CHAPTER 7: FINGER-POINTING
It took me awhile to calm Ethan down. Although, it was an excellent lead, just because Troy knew all of the dead girls, didn't mean he had killed them.
"We can't just go to the police and accuse Troy," I reasoned with Ethan. "They're not going to believe us. Haven't you seen like every horror movie? Nobody believes teenagers."
Ethan looked at me with frustration and pointed at the computer, "But it's right there! He knew all of them! What more evidence do we need?"
"A motive?" I volunteered.
Ethan shook his head, "Let the cops figure out a motive."
"Look, I admit it's suspicious, but there has to be more," I argued.
Ethan shook his head, but I could see that he was at the very least, calming down. "I'm still going to the police. They have to know about this. All we need to do is get them to change their minds. We don't actually have to solve the case."
"I know, but I still think we need more," I said.
"But this is huge," Ethan replied. "He knew all of them. The cops have to know."
We had been arguing about this for the last half hour, so I nodded, realizing that I wasn't going to be able to dissuade him. I still didn't think we had enough to go on. It could be a coincidence. Troy could be a totally innocent guy, who just happened to have a lot of dead girl space friends. Still, I will admit, even I had a vague hope that the police would change their investigation from drugs to murder and that Troy's relationships to the victims might be a catalyst for that.
The Palos Police Station is a small police station. My guess is that most of their calls are about domestic violence and petty crime. I should have known that they wouldn't know what to do with a murder case, even if it did fall in their laps.
"What can I do for you, Ethan?" Detective Dixon asked, leaning back in his desk chair as he took a sip of coffee from a steaming styrofoam cup.
Didn't he know that styrofoam was practically non-recyclable? What about saving the planet and all that? I didn't say anything, though, even though I was thinking it. We weren't here to save the planet, after all. We were there to stop more people from getting murdered and since I was the weird girl, we had agreed to let Ethan do all the talking. So, quiet, stay quiet, was the mantra I kept repeating in my brain.
Detective Dixon's office was a tiny cubbyhole in the Palos Police Department and it was littered with those empty styrofoam coffee cups. This guy liked his coffee...and killing the planet. Other than that, there were papers everywhere. For a small suburban town with no apparent crime, other than a triple murder labeled as drug overdoses, he looked like he might be a busy guy. And, okay maybe there was more than just domestic violence cases happening in the city of Palos. Maybe it wasn't the nice town it seemed to be. I know I had always felt safe there before, but maybe not so much now.
Ethan was in the middle of explaining the situation, when I tuned back into the conversation and out of my inner monologue, "So, what that boils down to is that we think my sister Liz, Olivia Reynolds, and Melissa Kent were all murdered. And, we think Troy Matthews might be involved. He knew all the victims."
Detective Dixon had spent Ethan's entire explanation nodding, but he hadn't even touched the blank notepad and black pen lying on his desk, "You said they were Facebook friends?"
Ethan nodded, "Yes."
"Technically, aren't they all connected through their school? Isn't Facebook a social tool? For networking? It's possible that they all knew each other too, isn't it? Laurel Community College is a small school. A tight knit community college, if you will. Everyone knows everyone else and everyone's on Facebook. That's why these overdoses are such a tragedy," Detective Dixon had slipped into his procedural police voice.
It was obvious to me that he was thinking – ah, these silly kids, trying to play detective! I was no silly kid!
"They're not overdoses! They're murders!" I said and okay, maybe I said it a little too loudly, with a little too much emphasis, and totally out of the blue since I had just been sitting there quietly before this.
"And, how are you involved?" Detective Dixon turned to me, "Besides being Mr. Ripley's girlfriend? I'm sorry, Miss..."
"Kait Lenox," I said, feeling frustrated.
"Miss Lenox," Detective Dixon continued, "I've worked for this police department for the last twenty years. We're checking these overdoses out, but for now, they're classified as drug related deaths. There's no evidence leading us to believe these girls were murdered."
"But we just gave you evidence!" Ethan cried.
"All based on how you feel about your sister and other girls in similar situations. It's a coincidence. It is very possible that the girls all had lots of friends in common. They may have even known each other. It's a very, very sad situation, but there is absolutely no evidence of anything more than drugs. Troy Matthews isn't a lead because there weren't any murders," Detective Dixon was trying to be compassionate, but it came out patronizing.
"What about looking into if he's a drug dealer or if they did drugs together or something?" I asked, just wanting them to check up on Troy in some way. I was getting really frustrated.
Detective Dixon frowned, "We'll keep an eye on him, but there really isn't any evidence that he's involved..."
"There's also this email from Vanessa Martin that Liz never got from the day she died," I said pushing a copy of Vanessa's Facebook email to Liz toward him.
He glanced at it quickly and said, "This doesn't say anything. Looks like she just needed to talk to her."
"Yeah," I kept pushing, "And, then within hours of that email, Liz is dead. Maybe Vanessa knows something about that."
