Page 59 of Healed Heart
“I’ve already told you everything, so I guess I have to take you at your word.The only person who ever had anything against Lindsay—that I know of—is this Ronny Burgundy bastard.I need to find him.And Rebecca said you might be the key to that.”
“Last I heard he was in San Francisco,” Ralph says.“But honestly, that was years ago.He hasn’t shown up to any of our reunions or get-togethers.Of course, neither did Lindsay.I had no way of getting in touch with her.”
“You certainly can’t get in touch with her now,” I say.
“God, that was insensitive of me to put it that way.Please accept my apology.”
But I’m done accepting apologies.“Listen, Ralph.I’ve suffered a great loss.I’ve had three years to deal with it, and the guilt still eats away at me.But that isn’t why I called you.I didn’t call to get your sympathy.I called to get your help.”
“And I wish I could help you, but I don’t know where Ronny is.”
“Was he close to anyone at school?Who did he hang around with?”
He pauses.“Some of the football players might know.It’s not like we’ve talked about Ronny recently.”
I raise an eyebrow.This could be a lead.“He hung out with the football team?”
“Yeah.He was a star player until senior year.That’s when Lindsay broke things off with him.”
“I see.”
“He was never the same after that.He skulked around, started dressing goth.She did a number on him for sure.”
I grit my teeth.“I can assure you he did a number on her as well.”
“Yeah, I understand that, given what you’ve told me.”
I rub at my forehead.“So you mean to tell me that you had no idea Ronny was stalking Lindsay, making her life miserable?”
“There were rumors, but nothing was ever substantiated.”
“Rumors?”
“Yeah.I mean, it was high school, man.It was senior year.We didn’t dwell on anything that was depressing.We were excited.But yeah, we heard things.”
“Like what things?”
“Like, he kept showing up wherever she was.Always seemed to accidentally run into her.He followed her home once or twice.I mean, we knew it was a bad breakup, but Ronny was our friend too.We didn’t believe he could really bethatcreepy.”
“And none of you thought to intervene or say something?”
“Like I said, Ronny was our friend too.”
Anger rises in my chest.
I breathe in, out, in again.
I clear my throat once more.“Is there anyone from the football team who might know where Ronny is now?”
“He used to be kind of close with a guy named Steve Chapman,” Ralph says.“Ronny was a good athlete, but he was kind of a loner.”
“Do you have any contact information for this Steve Chapman?”
“I think so,” Ralph says.“Let me check my alumni contacts list.”
A pause.Tapping on keys.And Ralph breathing.
“Here we are,” he finally says.“Steve Chapman lives in Phoenix now.”
