“I’m a man of my word. Now tell me what you know.”
“Think about it. Who would know about the plastic? The barn? Who's been around long enough to know every single detail about what she saw that day?” Daniels straightened, chains clinking against the table. “Check the historical society records. See who had access when those graves started getting marked.”
“Nice try, but Dr. Lawrence has an alibi.”
Daniels' laugh was bitter, edged with something like hysteria. “I wasn't referring to the good doctor. Although someone should castrate the man. His offspring have a few loose screws.” He leaned forward. “Sometimes the crazy runs deep in families. Sometimes it just skips a generation.”
Mason frowned. “What's that supposed to mean?”
“You need to take a closer look at those people she trusts. People who actually wanted her to come back to town. Only a handful are genuinely happy to see her back.” Daniels slumped back in his chair. “We're done here.”
“We're not done here. You didn’t give me a name.”
“Sometimes the most dangerous people are the ones nobody notices. Have a closer look at her friends.”
“I’ll do that.” Mason rose from his seat and left the interrogation room.
The police station door closed behind him with a heavy thud that matched his mood. He stood for a moment on the concrete steps, processing Daniels' cryptic warnings while the afternoon traffic crawled past on the main street below.
Mason rubbed his temples as he made his way around the side of the building to where he’d parked the SUV. Someone obsessed with Savanah. Someone with access to records. Someone who'd been watching. A close friend. The pieces were there, but the picture remained maddeningly unclear.
His phone rang. Unknown number.
“Agent Spencer.”
Static crackled, then the silence was filled with words. “You're not good enough for her.”
The voice was familiar, but before Mason couldn’t place it. Something hard hit the back of his head. He stumbled, catching a glimpse of Wesley's face in the reflection of his car window. His expression wasn't the friendly one from the gym. This one was filled with twisted anger.
“No one believed her until me.”
The last thing Mason heard was his phone clattering across the parking lot pavement. It shattered like the peace of the morning. The darkness claimed him, and Wesley's words followed him into the void.
“I’m the one who made them believe. Me. Not you.”
27
Savanah checked her watch for the tenth time in as many minutes. Mason should have been done by now. The lunch crowd had thinned to almost nothing, leaving her alone with cooling coffee and growing unease.
Through the window, she watched cars pass on Main Street. The diner felt different without Tina there, without Mason occupying the seat across from her. Even the familiar sounds of brewing coffee and clinking plates wouldn’t settle her unease.
“More coffee, hon?” The waitress held up the pot.
“No, thanks.” Savanah checked her phone again. No missed calls. No texts. “Just the check, please.”
Her last call to Mason had gone straight to voicemail. Not even ringing anymore. She'd texted Jacob, but he hadn't responded either. Probably deep in surveillance footage.
Lunch with Tina had started off well enough. They'd fallen into their old rhythm, laughing about shared memories and catching up on the past decade.
Then Mark had called. Something about a bad fall at basketball practice. Tina had apologized profusely, promised to reschedule, and rushed out to meet him at the urgent care clinic.
That had been forty minutes ago. The sudden solitude felt oddly familiar. She’d spent years in solitude, just relying on herself and no one else. She used to welcome it, but now, it was different. After spending time with Mason, she realized she missed him. Her life after leaving hadn’t been as perfect as she’d thought. There had been a void she was feeling for the first time.
The bell above the door chimed. Wesley walked in, his familiar gait bringing back memories of countless library afternoons and all the summers he taught at camp. He smiled when he saw her, the same gentle smile that had greeted her and Tina so many times when they'd invaded his reading spot.
“Why are you sitting all alone? I thought Tina was meeting you.” He slid into the booth across from her.
“She got called away. Mark sprained his ankle.” Savanah found herself smiling back.
