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Noah glances at my hand still on his thigh, preventing him from continuing the repetitive anxious tapping. “I know I’m irresistible, Amelia, but now is not the time or place to get frisky.”
I remove my hand and roll my eyes at him, in no mood for his Noah-ness at this highly stressful moment.
I just don’t know what’s taking so long. Aiden didn’t do anything, so this all should’ve been sorted out already. Right?
After a while, Charlotte’s strict parents start calling, so her older brother comes to pick her and Chase up, who has his own worried parents to get home to. We promise we’ll keep them both updated.
It must have been an hour or two later when the lawyer and Vince come back out, unfortunately without Aiden.
Brian goes over to talk to the other men, and we all sit up more attentively, straining to hear what they’re saying. They talk for a while with some other officers, and then the lawyer and Brian leave with two other police officers, leaving us all staring after them, confused.
Vince heads over to us, looking tired but less frustrated, which I hope is a good thing. We all stand up as he approaches, ready to question him about what’s going on.
2
“They’re going to hold Aiden overnight until his alibi clears,” Vince informs us before any of us can interrogate him.
“Aren’t we his alibi?” Julian replies.
Julian’s father motions us over to the side of the tiny room for some privacy from the other random people in the waiting area.
“Greg’s body was found beaten up and very much dead in front of Aiden’s house. Aiden’s cell phone was also found at the crime scene. They put the time of death around 6 p.m., but Aiden had been at Mason’s house since four thirty. Aiden and Mason left to pick up the pizza in Aiden’s car around ten to seven, and then they went straight to Amelia’s house. The cameras in front of Mason’s house can prove all the times, and Brian just left to get the police the tapes to clear Aiden.”
We all look at each other, stunned.
Greg’s body was found in front of Aiden’s house? With Aiden’s cell phone?
“His cell phone? I know for a fact that his cell phone was with him at Amelia’s house,” Mason chimes in.
“His old phone. Remember, he lost it a few weeks ago, at the Tr—school.” I very awkwardly cut myself off from saying “Tracks,” because Julian’s dad is there, and I’m not trying to nark on anyone.
“But how did Aiden’s phone end up at the crime scene?” Annalisa asks uselessly, since none of us know the answer.
“Never mind that, how did the dead body of Aiden’s despised stepfather end up in front of his house? Was it moved there?” Julian ponders.
Vince rubs his eyes, clearly never having thought that he’d ever have to deal with a murder charge. “Forensics determined that it was the primary location, meaning that Greg died in front of Aiden’s house.”
“That does not look good for our boy.” Noah grimaces.
“He didn’t do it, Noah!” Annalisa snaps.
“Geez, I know. I’m just saying . . .” he replies, mumbling about how Annalisa gets crankier than usual when she doesn’t get any sleep.
“Noah’s right though,” Vince says. “With the location of the death, Aiden’s phone, and the bruising on Greg indicating a recent fight, it doesn’t look too good. Plus, Aiden and Greg’s past doesn’t help—it’s on record that Aiden petitioned against Greg’s parole. It could be reasoned that he had motive.”
I scoff at how ludicrous this whole situation is. “Aiden is one of the smartest people I know, book and street-wise. He has one of the top GPAs not just in the school, but in the entire school district. I think if he were going to kill a guy, he wouldn’t leave the dead body in front of his house.”
Everyone smiles tiredly and nods at the truth behind my statement. I mean, really. No one can actually be so dumb as to kill someone and just leave their dead body chillin’ in front of their house like no big deal while they go eat pizza and watch movies at their friend’s house.
But if Aiden didn’t kill Greg, who did? Why was the primary crime scene in front of Aiden’s house? Is someone trying to frame him? But why?
“Listen, everyone,” Vince commands, authority in his voice. “They’re going to clear this all up and Aiden should be out of here before you know it. He asked that you all go home instead of sitting here worrying about him. He wanted me to assure you all that he’s fine and that it’ll all be okay.”
Aiden’s literally in jail (or in police holding, whatever, there’s still bars) and still, his first priority is his friends? That man literally cannot make me like him any more than I already do.
Vince lightly slaps Julian’s back. “Come on, Son, let’s go home and get some rest. Everything will be sorted out soon. Annalisa, I’m guessing you’re staying at our house tonight?”
Annalisa nods and starts putting on her jacket, and Vince looks at the rest of us. “Do you guys need a ride home?”
