Brian looked pained by the question. “Here’s the thing: Sage is a really nice and pretty girl, but she has terrible taste in men. She was all into dating fraternity guys and I think it was because Heather told her she had to do it.”
Maddie tilted her head to the side, considering. “Heather told her she had to do it? How does that work?”
“Sage was kind of an outsider in her own room,” Brian said. “She wanted to be friends with Allison and Heather, but they made fun of her because she preferred studying to going out five nights a week. She was serious about the actual schooling part of going to college and they didn’t get that.”
“Were they friendly at all?”
“Oh, sure. They ate dinner together every night and Heather was friendly to Sage’s face. I’m sure Sage realized Heather talked about her behind her back, but she never mentioned it.”
“And you’re sure you don’t know who Sage was dating?”
“I’m sure that I have no idea who Sage was dating,” Brian replied. “She hopped around, and not because she wanted to do it. She did it because she had no choice. Heather kept telling her she was with the wrong guy, but that was mostly because Sage kept attracting the guys Heather wanted.”
Maddie leaned forward, intrigued. “So Sage got the guys Heather wanted and then what? Did Heather make her dump them because she was jealous?”
“Heather was ridiculously jealous of Sage,” Brian replied. “She acted as if she was better than Sage, but everyone knew that wasn’t the case. Sage was too sweet to realize what was going on and just went along with Heather whenever she told her to do something.
“Like I said, I really like Sage,” he continued. “She’s easy to manipulate if you’re determined to do it, though.”
Maddie swallowed hard as she mulled Brian’s words. Sage sounded exactly like her at the same age. It was uncanny … and unsettling. “One final thing,” Maddie pressed, drawing Brian’s attention back to her. “How does Allison fit into all of this?”
“Allison is a follower through and through,” Brian said. “She wanted to be like Heather, but she also wanted to be like Sage. She doesn’t have a brain of her own. She just follows people around and borrows their brains from time to time.”
That sounded weird and gross to Maddie so she decided not to comment on it. “Can you think of anyone who would want to do harm to Sage and Heather?”
“I honestly can’t,” Brian said. “Do you think the same person is behind killing both of them?”
“We don’t know Sage is dead yet,” Maddie said. “I’m not sure what to believe, but you’ve given me a lot to think about. Thank you for your time.”
“Don’t mention it,” Brian said. “By the way, if you’re still here in two hours my shift ends and I can take you for some coffee if you want.”
Maddie graced him with a kind smile. “That sounds lovely, but I won’t be here that long,” she said. “Have a nice day, though.”
“Oh, you made my day when you leaned over the counter and I got a look down your shirt,” Brian said. “My day is already set. Thanks for that.”
Maddie scowled, mortified. “You’re welcome.”
18
Eighteen
“What have you got?”
Nick and Dwight followed Hicks into a laboratory room, both readying themselves for what they would see on the autopsy table. To their surprise – and relief – the room was empty of dead people. The only other occupant was a female tech sitting on a stool in front of a microscope – and she was very much alive.
“This is Jane Foster,” Hicks said, gesturing toward the woman. “She’s been going over evidence samples collected from Heather Ketchum’s body.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Nick said, extending his hand.
Jane took it and returned the greeting, her eyes lingering as they roamed Nick’s body before exchanging a similar greeting with Dwight.
“This is Nick Winters and Dwight Kincaid,” Hicks said. “Nick is a police officer in Blackstone Bay and Dwight is a Detroit detective. His daughter is the one who is missing.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” Jane said, genuine sympathy rolling off of her. “I hope you find her.”
“I do, too.”
“We all do,” Hicks said. “That’s why we’re here. I see we’re not all here, though. Where’s the fiery blonde?”
Nick made a dubious face. “Seriously?”
“Oh, chill out, Romeo,” Hicks said, grinning. “I was just asking where your girlfriend disappeared to. I have no intention of actually hitting on her. I’m married … and happily so.”
