UNSEEN

by Felicia Mires

  "That's irrelevant to my investigation. I want the truth."

  "Even if it isn't what you want to hear?"

  He nodded. "That's my job, Destiny, to follow the evidence. You aren't giving me much to work with. What's your alibi? Where were you when Penny was killed? What is this mysterious feud from high school? Help me see the forest and the trees."

  "I want to tell you, really I do, but you're looking in the right direction if you examine the records from high school." She glanced at the cameras mounted on the ceiling outside her cell then leaned closer to Caleb to whisper. "There was someone who was very good at manipulating everything back then. I always thought it was Lorelei. She's so smart."

  "She asked to speak with you."

  "Hah! I won't give her the chance to manipulate me again."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Computer records changed…things that affected our futures. Someone wanted to destroy us then…someone does now. Find out who."

  "You think it's Laurel?"

  Destiny shook her head. "I don't know anymore. I think her dad dying is a huge motive for revenge. She was vengeful in high school, vandalized all our cars, but this…I just can't see Lorelei killing Penny."

  "Thank you, Destiny. That's something."

  "Yeah, well, I'm not exactly excited about the thought of a lethal injection. How long are you going to keep me here before I get my phone call?"

  "It's your fault, really. You waived your rights and you refused to give me an alibi, so I can hold you even longer. You want your phone call now?"

  "Where's Lorelei?"

  He frowned. Did she know Laurel had been allowed to call her lawyer? "Pemberly's keeping an eye on her. He suggested that the two of you are in this together…planting evidence that indicates both of you are guilty."

  "That's ludicrous!" She threw her hands in the air and started pacing. "That's…that's just plain ridiculous."

  Caleb tried not to grin, but she looked very appealing with that fire in her eyes. "Actually, it would be incredibly cunning. If you're tried separately, there's reasonable doubt either way. You both had evidence from the crime scene."

  She came back to the door and reached for the bars. "Caleb, get me out of here. You know in your heart I didn't do this. Remember what the old neighbor said…Penny was happy to see me. After all this time, why would I go looking for her and kill her?"

  "Why would anyone?"

  "I don't know…" Her eyes suddenly took on a wary look, and she backed away.

  "What is it, Destiny? What did you just remember?"

  "I've got to think about this for awhile. Just keep looking."

  "You're a very frustrating woman, you know that?"

  "Maybe…but you like me."

  "That's not going to get you out of here."

  She grinned. "So, you admit it."

  "I admit you have a beautiful singing voice. I haven't heard that hymn for years."

  "Have you been skipping church, Detective? I know a place…maybe someday you could…"

  "Maybe someday. I'll be back." He perused the other cells around her. "And don't talk to anyone in here."

  "Yes, Detective Forest."

  As Caleb moved away from Destiny, a combination of feelings plagued him. He was fairly certain she wasn't a murderer, but she was still holding something back and that was suspicious. Was she afraid of someone? Laurel had reacted in a similar manner. Whom were they afraid of? Since they both weren't talking, the only way he'd get answers was to search the past. He would have to call in former classmates, teachers, administrators, family…whoever might shed some light.

  First, he needed to begin the paperwork to get any sealed records on Laurel, unless her lawyer had convinced her to cooperate. By the time he reached his desk, he had a list of things to accomplish. Pemberly seemed deep in reading, but he wanted to compare strategy.

  "Zack, let's take a walk."

  "A walk?"

  His partner stared at him, but Caleb kept his expression neutral. "Ready?"

  Zack stood and followed Caleb out. When they reached the patrol car, Caleb climbed in the driver's side and waited on Zack.

  Zack slammed the door then turned to face Caleb. "You got some reason for sitting outside in the car?"

  "Did Laurel say anything after the lawyer talked to her?"

  "Not a word."

  "Something has Laurel and Destiny spooked."

  "Now she's Destiny?"

