Oblivion

by Karolyn Cairns

  Chapter Nine

  Lindsay stood outside the studio apartment door above Amelia’s Boutique and Gifts and frowned. She avoided this confrontation with Marnie as long as she could. She dodged Cam now, quitting his tutoring the following Monday citing illness.

  No way would she pretend what he tried to do to her was okay with her. She refused to even take his calls. Cam was sent away by her mom or Sara five times that week when he came by. No amount of apologies would excuse his attempt to rape her. Discovering the ring in his possession sealed his fate.

  After she left Marnie; she was going to Sheriff Wilson. She felt it in her heart Cam killed Jace only she had no clue why. Marnie might be able to clear that up for her. She needed this closure, some explanation of why the man she loved was taken from her. She realized she might never know Cam’s reasons.

  The door opened and both young women stared at one another. Marnie’s hazel-green eyes narrowed. She looked like she was napping. Her eyes were red and puffy and her eyeliner was smeared slightly. Her permed waist-length dark hair was wild and messy.

  “What do you want, Lindsay?”

  Lindsay brushed by her and entered the studio apartment, looking around at the place with a dismal look on her face. Marnie’s few belongings hardly made the place more cheerful. A bed, a dresser and a small table were the only furniture. Her Hefty bags were still piled up in a corner.

  “We have to talk,” Lindsay said tightly, wanting to scream and yell at her for screwing her boyfriend, but it went beyond that now. Jace was dead. His killer could be a threat to Marnie and her unborn child. Like it or not, she was here on a mission of mercy.

  “If you came to try and make me feel bad about Jace, save your breath,” the girl snapped as she slammed the door shut. “Just so you know; I didn’t go after him. He came to me.”

  “That’s not why I’m here.”

  She walked back into the room and eyed Lindsay carefully. “What do you want then?”

  “Why did you lie to the police, Marnie? You didn’t know Cameron was waiting for you at your house the day Jace died.”

  The girl looked livid. “How do you know that? You don’t know shit! It’s none of your business anyway, Miss Goody-Goody.”

  “It is when Jace wound up dead later and you covered up for Cam that day.”

  Marnie avoided her eyes and went to the small kitchenette and opened the ancient refrigerator. She took out a can of Coke and offered Lindsay one. She took it from her gratefully. Marnie sighed and sat at a bar stool at the island that separated her kitchen from her bedroom.

  “I came home from work and he was just there. We broke up a month before and all of a sudden he just shows up. Trust me; I was surprised to see him. After I went to his dad about the money; he refused to talk to me. When he found out about the baby, he blew me off right away.”

  “He said you told him in February you were pregnant.”

  “That’s a lie. I told him in January! He knew as soon as I did!” Marnie snapped. “He put me off the whole time, promising he would get the money for an abortion. He never did, and that’s when I went to his dad. I even hit up Dooley for it. He refused me too. I only went to Jace as a last resort because I was desperate, not that I really thought it was his. I had to have it done that week or I couldn’t have it done at all,” she explained and sipped her Coke. “He said he’d take care of it. You know Jace? He was like that. I should have gone to him months ago. He was coming to see me that day to give me the money. Now it’s too late for that.”

  Lindsay sat at the other bar stool. “Is it Jace’s baby? You can tell me the truth. I won’t freak out, I swear. I just want the truth.”

  Marnie looked miserable and looked down at her hands. “I don’t know. Realistically, it’s probably Cam’s because we were together since summer, but I was with Jace and Dooley that month. We were fighting and Dan and I hooked up. There’s a chance it could be any one of them. I wish I knew.”

  “Cam said you told him you and Jace were seeing each other since last summer,” Lindsay stated coldly. “Is that true? I’d really like to know so I can quit mourning him.”

  Marnie looked outraged at that. “He’s lying! He knows when I was with Jace. He knows because he brought him out there that day!”

  Lindsay looked shocked. “What do you mean?”

  Marnie took a calming breath and looked at her in surprise. “He was a virgin, Lindsay. He said you were pressuring him to have sex all the time. He didn’t know what to do. Why do you think he came to me? He and I have been friends since we were in diapers. And it was just the one time. I swear to God it was just the once. Cam told him you would be disappointed if he didn’t know what to do. Jace never cheated on you as far as I know. We both know I would have enjoyed telling you if he had.”