“Maybe he doesn’t want to talk about her,” Jane suggested. “Maybe they got in a fight and broke up or something.”
Dwight rolled his eyes. “Oh, geez.”
“We didn’t break up,” Nick said, amusement lighting his features. “She didn’t want to come here, though, so we dropped her off at the dorm to question Allison Wheeler.”
“That’s probably not a bad idea,” Hicks said. “She looks young so the kids will be more comfortable around her. I’m surprised you let her out of your sight, though.”
“That makes two of us,” Dwight intoned. “It wasn’t easy. I think if you have long blond hair and look like a model it’s easier to get Nick here to do what you want him to do.”
“Oh, why don’t you put on a wig and we’ll test that theory,” Nick suggested.
“Okay, this conversation is taking a weird turn,” Hicks said. “I’ve got some information and we’re running more tests even as we speak. Jane expects to get some DNA test results in over the next hour. We’re running what we found – which is not a complete sample, mind you – against everyone in the fraternity for starters.”
“What did you find?” Nick asked. “You said you couldn’t tell if she was sexually assaulted. Just because you find semen, that doesn’t mean that’s our killer. Heather could’ve hooked up with someone and met her killer after the fact.”
“I understand that and it’s not that type of DNA that we’re using,” Hicks said. “The spermicide makes testing the small sample we found difficult.”
“It should be pointed out that we can’t pin down a time for the sexual activity either,” Jane added. “It might’ve taken place that night, but it could’ve been earlier in the afternoon, too. We just don’t know.”
“So what kind of DNA did you find?” Dwight asked.
“Heather Ketchum was wearing an expensive watch,” Hicks replied, reaching for a baggie resting on top of the counter. “It was silver-plated and we got a partial fingerprint. We’re running that, too. It might take a little bit because it’s a small area of the print, but we’re hopeful.
“We’ve got good news and bad news on that front, too,” he continued. “Most of the kids in the fraternity have been fingerprinted because of a drug bust that went down there last fall. We still have the prints on file.”
“That is good news,” Dwight said. “You said it’s a partial, though. Will it hold up in court?”
Hicks shook his head. “No. There’s no way we’ll get it past a judge. We’re hoping it gives us enough to focus in on a suspect and then seek new evidence, though. You know how that goes.”
Nick nodded. “How long do you think it will take to find a match?”
“I honestly have no idea,” Hicks replied. “It’s a partial so the computer search takes longer. Keep in mind, only kids at the house last spring will be in our system. New recruits and transfers won’t be, but I figure it’s a start.”
“It’s a good start,” Dwight said. “What about the DNA?”
“Oh, right,” Hicks said, flipping the watch over. “We didn’t notice it right away, but there was a hair caught in the mechanism of the watch on the side here. It’s an arm hair.”
“How do you know it’s not Heather’s hair?”
“Because she shaved her arms,” Jane replied. “She didn’t have any hair there.”
“I didn’t k
now that was a thing,” Nick said. “What’s the report on the hair?”
“It’s brown.”
“That’s it?”
Hicks shrugged. “So far,” he answered. “Jane is building profiles right now. If we can get even a partial DNA match we’ll be in business.”
“Well, here’s hoping we get to do some business,” Nick said. “I’m ready to find Sage and take my blonde home. I don’t like her wandering around this campus with a killer on the loose.”
“She’s hardly wandering around,” Dwight pointed out. “She promised to stay in the dormitory until we got back to her. She has her Kindle in her purse and will be fine.”
“I love Maddie more than anything, but she can’t always live up to her intentions,” Nick said. “She plans on staying at the dormitory, but if she gets distracted … .”
“You worry too much,” Dwight said, slapping Nick’s shoulder. “She’s a grown woman, and in case you’ve forgotten, she took care of herself for ten years while you were apart.”
“I can never forget that,” Nick said. “This is different. Aidan knows who she is and he’s dialed into her. I don’t like it.”
