Page 140 of Another Girl Lost

Dawson didn’t see what Margo was doing. His shocked gaze told me he didn’t believe me. I sounded crazy, but I knew how clever Margo was and how well she calculated her moves. She’d flawlessly planned her own escape from Tanner’s house, even willing to endure one of his beatings for her chance to run. And her vanishing act after the house fire had been flawless. It made perfect sense that she’d plan her return with such careful detail. How long had she been tracking Lynn, Tiffany, me, or even Dawson? Months? Years? “Does Margo know you killed Tanner?”

He sniffed, shifted his stance. “That information is in the files.”

All easily accessible to another cop. “I bet she’s read it cover to cover. That’s exactly why she chose you.”

He sat back, his expression blank. “What set you off? You had gotten on with your life and no one suspected you of anything. And then the call about the body.”

Slowly, I shook my head. “You should be asking Della that question.”

A sad smile tipped the edges of his lips as he reached in his pocket for a plastic evidence bag. He tossed the bag on the table between us. “Does that look familiar?”

I didn’t look immediately, but his smug expression lured my gaze down. It was a silver chain hooked into either side of an engraved oval. The letters wereSC. Seeing the piece of jewelry took me back to the house I’d shared with my mother. She’d given me the bracelet on my fourteenth birthday. It had been a rare moment of happiness for us both. “Tanner took all my clothes and jewelry.”

“So, this is yours?”

Yesdanced on the tip of my tongue, but I didn’t dare utter it. I dropped my gaze and drew in a calming breath.

“Is that a yes or no?”

I didn’t respond.

Dawson laid his hand on the bag, slowly dragged it toward him, and pocketed it. My heart sank as the one positive connection to my mother vanished.

“Getting Tiffany alone would’ve been easy, given your history,” he said softly. “But what did you say to Lynn to lure her to your house? We have footage of you parked in front of her house early this morning.”

“I thought she sent me a text.”

I couldn’t say now I’d been with Luke all night. I had been sitting in front of Lynn’s house. Luke and I might not survive this, but he was decent enough not to abandon me. I hoped.

Dawson’s chair creaked as he leaned back. “There’s no record of a text on her phone.”

“Someonesent me a text. Have you checked Della’s phone?”

He sighed. “Margo said you kept calling her Della.”

There was no point trying to convince Dawson. “When Luke arrives, then we’ll speak.”

“You confronted Lynn in a coffee shop. She said you were openly hostile.” He stared into his coffee cup. “Hair fibers were pulled from Tiffany’s body. DNA test results came back. Guess who’s a match?”

I wasn’t talking any more. More words led to more distortions and traps.

“Your DNA was found on Tiffany’s body,” Dawson said.

That wasn’t a surprise. I’d driven her to her car, hugged her. However, Dawson fired questions for nearly thirty minutes as I repeatedly asked for and then demanded my attorney.

He chuckled as he shook his head. “How many times have you seen Della over the last decade?”

“I don’t care if you believe me. Test Margo’s DNA against the samples on Sandra’s body. You’ll find a match.”

He shook his head. “Why would I go to the trouble?”

“Because under all the bluster, you care about the truth. Not many cops would put as much effort into Sandra’s and Tiffany’s murders.”

It was his turn to stew in silence.

“Della was smart. Tanner ‘had control’ of her initially, but she learned manipulation from him and turned the tables. She had a way of getting in his ear. Maybe she’s doing the same to you. She intentionally goaded him, so he’d beat her up. She convinced him she was broken and then waited for him to leave with me. It was her chance to escape. She knew he’d set bombs around the house. She set them off because she knew the fire would erase all traces of her.”

Again silence.

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