  Lindsay nearly fell off the bar stool at that. Tears filled her eyes to know Jace had only gone to Marnie once to learn how to make love to her, not to just cheat on her. Somehow it softened the blow of his being with someone else, knowing he thought he was doing it for her. Still, the girl was pregnant and the child could be his.

  “Then Cameron is a total liar because he said he didn’t know about you two. Now you tell me he set it all up as a favor to Jace?”

  “Lindsay, you don’t know how Cam is,” Marnie said quietly and looked away. “I thought he cared about me. That day he came over and told me to have sex with Jace as a favor to him; I knew he didn’t care about me at all. He was just using me the whole time.”

  “I think he had something to do with Jace’s death,” Lindsay said softly and saw Marnie’s nose wrinkle in disgust.

  “Whatever! He’s a jerk for sure, but a murderer? Come on, Lindsay! That’s why I covered for him with the cops. Cam is no murderer. Besides, Jace was his friend,” Marnie said hotly and shook her dark head. “You’re wrong! He might be a liar and an idiot, but I won’t believe he did that to Jace.”

  “He lied about everything, Marnie! He led me to believe all this stuff about Jace too. Why would he do that if he was a friend?”

  Marnie eyed her thoughtfully. “He said he’s always had a thing for you, but you always had eyes for Jace. I never gave it much thought before now. Maybe that was why he lied, just to get in your pants after Jace died. I don’t know, but I do know he isn’t a murderer.”

  Lindsay flushed and looked away, not wanting to think about the near rape at Cam’s hands that night he drugged the schnapps. Nobody had to know about it, she thought in regret.

  “That isn’t happening. I think he killed Jace, Marnie. I feel it. I have reason to think he means you harm too.”

  Marnie’s eyes widened and she set down the Coke. “Lindsay, you’re losin’ it. Cam wouldn’t hurt me. He didn’t kill Jace! Some drifter did it. How can you think that?”

  Lindsay pulled out the ring in her jeans pocket and held it up for her to see.

  “Jace bought this for me the day he died. The money he intended to give to you for the abortion was taken too. I was tutoring Cam and found this in his room. How do you think he got it if he didn’t kill him?”

  Marnie looked like she was kicked in the stomach. She shook her head, horror reflected in her gaze. “No, he wouldn’t do it, Lindsay. There has to be some other explanation. Maybe he stole it when Jace wasn’t looking?”

  “Marnie, this is the same guy who refused to ask his parents for the money for an abortion because he wanted their car. Do you really think he has much of a conscience?”

  “They were friends! Why would Cam kill Jace? It makes no sense.”

  “All I know is my boyfriend is dead and Cam was the last one to see him alive and took his money and this ring. It is the way it is, Marnie. Either way, I’m going to Sheriff Wilson with it.”

  “That proves nothing!” Marnie cried and looked pale suddenly.

  “It proves enough to me, Marnie. You can make excuses for Cam all you want.”

  The girl started to cry and hugged herself around her middle. “I knew
something was wrong with him that day. When I saw him on my porch when I got off work; I knew.”

  “What do you mean?” Lindsay asked quietly, her eyes wide and anxious.

  “He acted funny that day, kinda weird, and excited about something. He was wet too, his hair and his clothes. I dried his clothes for him now that I think about it. He said he walked from the interstate after Jace dropped him there and fell in the creek,” Marnie explained as she wiped her eyes. “He made some excuse he wanted to talk about the baby and I knew it was a lie. He never wanted to talk about the baby. He said it wasn’t his from the start. He said it was my problem until I threatened to go to his parents.”

  “Marnie I know his having the ring and the money missing doesn’t prove he did it, but you knew Jace just as well as I did. Do you think he would make Cam walk three miles from the interstate to your trailer? Do you think he would pick up some drifter on his way back?”

  “No, it sounded funny when I heard it. Jace wouldn’t have made Cam walk and he didn’t trust anybody. He didn’t pick up a hitchhiker. I never believed that.”

