. Zoey was placed here as a warning. Maybe to me. Maybe to all of us. The message he’s sending is simple. The closer we get to revealing his identity, the more people we put at risk, and perhaps, the more people will die.”
CHAPTER 32
Thanks to Maude, Maisie plowed through Stuart’s funeral with a sliver of grace, dipping out as soon as it finished to avoid being dragged into needless conversations with people she had no interest in talking to—today or any other day, for that matter. Even now, hours later, after seeing him at peace in the casket, she struggled to accept he was gone. She thought of him and brushed a hand across her cheek, in the same place he’d kissed her before.
Instead of selling her father’s house, Stuart’s daughter had decided to move back into the house again, making it her home just like it used to be when she was younger. When asked why and how she’d come to her decision, she simply said she believed it would help her stay close to her father. Maisie just smiled, allowing her to feel what she needed to feel, even though she disagreed. She’d gone down the same road when Lee had died, convincing herself she could feel his spirit, like he was right there in the room with her. Truth was, whether he was or whether he wasn’t didn’t change the fact that he was gone.
She reflected on this while reclining on the cheap fabric seat of her rental car, hoping it wouldn’t take long for police to process her own vehicle so she could get it back—although she hadn’t yet decided what to do with it. The idea of driving that car after it housed Zoey’s dead body made her uneasy. Maybe it was time for something new.
Maisie rested a hand over the gun in her lap, wondering if the killer was out there right now, watching, waiting for her to make her next move.
Come for me, if you dare.
I’m ready.
I’ll put a bullet right through you.
She assumed the killer was proud of what he’d done, probably thinking his inconvenient body dump would scare her off, while making him appear tough and brave at the same time. Scary. On the contrary. He wasn’t brave. He was scared. She was on the right track, and there was nothing he could do to stop her now. Knowing this excited her, his fear fueling her even more.
A half hour passed, and then a short, slender, woman with a pink pixie cut exited a clothing store, glancing around before walking to her car. A car conveniently parked right next to Maisie’s. Maisie concealed her gun inside her purse, and when the girl was within earshot, she put down the passenger-side window and looked over. “Excuse me. Brittany?”
Brittany jumped, pressing a hand to her chest. “Oh my gosh! Lady, don’t freak me out like that. Who are you? How do you know my name? And why are you sitting in a car outside my work?”
“You used to date Jayden Conrad, didn’t you?”
She rolled her eyes. “Date him? No.”
“How would you define your relationship with him then?”
“We weren’t in a relationship. I met him at a ... well, it doesn’t matter. I don’t know you, and the fact you seem to have been sitting here waiting for me to get off work is freaking me out.”
She pushed a button on the key fob, unlocking her car door.
“Why did you slash Jayden’s tires?” Maisie asked.
“Why does anyone vandalize another person’s car? Usually the asshole deserves it. I wish I’d done it, but I didn’t. I mean, I hated the guy, but it wasn’t me.”
There was passion behind her words, a palpable pain Maisie could both feel and see. Either Brittany was lying, or her pain came from a different place. “Would you mind giving me a few minutes of your time? I promise to explain who I am and why I’m here if you do.”
“I ... I don’t think so. I need to get home.”
“Why did you hate him so much?”
The girl’s eyes brimmed with tears. One splashed down her cheek. She wiped it away. “I gotta go.”
Maisie got out of the car. “Wait, Brittany. Hold on. Just hear me out.”
Once again she thought about the promise she’d made to Coraline, now assuming enough time had passed that word had made its way around. “Do you know Lane and Zoey Marshall?”
“Not personally. I only know what’s been on the news.”
“They were my neighbors. There’s a bit more to the story, things no one knows. If I trust you with some private information, do I have your word that you’ll trust me?”
Brittany ran her hands up and down her arms.
“It’s getting a bit chilly out here,” Maisie said. “I don’t care whose car we’re in, but let’s get warmed up for a few minutes.”
After a brief hesitation, Brittany said, “Fine. Just for a minute. And let’s sit in my car.”
Maisie nodded, and they got inside. A nervous Brittany kept a hand firmly gripped around the handle of the door, like she wanted a way out if she needed to make a quick escape. “What is it you need to tell me?”
“Before Lane Marshall was killed and Zoey was taken, one of their neighbors thought they saw Lane trying to bury something in the backyard.”
“What was it?”
“A gun.”
“Why was he burying a gun in his backyard?”
“Turns out the gun belonged to Jayden Conrad,” Maisie said.
Her mouth fell open, and she sat there, stunned, eyes staring at the steering wheel as if in a trance. “Was it—”
“The gun that was used to kill Jayden? Yes. Not many people know about this yet. I’m trusting you to keep it between us until it’s out in the open. I’m a reasonable woman, but that isn’t to say you’d ever want to cross me. Understand?”
She nodded.
“Good. My next question is: Do you have any idea what the connection is between Jayden Conrad and Lane and Zoey Marshall?”
“I don’t. I know why someone would want to kill Jayden though.”
Maisie raised a brow. “I’m listening.”