“We don’t know Aidan is the guilty party,” Dwight reminded Nick. “We have our suspicions but no evidence.”
“Hopefully that will change over the course of the next hour,” Hicks said. “Let’s see what Jane here can do. She’s a real whiz with the science stuff.”
Jane preened under the compliment. “Let’s science the crap out this stuff, shall we?”
“Oh, I feel so old,” Dwight lamented.
ALLISON WHEELER opened her door with a flourish and a sniffle, almost as if she was expecting visitors of a different sort and needed to put on a show for their benefit. Her expression shifted to a frown when she caught sight of Maddie.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Maddie Graves. I … .”
“Oh, wait, are you the newspaper reporter?” Allison looked excited at the prospect. “I didn’t think you were coming until after three. I’m not ready yet. Er, wait. I thought you were bringing a photographer?”
Maddie internally rolled her eyes as she forced her features to remain placid. She already didn’t like the girl. She thought it was a form of divine intervention she didn’t have to put up with her the first day they visited. The guys across the hall were bad enough. Allison was clearly her own brand of torture.
“I’m not with the newspaper,” Maddie replied, her eyes busy as they bounced around the room. The artwork was fantasy-oriented – like nymphs playing in waterfalls and hot guys flexing next to rainbows – and she found it distracting. It also gave her an idea, though. “I’m a psychic from Blackstone Bay.”
Allison narrowed her eyes, suspicious. “Psychic?”
Maddie enthusiastically bobbed her head, embracing her role. “I’ve solved a number of missing persons cases around the Blackstone Bay area – and down in Detroit – and I’ve partnered with two detectives here to find Sage Kincaid.”
“Really?” Allison looked as if she was excited by the prospect and yet leery at the same time. “Which detectives?”
“Nick Winters and Dwight Kincaid. Dwight is Sage’s father.”
“I know who he is,” Alison said, pushing the door open all the way and granting Maddie access. “I’m just surprised he’s working with a psychic. He seems a little ‘by the book’ for something like that.”
“He’s desperate,” Maddie said. “When your child is missing you’ll do almost anything to find them. He’s terrified she’s dead but still hopeful she’s alive. That’s why he wants me here.”
“And what do you think?” Allison asked, throwing herself on the small couch in the center of the room. “Do you think she’s dead?”
“No.” Maddie saw no reason to lie. “When I heard that Heather was missing I instinctively knew she was already dead. I don’t have the same feeling with Sage.”
“If you’re psychic, why not just use your powers to track Sage down?” Allison challenged. “If you know she’s alive, surely you must know where she’s hiding out.”
Hiding out? That was an interesting way of putting it. “What makes you think she’s hiding out?”
“She’s a loser,” Allison replied. “That’s what losers do.”
Maddie tugged on her quickly fraying patience as she stared down Allison. She had no idea how someone could be so hateful given her current predicament, but if Heather Ketchum was actually more unlikable than Allison Wheeler, Maddie worried she’d stumbled across some weird pocket of evil no one knew existed.
“My understanding is that Sage was a good girl,” Maddie argued. “People tell me she focused on her studies and only went out on the weekends.”
“Yeah. I said she was a loser.” Allison was so blasé Maddie wanted to smack her upside the head. She had no idea where the inclination came from, but she struggled to keep it at bay as she regarded the hateful girl.
“I’ve been hearing things about Sage and Heather,” Maddie said. “My understanding is that Heather made fun of people every chance she got, including Sage.”
“So?”
“So can you think of anyone who would want to hurt them both?”
“I don’t think that’s even remotely what happened,” Allison said. “No one would put Sage and Heather on the same level, so why would anyone go after both of them?”
“Okay. What do you think happened?”
“I think Sage was a slut and she was sleeping her way through the Alpha Chi house,” Allison replied, causing Maddie’s stomach to twist as she fought to maintain her temper. “Heather told her she was going about it the wrong way, but she wouldn’t listen.”