  "Knock it off. Both of them refused to speak in the station. Destiny stared up at the cameras then bent her head so she could talk to me without being seen. And Laurel…she said she didn't want to be recorded by the live feed. What are they afraid of? It isn't cops because they've both been surrounded by officers. Why are they hiding from the cameras?"

  "Nobody sees that footage aside from law enforcement personnel."

  "There was something Destiny said. She thought Laurel was behind all this because Laurel was smart, that someone smart had manipulated circumstances in high school that caused severe repercussions. What if it isn't Laurel or Destiny at all?"

  "That leaves us with no one."

  Caleb shrugged. "Unless you find a motive in Penny's work records. Stay on that. I'm going to investigate the past, maybe shake something loose."

  "Did you get forensics to sweep Laurel's computer?"

  "Not yet, but we should. Any luck with Penny's?"

  "I think I'll have them look into both computers. We need more eyes." Zack reached for the door handle. "You know, there is something weird."

  "Practically everything at this point. What?"

  "I hate to say it, but you were supposed to go out with Laurel then she cancelled. If she had kept the date, you'd be her alibi."

  Caleb sighed. "One more nail in the coffin."

  "Yeah."

  "Hey, Zack, just in case, from this point on, let's keep everything between you, me, and the captain. Nothing goes over the internet server. Keep it all on paper."

  "Fine with me."

  After Pemberly walked back in the precinct, Caleb drove to the high school previously attended by Laurel, Destiny, and Jeffrey Seymour. It had been eight years since they'd graduated, but surely someone would still remember what had transpired. If not, he'd requisition school records. Somewhere, there had to be a paper trail of the past.

  Two hours later, Caleb exited the school. No one seemed to know what had really happened. Accusations had been made on all sides from the school counselor, the teachers, even the principal. Apparently, no one was without blame. Laurel, Destiny, and Penny had a falling out over something no one could identify. Jeffrey had been there to stir the pot, so to speak. School records had been changed and property had been damaged. If Caleb really wanted to discover the truth, he'd have to get Laurel and Destiny talking. Laurel had a lawyer. Perhaps Destiny could be persuaded to talk. It was worth a try, anyway.

  Chapter 6

  Death becomes you, and it's getting closer every day. Who's laughing now?

  Destiny jolted up when the door of her cell started to grate across the floor. Detective Caleb Forest stood outside waiting, and he'd never looked so good. From those wide shoulders to his long legs, the man looked good in a suit. Particularly if he'd come to spring her.

  As she hurried forward, she couldn't help the idiotic grin on her face. Oh, please, please, Lord, let him be my ticket out of here.

  She shrugged her shoulders. "Well?"

  "This way, Destiny."

  He pointed for her to precede him down the corridor, and she moved past. Why couldn't he just say it? Did he have to keep her in suspense? Her momentary high spirits took a decided downturn as they walked toward the door of freedom, but she shook her head as if to ward off doubt. Just because he hadn't said anything in this horribly public forum didn't mean he didn't have good news. Besides, any time spent away from the other detainees was definitely a plus and a reason to kiss the man's feet.

  As the alarm sounded and they waited for the elect
ronic door to glide open, she studied his feet. Large and boot-clad. Such a Texan. Her daddy would like that. Even when Caleb hadn't approved of her, the man had always remained a gentleman. And his lecture on how to appear less appealing to men with less than stellar appetites…Priceless!

  She ignored a few of those less than stellar men now as they yelled obscenities. Caleb took another step closer then hurried her through the exit. As they passed the sentry seated in the cubicle, Caleb took her elbow. He maintained the close contact until they gained the elevator and punched a button then he faced her.

  When he studied her from head to toe as if she were a decidedly puzzling science project, she crossed her arms over her chest. She would not be the first to speak. If only she had her notebook right now, a few words came to mind that she'd like to recall later.

  "Destiny…" He sighed then shook his head.

  "Caleb."

  The elevator opened, and he led her past an officer to an unmarked door. She jerked her head to gaze up at him in question, but he was already nudging her through. From what she could see, this was a small office. It held a desk, filing cabinet, and two chairs, but little else. Whoever worked here appeared extremely tidy, as the desk was barren of any clutter at all, not even a photograph.

