Blind Faith - Sharon Sala Page 0,11

her shoulder, then went up the steps and rang the doorbell. When it opened, she started talking before Beth Caldwell had time to react to her appearance.

“Mrs. Caldwell, I’m Wyrick, Charlie Dodge’s office manager. We spoke on the phone.”

Beth blinked and then smiled. “Come in. I called and told school I’d be delayed a bit. We’re in the kitchen having waffles. Would you join us?”

“I’ll have coffee with you,” Wyrick said, and followed her through the house and into the kitchen, where Beth introduced her.

“Trish, this is Wyrick, the lady I told you about.”

Trish looked suitably impressed by Wyrick’s appearance.

“Fierce! I love it,” Trish said.

Wyrick had hard questions to ask and didn’t want to establish any kind of friendly rapport, but she appreciated the positive response.

“Thank you,” she said, and sat down as Beth put a cup of hot coffee in front of her.

“How can we help?” Beth asked.

Wyrick took a sip of the coffee, then set it to the side, taking out the phone she was going to record on and a mini tripod.

“Normally, my boss is the one doing all of the interviews for his cases, but timing is critical here, and so he took off to the site where Tony went missing, and I’m videoing everything for him,” Wyrick said.

Trish’s eyes welled. “I look terrible. I didn’t sleep much last night. I just can’t quit thinking about Tony.”

“No one is going to see this but the boss. Just go ahead and finish your breakfast. The questions are easy.” Then she started the video.

Trish nodded and took another bite, chewing as she waited for Wyrick’s first question.

“So, how long have you and Tony been dating?” Wyrick asked.

“Three months and a couple of days,” Trish said.

Wyrick nodded and made a note in her iPad.

“Where did you meet?”

“At school,” Trish said.

“Are you an official couple, or—?”

“Yes, we’re official,” Trish said.

Wyrick nodded, waiting while Trish took a few more bites, because she suspected when she moved into the next sets of questions the girl was going to lose her appetite.

She glanced at Beth. The worry on her face was evident, as was the love she had for her daughter. Wyrick could feel it.

“Trish, how long have Tony, Randall and Justin been friends?” Wyrick asked.

Trish blinked. “I’m not sure, but I didn’t meet Tony until just before school began this fall.”

“Did Tony know you used to date Randall Wells?” Wyrick asked.

Trish paled. “I don’t know.”

Beth frowned. “Honey...you didn’t tell him?”

Trish looked nervous. “At first I didn’t think it mattered. We’d just met, and I didn’t know who his friends were. We’d been dating barely a month when Mom and I saw them all together at the mall. It was awkward and weird.”

“Did Randall and Justin seem surprised that you and Tony were a couple?” Wyrick asked.

Trish thought a moment and then frowned. “No. No, they didn’t. Randall was cool, and so was Justin. I mean...it had been months and months since Randall and I had dated. He’d even had a girlfriend or two since.”

“After you and Randall broke up, did you date other boys before Tony?” Wyrick asked.

Trish shook her head. “No.”

“Who broke up, you or Randall?” Wyrick asked.

“I guess I did,” Trish said.

Beth interrupted. “What are you suggesting?”

“I’m not suggesting anything, but the boys stated they all had a fight the night Tony went missing. And that they’d been drinking. So, if Tony had no idea he was dating Randall’s former girlfriend, things could have been said that caused the argument. And that could have been the reason Tony left.”

Trish dropped her fork and started crying.

“Oh my God. It’s my fault! It’s all my fault. I should have told him, but by the time we got close, I didn’t want to lose him...and now maybe I’ve lost him for good.”

Beth jumped up and went to her daughter.

“No, no, don’t think like that. We still have to have faith he’ll be found alive, honey. And you didn’t cheat on him. You are all young and will date lots of people as you grow up. You were single. Tony was single. You were both fine.”

“I should have told him,” Trish said.

Beth sighed. “Yes, probably so, but you can’t change any of this now. And you’re not responsible for what happened to three boys who got drunk on a camping trip, understand?”

“Your mother is right,” Wyrick said. “A woman has the right to date who she wants, and granted, it might have been an uncomfortable conversation, but it shouldn’t have made a difference. I’m