“It’s possible Lane killed Jayden to protect Zoey.”
“Why would she need to be protected from him?”
Brittany removed her hand from the handle of the door and tapped her fingernails along the edge of the steering wheel. “Since you told me something in confidence, and you seem like a nice person, I’ll do the same. I met Jayden one night at a party. I mean, I knew who he was because I’d seen him around campus a few times, but I’d never been around him one-on-one before.”
“How did you meet?”
“We were all at a bonfire.”
“Who’s all?”
“I don’t know. There were at least fifty people there from school. Maybe more. I saw Jayden. We made eye contact a few times. He was sitting on a tailgate of a pickup truck drinking a few beers. I was hanging out with a few of my friends.”
“What happened?”
“A couple of my friends went off with the guys they were dating. I thought about just going to the car, getting inside, waiting. Then Jayden walked up to me. He handed me a beer, asked me if I wanted to go for a walk.”
“And did you?”
Brittany nodded.
“It was almost dark out, but he had a flashlight. We started walking along a trail. He started saying things he probably thought I wanted to hear. He told me I was cute. He said he’d seen me around campus and always wanted to talk to me. I was flattered. What girl wouldn’t be? He was one of the best-looking guys at school, if not the best-looking one. He could get with any girl he wanted.”
“You’re a beautiful girl, and you have a unique look to you. I’m sure he was thrilled to spend time with you.”
She let out a deep breath, glanced out the window. “We kept following the trail, just talking and laughing and having a good time. He put his arm around me, said he could tell I was cold, so he took off his jacket and wrapped it around me. He seemed so nice.”
“Why do I get the feeling he wasn’t?”
“We walked for about ten minutes, and at some point I turned around
and realized how far away we were from everyone else. I couldn’t even see anyone anymore. I told him we should head back. My friends would be wondering why I wasn’t there.”
“What did he say?”
“He didn’t say anything. He pushed me. He shoved me to the ground.” She closed her eyes, her breathing staggered and fast, remembering. “I can still feel the stickers digging into my hands, the dirt entering my lungs, his body crushing mine. I’d touched my ear. It was wet and bloody from a rock I’d smacked into on the way down.”
“If this is too hard—”
“No. I’ve started. I may as well finish now. Jayden pushed himself on top of me, pulled a gun out, and showed it to me. Then he wrapped a hand around my throat and said if I screamed, he’d choke me until I was dead. The way he moved, the way he handled me, was methodical and premeditated, like he didn’t even have to think about it because he’d done it enough times before. I thought he’d take his pants off, but he didn’t. He just undid the zipper. I was in a dress. Maybe that’s why he picked me, because he knew it would be easy, or maybe because he thought I’d had too much to drink like my friends, but I hadn’t. I actually wish I had been drunk so I wouldn’t be able to remember, wouldn’t still feel him pushing his way inside me.”
Maisie reached out, grabbed Brittany’s hand. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
“I haven’t even told you the worst part yet. It didn’t end with Jayden. When he finished, he rolled off me and another guy climbed on top of me.”
Maisie pressed a hand to her mouth, rage brimming inside her. “I’m ... just ... so sorry.”
“The second guy ... I couldn’t see his face. He was wearing a mask.”
“Why would one wear a mask but not the other?”
“No idea. Jayden seemed to like the thrill of me seeing him while he raped me. He was cocky.”
“What kind of mask was the second guy wearing?”
“It was hard to tell. It was too dark. When I realized I was about to be raped again, I just closed my eyes. I didn’t look at him. I didn’t scream. I just went to another place in my mind. I always thought I’d fight back, be strong, not just allow it to happen to me. But my entire body was stiff, like if I made the slightest move my bones might break. Between the two of them it lasted less than ten minutes. Amazing how such a short amount of time can leave a person scarred forever.”
“When it was all over, what happened?”
“Both of them were laughing. I heard a slap like they high-fived each other. They left me there, in the dark, with no flashlight. I had to find my way back to the bonfire. When I got there, I was covered in dirt. My hair. My clothes. My face and my hands were scratched. My friends asked what happened, and I said I’d gone for a walk and fell.”
“Where was Jayden?”
“Leaning back against the same truck he was standing by when I saw him earlier. He had his arms crossed, and a smug look on his face like he was God, like he was untouchable. He smiled at me and winked, and I felt sick. I ran over to the bushes and barfed.”
“Did you notice anyone next to him? Anyone who could have been the second attacker?”
She shook her head. “He was alone by that time.”
“This may be an odd question, but was Kyle Grady there? Do you know him? He was on the football team for a while.”
She nodded. “Yeah. He was at the party. I don’t remember where he was or what he was doing though.”
“Is he friends with Jayden?”
“I don’t know. They played football together. Probably.”
“Did you tell anyone what happened to you? Does anyone know? Your friends? Your family? The police?”
