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Clive shook his head, tears stinging his eyes."My sister, Elise.She was everything to me," he said, his voice breaking."We were supposed to get together next month, but she was killed in a hit-and-run accident a week ago.She was living up in Alaska, so we didn't get many chances to see one another."
Sheila's heart sank.She could see the pain etched on Clive's face, the raw anguish of losing someone he loved."I'm so sorry," she said softly.
"Don't," he said, his voice thick with emotion."I can't...I can't deal with this right now."
"I understand," she said."Can you tell me more about Elise?What was she like?"
Clive took a deep breath, his eyes misty with tears."She was beautiful, inside and out.Kind, funny, smart...just a wonderful person."
Sheila's heart went out to Clive.She could see how much he'd loved Elise and how her death had shattered him.
"Anyway," he continued, "it all just became too much – remembering her, I mean – so I thought...I thought maybe it would be easier if I wasn't around anymore.Life is nothing but pain and disappointment."
Sheila's heart ached for the broken man before her.She knew the pain of loss and how it could make even the strongest person feel weak and alone.But she also knew that there were other ways to cope, other paths to healing.
"Clive, I understand that things seem unbearable right now, but ending your life isn't the answer.There are people who care about you, who want to help you through this."She paused, trying to gauge his reaction."You don't have to go through this alone."
Waiters looked at her skeptically, his eyes filled with doubt."You really think talking to someone will change anything?"
"Sometimes all it takes is sharing your burden with someone else.Give yourself a chance to heal, to find a way forward."As she spoke, his expression softened, and he seemed to consider her words.Meanwhile, Finn remained tense, ready to act if necessary.
"Okay," Waiters whispered finally, raising his hands in surrender."I...I'll give it a try."
Finn moved in cautiously, frisking Waiters for any hidden weapons.Finding none, he stepped back, allowing Sheila to take charge once more.
"Thank you for trusting us," she said."Now we're going to have to take you to the station while we look into your alibi.But after that, we'll get you the help you need."
Waiters nodded, his face a mix of gratitude and hope.As they led him away from the bridge and toward the car, Sheila felt an odd mixture of relief and uncertainty.They had potentially saved a life tonight, but there was still a murderer on the loose.
And time might be running out for the next family on the killer's list.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
Finn snapped his phone shut, a deep frown etched across his face."Waiters' alibi checks out," he said, disappointment lacing his voice."He couldn't have murdered the Warrens."
Sheila wasn't surprised.Listening to Waiters' troubled story on the bridge, she'd believed that he had truly gone there intending to harm himself, which didn't seem like something the killer would do.The killer was all about blaming others for his own problems, not blaming himself.
Nevertheless, she could see that Finn had hoped for a breakthrough, and this news was a setback for both of them.
"We'll just have to keep looking, then," she said.
The dimly lit gymnasium loomed around them, shadows playing tricks on their vision as they stood near the center court.They had come back here to the very gym where Waiters had been bullied in order to better visualize what had happened to him, just in case he really was the killer.
Now that his alibi was confirmed, however, Sheila wondered if they were just wasting their time.Had the real killer been here, too?Did he have a story similar to Waiters'?
Or had they simply gone off on a rabbit trail?
The scent of old sweat and polished wood filled the air as Sheila paced across the court.This school had to be significant—it had come up too many times in their investigation for it not to be.But what was the connection with the killer?Where were they supposed to go from here?
"Hey!"Finn's voice cut through her thoughts, and she barely had time to react as he tossed a basketball in her direction.Her reflexes kicked in, and she snatched the ball out of the air just before it would have hit her chest.
"What are you doing?"she asked, more surprised by the sudden distraction than annoyed.
"Getting some exercise," Finn replied with a grin."Helps clear the mind, ya know?Plus, there's no harm in having a little fun while we're here."He motioned for her to take a shot.
Sheila rolled her eyes but complied, heaving the ball toward the hoop.It bounced off the rim, missing by a mile.She sighed, shaking her head."I'm a little rusty, okay?"
Finn caught the rebound and swiftly laid the ball in."Yeah, yeah, yeah.I've heard it a thousand times."He winked at her, then grew serious again."So, what are we missing?Are we sure the school is the connection?"
