“Hey Veronica, it’s Avery.”
“How are ya girl?”
“Umm, I’ve been better.”
“I saw the news.” There was a pause, and Avery heard a few dogs barking in the background, “You take all the time you need alright?”
“Thanks.” Avery exhaled. “You know I won’t stay away for long.”
“I’m counting on it. You’ll be missed, but Josh took your shift already.”
Avery smiled. Of course he did. “Thanks for understanding.”
There was a lingering feeling of regret as she set the phone on her nightstand and pulled the covers over her head.
Her cell chimed, and she reached her arm out from under the covers to find it.
The Facebook message was from Charla Kent.
Could we meet for coffee tomorrow?
Avery sighed, and gripped the phone in her hand, letting the glow of the screen illuminate the darkness under her blanket. She wondered if Charla had seen her story in the news. She’d love that.
“What do you want from me?” She asked as she looked at the screen once more.
If she would be downtown at the police department tomorrow anyway, she might as well meet with the girl, and if she wanted to make fun of her some more, Avery could show her she no longer had any power over her.
I can meet you at Joe’s Cuppa tomorrow at noon.
Great, see you then Avery.
Her message popped up right away in response and it surprised her. It surprised her more that she agreed to the meeting, but the phone rang again, and the local news reminded her that they weren’t letting up.
She thought about telling Sadie about coffee with Charla, but couldn’t bring herself to talk to anyone, and turned her cell off. She curled up in a ball and wished she had never seen the police sketch of the mask.
Wished she could let go of the past as easily as everyone else seemed to.
Wished that she didn’t feel so trapped.
As she willed herself to sleep, she thought about Noah, and wondered if he would be there the next day, and hoped for the first time that she wouldn’t have to see him.
Chapter 13
The jogger turned out to be another dead end on his drowning case.
Noah was getting used to those, and as he left Joe’s Cuppa with his breakfast, he decided to talk to the vic’s wife, Mrs. Hornby, one last time before meeting with Ethan, Owen, and Avery.
Avery. He couldn’t even picture her face without getting angry.
“Hello,” Jennifer Hornby answered the door, looking disheveled, “Oh, Inspector Cotter. Any news?”
“No Mrs. Hornby, I’ve come to see if there was anything else you’d thought of.” He looked into the house and waited, but Mrs. Hornby stood still in the doorway.
“I’ve really told you all I know.”
“May I come in? I was hoping to get the phone number for your husband’s sister.”
“Oh sure, wait right here.” Mrs. Hornby closed the door behind her, and left him on her porch.
Noah noticed a neighbor peek through their blinds at him, and he waved to them. As he turned his attention back to the house, he noticed a truck parked further up the driveway.
“Hi, sorry about that. I’m not having a good day.”
“It’s fine. Mrs. Hornby, is there someone else here?”
She looked at him confused for a moment.
“Oh, Grant’s hunting buddy came to visit. Funeral’s tomorrow.”
“That’s nice you’ve got someone here for you.”
Mrs. Hornby smiled, and pressed her lips together, as she handed him a piece of paper.
“These are their numbers. Nice folks, the Hornbys. They live in Toronto, but they’ll be here for the funeral if you wanted to talk to them in person.”
“No, a phone call will be fine.”
Mrs. Hornby nodded, and clutched at her housecoat. “Anything else?”
“That’s all, thank you for your time.”
After he got in his car, Noah looked over the paper she’d given him. When he got to his office, he sat down and called the first number on the paper.
“May I speak to Kim?”
“Speaking.”
“This is Inspector Cotter from the Crown River police department calling. I’m sorry for your loss, but I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about your brother?”
“Yes?”
“Do you have any idea who would want to harm him?”
“No, not at all. I mean, we don’t live that close, or talk all the time, but he was a good man, Inspector. That’s all I know for sure.” He heard a quiver in her voice.
“No enemies to speak of, and no way anyone would benefit from him dead?”
“No, and I hope you’re not wondering about his wife. Her family is loaded. She doesn’t profit from his death. She loved him.”
Noah gave his condolences, and left a message for her parents to give him a call if they knew anything, before ending the conversation.
He got on his laptop, and checked the local funeral home’s site. He found the times for Grant Hornby’s funeral and visitation, and decided he’d try for more leads there the next day.
On his way to meet with Ethan, he worried about his temper getting the better of him with Avery, and coming off as unprofessional. He went out of his way for her, and the first chance she got, she disrespected his authority.
Avery is on her own after this.
Chapter 14
Avery checked her phone for the third time and realized it was twelve thirty. As if being bullied and made fun of in high school wasn’t enough, she was about to add being stood up by one of the most popular girls in school to the list of ways she had been humiliated.
Just as Avery grabbed her purse, Charla Kent slipped into the seat across from her. Her brown curly hair sat on her shoulders, and Avery couldn’t remember ever seeing her hair curled. She wore a blazer and bright red lipstick on her pouty lips.
“I’m sorry I’m late. I…”
“I think it was a mistake, coming here.” Avery went to stand, but Charla held her manicured hand in front of her.
