One Lie Too Many by Eileen Cook

Author:Eileen Cook
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins

Twenty-Seven

My foot bounced up and down while I waited in the police station lobby. My anxiety was like an out-of-control zoom lens on a camera. One second I would take everything in and be drowning in sensory overload, and the next my brain would drill down on a single detail and not be able to let go. The whipping back and forth between the two made me nauseated. I kept swallowing over and over as my mouth filled up with sour saliva.

The door to the back opened, and I saw Detective Chan step out leading Ryan.

Holy shit. My heart picked up more speed. It was going so fast it seemed ready to explode. I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Ryan’s hands were shoved deep into his pockets, and he kept giving these curt nods.

Finally, Detective Chan looked past Ryan, spotted me in the waiting room, and waved me forward. The nerves running from my brain to my legs seemed to have short-circuited because for a split second they didn’t do as I commanded and I didn’t think I’d be able to stand, but then I jerked up like a puppet who’d had her strings yanked.

I made myself walk toward Chan. Ryan and I passed each other midway through the room. I tried to tell what his expression meant as he went by. Was he warning me? Was he pissed? A quick look at Chan didn’t tell me anything either. His face was a total blank. He’d be a killer poker player. A nervous giggle threatened to bubble up, so I made myself cough instead. Chan stood back and motioned toward the interview room.

Detective Jay was already waiting inside. He stood as I came in. I hoped he couldn’t smell the sweat breaking out under my arms. I nodded rather than said hello because I wasn’t sure I could manage speaking.

I took a long time getting myself settled, pulling the chair in and out slightly. I could feel the panic inside me pushing back, wanting out. Trickles of it sought any weak points in my defenses, slowly eating away my control.

“. . . as you can imagine.”

My head shot up. I’d missed what Chan had said. “Sorry, can you repeat that?”

The two of them exchanged a glance. “I said, we’re very concerned for Paige’s safety.”

I nodded, then realized I was doing it too quickly, my head jerking up and down, so made myself stop. “Me too. You mentioned having me touch her diary pages to see if could pick up anything.”

“I’m afraid we can’t let you see them quite yet. Right now we’re not releasing the full content.” Detective Jay’s expression was neutral. “I’m sure you understand.”

“Oh. Okay.” I curled my toes inside my shoes in beats of five. Had she said something in those pages they didn’t want me to see?

“We just had a couple questions for you,” Detective Jay said. “Have you ever been out to Comstock Park?”

“You mean, like, recently?”

Jay smiled like it wasn’t a stupid question. “Well, we’re most interested in recently, but ever is good to know too.

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