Page 18 of Wild Escape

“Well, she's deceased now.”

His eyes went wide like saucers. "She's dead?”

I nodded and watched him for a reaction.

He shook his head. "Man, that's a shame. She was really pretty. What happened?"

"That's what we’re trying to figure out.”

"When did she die?”

"Late Saturday, early Sunday.”

“That was Friday night when I dropped her off.”

"Did you actually see her go into the sorority house?”

"I don't remember.”

"You didn't stick around to make sure she got inside okay?”

"That's not really my job. I had another fare I needed to get to.”

"She was half naked. You didn't think it would be a good idea to look out for her?”

He sighed. "I remember watching her walk up the walkway to the front door. I don't recall her going inside. I drop people off around campus all the time. It's generally a safe area.”

"Was she still blindfolded?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"She either was, or she wasn't."

"She had the blindfold on, but I'm sure she could see through the gaps. I mean, she seemed to make it up the walkway okay. She told me something about how she couldn't take it off. That it was against the rules, or something.”

"You left a blindfolded girl to fend for herself.”

He shrugged. "What was I supposed to do?”

"Maybe get out of the car and help her to the door!” I said, annoyed.

Raj just shrugged and said nothing.

"Who was your next fare?”

"I don't recall. Like I said, I pick up a lot of people. I like to get back up to Oyster Avenue as fast as possible. That's where the money is. Picking up drunk tourists and taking them home. Sometimes they tip well, sometimes they don't.”

I handed him a card. "Get in touch if you remember any other details.”

He nodded and said he would.

JD and I hopped out of the cab and stepped onto the sidewalk. We watched him drive away.

"What do you make of that guy?"

"I think he should have at least watched her get inside," I grumbled.

"If he’s to be believed, that puts her at the sorority house on Friday night. That's a full 24 hours before the murder.”