Page 64 of State of Alert

For the first time, Zoe glanced at her dad, seeming apprehensive. “Why does that matter?”

“Answer the question, Zoe,” Frank said.

“He has nothing to do with our family. Why do we have to drag him into this?”

“Because he was with you when your mother was murdered,” Sam said, “and can provide an alibi for where you were when she was killed. Any other questions?” She was usually gentler with the children of murder victims, but something about this girl irked her.

Zoe’s eyes had gone wide with shock. “N-no.”

“His name?”

“Zeke Bellamy.”

Sam handed over her notebook and pen. “Write down his name, address and phone number.”

“Are you going to talk to him?”

“Yes, we are.”

“Dad! Come on! Zeke has nothing to do with this. If I send cops to his house, he’ll never speak to me again.”

“Which is more important to you, Zoe?” Sam asked. “Finding out who killed your mother or keeping your boyfriend?”

That she hesitated, even for a second, was telling. “Of course I want to know who killed my mother, but why do we have to involve him?”

“I told you why.”

“Knock it off, Zoe,” Frank said, sounding as if he’d said those exact words a million times in the past.

“Mr. Myerson, are you acquainted with Mr. Bellamy?”

“I am.”

“Did you or your wife have any issues or concerns with him?”

“We felt their relationship had gotten too serious too fast. We’d argued with Zoe about that.”

“Dad! That’s private.”

Sam glanced at the girl. “Nothing is private in a murder investigation.”

“What does my relationship have to do with my mother’s murder?”

Sam didn’t blink as she stared back at the girl. “I don’t know.”

“It has nothing to do with it! She barely knew Zeke.”

“That’s not true, Zoe,” Jada said.

“Shut up. What do you know about anything? You’ve never had a boyfriend, and you never will because you’re such a fucking weirdo.”

Whoa.

“Girls, that’s enough,” Frank said.

“Jada, where were you yesterday?” Sam asked.

Zoe sat with her arms crossed, visibly seething.

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