  Caleb pushed at the door until it remained open only a slight gap then he sat behind the desk and waved her to a chair. "Sit." He pulled out that voice recorder he was so fond of and held it where she could see it. "This is a recording device. It isn't connected to the internet nor does it transmit signals of any kind. Would you care to inspect it?"

  Destiny shook her head.

  "I'm telling you that, Destiny, because I want you to know I'll be recording everything we say. This is extremely unconventional, but you haven't been charged. Technically, you're a material witness. The door will remain open to this room, and I'm recording the session. Neither of us can accuse the other of unseemly conduct."

  Destiny tried to control the twitch to her lips that would reveal her amusement, but the best she could hope for was contorting her mouth into a grimace. Detective Forest most certainly didn't appear the sort of man to indulge in unseemly conduct, but one never knew.

  "I'll do my best to control myself, Detective."

  As a dark flush traveled up his neck, his eyes dropped to the desk. "Right. Well, you seemed wary of the cameras in detention, and Laurel made a comment about keeping everything off the server so…" He looked up, and his earnest expression brought a warm sensation to her chest. "I thought you'd feel safer here. The captain said it would be all right as long as someone remained outside as a witness."

  "We aren't alone?"

  "Uh, no. That would be…well, foolish."

  "And you're not foolish."

  He frowned but ignored her comment. "I questioned several people at your high school, but I'd like your take on the events that got Laurel expelled and her father sent to jail."

  "My take."

  Destiny attempted to ignore the feeling of unease that gripped her stomach each time this subject came up. Penny had already lost her life, and Destiny's future hung in the balance. Could she trust Caleb? Could she trust anyone? She'd been asking God for a way out. What if this was it?

  She took a deep breath then let it out slowly. Lord, please help me. "It all happened our senior year. Penny and I had always been friends, but we got a lot closer when Penny joined the youth group at my church. We sort of made a pact."

  "A pact?"

  "Yeah, to reach out to students who seemed…out of touch. Lorelei was the one we picked. "

  "Why her?"

  "She was at the bottom of the totem pole. Her dad was the janitor. She was terrible at sports. Her clothes weren't nice. And she was quiet. She got picked on a lot. Penny and I weren't the most popular girls at school, but we had friends. We tried to help Lorelei. We even asked Jeffrey for help."

  Caleb shifted in his seat. It was the only indication that he'd become more intrigued by her recitation because he maintained a fairly good poker face. That and his eyes, dark with a fervent concentration.

  "What kind of help?"

  "For Lorelei. She was really smart, but she'd missed some stuff when she changed schools. She's from around here. She just wasn't in our school district. Because her dad worked there, she was able to transfer in."

  "I see. What happened?"

  "I don't know. I thought everything was fine. Lorelei was talking more, not exactly a chatterbox, but she seemed comfortable. Then all of a sudden, she clammed up. She got really hostile and even wrote threatening letters. Jeffrey started following us around."

  "Us?"

  "Me and Penny. He said Lorelei wasn't safe, but I just…"

  "What, Destiny? You felt something. What was it?"

  The gentle, understanding tone of his voice almost brought tears to her eyes. After all she'd been through, he sounded like he understood. But he was trained to gain her confidence. She hardened her heart.

  "I didn't feel I needed Jeffrey's help, and I told him so. Penny went along with it because we thought we could get through to Lorelei again. Then everything changed. Someone vandalized Jeffrey's car, his mom's car…he didn't have his own. They slit the tires. Then my car had a huge gauge down the side like someone took a hammer claw to it. Probably the worst thing that happened was the grades and recommendation letters."

  Caleb nodded. "The principal said your grades were changed, and you lost a scholarship. And something about the school's counselor having all his recommendation letters deleted."

  "Yes. Someone hacked the school computer system and changed everything. Lorelei knew how to do all that, and when they found her father's hammer in the closet, it had paint from my car."