"We'll look into it," Detective Dixon, nodded, but I didn't believe him.
Ethan was seething, but trying to hold his temper. I didn't even know him that well and I could see that Detective Dixon was frustrating the hell out of him. Hell, Detective Dixon was frustrating the hell out of me too and it wasn't even my sister that had died. I knew we were onto something. The police had to listen. I mean, what were Ethan and I going to do with this information? The law had to help us out and use it to find the murderer and then arrest them.
"At least check out Troy Matthews," I pleaded. I was suddenly afraid that we had blown our one and only shot with the police and solving Liz's murder. That would be a travesty.
Detective Dixon scrutinized us for a moment. I got the distinct impression that he was trying not to roll his eyes, while pretending to humor us, instead. Seriously. It was super annoying.
"Okay, okay, it's time for both of you to leave now. I have work to get done before I go home tonight," Detective Dixon gestured at the papers lying everywhere.
"Thanks for nothing, Detective Dixon," Ethan muttered, bitterly, as he stood up.
I didn't even bother saying anything as Ethan and I left the office.
"Can you believe that guy?" Ethan slammed his fist against the steering wheel of his car in frustration.
We were sitting in the Palos Police Department parking lot with the car off. Both of us were really disappointed with the police's treatment of the situation. I was sure Detective Dixon was a good cop, but in this case, he was dead wrong.
"Not really," I said, leaning back into the passenger seat. I needed a nap. It had been a forever long day. "What do we do now?"
Ethan rested his head against the wheel, then turned sideways to look at me in defeat, "I don't know. What can we do?"
"I don't know," I replied back. I didn't know. I mean, weren't the police supposed to investigate murders? Why were they ignoring this? I mean, even if we were only one percent on the right track, shouldn't they at least consider it? They were too busy looking for a heroin ring in Palos. Maybe there was one, but I was betting that in this case the drugs were being sold to someone in particular and that person was supplying and killing these girls.
We sat in the car in silence for a few more moments, the Palos Police Department like a window decoration out the front windshield.
"Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I just don't want to believe Liz did heroin. Hell, maybe it was her first time ever trying it and it just ended up with her ODing. Maybe we should just leave it alone and let the police do their job like Detective Dixon said," Ethan looked tired again, as he leaned back against the driver's side seat.
It was hard to believe that just days ago we'd been complete strangers. Having spent an entire Saturday with Ethan, looking into Liz's murder had changed things. I felt braver, much braver, "I don't think giving up is the right thing to do. I think Liz was murdered. Melissa and Olivia too."
"But the police don't. They're the ones that count," Ethan let out an exasperated sigh, "What are we supposed to do?"
"I don't know!" I shouted. Yes, I shouted at Ethan Ripley, the most popular guy at school. "But we can't just give up. I think we have the start of something."
"I'm tired," Ethan sounded defeated. "I want to give up. I just have to accept the facts like my family and the police want me to. I just want it to be over. I mean, she's dead. There's nothing we can do about it now."
My cell phone broke off my annoyed retort. We couldn't give up. It was Anne from the Palos Video Store, "What's up?"
I listened. Oh shit. I completely forgot about my shift at the store. "I'll be there in twenty minutes, Anne. I totally spaced. I am so sorry."
Ethan was staring at me, as I hung up. "I need to get my car. I forgot about my shift at the video store."
Ethan nodded and started the car. He looked completely drained, "No problem. We'll be back at my house in five."
Ethan pulled away from the Palos Police Department and I felt him pulling away from me at the same time.
"But Ethan, what about Liz?" I asked.
He shook his head, "Forget about this whole thing. I'm sorry for dragging you into this."
I ignored his self-defeatist attitude, "Maybe we should investigate her death ourselves."
"Like we could make any difference," Ethan's voice sounded dull.
I remember how he felt. There was a period after my mom died that I felt the same way. Dull. Nothing mattered, at least not really. Ethan wasn't right in this case, though. Liz had been murdered! I was completely sure of it!
I wasn't going to let him get away with blowing Liz's murder off, "But don't you want to know that your sister wasn't a druggie? Even if we can't convince the police, don't you want to know?"
Ethan sighed, "I just can't think about this right now. I'm so tired."
He couldn't give up! I told myself to calm down. Ethan was under a lot of stress. He could sleep on it. Besides, I had to go to work and there was nothing more we could do tonight, "Maybe you just need to get some rest. We can talk more about it tomorrow."
Ethan snuck a glance at me with a resolved look, as he continued driving, "I'm done looking into it. We don't need to talk about it tomorrow."
That was a total blow off if I could say so myself. Ethan was basically telling me that he'd used me for what he needed me for and he didn't need me anymore. And, maybe I was ignoring the fact that he was obviously depressed and for good reason, but I couldn't help it, I felt suddenly really angry, "Well, you're welcome. I'm so glad I spent the last two days doing research for you into your sister's death. Now that I'm convinced that she was murdered, I am so glad you are convinced that she simply overdosed. Fine, leave me with the guilt of knowing that there's going to be a next victim. Fine, Ethan, fine."