“Uh-huh.” Maddie didn’t believe that for a second, but she bit her tongue. She had to hear Allison out before blasting her. It was only polite, after all.
“Heather tried to do Sage a kindness,” Allison said. “Those boys were only after Sage because she was so slutty. I mean … it’s not like she was pretty or anything. I’m way prettier, but they never look at me because I’m not slutty. Anyway, Heather tried to guide Sage when it came to boys, but she stopped listening and that’s how she ended up fighting with Aidan.”
“What can you tell me about that?” Maddie prodded. “I understand they dated for a little bit and then had a big fight on the lawn in front of the fraternity house.”
“Yeah, Aidan is such an idiot,” Allison said. “He really liked Sage, but Heather really liked Aidan and he was caught in the middle because Sage didn’t know who she liked more. It was so funny. Heather was crying all of the time. She couldn’t figure out why Aidan liked Sage more than her. I honestly didn’t think I would be able to stop laughing.”
It took her a moment, but Allison realized she let slip a lot more than she intended and immediately adjusted her attitude. “I was on Heather’s side, of course,” she said. “Sage was a loser and Heather was always going to win. That didn’t stop Sage from fighting.”
“For Aidan?”
Allison held her hands palms-up. “I don’t think Sage wanted Aidan,” she replied. “That’s the really weird thing. She wanted a boyfriend and Heather told her it had to be an Alpha Chi because none of the other guys would do. She just kind of settled on Aidan. I think he liked her more than she liked him, though. She was genuinely friendly and talked to his fraternity brothers and he freaked out and accused her of flirting every time she turned around. He was so jealous.”
“That must’ve driven Heather crazy.”
“Oh, you have no idea.” Allison smiled at the memory. “Heather wanted to make life miserable for Sage and that was the plan when we got back from Thanksgiving break. Instead Sage took off because she heard we were coming after her and now Heather is dead.”
Maddie was fairly certain Allison was slow … or socially confused … or something other than a normal girl. There had to be a rational explanation for her actions, although for the life of her Maddie couldn’t fathom what it cou
ld be.
“Do you think Aidan killed Heather?” Maddie asked.
“I don’t think Aidan has the balls to kill anyone,” Allison replied. “He’s extremely hot, though. He’s wounded now, too. The police are on a witch-hunt and they’re focusing on poor Aidan. I think he’s going to need some consoling.”
Maddie was incredulous. “You know he’s a suspect in your best friend’s murder, right?”
“He didn’t kill her,” Allison said. “I’ll bet Sage killed her. She’s probably hiding in the woods or something. Heather was killed close to the trees. I will just bet you that Sage is hiding in those trees and she couldn’t pass up the chance to kill Heather. She’s missing, so it’s the perfect alibi.”
“The nights have been cold,” Maddie pointed out. “They’ve been well below freezing. No one could survive living in the woods without shelter, and that area isn’t big enough for anyone to miss a shelter.”
Allison shrugged, seemingly unbothered by Maddie’s words. “I still think Sage did it,” she said. “She’s a total loser. She probably thinks she’s going to show back up after the weekend and steal all of the television cameras. She’ll probably tell some loser story about being held captive and miraculously escaping. I can totally see her doing it.”
It was jealousy, plain and simple. Maddie recognized it for what it was every single time Allison opened her mouth. Sage was a simple girl and yet she attracted attention from everyone around her because they could see the goodness and beauty inside. It didn’t hurt that Sage was beautiful on the outside, as well. Allison and Heather would never have what she did, so they picked at her every chance they got.
“I know you don’t believe this now, but one day you’re going to look in a mirror and not like the person you see staring back,” Maddie said, her voice soft. “You’re going to see a hateful individual who has squandered her life believing stupid things and acting in a reckless manner.
“When that happens, I hope you don’t give up the chance to change yourself for the better and grow as a person,” she continued. “I’m afraid you’re only going to get one shot at changing, though, so I wouldn’t waste it.”
Grave Seasons (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 8) Page 15
