Page 88 of Mercy & Malice

The lady gives me a warm smile. “Brooke, I’m Detective Ames and this is my partner, Detective Ledet. We have a few questions regarding Julian Wentworth. What was the nature of your relationship with him?”

Oh shit. I was not expecting questions about him and had assumed this still involved my case. Or at least praying it wasn’t about him. “We don’t have one. He’s just a classmate.”

Ledet asks, “‘Just a classmate?’” His gawking eyes do a once-over before he asks, “Are you sure?”

The moment reminds me so much of my father, my gut goes on high alert, but I stay composed on the surface and most importantly keep my mouth closed.

“The Wentworths reported their son missing, and we’re just trying to locate him.” Ames speaks in a soft tone. She’s undeniably playing good cop, but even that sounds an alarm in my mind. I know how they can operate.

“Tell us about the confrontation at Sweet Fleur Creamery. Julian Wentworth was named in the disturbance call you made just a couple weeks ago.”

“Yes, he was asked to leave and wouldn’t. So I called.”

“Why did you ask him to depart the establishment exactly?” Ames asks.

“Because he was harassing me. He did the same at the winter masquerade in front of everyone. I didn’t want to deal with him, so I told him to leave.”

Ledet asks, “And did he?”

“Yes, after I called, he left.” Technically. “I told the dispatcher that.” The only thing I keep telling myself and praying is true that I know my father didn’t call anything in. He wouldn’t have. When he pulled us over it was an imitation tactic, and he wouldn’t want any of that on record.

“Another one of your classmates, Blaine Bellamy, is also missing. Is he also just a classmate of yours?” Ledet asks.

“Yes, sir,” I state, keeping my tone level.

Mom folds her hands on the table as she leans forward. “We did have a few students see Julian and Blaine at the basketball game.”

Ledet is still zoned in on me. “Did you attend the basketball game?”

“Yes, I’m on the cheer team.”

The corner of his mouth pulls up in a smirk as he asks, “And did you speak with your classmates Julian and/or Blaine that night?”

I calmly respond, “No, sir.”

Mom is out of her seat and walking to the door. “I already pulled the footage for the officers who called previously. I can get a copy emailed over to you also.”

Ames says, “That’d be great.”

My mind is racing through the locations where there could be footage as I hold Ledet’s annoyed gape. There aren’t any cameras in the cemetery or at the old abandoned campus, thankfully (which I always figured had more to do with the Tomb and the Keepers wanting privacy). All surveillance that I’m aware of is on the new campus. Julian didn’t approach me until we were in the cemetery. They didn’t get anything. I hope.

Ledet asks, “What about Sweet Fleur? Will there be footage to back up your claims?”

My claims, like I’m making this stuff up. “There’s a camera over the register. You can ask the owner if he still has footage from that day.”

Edmund doesn’t keep footage for more than a week. But I’ll let Detective Ledet figure that out. I don’t want to speak more than I have to with the way he’s grilling me with his sour attitude.

“I noticed that your father is on the force. I tried to reach out to him as a common courtesy before approaching his daughter, but he hasn’t responded. And neither has his partner, Officer Davenport.”

Damn it. The muck is getting deeper and deeper. And I can’t maintain my composure much longer. My chest is already struggling to fully expand as it is.

“A lot of people surrounding you have gone missing.” Ledet chuckles, “Even you. I read over the report. You and the Montclair kid were held captive. All the perpetrators still haven’t been caught.”

Mom clears her throat before she speaks, “My daughter underwent a terrible ordeal. I don’t see the relevance it holds or that of my ex-husband’s whereabouts and how it relates to Julian’s and Blaine’s cases.”

“Ex-husband?” Ledet asks.

“We’re separated. And again, what bearing does this have to your case?”