She looked the same as she had at graduation, well dressed and put together.
“Please stay.” She looked around and lowered her voice, “I really need to talk to you.”
Avery sat back in her seat, dropped her purse to the floor, and crossed her arms. “Go ahead.”
Charla let out a breath. “I don’t know how to say this. I was late because I wasn’t sure I could face you.”
“You couldn’t face me?” Avery raised her brow.
“I know it’s been a long time since high school.” She played with her gold locket necklace.
“Yeah, a long time since I’ve been treated the way I was. So what, you came to tell me you’re a better person now? Realized you and your friends shouldn’t have treated me like that? That’s nice, but not necessary. I’ve moved on.”
Charla tucked a ringlet behind her ear. “I’ve thought about you a lot.”
“Okay, now you’re sounding creepy.” Avery leaned back in her chair and studied Charla.
Her green eyes welled up with tears and Avery felt her body tense up.
“I’m trying to tell you something, and you’re not making this easy, but I have to. I can’t…”
“Please just tell me.”
“When you had your accident, it wasn’t really an accident. It was an attack, and I know because I was there.” Charla spoke quickly, and Avery worked to keep up. “We decided it would be fun to scare you, and it was Jolene who wore the mask. Do you remember her? Anyway, we never meant for you to get hurt, and when you fell off that ledge, I just…”
Avery covered her mouth with her hand.
“I’ve felt so bad ever since, but Jolene threatened that if I said anything, told anyone, that I’d get it worse than you. I never talked to her after that you know. She became a big pot head, and I…” she looked Avery in the eyes, “no mat
ter what good things have happened to me, I just carry this burden. I had to get it off my chest, and apologize, but I know no amount of…”
“How? How did you do it?” Avery squinted and studied her, wondering if it was another joke at her expense.
Charla licked her lips, and stared down at the table. “Over the lunch hour, Jolene came to my place. She said she was in your gym class, and she thought you were a bitch. She was probably jealous of you, who knows? She said we should scare you and I… I suggested an old mask we had in our garage. It was just supposed to be a joke.”
Avery shook her head, but Charla continued.
“We followed you home, and I just thought we’d jump out from behind a fence, or a car. Jolene got so excited when you went into the forest. We followed behind you, and finally, she just broke into a run. I tried to follow her, but I couldn’t keep up. That’s when you…”
“You’re serious. You really did this?”
Charla nodded. “I’m ashamed of it, of how you were hurt, and how I caused that. We caused that.”
“It was all just a prank.” Avery said under her breath, and tears welled up in her eyes as the words sunk in.
“It was meant to be. I was going to come clean to you before all this with the media, I even messaged you, but then I saw you on the news, and I had to contact you. I had to make sure you knew the truth, once and for all.”
“I can’t…” Avery’s hand shook. “Why?”
“Jolene didn’t like you, and it was just” she looked down at her hands, “it was supposed to be funny. I can’t believe she pushed you off that ledge.”
“She didn’t. I fell.”
Their eyes met, and Charla raised her brows. “I don’t understand.”
Tears streamed from Avery’s eyes, and she wiped them away. “Did you laugh?”
“What? No.” Charla answered immediately and shook her head. “I was horrified you got hurt. I regret it, and I’m so sorry Avery.” A tear ran down her cheek and dripped off her chin.
Avery wiped the last of her tears, and grabbed her purse as she stood from the table.
“Please, Avery…” Charla looked up at her.
Avery pushed her chair out behind her, hurried out of the café, and rushed to her car. The fresh air cooled her face, and when she got in, she sat in silence.
Everything she went through was over a prank.
It was just a prank.
Something that was done by two girls her age and planned only a few hours after meeting. Something about her, Jolene didn’t like, and that was it. She chose her as a target. It all sounded so immature, and simple, and different from how she had always pictured it.
Years of therapy bills, and wondering, and fear for that.
She put her hands on the wheel, and tightened her grip to stop her hands from shaking. She wondered if she was in shock, and if she should be driving, but realized she had to get to her meeting.
She had to tell the police what she knew to be true.
Why couldn’t Charla have come forward earlier? Avery knew the what ifs would hold her back, but she couldn’t help but wonder how different her life may have been if she wasn’t seen as the spaz of a new girl, a victim, and an outcast.
Chapter 15
When Avery got to the reception desk, she was led down a few short hallways by an officer who looked familiar.
“Avery, my name’s Officer Owen Minicozzi. You might not remember me, but I was on your case.”
Avery nodded. “I thought you looked familiar.”
“Yeah, haven’t changed much except for the beard I guess.” He gestured to their left, and before she got to the door, she saw Noah and another man through the window.
The other man was short and balding, and stood with his chest puffed out. They were talking, and Avery was relieved they hadn’t noticed her.
Officer Minicozzi ran his hand through his hair. “And maybe a bit of salt and pepper.”
“Officer Minicozzi?” He turned to her just before he opened the door, and leaned in as she whispered, “How much trouble am I in?”
