‘‘No, Madison, it’s not a trick.’’
Madison’s brow puckered into deep furrows as she looked at Diane. Wondering, no doubt, how Diane could possibly know.
‘‘I’m head of the crime lab for Rosewood.’’
‘‘Oh, I think I knew that.’’
‘‘My team is over at her apartment now.’’
‘‘Oh, God, it’s true.’’ She started sobbing again.
Diane handed her another tissue, went to the bath room and came back with wet paper towels. Madison wiped her face with the towels and took a deep breath.
‘‘I don’t believe this. Who would want to kill her? Right after her fiance?, Chris. And them arresting her. Oh, God. Why did this happen?’’
‘‘Madison. I would like to ask you some questions. It will help us find out who did this.’’
Madison nodded.
‘‘How well did you know Kacie?’’
‘‘We grew up together in Columbus, Georgia. We came to school here together.’’
‘‘Did you know Chris Edwards?’’
‘‘We met him up here.’’
‘‘Kacie had on a ring.’’
‘‘I saw it right after he gave it to her. She was really proud and couldn’t wait to show it to her family. They didn’t like Chris very much.’’
‘‘Why?’’
Madison shrugged. She dabbed her nose with a wet towel. ‘‘It’s not bleeding again, is it?’’
‘‘No.’’
‘‘Her father’s a doctor. They wanted her to marry a doctor. Her parents are real snobs. They’re nice, but snobs.’’
‘‘Do you know if it was a real diamond?’’
Madison looked at her wide-eyed. ‘‘Why wouldn’t it be?’’
‘‘Diamonds are expensive. Do you know how Chris was able to buy it?’’
‘‘I just assumed he put it on his card.’’
Madison wasn’t being much help. Diane thought perhaps she wasn’t asking the right questions. She should have just passed her along to Garnett, but she really didn’t think he would fare much better.
‘‘Did Chris have a second job?’’
‘‘Besides his forestry job? I don’t think so. He was working hard on his thesis and his job—and seeing Kacie. He didn’t have time for much else.’’
‘‘What did you think of Chris? Did you think he was good enough for Kacie?’’
‘‘Oh yeah. He was a great guy. Sweet. Good sense of humor. He wasn’t self-centered like most guys.’’
‘‘Do you know his friend, Steven Mayberry?’’
‘‘Steve. Yeah, sure. A little. We’ve gone out a cou ple of times.’’
‘‘What is he like?’’
‘‘Not like Chris. He talks about himself a lot. Has big plans for getting a job in his uncle’s paper com pany. He always talks like he has a lot of money, but I don’t think he does. At least he never spent any on me. We ate out mostly at fast food places.’’
‘‘Who are Chris and Kacie’s other friends?’’
Madison shrugged. ‘‘I don’t know, really. The guys in their department, I suppose.’’
‘‘Do you know if they had any friends who are missing?’’
‘‘Missing? What do you mean? Like Steven, you mean?’’
Diane had made smaller copies of Neva’s drawings to carry in her purse. She pulled them out and showed them to Madison.
‘‘Do you know any of these people?’’
Madison looked carefully at each one. ‘‘They don’t look familiar. Who are they?’’
‘‘Have you heard from Steven lately?’’
‘‘Not for about a week—since he’s been missing. What’s all this about?’’
She looked at Diane with large, liquid brown eyes— she wanted answers, Diane could see. She needed some meaning to all this. Diane needed meaning too.
‘‘When was the last time you spoke with Steven?’’