  "He went to jail?"

  "They didn't have any choice. He confessed…swore it was him, that Lorelei didn't do it."

  "But you thought otherwise."

  "I didn't know what to think. Lorelei said she'd gotten threatening letters, too, but then she threw a brick through the window at my house. My dad was cut on the side of the face, the brick smashed through Mom's china cabinet, and Dad…he pressed charges."

  "Laurel went to juvenile detention."

  "Yes. I thought that was the end of it, but Penny and I both got another letter. It said someday we'd pay."

  "How long after Laurel was taken away?"

  She closed her eyes for a few seconds then shook her head. "I just don't remember. I wanted to forget the whole thing. Eventually, it died down, and we all went our separate ways after high school."

  "I see. Basically, what you're saying is that a lot of circumstantial evidence, aside from the brick through the window, busted up your friendship and made Laurel look guilty."

  "That and her extremely hostile attitude."

  Caleb drummed his fingers on the desk. "You wouldn't happen to have any of those letters, would you?"

  Destiny looked down. This was the moment she'd been dreading. If she told the truth, it could sink her. Then again, it might finally prove her innocence. Could she trust the system?

  A loud knock sounded on the door before it flew back on its hinges. Zack Pemberly barely glanced at Destiny as he leaned in. "I've got something for you…on Laurel's computer."

  "I'll be right there. Wait…What about Miss Knox?"

  Zack finally considered Destiny. From the bland expression on his face, she had no idea how he felt about her. He could have been considering the weather. She offered him a small smile.

  "Might as well bring her. Maybe she can shed some light."

  Destiny felt that sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was happening again. Things turning up where they shouldn't. Strange files on computers. Only now it was worse. Penny was dead, and Destiny might find herself charged with murder.

  As they took the elevator to the crime lab, Destiny kept her arms wrapped around her middle. Neither Zack nor Caleb spoke, probably because she was there. What were they taking her to see? She still wasn't sure how s
he felt about Lorelei. They'd found the yearbook in her car, but that might not mean anything. They'd found the murder weapon in Destiny's house, and she certainly didn't leave it there.

  She chanced a glance at Zack. He was slightly thinner than Caleb, definitely taller, with sandy blond hair that curled up at the edges. Right now, he wore a five o'clock shadow, but he was usually clean shaven. It must be late in the day. Destiny had no idea what time it was.

  Zack's dress shirt was open at the top, and his tie hung askew. Destiny's gaze darted to Caleb. He looked the same, only he wasn't even wearing his tie. They appeared haggard. Might they be concerned for her, or was it just Lorelei they were trying to save?

  Caleb's eyes caught hers and before she knew it, she smiled. He tipped his head then offered her a smile of such warmth she wondered if he'd forgotten who she was.

  "Are you thirsty, Destiny? Hungry? I don't have any slaw dogs, but there's a vending machine."

  "If it isn't too much trouble, I'd like a drink of water and…and a ladies' room. I just couldn't bring myself to…"

  Caleb straightened and exchanged a glance with Zack. "Sorry. I didn't think."

  The doors slid open, and Zack held out his hand. "You go on, Caleb. I'll take Miss Knox to the ladies' room. We'll meet you there."

  "Thanks." Caleb's eyes searched Destiny as he strode past then he nodded and ambled down the hall.

  Zack walked by Destiny, headed in the opposite direction, and stopped at a door to bang his knuckles against the wall. "This is Detective Pemberly. Is the restroom occupied?"

  When no one answered, he creaked open the door and called again. "Hello? Anybody in the facilities?"

  After several seconds of silence, he looked back at Destiny. "Go ahead. I'll wait out here. There's no window. You'll be perfectly safe."

  "Don't you mean there's no way I can escape?"

  He stared at her then shrugged. "I want you to be safe…regardless."

  "Thank you, Zack. I…I'll be right out."

  When Destiny exited the bathroom, Zack was waiting with a water bottle. He handed it to her without a word.