He looked at her for a moment and then back into the room. “We’d better get in there.”
When Avery walked in first, Owen closed the door behind them, and pulled out a chair for her that faced the men.
A smile faded from Noah’s face as he turned to her. She sat down and avoided his glares by looking at the other man.
“Ms. Hart,” Noah said, “this is Inspector Ethan Ascott. The case you compromised is his.”
The gruff voice that had drawn her in to Noah sounded colder than before.
She couldn’t meet his eyes with her own. “I want to say I’m sorry, but first, I have to tell you…”
“Please, Ms. Hart.” Inspector Ascott pulled his chair out, and dropped into his seat. The other two men remained standing. “It’s my understanding that you believe the mask used to scare you ten years ago, is the one a serial killer is now using. I also understand that you began by following protocol, but then you felt the need to take matters into your own hands, jeopardize my investigation, and the lives of…”
“I know who attacked me.”
Ascott stopped, and stared at her.
“Who?” Noah asked.
It was the first time she made eye contact, and his brown eyes were no longer warm and welcoming as they had been.
“It…” Avery looked down at her hands folded in her lap, “it was a prank all along. I just met with an old classmate of mine, Charla Kent, and she admitted that she and her friend meant to scare me as a joke, and things went…too far, further than they expected.” Avery cleared her throat and looked up at Noah. “I do still believe the mask is the same.”
“Whose mask was it?” The hardness slipped from his face, and he studied her.
“Charla’s. She said they got it from her garage that day.”
“Did she say where they put it after the incident?”
Avery shook her head. “I left her at Joe’s Cuppa right before I came here. She knew the details, so I believe her. She didn’t talk about the connection to your killer though,” She looked at Ascott. “We didn’t get that far.”
Her hands shook again, and she knew Noah had noticed them.
“I read your file Ms. Hart. I think we need to bring your old school mates in for questioning.” Ascott looked up at Noah and nodded.
“I have Charla’s contact info, but not Jolene’s.”
“Yeah, well, we’re going to have to get them down here now. Owen, call them and tell them it’s urgent. We’ll have them escorted if need be.”
Officer Minicozzi nodded. “Did you want their families in too?”
“Might need to speak to Charla’s parents. We’ll see. Better get their addresses as well.”
“Can I bring you back a drink?” Officer Minicozzi asked Avery, and when she shook her head, he left the room.
“We’ll need to keep you here while we talk to them.” Ascott stood up, and started for the door. “Cotter.”
Noah followed him out, and Avery watched them talk through the glass window. Ascott hurried down the hall as Noah came back into the room, and sat down across from her.
He brushed his hands through his hair, and rubbed his neck before he spoke.
“Why did you do it?”
“I called the news because I believed I had an important piece of information, and I still do, so I’m sorry if you felt like I went behind your back.” Which was exactly what she did, and she knew it, but she could barely admit it.
“You’ve got the media hounding you now. They followed you here, and they’re waiting outside. You made things harder for yourself. You made things worse for all of us.”
“Let them follow me. I don’t care. I’m not giving them a statement. I already told them what I know. This could help.”
He shook his head. “You don’t get it.”
“I’m sorry, I guess I don’t.” She shrugged and shook her head.
Noah le
aned forward in his chair, and rested his elbows on the table.
“Quite frankly, you put yourself in danger.”
“How?”
“By linking yourself to this killer. If he saw the news, and thinks that we might be onto him, we’re screwed. If he’s mad that you tried to associate yourself with something that you have nothing to do with, or that you found out the truth, you’re screwed.”
“What do you mean?”
He sighed, and checked the clock. “I’m not trying to scare you. I just wish you hadn’t done that. What gave you the idea?”
“I just,” She looked at the clock, and then down at her hands to avoid his gaze. “I’ve always felt like no one was listening to me, and these girls are being murdered…brutally murdered, but no one contacted me.”
“What about me? I was trying Avery,” His gaze softened somehow.
She wanted to look at him. She wanted to look into his eyes like the other day, and tell him what it meant to her, that someone finally listened. She wanted to apologize, but she felt her cheeks burn, and she couldn’t admit she broke whatever bond they had begun form because she didn’t want it to be true.
“You did but… you couldn’t help me.”
“I was trying,” He held his hands up, “I honestly was. We do things a certain way here because it’s smart and it’s safe. I see you don’t trust the system, and you might have a valid reason not to, but you’ve got to realize you made a mistake.”
She opened her mouth, but she couldn’t get the personal apology she owed him out.
“Do you really think what you did helped anyone?”
She could feel him staring at her, and as she looked up from the table, she knew he was just as stuck in his position as she was.
“Charla tried to talk to me, get me to meet with her, and I wouldn’t. After she saw the news, she tried again. If she hadn’t seen the news, and tried again, maybe I wouldn’t have been able to tell you the truth, and give you a potential lead.”
He squinted at her before he turned away, but she caught him looking back out of the corner of his eye, and he pressed his lips together.
Lies Come True Page 5
