Part 21 (2/2)

'The papers said the police have a suspect,' Jen continued, when Tresa said nothing, it sounded like you had some kind of relations.h.i.+p with him. Is that true?'

'He didn't do it.'

Tresa heard the hesitation on the line. 'Sure, OK. Whatever you say.' 'It's true.'

'I believe you.' She added, 'What do you want, Tresa? Why are you calling me?'

Tresa began, but she stumbled over her words. 'It's about Glory.'

'What about her?'

'Actually, I guess it's not really about her. Listen, I have to know.'

'What?'

Tresa swallowed hard. 'Have you heard from your father?'

'My father? Are you kidding? Why?'

'I just wondered.'

'No, of course not. He wouldn't contact me. Oh, Jeez, you think he did this, don't you? That's what this is about.'

'Well, I mean, him being missing and all. The police are still looking for him. I thought if Glory saw him in Florida-'

'That's crazy, Tresa.'

'Is it? I don't know.'

'He wouldn't do this.'

'How do you know?'

She could hear her friend breathing and feel her indecision. Even after all these years, they still had a connection. They'd been as close as sisters. 'Look, Tresa, can you keep a secret?'

'You know I can. How can you say that to me?'

'Swear it.'

'I do, I do.'

'Then listen. My father didn't do this. So don't go spreading rumors like he did, OK? Stop it. I mean, maybe you're trying to help your boyfriend, but I don't need this all thrown in my face again. I've spent too much time getting past it. I'm a different girl now.'

'Yeah, but you don't know, do you? I mean, it's possible.'

'It's not. Really. The thing is, I know where my father is. He called me last year. He's living in Mexico. He's safe, and I'm safe. I don't want this thing splashed all over the news again and have someone turn him in. You know? So for me, Tresa, please, let it go. My father didn't kill Glory.'

Chapter Twenty-Six.

The bar owned by Troy Geier's father sat at a deserted intersection on County Road T, miles from any of the coastal towns. The low white building needed a fresh coat of paint, as did the two-story farmhouse behind it. Cab parked in the dirt of the highway shoulder and headed for the front of the bar. As he did, he spotted a teenage boy hauling two bulging trash bags through the side door. Troy Geier hiked to the rear of the building, breathing loudly, and Cab followed. He heard the clang of metal as the boy threw the bags into a dumpster, and as Troy barreled back around the corner, he nearly collided with Cab and stopped in surprise.

'h.e.l.lo, Troy.'

Troy adopted a who-cares att.i.tude, but Cab knew it was fake. 'I heard you were in town,' the boy said.

'Got a minute?'

'Yeah, I guess, but my dad will get p.i.s.sed if I'm too long.'

'It won't be long.'

Cab wandered into the middle of the empty road with his hands in the pockets of his dress pants. His tie blew over his shoulder. Troy trailed behind him, his feet shuffling. Cracks ran through the asphalt in the county road. There were no cars in any direction.

Troy smelled of frying grease and stale beer. He wore a Woody the Woodp.e.c.k.e.r T-s.h.i.+rt and blue jeans, and his hands were dirty. His bulging cheeks looked like a squirrel eating nuts.

'What do you do at the bar?' Cab asked.

'Whatever my dad tells me to do.'

Cab nodded. Troy's wavy hair was flat where he'd been wearing a hat, but Cab figured it could have been the giant thumbprint of Troy's dad squas.h.i.+ng his boy. Whether it was his father, or Glory, Troy did as he was told.

'I heard you got a witness who can help you nail Mark Bradley,' Troy told him.

'Who told you that?'

'Mrs Fischer talked to the sheriff.'

'Well, we've still got a lot of work to do,' Cab said. 'In the meantime, I need to clear up a few things with you, Troy.'

'Like what?'

'Like the argument you had with Glory on Sat.u.r.day night.'

Troy moved his jaw as if he was chewing gum. 'I already told you, it was stupid. I wanted Glory to come back to the room with me, and she wouldn't go. So I left.'

'I heard it was more than that,' Cab said.

'What do you mean?'

'I heard Glory was coming on to other boys in the pool.'

'It wasn't like that.'

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