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“And now this woman. I don’t understand what’s going on.” Jared rested his elbows on his knees and dropped his head in his hands.
The click of practical heels came right before the answer. Ginny hovered over them with Tobias close to her side. They’d been secluded, having a conversation about the newest surprise in the case and why it was released to the public before either of the people closest to Aaron.
“We have a witness. Her name is Samantha Yorke.” Ginny stared at Jared then moved on to Lila. “One of your husband’s former students.”
Jared’s head shot up. “Does she know where Aaron is or something about his phone and Ryan?”
Ginny’s emotions stayed even. “We’re still talking with her.”
“About what, though?”
“Jared.” Lila winced, trying to find the right delivery. “On some level, you know. A teacher and his student. My guess is she’s saying she’s more than a student.”
“Interesting how you jumped to that conclusion.” Ginny’s expression stayed flat. Lifeless. “Unfortunately, you’re also correct. She says they had a relationship.”
“He was her coach?” Jared sounded more confused by the second.
Ginny shook her head. “Not only that type of relationship. This was personal.”
“No. No way.” Jared’s gaze flipped between the people around him, landing on no one in particular before focusing on Lila. “You can’t believe that garbage.”
Lila let her silence speak for her.
“This woman is lying. Maybe she’s scared or, worse, looking to put herself in the middle of the investigation. That’s a thing people do, right?” Jared’s reasoning raced and shifted. The desperation to convince someone—anyone—vibrated in his voice.
“She has a video she sent him. It’s very suggestive.” Ginny’s expression stayed blank, as if she weren’t taking a position on all she’d heard. “She says Aaron pursued her, convinced her they were dating, and then dumped her after they had sex. She started college this fall, but this happened while she was in high school.”
Jared’s mouth dropped open. “What?”
“She’s quite clear this wasn’t a one-time thing. Apparently, there are other girls, some as young as fifteen,” Ginny said. “It sounds like this is what Aaron does. Picks a girl and makes her feel special.”
Lila choked back the bile racing up her throat. This was what she’d wanted—the truth out so the healing could begin, if that were even possible. The secrecy Band-Aid had tobe ripped off so the hero worship would stop, but that didn’t make the process any easier to watch.
Jared’s focus shifted back to that spot on the wall. “I can’t believe this.”
“We’re going to talk about that.” Ginny looked at Lila. “First, you come with me.” Ginny gave Jared a fleeting glance as they started to walk toward the room where all of the questioning had taken place so far. “I’ll talk with you next.”
Lila hadn’t walked through the specifics of how to handle this topic with Tobias. Strategy mattered, but she didn’t have time to map it out.
She slid into the seat across from Ginny and asked the question dancing in her head—the one she’d tried to answer but couldn’t find the evidence to ferret out. “How many girls?”
“I don’t know yet. Samantha gave us some names to verify. We’re also checking in North Carolina, since he taught there as well.” Ginny rolled a pen between her palms. “She said the one she knows personally still worships Aaron, but she’s heard rumors about others.”
Tobias left his position at the door and joined Lila on her side of the table. “There are many girls, but this is the first you’re hearing about this?”
“Good question.” Ginny glanced at Lila. “Is it the firstyou’rehearing about this, Lila? And keep in mind you already played your hand out there with Jared. You didn’t show one second of surprise in finding out about your husband’s extracurricular activities.”
“Call him Aaron. Hearing this news makes me want to forget he’s my husband.”
Tobias made a strangled sound. “This isn’t—”
“You didn’t answer the question,” Ginny said at the same time.
“Yes.” The blurt worked here. They could run around in circles or Lila could push them forward. She chose the latter.
“You knew what he was doing with his students?” If the news shocked Ginny, she hid it well. Her voice didn’t even lift.
“Before? Of course not. I figured it out after.” Lila tiptoed through the facts and picked out the ones that fit her narrative. “I found videos in the house.”
