Page 81 of What We May Be

“Beth,” Charlie said, zeroing in on her phone. “Tracy Hirsch’s phone records indicate you called her the morning Julian was killed, once at three and again at nine.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Then how do you explain the calls?” Sean asked.

“My phone went missing last week. I searched everywhere for it, then found it in my desk drawer Monday morning. I thought I’d lost it in a pile of papers, but maybe…” She looked at her phone as if it might bite her and tossed it on the table. “Maybe someone took it or cloned it or something. That always happens in the movies.”

“Beth,” Charlie said, “can anyone verify your whereabouts between the hours of two and five on Monday morning?”

She nodded. “I was home alone, but I was online, chatting with friends.”

“In the middle of the night?”

“I was in a video chat room, live-streaming a K-Pop concert.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Sean asked, bewilderment tingeing his voice.

“I’ll explain—”

Aaron thankfully silenced her. “Give them the names, Beth.”

“They’re all on there,” she said, chin jutting toward the phone. “Under the group name K-Pop Fangirls.”

Beside her, Sean spun his chair to the credenza, withdrew gloves and an evidence bag, then gloves on, picked up the phone and dropped it into the bag.

“And where were you Friday night?” Charlie asked.

“In Georgia with my fiancé.”

“His info on the phone as well?”

“Yes, Daniel Goldstein. He had a hearing this morning, but he’s on his way here now.”

“If you have no further questions…” Aaron moved to stand, but Charlie halted him with a raised hand.

She was ninety-five percent certain Beth wasn’t involved, but she needed to lock down the final five percent. She withdrew her own phone and opened a picture of Trevor. “Do you know this man?”

A quick glance down, then Beth fluttered her lashes coyly. “Everyone at HU knows Trevor Caldwell, though we’ve never formally met. He’s the hottest professor on campus, but I’m taken.” She wiggled her ring finger with its massive rock. “And well taken care of, thank you very much.”

Her future brother-in-law half chuckled, half groaned. “Any further questions?”

“That’s all we have at this time,” Charlie replied.

Beth’s eyes lit with relief. “I don’t have to stay in police custody any longer?”

“Just stay local for the next few days,” Charlie said as they all rose. “In case anything comes up.”

As Sean ushered them out, she signaled Jaylen over with a tilt of her head. She grabbed the bagged phone off the table and handed it to him. “Take this down to CSU. Ask them to run it for prints, pull the contacts off, and email me the numbers.”

“On it, Deputy.”

She waited in the conference room for Sean, who closed the door behind himself when he returned. “Beth Martin’s a busybody,” he said, “but she’s no murderer.” The same conclusions Charlie had reached. “Ten to one her alibis check out.”

“And Tracy was on shift at the hospital the night of all three murders,” Charlie said, addressing their other prime suspect. “Any luck with the roses?”

Sean shook his head. “Florist took in a delivery last night for a wedding. They were gone this morning. Lock picked on the backdoor. No surveillance on the shop or entrances.”

“Fuck, we’re back to square one.” Twenty-four hours ago they’d had this case solved, and now their two prime suspects were in the clear. “We’ve got nothing.”

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