Page 26 of Pretty Little Wife

THAT DIDN’T GO AS PLANNED, DID IT?

Not specific, but she understood. Enough to make her heart stop.

This person knew what she’d done... or tried to do. That could only mean one thing.

Aaron was alive.

Chapter Thirteen

ON THE THIRD MORNING AFTER AARON PAYNE VANISHED, HISboss and best friend visited the sheriff’s office. Brent came without being asked. Sat and waited, insisting he speak to someone handling the investigation.

That level of interest raised a flag. Put the spotlight on him. Ginny assumed he didn’t know, and she didn’t bother cluing him in. She also didn’t rush around and jump to do his bidding.

She finished her call with Aaron’s brother, Jared, becoming more and more convinced that something bad had happened to Aaron. No one had seen him. He wasn’t touching his money. Everything—his car, his wallet, and his phone—seemed to be missing.

None of that sounded good.

Neither did Lila’s name change. Pete had dug around and not found anything. He was extending the search, and Ginny wanted to talk with Lila, surprise her with the information they did know, but she wasn’t answering her phone. Nextstop, a home visit. But Ginny had to get through another talk with Brent first.

Twenty minutes after he showed up unannounced, Ginny walked into the interrogation room with a blank notepad in her hand and the video running. The office recorder cataloged everything that happened except when a conversation occurred between a person and their attorney or when someone from the department turned the equipment off. Today it was up and running.

She slipped into the seat across from the principal and watched him fidget and squirm in the metal chair. “Did you need to tell me something, Brent?”

He put his joined hands on the table then lowered them to his lap again. “Any word on Aaron?”

She bit back a sigh. “We’re investigating.”

“What does that mean?” The chair scraped across the cement floor as he leaned forward, elbows on the table now. “Look, you have to know this isn’t normal. There’s no need for delay... or whatever is happening.”

She knew how he felt about the investigation needing to move very quickly because he’d told her. He’d also told Pete when he went to visit the school to ask follow-up questions yesterday. He made it clear one last time when he called the office for a status check earlier that morning. The one thing that Brent had done was make his point.

She leaned back in her chair, taking on a more relaxed stance as Brent’s frustration ratcheted up. “What do you think is happening?”

“I don’t... it’s just...” He sat up again, mirroring her position, then slammed his back against the chair.

So many jerky movements. An air of nervousness. Every twinge highlighted how uncomfortable he felt.

Some people got twitchy around officials with a badge. She got that, but she found it hard to believe this guy could handle a lecture hall full of teens without falling apart, but not her. “It feels like there’s something specific you want us to know.”

“You’ve met Lila.”

Ah.This could get interesting.

“I really like her. She’s very nice.” He was speed-talking now. “I mean, not nice in the usual sense. More like... do you know what I mean?”

“No.” There was no way she was helping him through this babbling.

He returned to shifting and moving and generally making her dizzy. He lifted his cell phone out of his pocket and checked the screen. Whatever he saw there had him frowning.

She could hardly wait to analyze the video from this meeting. “Brent?”

“Okay.” He put the cell facedown on the table. “She’s... attractive. She has this thing about her.”

“What thing?” Ginny thought Lila had athing,but who knew if they were talking about the samething.

“Aaron liked to show her off.”

Creepy but okay.

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