A NEIGHBOR'S LIE by Blake Pierce

Author:Blake Pierce [Pierce, Blake]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-11-28T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

When Courtney Vedas answered the door at the Damiani residence, she was carrying a baby in one arm and hoisting a laundry basket on her hip with the other. She looked out at Chloe and Moulton with a confused look. It was clear that she had not been expecting company, but the appearance of two complete strangers had thrown her off. She was very pretty and toned, her flat stomach showing slightly thanks to the high-cut T-shirt she was wearing.

“Can I help you?” Courtney asked.

“We’re Agents Fine and Moulton,” Chloe said. “We just spoke with the Carvers, trying to get some answers regarding the death of Kim Wielding. She suggested we speak with you, as you apparently had a few playdates between these kids,” she said, nodding toward the baby with a smile, “and her own.”

“Oh…sure, um, come on in,” Courtney said. “But the place is a mess. It usually is on laundry day.”

“How many kids do you keep?” Chloe asked.

“There are three of them. This is Amelia,” she said, kissing the baby on the head. “The other two are upstairs, playing Fortnite.”

She led them into a living room that was clearly the epicenter of laundry day. There were piles of clothes and towels on the sofa and the room’s two recliners.

“Well, it’s clear that you have your hands full,” Moulton said. “So we’ll make it quick. We know that there were playdates between the older kids where both you and Kim were sort of forced into interacting. How would you describe the relationship?”

“Friendly, I guess. Kim was never rude or anything, but when she didn’t want to talk or be social, it was always clear on her face, you know?”

“How many times would you say the two of you spent any significant time together?” Moulton asked.

Courtney thought about it as she placed baby Amelia into a Pack ’n’ Play against the living room wall. “Ten. Maybe twelve.”

“Did she ever talk about boyfriends?”

“Not that I can remember. We did have one conversation about how finding a good man is next to impossible. We used to refer to it as a fairytale.”

“Did you ever get the feeling that maybe she was in some toxic relationship?” Chloe asked. “Or maybe she was being abused?”

“No. If any of that is true, she never mentioned it around me.”

“Do you know if she did drugs?” Chloe asked.

“Again…it never really came up. The most I know for a fact she ever did was drink wine. She told me a story one time about smoking pot for the first time in high school but that’s it.”

“Do you know if she had any close friendships with the other neighbors?”

“I don’t think so. She was really only ever in the neighborhood when she was watching after the Carver kids. Which was a lot.”

“Well, let’s say Kim was the type to keep secrets,” Chloe said. “If you thought she might have some secret life, is there anyone in the neighborhood or even just good friends with the Carvers that might have been a part of it?”

“Well, there’s Mr.

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