  “Why is it so hard for you to believe Cam did it?” Lindsay challenged harshly. “Jace is dead, Marnie. He didn’t deserve this.”

  “I loved Jace too, like everybody, Lindsay, but you’re expecting me to believe Cam is a murderer,” she snapped and glared at her in disgust. “I could be having his kid, ya know?”

  “Don’t you want to know the truth?”

  “You seem pretty sure it was Cam!”

  “Who else would it be?” Lindsay asked wearily and shook her head. “Had you told the sheriff all of this they would have arrested Cam right then; maybe got evidence. Now, that’s not happening.”

  Marnie looked irritated. “Sorry if I gave the father of my kid the benefit of the doubt!”

  “You said you didn’t know whose it was!” Lindsay snapped, losing patience with her.

  “Lindsay, I don’t need this crap right now! I have enough problems,” the girl raged and got up from the bar, her face filled with anger. “I got a place to stay for three more weeks and have to be out. A family in Helena wants the baby and said they would pay me and put me up somewhere to adopt it. I have until tomorrow to decide. Mrs. Warren gave me until after graduation.”

  “What are you going to do?” Lindsay asked sorrowfully, knowing the baby could be Jace’s and feeling miserable about it.

  “What can I do? I have to have it now!” Marnie fumed and stomped away from her, going to the bathroom and leaving Lindsay alone.

  “Did you ever consider keeping it?” Lindsay asked when she returned.

  Marnie rolled her eyes. “No, the thought didn’t cross my mind. I’m eighteen, Lindsay. You think I wanna be tied down to a kid right now? Nine months of this is enough.”

  Lindsay was miserable to hear Marnie would give the baby up. She understood all too well. She didn’t know who fathered it. Rather than face it; she was giving it up for adoption. Lindsay felt sorry for her. Even if Marnie acted like it was no big deal, it had to hurt.

  “I didn’t come here to upset you. I just wanted the truth.”

  “No you came here to accuse Cam of murdering Jace.”

  “I came here to warn you too,” Lindsay said tightly. “He made some threats. Knowing what I know brought me here. How could I not come?”

  “Cam didn’t do it, Lindsay!”

  “Do you know that for sure, Marnie? He lied about everything that happened that day. We both know he could have done it and washed up in the creek and walked to your house. You just don’t want to see it because you’re too close to it.”

  “Just go, Lindsay. I got enough of my own problems now.”

  “Fine, but how can you live with yourself if he is guilty? Jace came to help you when Cam blew you off for months. What does that tell you?” Lindsay demanded irately. “You protecting him won’t make him responsible for that kid either. He told me flat out it wasn’t his! He bailed on you Marnie! If you think he’s going to rush right over here and stop you from giving up the baby, think again. He even told me he wants you gone.”

  Marnie glared at Lindsay. “You’re lying! You just want me to go to the sheriff with you.”

  “I don’t have to lie to you, Marnie. You know I’m telling the truth.”

  Lindsay got up and left without another word. She was sitting in the station wagon when Marnie opened the door up and came out of the apartment. She came down the stairs frowning. The girl joined her, getting into the station wagon.

  “Fine, I’ll tell him what I know,” Marnie snapped and buckled her seatbelt. “I felt crummy for lying anyway. It proves nothing.”

  “It proves he lied and he cleaned up in the creek.”

  Marnie folded her arms across her chest and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, falling in the creek makes him a murderer, Lindsay. Whatever, I’ll tell the sheriff the truth. I don’t need you stirring things up for me when I try to leave here after graduation. I would appreciate it if you don’t say anything to him. I’ll say I just remembered something.”

  “Fine, have it your way. Either way he’s going to hear the truth.”

  “Lindsay, what if you’re wrong? Cam has a lot going for him now! He’s going away to school and this is just going to keep him here under investigation,” Marnie complained sourly, still defending the guy who abandoned her.

  Good, Lindsay thought savagely. I hope they lock his ass up while they’re at it! As long as he’s nowhere near me!

  “Yeah, look at everything he’s got going for him now,” Lindsay said with a slight sneer as she backed out of the lot. “He got the scholarship Jace was offered too. Another motive? I don’t know about you, but all these things must have made him do it.”

  “Whatever! Let’s get this over with.”