Page 61 of Where the Darkness Goes

I can’t bear to ask the question that’s on my mind. “Like I said, those girls are dead, Will. It doesn’t look good.”

“What are you saying? Are you asking if I hurt them?” He steps away, clutching the pictures and shoving them back in his nightstand. “You really think I’d be capable of killing someone?”

“No. I just… I’m scared, you know? Cory was arrested, but they let him go because his prints weren’t on the weapon. I know they’re saying they found other stuff at his house now, but untilhe’s arrested again, we don’t know the truth. Someone else at that party might have killed Cassidy. You were with her. If it was an accident or something?—”

“How long have you been waiting to ask me that, Tessa?” he cries.

“I just…”

“Get out. If you think I’m capable of any of this, I guess that says a lot about us, doesn’t it?”

“Stop. I want to help?—”

“Out!” he whisper-shouts, pointing toward the door.

With my head down, I leave with the charger and a sick feeling bubbling in my gut.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

GARRETT — AGE 18

It’s chilly for an April morning when I reach the ball court at the park and find Brendan, Mark, and Justin standing around. It doesn’t take long for me to realize Will isn’t there.

“Hey!” I call, startling them. They’re huddled in a circle looking at something near the far corner of the court.

“Hey.” Mark looks over his shoulder. “Did you hear about Cory? I guess they found some stuff at his house that could connect him to the other murders. Apparently his dad lost his job over it.”

“He wasn’t arrested,” I remind them. It’s the same conversation I’ve been having all week at school. “He was brought in for questioning, but they haven’t proven anything yet.”

“Yeah, but whatever they found at his house must be bad,” Brendan says. “My dad says he thinks they’ll have arrested him by the end of next week.”

“My parents were talking about it, too. I guess they’re pulling him out of school because of it. Or because someone keeps spray painting his locker,” Mark adds with a bit of a chuckle.

“Or stealing his clothes in gym,” Justin says.

“I heard someone beat the shit out of him yesterday.” Brendan sucks his teeth, shaking his head as if this is all just water cooler gossip and not our friend’s life we’re talking about.

I can’t believe this is what it’s come to. “Yeah, I heard that, too. Pretty shitty if you ask me.”

Brendan’s shoulders are tense as they all turn to face me. “What’d you say?”

“I mean, come on. We don’t even know that Cory did anything wrong. Like you said, the police let him go.” When no one says anything, I add, “Guys, we know Cory. Do you really think he would kill someone?” I’ve seen it happening at school, the way everyone turned on him when he came back. The way they’ve made his days hell. I should’ve done more to stand up for him, and now I’m ashamed to say I didn’t, but cheering because his dad lost his job or he’s having to be pulled out of school just feels sick.

“Whatever,” Brendan says. “He was caught red-handed in the basement with her, knife and all. Who else could’ve done it? The boogeyman?” He wiggles his fingers in the air, taunting me.

“Maybe you hadn’t heard his prints weren’t on the knife,” I argue, knowing they heard, and they just don’t care. “Plus the basement door that leads outside was left open. Whoever killed Cassidy could’ve bolted out into the yard when they heard him coming down the stairs. Cory said he went down and found her, tried to resuscitate her or whatever. There’s no proof he did anything wrong and that’s why they let him go.” Frustration spirals in my chest when he scoffs and rolls his eyes.

“That basement door leads to the woods, idiot. Unless you’re suggesting Bigfoot came along and killed her, there’s no chance anyone would’ve made it to the driveway covered in blood without being seen. The woods go nowhere.”

I clench my jaw. He’s not wrong. Tessa and I were some of the only people outside and we never saw or heard anythinguntil we heard Will scream. The sound was clear for us because the exterior door to the basement was open when he went down there and saw Cassidy’s body. I like to think we would’ve heard if someone had gone running, but then again, we were…preoccupied. It haunts me to wonder if we might’ve been the only chance of catching the killer, and we missed them.

“Look,” Brendan goes on, “I’m just glad they finally caught someone. It’s been more than six months since Amber and her mom died. Meanwhile, Tommy Ward’s running around with his thumb up his ass like he doesn’t know which way is left or right and can’t figure out why the sheriff’s badge is on his chest. We needed answers, and now we have them. Thank God Cory’s such an epic fuck-up, or the police would still be wandering around chasing their tails.”

I flinch at the harsh words, though I know it’s just regurgitated nonsense most of the town is saying. Nothing about his statement is original. Parents and kids alike are celebrating that we finally have our killer, just waiting for the holes in the case to be filled in so an actual arrest can be made.

“Wow. So much for loyalty.” I wave a hand at them, starting to walk away. “I’m done here.”

“Loyalty?” Brendan shouts, stopping me in my tracks. “What about your loyalty to Emily? Everyone knows the two of you were hooking up. Guess you don’t care now that he killed her.”

---