Page 108 of Another Girl Lost

“Sure.”

Debbie didn’t glance in my direction as she hustled toward the register to place her order. Lynn finished her doughnut and wiped her hands clean. She was tapping her finger on the table and staring out the window as Debbie returned. “So, what’s up?”

“Been a week,” Lynn said.

“I saw the article in the paper about Scarlett Crosby. I know you saw it.” Her tone bordered on glee.

“I did.”

I didn’t dare look up, sensing old angers bubbling to the surface. “God, it must be so hard on you to go back to all that. And then the water thing.”

“It’s not been easy.”

“Do you think it was Scarlett? Is she trying to drag you back into the spotlight?”

“Why would she do that?”

“Who knows? I’m not sure she’s all that balanced after what happened to her.”

“I suppose not. And I’m sorry for her suffering.”

“Why are you sorry? You didn’t know what was happening. It wasn’t your fault.”

Lynn rolled her head from side to side. “I looked like a fool after Tanner was killed. People whispered about me for years. If they knewthat detailand that I stayed with him after what he did, what would they say?”

“Whydidyou stay?” Debbie asked.

“I loved him. I would’ve done anything for him.”

Anything. Would she have killed Sandra? Or helped Tanner dispose of the body?

“It’s easy to get caught up in a guy’s world.”

My grip on my cup tightened. Something inside me told me Lynn still knew more about Tanner. Was the point of this conversation to prove to herself she’d been innocent, or was this a reverse alibi?

“This is the last thing I wanted to remember,” Lynn said. “I’ve worked hard to forget him and all that.”

“Did you ever see another girl with Tanner?” Debbie asked.

“Once. I pulled up to his house, and when he answered the door, she was standing behind him. She was a teen, really. A sad little creature.”

“Oh my God. Who was she?”

“He said she was his cousin. He called herCindy. But I knew he was lying.”

I’d seen enough psychologists to know the truth had a way of bleeding out, even if the revelations could be destructive.

“How did you know he was lying?” Debbie asked.

“It’s the way his eye contact broke just a little. I saw that look a lot that last month.”

Had she seen Sandy or Della? Either way, she’d known he had a young girl in that house.

I blinked hard. An old anger awakened inside me, lifted its head, and looked around for a target to strike. I rose suddenly, bumping my small round table and upending my coffee. Hot brown liquid dripped off the table. I ducked my head and quickly reached for a wad of napkins to mop up the mess.

When I dared to look up, Lynn and her friend were saying their goodbyes. Hugging. Best of friends. Lynn sat back down. So I lingered, taking time to wipe up the last of the spilled coffee. I gathered up the sloppy napkins and cup and tossed them all in the trash can located directly in Lynn’s line of sight. As Lynn looked up, her gaze held mine. Surprise gave way to suspicion. Her lips pressed into a frown.

“Lynn?” I asked.

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