Part 7 (1/2)
”Chloe, we'd like to talk to you,” said the taller police officer, whose name read Keller on his s.h.i.+rt.
”Alone,” the other officer, named Gilbert said.
Kate looked at Jake and then got up and walked out of the room with him, leaving Chloe and the police officers alone together in the living room. Chloe wondered if Kate and Jake were just around the hallway, listening, but neither officer checked. They just sat down on the sofa across from her, pulling out some notes.
”You're eighteen, right?” Detective Keller said, looking up at her.
”Yeah, my birthday was a few weeks ago,” Chloe nodded.
”Good. Then we don't need an adult present,” Detective Keller said, clarifying.
”I'm sure you've already heard that there was a murder at the school,” Detective Gilbert started.
Chloe nodded, ”Everyone heard. Who was it?”
”A girl named Elizabeth Hill. Did you know her?” Detective Keller asked.
Chloe felt fear knot in her stomach. It was true. Elizabeth Hill had been murdered and she might have been one of the last few people to see her alive. Should she mention it? Chloe thought about it. People had seen Elizabeth talk to her.
”We talked once after Lora's death,” Chloe admitted vaguely, ”I saw her around, though.”
”When was that? That you talked to her?” Detective Gilbert asked, consulting something in his notebook.
Chloe felt a film of sweat form on her forehead. She wondered if she should tell the truth. So many people had seen her at the coffee shop on Friday night that they would discover she had talked to Elizabeth Hill that night sooner or later.
”Last Friday night,” Chloe said reluctantly.
”Where?” Detective Gilbert prodded.
”At The Latte. It's a coffee shop down the street from the high school. I do my homework there after school until my friend Jake gets out of football practice.”
”What did you and Elizabeth talk about?” Detective Keller asked.
”Well, she wanted to know if I saw anything besides just Lora's dead body. Like maybe a clue to the killer,” Chloe said softly.
”And, did you?” Detective Gilbert asked, looking at her intently.
”No. I didn't see anything. I just found the body. There was n.o.body near the steps at that time,” Chloe said, voice shaking slightly, despite her attempts to steady it.
Detective Keller looked at his notes, ”Do you know Grey Meyer?”
Chloe was surprised at the change of subject. Her mind flashed back to the day in the darkroom when Grey had pleaded with her to tell the police that he had been with her when Lora was murdered.
”Yes, I know Grey,” Chloe admitted slowly. ”Why?”
”Did you see him the night of Lora's murder?” Detective Keller was watching her carefully.
”Yes,” Chloe admitted.
”Where?” Detective Gilbert asked, leaning in with interest.
Detective Keller was also listening intently. Chloe had a decision to make. Should she lie and say she was with Grey for the time period he had asked her to or should she tell the truth? She wanted to protect him, but it nagged at her that she shouldn't have to lie about it. Surely if Grey was completely innocent, there would be no reason to lie. Maybe she could just be vague.
”I met him on the steps leading down to the beach,” Chloe said, running a hand through her hair.
”Do you know what time that was?” Detective Keller asked, pen poised to take down the time.
”I'm not sure,” Chloe said, truthfully. ”I wasn't looking at my watch.”
Detective Keller looked from his notes over to Chloe, ”How long after you talked to him would you say you found the body?”
”Right after,” Chloe admitted.
”Did you talk to him long?” Detective Gilbert asked.
”A little while,” Chloe said, noncommittally.
”Is a little while two minutes? Five? Ten? Thirty?” Detective Keller inquired.
”I don't know,” Chloe said, vaguely, thinking rapidly. Maybe a little white lie wouldn't hurt. Her heart was beating fast. She felt a little sick, ”Maybe fifteen? I don't know.”
”Okay,” Detective Keller said thoughtfully.
”Why?” Chloe asked, unable to hide the anxiety from her voice.
Detective Gilbert ignored her, ”You didn't happen to see Grey on Friday night, did you? After you talked to Elizabeth?”
Chloe felt a chill creep up her spine. They were trying to connect him with Elizabeth, ”No, I didn't.”
”Do you know if he and Elizabeth were friends?” Detective Gilbert asked.
”I don't know,” Chloe said, lamely. She didn't want Grey to be guilty.
”Okay, thank you. We'll be back to see you if we have any more questions,” Detective Keller said, standing up.
Detective Gilbert stood up as well and nodded a goodbye in Chloe's direction.
”Hey, wait,” Chloe said walking after them as they walked toward the door, ”Do you think Grey had something to do with the murders?”
Detective Gilbert looked back at Chloe, ”We're looking into all possible suspects, but if I were you, I would walk the other way if I saw him.”
Chloe watched the detectives leave in mute horror. She shut the door in silence, her mind in a whirl.