Page 42 of Make You Mine

“Yes.” He nods for me to continue after pressing therecordbutton, and I sigh. Count to ten and then begin. “My best friend, Rose, and I were in my backyard that night. The birthday party was over, and it was just the two of us hanging out, gossiping like girls at that age do. You know?” I’m not looking for an answer; I just need a second to swallow and clear my throat. To blink back my tears. “I remember her giggles, the way she gushed about spending the night and possibly getting to see her crush from my bedroom window.”

“Your neighbor being Salcedo?”

“Yes. Anthony.”

“Go on, sweetheart.” His tone is gentle, and I appreciate it. There’s no judgment in his gaze, either. “All this will be very helpful.”

“Okay.” I lean forward and kiss his cheek. It’s quick and a rash move, but I don’t dwell on it. Instead, I sit back and close my eyes, letting the words flow before I chicken out. “Don’t quote me on the exact time, but I’m guessing it was close to midnight when their ‘crew’ strolled through my backyard, reeking of weed and cheap beer. The boys were loud and obnoxious, and since we were supposed to be upstairs in my room, no one came looking for us. It was the norm, anyway. Everyone in our neighborhood knew they hung out on their side of the fence doing the same thing every Saturday night.”

“So, no parental figures?”

I shake my head. “All asleep upstairs.”

“How many of them came onto the property?”

“Three, but one had no interest and stayed by the entrance.”

“Was this a fenced-in yard?”

“Yes.” I tighten my hold on the bottle, and the plastic cracks under my grip—almost spilling some of my soda. “Our neighborhood was a relatively safe one, and it wasn’t a high priority for my dad to lock the fence. Hell, most nights it stayed wide open, as did the families’ across the street and even Anthony’s.” We were stupid. Too trusting. I’ve learned the hard way that security in itself is a fickle thing and can be taken at the snap of a finger. “And that night, they did just that, strolled on in and took a seat on either side of us. How did they know we were there? At the time, I had no clue. We weren’t being loud, but you can imagine who I got stuck with.”

“Jason Ripley.”

“That’s not his real name, Detective. Lyle Janson Porter is who I went to school with.”

“Are you sure, Ava?” He’s not being rude. Elijah’s looking for a verbal verification because this changes things for him. For the investigation. “We have his legal paperwork and?—”

“I might not have hung out with them like my best friend, Rose, but I’ll never forget the names in that group. Especially the trio.” It’s why when the Texas DA asked about our ties as teenagers, nothing clicked. Even before and after the incident, I kept my distance from them. “What I said in my deposition about Anthony was true then; the guy was a nice athlete who everyone liked, and he loved manga—Rose was completely smitten by him—but that’s all I knew. We saidhelloas neighbors, and his parents talked to mine, but it didn’t go past that.”

My best friend was possessive and jealous and I didn’t want to lose her.

“And the others? You said they were a trio?” A group of men passes to the left of us, fishing poles in their hands, and Elijah tracks their movements. The expression on his face isn’t friendly.

“Yes. Anthony, Lyle, and…Denis.”

At the last name, his intense gaze swings to me. Jaw ticking. “Denis what?”

“I don’t remember his last name,” I admitted, regretting the fact I couldn’t get my hands on the yearbook the district attorney needed. Maybe if I’d seen Jason’s and Lyle’s pictures side by side, I would’ve put two and two together sooner. “He was always in the background, getting high and following the other two. Anthony was the popular athlete, Lyle was a little more emo with touches of goth and dark hair, while Denis was quiet. He was always so quiet.”

“You said Lyle had dark hair, but Jason’s a natural redhead.”

“He dyed it jet black back then.” So dark and flat.

“How sure are you of this?”

“You can tell. Either in the regrowth between dye jobs or the staining around his hairline after.”

“Is that why you didn’t recognize him?”

“Among other things, and I’ll explain after…”

“After what?”

“I tell you what happened after the three walked into my backyard.”

“Before you continue, I have to ask. Did you tell them to leave?”

“No, and I’ve regretted that decision.” For a few seconds, I look away. So much is going through my mind: my stupidity, the betrayal…shame.No more hiding.Meeting his gaze once again, I let him see all of me.Please don’t be disappointed.“At first, it was weird but a tiny bit cool. You know? At that age, the thought of someone older—a senior paying attention to a sophomore—made you feel like you were the shit. I’m not going to say they were hot; Salcedo was the better-looking of the three, but they were cute enough and mature in our eyes. So I made a mistake and let my guard down, ignoring the signals that were blaring,letting an eighteen-year-old Lyle strike up a conversation with me. He asked questions and wished me a happy birthday, and in my young mind, I felt popular. Important.”

---