Page 36 of Little Buried Secrets

Without looking at me, he nodded.

When we got to his vehicle, I said, “What did Rae tell you?”

“Nothing much. But you’re here, and I can tell by the way she’s acting that Margot’s dead. She must be.”

“Chief Foley is trying to keep it quiet until tomorrow,” I said. “It would be a big help if you could keep your assumptions to yourself until then.”

“I won’t say anything.”

“Not even to your parents?”

“Not tonight. I just want to be alone.”

“Foley asked you to keep quiet earlier, yet you told Bronte about the tennis shoe.”

He shrugged. “Sorry. It … slipped out.”

“If you get the urge to talk to anyone else, you can talk to me.”

He shook his head. “You think I’m a suspect. Why would I talk to you?”

“I think everyone is a suspect. It’s my job. I believe you loved Margot, which means you should have no problem supporting me in doing whatever I need to do to find out what happened to her and why. It’s like I told you earlier, if you’re innocent, you have nothing to worry about.”

He rubbed his hands together and pressed them to his lips, blowing on them like he was trying to keep warm.

“I’ve been thinking about the other night, about how mad I was when Margot didn’t show up,” he said. “I should have been there for her. Maybe if I was, none of this would have happened, because I would have been there to protect her when she needed it most.”

I placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t put this on yourself.”

Not unless you’re guilty.

“Too late,” he said. “I already have.”

He opened his truck door and slid onto the seat, but instead of starting it up, he sat there, making me wonder if there was something more he wanted to say.

“Is there anyone else you think I should question?” I asked. “Anyone at school, or someone Margot talked about in the past? Anyone who was a problem for her in any way?”

“I’d have to think about it. She wasn’t the type of person who had enemies.”

“What about Kaia? Is she still interested in you?”

“Kaia? Nah. She’s dating someone else now. Besides, she’s always felt bad about what happened the night of that stupid party. She never wanted to break us up. She wasn’t even interested in me. After the party, when we talked, she said …”

He leaned back for a moment, not finishing the sentence.

“She said what, Sebastian?” I asked.

“I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“If it’s nothing, there’s no reason you can’t share it with me.”

He went silent for a time and then said, “Kaia remembers bits and pieces from that night, just like I do.”

“Is there a bit or a piece you’d like to share?”

“Maybe one thing. Kaia told me someone opened my bedroom door during the party, letting her into my room where I was on the bed, passed out.”

“Who let her into your room?”

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