“No one. He said if I told anyone, they’d come to my room and make me watch while they raped my roommate. Since I didn’t know the guy in the mask, even if I admitted what happened after Jayden died, I was terrified of the other guy. Jayden was quick. A few minutes and he was done. Not the other guy, though; he wasn’t. He took his time. And he was rough. He slapped my face a few times, told me to look at him, to watch what he was doing to me. I think that’s how he got off—by seeing the terror in my eyes while he raped me.”
“Was there anything in the masked guy’s voice that was familiar?”
She shook her head. “Nothing. I’d never heard it before. And I felt like he was trying to talk in a tone that wasn’t his.”
Threatening her with her roommate was an interesting choice. Why not parents or siblings? “I can’t believe Jayden thought if you confessed he’d get away with it.”
“He said his family had money and influence, and mine didn’t.”
“How long ago did all of this happen?”
“A couple months before he died.”
“Do you know of any other women he may have raped? Any other girls ever talk about it at school, or spread rumors around about it?”
She shook her head. “I kept to myself, especially after what happened. I’m not even on campus anymore. I’m back home with my parents.”
“Jayden’s dead, and for him, justice has been served, but there’s still an opportunity for you to help other women if you tell your story to someone, and by someone, I mean, I think you should talk to the police.”
“Why? What could I offer now? The damage is done. I was raped, and Jayden’s dead. I can’t take a chance the other guy will come after me. I just can’t.”
“I know it’s scary. If you come forward, not only will you be a voice for the other victims, but if police can figure out who he is, you’ll save all the women he hasn’t raped yet. And you’ll increase the chances of us getting to the truth about what really happened to Lane and Zoey Marshall.”
“I ... I don’t know.”
“Please, Brittany.”
It was silent for a time, then she said, “Okay, but can they protect me?”
“I want you to go in and ask for Detective MacDougal. Tell him exactly what you told me. He will help you, and he’ll keep you safe. Do you have a pen and something I can write on?”
Brittany reached into the side pocket of her door, pulled out a marker and a napkin. Maisie wrote her address and phone number down, handed it to Brittany.
“What’s this?” Brittany asked.
“My home address and my phone number.”
“Why are you giving it to me?”
“After you talk to the police, I want you to call me. Don’t go home until you do.”
“Oh ... kay. But why did you give me your address?”
Maisie got out of the car, poking her head back in before closing the door. “Just call me. I’ll explain later.”
“Umm ... Maisie? There is one more thing. When the man in the mask had me on the ground, there was a moment when he told me to look up at him, and when I did, the flashlight Jayden was holding put off just enough light that I caught a glimpse beneath the side of the mask. I ... may have seen something.”
CHAPTER 33
“Get up,” Maisie said.
Brennan’s eyelids opened partway. He blinked at Maisie, but made no effort to get out of bed. “What are you ... how did you get in here?”
“You need to get up, Brennan.”
When he still failed to move in a timely fashion, Maisie yanked the pillow from beneath his head and smacked him in the face with it.
“What the hell!”
Maisie sat on the bed, bending down until she was a few inches from Brennan’s face. “You may be stoned out of your mind, but we need to talk.”
He sighed. “Fine.”
He peeled the covers off his body and stood, dragging his feet across the floor as he walked. He grabbed a bag of potato chips off his desk, walked back to the bed, sat down.
“I’m sorry about Linda. How are you doing?”
“Why do you think I look like this?”
“You’re in need of a shower, among other things.”
He lifted a finger, pointed. “If you can’t handle the smell, there’s the door.”
“I’ll survive. I guess I don’t need to ask how you’re doing.”
He buried his head in his hands. “Part of me doesn’t want to live anymore, you know? I’m just numb, dead inside. I can’t stop thinking what happened to Zoey is probably going to happen to Linda too.”
“You were just friends, weren’t you?”
“We dated here and there. I guess I always hoped one day it would turn into something more. I mean, you probably look at me and think there’s no way a guy like me could ever get a girl like her, but we had a lot in common with each other, and I wasn’t the only one who could see it. She could too. She told me.”
“Told you what?”
“She said I was the first guy who made her feel like she could be herself. I mean, she still saw other guys, but they never lasted. I figured if I waited it out, there was a chance she’d realize she wanted to be with me.”
“Did she know you felt more than friendship for her?”
He shrugged. “Think so.”
“And did she return your feelings?”
“She wasn’t ready for a relationship. Not with me, or anyone.”
“Why not?”
He stared out the window. “What time is it?”
“No idea. Late, or early, depending on how you look at it. Look, I’ll get to the point about why I’m here. Did you know Jayden Conrad?”
“I knew who he was. Everyone on campus did. He was on the football team.”
“Did you ever hear any rumors about him?”
“What kind of rumors?”
“About how he was with the women he dated.”
He shrugged. “I dunno know much about what his dating life was like. We didn’t party in the same circles. I mean, I saw him a couple times here and there, but that’s it. Why?”
“Earlier tonight I met a girl who had an unfortunate experience with Jayden at one of your college bonfires. Sounds like he had a habit of taking advantage of the ladies.”
Maisie focused on Brennan, hoping for a sign indicating he’d heard rumors about Jayden. The look of surprise on his face indicted he hadn’t.
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