“Where was Marty killed?” I ask. “And how did the killer get her to County Road 62?”
“I’d like to talk to your sister.”
I exhale, leaning against the passenger seat of his truck. Beyond the windshield more cars are passing by, coming and going, additional evidence that life doesn’t stop for all when it stops for some. “I haven’t even spoken to her,” I said. “I doubt my parents would be open to you speaking to her.”
“Sheriff Manes or maybe one of the state troopers will interview her if they haven’t already.”
I shrug. “I got a text from my other sister, Liv. Julie is getting released from the hospital today. My parents are bringing her home.” I stare beyond the window at a woman and two children walking toward the library. “Or she’s already home. I don’t know.”
“Jill, I’m sorry. I know what it’s like to be pissed at your family.”
“It sucks. I suppose I deserve it.”
“Why? Because you have a life across the country.”
I inhale and exhale. “I walked away from here six years ago and stayed away.”
Keith’s neck straightens. “You haven’t been back? What about holidays?”
I shake my head.
He lays his head back, removes his sunglasses, and massages the bridge of his nose. “When I figured out who you are, I?—”
“Who I am?” I question, interruptinghim.
“Yes, Craig?—”
I lift my hand, not wanting to continue this conversation. “Stop. I moved away to get away from my past. I came back to...”
“To learn truths.”
A smile comes to my lips. “Right.”
“Back to your sister,” Keith says. “There’s the possibility that Marty may have been killed in front of Julie. She could be an eyewitness.”
“When she first woke, first came out of the drugs they’d been giving her, she looked like she saw a ghost—no, like she was seeing a ghost.”
“There were a lot of drugs in her system,” Keith says. “I saw the report. I also suggested a hair analysis. There could be other drugs that didn’t show up in blood and saliva.”
My eyes open wide. “Shit. I didn’t think of that. Did you know that GHB metabolizes differently for different people, but urine, saliva, and even blood tests usually come up clean in eight to twelve hours? Most toxicology panels don’t include GHB unless you request it. Julie wasn’t found until Sunday afternoon. By the time they had her in the hospital, they would most likely have done blood tests. That has an eight-hour maximum. If they did the test for GHB at all, she would’ve tested negative.”
“Right, but the hair can test positive for up to a month.” He narrows his brown gaze as a grin forms. “You know that information from what you do for the studio?”
“And school but mostly for the show. GHB alsointensifies the effects of other drugs including alcohol, pot, and cocaine.”
“Of all the drug-facilitated sexual-assault drugs, GHB takes effect the quickest. It also increases sexual libido.”
“And affects memory. Say someone gave that to them,” I say, “and encouraged them to leave the group, they would most likely have willingly gone.”
“And may have no memory,” Keith adds. “If that’s the case, the chance of Julie remembering anything is slim.”
I sigh as I sit back. “I still don’t understand the differences. Why kill one and not the other? Why sexually assault one and not the other?”
“Maybe instead, we should look at the similarities.”
“I haven’t seen anything official regarding Marty’s condition.” My eyes open wide as I recall some of my notes. “If they were together, Marty would’ve also been in the shed. From the injuries Julie suffered, Marty would have trace evidence, mouse shit in her hair or bites. I’ll contact the county examiner to see if I can get any information.”
“Good idea. I’m headed over to the sheriff’s department. I’ll let you know what I find once I’m back at the cottages. Are you headed to your folks to see if Julie is home?” Keith asks.
