The Blackout Girl ✔️

chapter nineteen

Lexi glanced away, ashamed of herself. "I blacked out again last night."

Kaytee said nothing, silently encouraging her to continue.

"I was at this bar when I came to my senses. I guess I'd been there a while, but I dunno how I got there. It's gone. All of it is gone. There's not even a hazy memory. I have no idea what happened after I fell asleep," Lexi whispered, grimacing. "And that's not even the worst part. I got this weird phone call from an unknown number. I don't know who it is, but they knew me..."

Kaytee had hardened, obviously knowing something was wrong. "Did the caller threaten you, Lexi?"

"Not me, not really," Lexi said. "I think it was her. The woman you guys are looking for got my number. She was angry. She thought I was trying to take credit for the killing like I would do something like that. She wanted me to pick someone to die."

"Did you recognize her voice?"

Lexi's head darted back and forth. "No. She messed with it. It scrambled the sound. I could barely tell what she was saying."

Kaytee chewed her lip. "You said she asked you to choose her next victim?"

Lexi began to shut down, her cheeks flushing. She gulped.

"Did she ever use any names?"

"No," Lexi said. "I wouldn't choose. I didn't think I was choosing."

"This isn't your fault," Kaytee told her, even if Lexi didn't believe it. "We're dealing with a very sophisticated criminal. She's good at manipulating people, and she was going to make her own choices regardless of what you said or did."

Lexi tried to shake away the images of Quinton's body, draped across the sofa. She would be haunted for the rest of her life. She knew that. "I found him. I got home and she'd already done it. He died alone in the living room and none of us knew until it was too late."

Kaytee was obviously unsure of what to say.

"Can we talk about something else?" Lexi practically begged. "Anything else?"

The other woman's chin bobbed up and down. "Yeah, yeah we can. Thank you for sharing all of this with me. It was very brave. We don't have to keep going if you don't want to."

"Really?"

"Yes," Kaytee said. "I have one favor to ask and then you're free to go."

"Okay."

"Can I have your cell phone? We're gonna have to trace that call."

Lexi withdrew it from the pocket of her jeans and passed it over. "Take it. It's all yours."

Kaytee slid it into her blazer, out of sight and out of mind. "Lexi, do you know where your aunt is right now?"

"No," Lexi said, at a loss. "Why?"

"We'll need to bring her in," Kaytee said. "It's standard procedure."

Lexi had a feeling there was more to it than that, but she knew asking wouldn't get her anywhere. If there was anything the FBI was better at than figuring things out, it was keeping secrets under lock and key.

"There's a nice hotel near here," Kaytee said, changing the subject. "It might be a good idea for your family to stay out of the house for a bit. Plus, we need to keep you close, just in case something comes up and we need your help."

"I'll talk to my mom," Lexi said, peeking at the one-way glass that divided them and the outside of the room. All she saw was their reflection, the two of them at the table, locked in a small box of a space.