Page 45 of Find Me

The comment reminded Lindsay of Katy Barnes’s Facebook post. “This is a weird question, but did he ever mention a sports camp to you? Maybe one where kids were getting abused?”

Jocelyn shook her head. “If he had been abused, I really think he would have told me. Why?”

“Just trying to tie some things together.”

“So... you seem like a good person. Your friend... if she’s okay, will she help? Or—you know—should I just blame her for all of this?” She hiccupped and then let out an embarrassed laugh.

“Hope didn’t know your boyfriend, and she definitely wasn’t stalking him.” Lindsay realized that she sounded like she was trying to convince herself as much as anyone.

“I mean... maybe he was seeing her on the side or something? The police said they found a woman’s necklace on his boat. I want to think it was for me, but—”

Lindsay needed to get out of this car and back to Hope. “She’s a good person,” she said, fumbling with the passenger door. “Again, I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Wait. Will you call me if you find her? I need to know what happened.”

Lindsay retrieved a business card from the inside of her cell phone case and dropped it on the passenger seat. “My number’s there.”

Jocelyn inspected the card. “A criminal defense attorney? Are you kidding me?”

“Do you have someone who can drive you home?”

Jocelyn looked at her through narrowed eyes. “Don’t judge me. I have a hundred people I can call. I know everyone. I have friends and family who love me. I won’t be alone.”

Lindsay nodded and left the woman alone with her grief.

Lindsay took a moment in the cottage driveway to check her phone for new messages. A text message from Scott:We’re knocking this deal out faster than I thought. About to sign the closing docs. I can come back out if you want. Are you okay?

And a new message on Facebook from Katy Barnes:Dear Ms. Kelly, I received your unsolicited direct message and will not be responding further. Please do not contact me again regarding Edgemoor Rec or any other subject matter.

Lindsay used the dictation function to draft a quick response.I respect the right of any woman to speak—or not to speak—her truths, but please hear me out. You could be in a position to help another woman who desperately needs it right now.

She hit the send key and received an error message.You can’t reply to this conversation.Katy had blocked her.

How had Katy gone from publicly posting allegations on social media to what sounded like a lawyerly refusal to discuss the subject? Pulling up the Facebook page where she had originally spotted the post about abuse at the camp, Lindsay confirmed that Katy had since deleted the comment.

If Lindsay had to bet, someone had either threatened or paid the woman to keep silent, but she couldn’t focus on that now. She needed to talk to Hope.

28

Tuesday, June 22, 4:31 p.m.

“Sorry, I hope you don’t mind.” Lindsay’s computer was open on Hope’s lap. “I was looking for any updates about the police announcement. Is something wrong? You look upset.”

Lindsay’s relief that Hope hadn’t left the cottage quickly gave way to impatience. “Tell me again why you told me to stop looking for you.”

“Because I thought that guy Alex was after me, and for all I knew, he had friends in the police department. I was trying to come up with a plan.”

“Did you borrow money from Evan? He says you asked for a cash advance, but why wouldn’t you just ask me?”

“I was really embarrassed. You made it pretty clear that you didn’t think I could swing it out here on my own, and I wasn’t ready to admit I was struggling.”

“Evan said you took a rug to the Stansfields’, but it wasn’t there when he arrived for the open house.”

“What is going on? You’re, like, cross-examining me.” Hope set the laptop on the coffee table.

“This is kid gloves compared to what the police will do.” Lindsay crossed her arms in front of her. “What happened to the rug?”

“I went back to the Stansfields’ the next morning—like, really early in the morning. Five a.m. I knew Evan had the open house, and I didn’t want him to walk in and see a bunch of blood.”

---