I get up, watching him for another moment, trying to come up with something to say before leaving him there on the bridge.
On my way back through the gardens, my phone dings with an Instagram notification. It’s a DM from Desiree Watts. My nerves hum as I open it, but the adrenaline buzz is short-lived.
I’ve got nothing to say
A black haze hovers at the edge of my periphery. Something like hopelessness threatening to push in. Desiree has a reputation as a bit of a cold-hearted bitch. But I thought after what happened to Kennedy, she might be in a more pliant, empathetic mood. Even my bluff about fearing for my own safety didn’t tug on her heartstrings.
Everyone in school knows I’m friends with the Abbotts. Either Desiree is really as icy cold as her reputation, or she doesn’t believe the brothers truly pose any danger.
When I push the French doors shut behind me, Henry wanders into the room. “How did it go?” he asks, wincing with one eye shut.
“About how you’d expect. I never realized how much Adam hates Dr. Russo.”
Henry nods. “Guy’s a huge jerk.”
“Yeah, I know. Hey, is Bram home?”
“Where else would he be?” Henry’s face falls. “We’re pretty much confined here per our lawyer’s advice.”
Exactly what Henry and Bram feared. “Look, I hate to ask this,” I say, lowering my voice and peering over Henry’s shoulder at the doorway, “but you don’t know if he was seeing Kennedy, do you? The last few weeks, since the start of the school year?”
Henry’s eyes drop to his feet, and he starts to fiddle with the collar of his polo. “Likedatingher?”
“Yeah.”
“Not that I know of,” he says with a headshake. “He’s still destroyed over Mariana.” His tone shifts to something like spite. “Why would you ask that?”
“Sorry, it—I knew there was nothing to it, but Lydia Costas said that Kennedy was seeing somebody and that she saw Kennedy sneak onto your property a few weeks ago.”
“Lydia said that?”
“I told her I had a hard time believing it. Adam denies being theguy, and we both know Bram isn’t ready for a relationship. Which,” I say with a silly head tilt as I look at him, “just leaves you.”
For a moment that drags on for a seeming eternity, Henry simply stares back at me. Then his eyes avert mine, and he lets out an uncomfortable laugh. “Me and Kennedy Russo? I don’t think so.”
“Yeah, I didn’t actually believe Lydia’s theory. Though, it’s strange, isn’t it? That Kennedy snuck onto your property.”
Henry shrugs. “It wouldn’t be the first time a kid from school exacted some sort of revenge prank on us. Remember the paint?” A couple of weeks after Mariana’s accident, someone snuck onto the property and spray-painted the wordKillersover the auto shop’s garage door. “Maybe Kennedy tried something but got scared off by the security cameras.” Ever since Mariana’s accident and all the rumors circulating about the triplets, Mr. Abbott had a brand-new state-of-the-art security system installed around the mansion.
“Except Lydia said Kennedy didn’t take the path up to the house. She went into the woods.” Almost like she was avoiding being spotted by the family and the cameras.
“None of us were secretly seeing Kennedy,” Henry says, an impatient edge to his voice now.
“Well, this is what Lydia believes, and I think it’s what she told the cops.”
Henry huffs out a breath, jamming his hands into his pockets. “Great. Perfect. It’s always the boyfriend, so if the cops believe one of us was the boyfriend…”
“Yeah.”
“It’s ridiculous.” He starts to pace through the foyer. “We have to give them a different story. Did Lydia say anything else?”
“Not really. I tried to contact Desiree, just to see if she could disprove Lydia’s theory. But she refused to talk.”
Henry rubs at his temple, still pacing in front of me. He looks beyond distraught, and I want nothing more than to calm him.
“Hey,” I say, reaching out to touch his arm. “It’s going to be okay. They need proof to put someone away for murder. Lydia’s speculations won’t cut it.”
“I know,” he says, nodding in an almost maniacal way. “I know. I just wish she would’ve kept her mouth shut about these unfounded theories. I’ve got to call our lawyer, Hayden. You can get home okay, right?” He steps away, and my hand falls down to my side.
