Page 98 of Lemon Pound Cake Club

"That's what I heard too," Nia added.

"But if she came straight home," Danielle said with a frown, "how did her phone end up at the crash site?"

No one spoke. Jade rubbed her arms as if she was cold.

"And why weren't her cameras recording?"

"I've been in that house a hundred times," Simone said. "Those cameras never stop working, especially lately with everything happening."

"They said the bartender remembered seeing him with another woman," Nia added quietly.

Danielle shook her head slowly.

"But they think the woman was Camille."

"It doesn't even make sense."

"It doesn't," Jade agreed. "She was in the hospital."

I broke the silence.

"Maybe they're just following every lead."

Everyone looked at me.

"I mean," I said with a shrug, "if the evidence points that way, they have to check it out. That doesn't mean they're right."

Danielle nodded slowly.

"I don't believe she did it."

"Neither do I," Simone said without hesitation.

Jade leaned back in her chair, letting out a slow breath.

"Camille loved that man."

I found myself wondering if she really did.

"I hope they find whoever did this," I said out loud.

The kitchen fell silent. Outside, a news van rolled slowly past the house and parked across the street. Nia glanced out the window.

"Oh, Lord."

"They're going to eat her alive."

Nobody argued. Across the street, Camille's front door opened briefly so two detectives could slip inside before it shut again.

Had the neighborhood already chosen who to believe? Maybe they just wanted someone to blame. I let out a slow breath.

"Did she even have a reason to do something like that?" Simone asked quietly.

Danielle stayed quiet for a moment. She picked at her napkin, like the question was too much. Jade gave a quick, humorless laugh.

"These days people don’t even need reasons. They just need opportunity and a bad mood."

Nia glanced at her.