“We were just chatting,” Cat said. “I haven’t spoken to Tyler in years. Not since Rachel and Josh’s wedding.”
“Oh, it sounded like you both frequented some of the same places.”
Cat and Tyler had spoken last night about their travels. Had Marnie been listening in?
“We have, but never at the same time.”
“He never visited you?” Marnie pressed. “You never ran into him?”
The conversation had taken a strange turn. It was as if Marnie didn’t believe her.
“No, I haven’t seen anyone from the friend group for many years.”
“I just heard that you two were close,” Marnie replied with a shrug.
“From whom?”
Cat was puzzled. What did a person have to gain by spinning a story?
“I don’t remember. People were talking about it at the party. That you’d kept in touch with Tyler.”
People had been talking about her at the party? And Tyler, too? Was someone trying to stir up gossip?
“Well, I didn’t. I’m not sure why anyone would say that,” Cat responded.
“Maybe I’ve got it confused or something.” Marnie’s phone buzzed, and she checked the screen. “Damn, that’s my producer asking questions about one of tomorrow’s segments. I need to call him back. Can you or someone else call me if you hear anynews about Tyler? I won’t be able to concentrate on anything until we know how the surgery went.”
“I will,” Cat promised. “I hope everything is okay at the station.”
“It will be fine. Sometimes they panic a bit.”
Cat walked Marnie to the door, waving as the woman drove away. Her mother must have heard the front door as she came downstairs to join Cat.
“What did your friend want?”
“An interview,” Cat replied. “I made an excuse. I don’t want any attention, if you know what I mean.”
“I understand. This is a big change for you.”
“You know, she mentioned that people at the party talked about me and Tyler. They were saying that he and I kept in touch over the years. Why did they think that? Do you know why they would say that?”
“In this town? I have one word. Gossip. Everyone wants to have the best story. If they don’t, some don’t mind embellishing things a little. Or a lot. Just ignore it. Eventually, they’ll talk about someone else. Do what I do. Stay boring.”
Good advice. Stay under the radar. Don’t be interesting.
The town would move on to the next thing, and the next, and so on…
But right now? A shooting was going to be front and center at least until it was solved.
Who on earth would want to shoot Tyler or Josh? It didn’t make any sense.
Chapter
Nine
Tate had receiveda message from Leo to meet him in the alley behind the tavern in five minutes.
And not to tell anyone where he was going or who he was meeting.