And, we proceeded to drive back to my car and his house in silence, as we both pondered my statement, each angry with the other.
Thus, I spent Saturday night worried about getting fired from my part time video store job over a popular asshole, who I had spent a perfectly good free weekend day trying to help. I was over an hour late to work and worse than that, Ethan and I hadn't spoken a word since my rant. Even when we parted ways, he hadn't said so much as a thank you. So much for the hope that he might say "hi!" to me in the halls when we returned to school on Monday.
Anne was cool, though, about my job. It was the first time ever, that I had been really, really late. Although, she did warn me that I should make sure it never happened again. It wouldn't. I mean, it's not like Ethan was going to be distracting me from my responsibilities again or anything.
Anne left after chewing me out. Even though she was really nice about it, it was still a chewing out. I hoped it would never happen again and it probably wouldn't. I was usually a very good employee.
It was Courtney Lewis and I watching the store tonight. We got along in that way where you get along without really talking. It was how I related to most other people actually.
That was why it was kind of funny that Anne was out the door for about thirty seconds, when Courtney looked at me and said, "So, where were you?"
"I forgot I was working," I said automatically, not looking at her, worried that my face would turn red because I was lying. I pretended to dig in my purse for my book instead.
I found the book and looked up to find Courtney still watching me, "Uh-huh. So, tell me about the guy."
"What?" I feigned, feeling suddenly worried. I knew it wasn't any of Courtney's business and all, but I wasn't good in social situations as it was, so pressuring me to admit to a lie threw me for a loop.
"The guy you were late for? It's so obvious," Courtney was watching me, wanting to hear my gossip for some reason.
If I'd known Courtney better, maybe I would have gossiped to her about my crush on Ethan, but we never talked. I couldn't just come out there with it. I mean, Courtney was older than me by about three years, in college, and she might have more experience on that front than I did, but I just couldn't trust her. Ariel had made me very, very weary of girlfriends and the damage they could inflict if you trusted the wrong one. I had trusted Ariel with everything and she had used it to try to destroy me. Not cool.
And, then it hit me. Courtney was in college, Laurel Community College to be exact. Maybe she knew something about the overdoses, er, murders. She could be an in. Of course, I was totally ignoring the fact that as of this moment, I was off the case, but whatever. I couldn't just leave it alone. No matter what Ethan wanted to do, I was already involved.
I faked a smile or maybe it was real because I was thinking about Ethan, "Well, it's this college guy..."
Courtney grinned at me, "A college guy? Where does he go?"
"To your school. Maybe you know him? Troy Matthews?" I asked, hoping I looked dreamy eyed and in love, and that Courtney knew him.
Courtney shook her head, "No, I don't know him. How'd you meet him?"
I thought for a moment, "I was checking out campus, I might go there, and he walked up to me, but anyway, I found out that he dated one of the girls that overdosed and now..."
Courtney looked at me wide-eyed, "Which one? It wasn't Melissa Kent, was it?"
"Why? Did you know her?" I asked, not really answering her question on purpose.
"Not super well, you know, but I do remember my friend who was like friends with her from church group talking about her and a guy," Courtney started. "But I don't remember his name for sure. It could have been a Troy."
"What happened?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"Well, Sandy was just telling me that this guy was totally into Melissa. He was an art major and making all this cool stuff for her. It was his way of doing the whole romantic thing. Anyway, she so wasn't into him – I mean she wouldn't even kiss him, but for some reason she kept going out on dates with him."
"She wouldn't kiss him?" I asked.
Courtney nodded, "No. And, don't get me wrong, if she doesn't like him she doesn't have to kiss him, but it's just a kiss, you know? If the guy takes you out a few times, kiss him, maybe you'll be into him after all. I mean, she kept dating him and it's not like it's anything big. It's a kiss."
"That's weird," I said.
"Yeah. It broke them up. I mean, he was so into her, but come on, he's a guy. Give him a kiss at least, if you want to keep him around. Anyway, she was such a straight edge. So weird she OD'd," Courtney said. "So, you think this is the same guy? I mean, it's not his fault she did drugs or anything. They were broken up when she died by like at least a couple weeks."
I nodded, "Probably not."
Courtney nodded and then seemed to want me to continue talking about Troy. I didn't know what else to say, so I said, "Okay, I'm going to go restack DVDs."
I grabbed the pile of returned DVDs from the inbox and walked away from Courtney, thinking about what she'd said about Melissa. If the guy Courtney had mentioned was Troy, would Troy have killed Melissa just because he could never have her? Troy definitely needed to be investigated.
Ironically enough, as I was resolving to continue on with the case with or without Ethan, Vanessa Martin was dying.