“You guys fell for that?” she asked mockingly. “I can’t believe you allthought I was really suggesting it. I just wanted to see who was a little bitextra.”
“Looks like it was you,” Melina replied sharply.
Janine looked at the phone she’d dramatically pulled out of her pocket.
“Listen,” she said, her expression hidden beneath a mask of longishbrown hair, “it’s getting kind of late. I told my folks I’d be home around thistime.”
“Me too,” Melina said, though she’d been talking about getting a snackin the food court only minutes earlier. “Maybe we just call it a day.”
“Yeah, okay,” Hannah said, belatedly aware that she’d horribly misjudgedthe group vibe. “See you guys tomorrow.”
They nodded. Melina and Janine started off. Kayla lingered a momentlonger.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked.
“Of course,” Hannah told her quickly. “I was just messing around. Ithought everyone would joke about it, just play out how the scenario would go,you know, as a lark. I didn’t think anyone would think I was for real.”
“Okay,” Kayla said, seemingly unconvinced. “Sorry for spoiling it.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Hannah replied.
She walked around the mall for a little longer after they’d left sothat she wouldn’t face any awkward moments if any of them was still outside.After a bit, she called for a rideshare to take her to her favorite coffeeshop, and headed to the outdoor pickup location.
She felt the frustration bubbling inside her. Now, in addition to thewhole thing with Kat, she had this to deal with too. Part of her wanted to say “screw’em” to the girls if they couldn’t take a joke. Of course, it hadn’t been andeveryone knew it. What would they say on Monday? she wondered.
She’d kept these kinds of dark ideas to herself for a reason and nowshe had a painful reminder as to why. Other people just didn’t think the sameway she did. She’d let her guard down for a minute and now she was sure to paya price for it.
As she approached the mall exit nearest the rideshare pickup zone, herthoughts were interrupted by an uneasy sensation, as if she was being watched.She turned around and scanned the people behind her, but no one seemed to bepaying any attention to her.
Two young mothers were walking side by side, pushing strollers andsipping expensive coffee drinks. Some pre-teen boys were waiting in line at afreestanding pretzel kiosk, whacking each other with their jackets. A fewsenior citizens were doing their group exercise thing, ambling slowly in herdirection, more focused on each step before them than any person in their path.
She heard a chuckle and glanced up to the second level, where a coupleof guys, probably a few years older than her, were looking down in herdirection. It took her a moment to realize that they were trying to peek downher top. She pretended not to notice and turned around, continuing toward theexit.
In her head, it made sense that those were the eyes she’d sensed onher. But in her gut, she knew it was someone else. It was only when she was inthe car and the driver pulled out onto the street that she realized that her wholebody was clenched into one big ball of stress. It took a long time for it to returnto normal.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
Despite the exhaustion burrowing into her bones, Jessie was stilltingling with anticipation as she pulled up to the Aldridge house.
She was about to get out of the car when a text came in for her andPeters from Deputy Heck: All hotel employee alibis check out. Please advise.
She waited a few seconds to see if Peters would respond. When he didn’t,she texted back: Thanks. Unless Detective Peters disagrees, please standdown for now.
She had just turned off the car when Peters called.
“When are you coming into the station?” he asked. “I’ve been lookingover the info on these swinger folks for over an hour now.”
“I’m just following up on a few loose ends,” she assured him, knowingthat if she mentioned her current location, he’d either want to join her orwarn her away. “I should be in soon.”
“Okay,” he said. “I could use your help. Nothing I’m finding so far ishugely revealing. All of these people are incredibly rich. But none of themhave criminal records. Their businesses don’t seem shady. I can’t find anythingobviously suspicious.”
“I’m not sure I could do much better,” she told him. “But I’m happy tolook it all over when I get in.”
She hung up and walked up to the house as casually as she could. Shewas excited to see how Theo Aldridge would react when she revealed what sheknew but she didn’t want to tip her hand. Getting that immediate, visceralreaction from a suspect was often essential to gauging their potential guilt.
This house, only a quarter mile from the Landers’ home, was equallyimpressive, if more tasteful. It was a standard Tudor-style mansion withperfectly manicured grass and well-trimmed rose bushes. She didn’t see any lawnornaments simulating sex.
She rang the bell and waited for what felt like a long time before itwas finally answered. Standing in front of her was a pretty, if harried-lookingwoman about Jessie’s age. She was small, with short black hair and piercing blueeyes.
Wearing yoga pants and a stretchy top, she looked like the kind ofwoman who modeled in mom shopping catalogues—attractive and shapely, but not sointimidating as to engender resentment. Before she said a word, Jessie knewthat this was Ariana Aldridge.
“Hello, Mrs. Aldridge,” she said pleasantly. “I’m Jessie Hunt. We spokeon the phone earlier.”
“Oh, right,” Ariana said, snapping her fingers. “I know I was supposedto get back to you about doing an interview, but I had a rough time lockingdown times when my mom could watch Ginny, and then Theo came back and saideveryone had gotten lawyers. I guess I just assumed it was off. Sorry.”
“That’s okay,” Jessie assured her. “Since I’m just a civilian profiler,I’m not bound by the rules regarding questioning once an attorney has beeninvoked. And I’d still love to talk to you if
