Page 105 of False Evidence

Alexandra had to admit, this was so much more fun than dress shopping had been all those years ago, when Kendall had been her maid of honor but there remained so much friction between them.

Tanya had joined them on some of those shopping excursions, and the ache at thinking of Kendall triggered Alexandra’s decision to send Tanya shopping photos.

They’d spent two hours on the phone yesterday, as Alexandra brought her up to date and shared her suspicion that Kendall had been murdered. When she asked if anyone knew they were going to sort Kendall’s things that day, Tanya had replied that Brent had shown up at Kendall’s two weeks before and was taken aback to find Tanya staying in the house. He was there to collect items of his that Kendall had held on to.

She’d turned him away, telling him she and Alexandra would be sorting Kendall’s things at the start of winter break. If they found anything that might belong to him, they’d set it aside.

She’d never liked Brent and didn’t trust him not to steal. Nor did she believe Kendall had anything that had belonged to him. She hadn’t mentioned it to Alexandra when they were together because it was an emotional enough day without talking about the man who’d changed Kendall for the worse.

Alexandra didn’t tell Tanya about the recording of the conversation with Brent that had been hidden on the old hard drive, but she did pick Tanya’s brain for other hints Kendall might have left behind and if there was anything else she’d specifically mentioned wanting Alexandra to have.

Her words in the recording suggested there was more for her to find.

“That evidence wasn’t false. The only fake was whatyouplanted. But don’t you worry, I have it still. I held on to it all these years. Anything happens to me, and Alex will get it.”

She was taking a break from trying on dresses, letting Eden be the center of attention—she looked gorgeous in everything she tried on—when Tanya sent a text that had her full attention.

Tanya

The dress photo reminded me… I think Kendall said something about having your wedding dress in her attic.

Alexandra closed her eyes and tried to remember what had happened to that dress. She’d moved in with Kendall immediately after calling off the wedding. She and Kendall then remained roommates through the entire time she and JT were semi-reconciled.

They’d lived in Bethesda, not the same apartment they’d shared years before, but a larger place, affordable because Kendall had finished school, then a year after the breakup, Alexandra had her PhD.

She’d collected her things from JT’s DC townhouse sometime after the New Year. Most everything in the townhouse had belonged to JT. Alexandra had taken her clothes, books, and the jewels he’d gifted her. That was it.

Later, her clothes had slowly drifted to JT’s Maryland estate as they resumed living together when Joe was arrested and JT took possession of the family home. Her move had been glacially slow—she’d never fully committed and took only what she needed for social events or her teaching job.

The wedding dress had no reason to move out of the storage locker—if that was where it ended up—that was included with the apartment until Kendall moved into the house where she’d lived when she died. Alexandra was in Switzerland then, so Kendall must have moved the dress and put it in her attic.

Alexandra

Oh, I should look for it. Maybe it will still fit?

Tanya

You should! It was a gorgeous dress.

Have the police said anything to you about entering the house?

Not a word. I don’t think they’re taking your suspicion about her death seriously. I called them after we talked yesterday and the detective was not happy to hear from me.

They should be interviewing you! You know more about Kendall and her mental state than anyone.

¯\_(?)_/¯

You still have the key?

Yes.

Feel free to pick up the dress and anything else of yours you find. We can wait to do the furniture and the rest of the sorting until after the New Year.

Any chance you can come down for the wedding?

I wish I could, but I’m working NYE. So happy for you, though!

Alexandra responded with a heart, then tucked away the phone.

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