Dead of Winter (Cold Case Psychic #15) - Pandora Pine Page 0,38
He stopped playing sports. Dropped out right in the middle of the basketball season and started hanging out with the druggies. He would get wasted every weekend, and I know he was kicked out of school a few times for coming in drunk. It just seemed like his life spiraled out of control after Skye died.”
Tennyson could see where something like that would happen if you murdered your high school girlfriend. “Did Skye mention anything to you about sneaking out to meet him? You’d all been out to the movies earlier that night, right?”
“Right. I’d been the one to drive everyone. Heidi and I had cars, but Lisa and Skye didn’t have their license yet. I remember Mrs. Washington not wanting Skye to take driving lessons in the winter. She asked me that night if I would take her to meet Kyle, who was working, but I said no. My car was my most cherished possession, and I knew if I was even five seconds late for curfew, my parents would have taken it away. I never would have done anything to put that freedom in jeopardy.”
With shaking hands, Jennifer reached into her Chanel purse and pulled out a tissue. She daintily dabbed at her eyes before looking at Tennyson. “Is that all you need to know?” Her bottom lip trembled.
“I have just one more question.” Tennyson paused for a few seconds, he already knew the answer to this question too, but her response would have more of an impact if Jennifer said it herself. “How many times a month do you get together with Heidi and Lisa?” He made sure to keep his tone light and the look on his face innocent.
Jennifer physically startled at the question. She managed to pull her composure together again, but Ten could see she was rattled. “We haven’t seen each other since the day we graduated from high school back in 1988. Now, if that’s all, I have somewhere to be.”
Ronan nudged Ten’s knee under the table. Ten knew that meant he had one more question. “Guys, do you have any other questions for Jennifer?”
“I do,” Ronan said. “After you dropped Skye off at her house, what did the three of you do next?”
That information wasn’t in the police report. Jesus Christ. How the hell had those cops not bothered to ask the most important question of all?
Anger flashed through Jennifer’s eyes. It was there and gone in an instant. If Tennyson hadn’t been watching her like a hawk, he would have missed it. “I drove the other girls home and was parked in my driveway in time for my curfew.”
Wrong. Tennyson had to hold himself back from shouting the word like a defense lawyer in a courtroom drama. What Ten couldn’t figure out was which part of Jennifer’s statement was a lie.
He wasn’t going to have the opportunity to ask. Jennifer was out of her seat and zipping her jacket. “I hope you find the monster who killed Skye. Good day.” She made eye contact with each of them before seeing herself out the door.
“Well, Ten, what do you think?” Kevin asked. He wore a smirk that signaled he knew something, or at least he thought he did.
“Let me put it this way, if we were back in elementary school, her pants would be in flames.” Ten had known she was lying without using his gift. Being a parent, and spending the last three years with Ronan, had strengthened his instinct for recognizing a lie when he heard one.
Fitzgibbon snorted. “I was thinking the same thing, but not in such colorful terms.”
“We need to speak with the other friends and Kyle. The sooner the better.” Ronan grabbed his phone and was halfway out of his chair.
Ten knew why Ronan was in such a hurry to get in touch with Lisa and Heidi. There was a very good chance Jennifer was calling them both to tell them what her version of the story had been, despite the fact the life-long friends hadn’t spoken in over thirty years.
“She dated Kyle after Skye died,” Tennyson said, knowing the news would halt Ronan in his tracks.
“I knew it!” Jude smacked a hand down on the table. “Do you think Jennifer lured Skye into the woods that night?”
“I don’t think so.” Ten hated telling Ronan and the others that this woman was truly a witness and not a suspect.
“Why do you say that?” Ronan asked. His right hand was still on the doorknob.