Page 136 of Liar's Point

“Working from home,” Emmet said, although he highly doubted it.

“Get her in here,” Brady ordered. “She knows the witness better than the rest of us. Maybe she can figure out where to find her.”

***

Cassandra parked her car beside the dumpster and glanced up and down the alley before getting out. She hitched her backpack onto her shoulder, then walked to the back of the yoga studio and used her key to unlock the door.

“Hello?” she called, stepping into the dark hallway.

She locked the door behind her and switched on the light. A cart filled with used white towels sat against a wall. Cassandra made her way down the hallway, listening for any sign that she wasn’t alone. She wasn’t expecting Paula here—Danielle’s funeral was tomorrow, and she was no doubt busy with logistics—but Cassandra kept on alert in case another staffer had dropped by. She crept past the laundry cart, listening intently, but the building was silent, and the faint scent of sandalwood incense hung in the air.

She paused at Danielle’s office and tried the door. Locked. Then she walked past the restrooms and leaned her head into the changing room. Most of the lockers were open and empty. But the lockers on the end, which were reserved for staffers, were all closed.

Cassandra took a moment to check both restrooms to confirm that she was alone before returning to the changing room. She set her backpack on the wooden bench and quickly tapped in her code. The door to her locker popped open with a snick.

Cassandra’s pulse thudded as she stared at the orange shoebox that she’d crammed into the space. She’d had to shove it in vertically. She pulled the box out and glanced around one last time before opening the lid.

Inside was a collection of items she’d hoped she would never need: an envelope of cash, a passport, a pair of hair scissors. She nudged aside the box of Revlon Ultra Light Natural Blonde and found the backup burner phone that she’d purchased in August. She’d memorized the number but had never given it to anyone, not even Jess.

Cassandra tucked the burner phone into the zipper pocket of her backpack. Then she grabbed the passport and cash and dropped them into the main compartment with her clothes and her other cell phone. She started to zip the backpack but stopped, staring down at the hair dye. What the hell? It wouldn’t hurt to have it along, just in case. She added it to her pack, then closed the empty shoebox and wedged it back into the locker.

Clink.

Cassandra froze. Her heart thrummed inside her chest as she listened. The noise had come from the lobby, it sounded like. Slowly, silently, Cassandra closed the door to her locker. Her backpack wasn’t zipped, but she didn’t want to risk making a noise. She picked up the backpack, holding it closed with her hand. She heard keys jangling as she crept toward the hallway.

“Yeah, I’m here now.”

Reese.

“Let me call you when I leave.... Okay, bye.”

Cassandra zipped the backpack and slung it over her shoulder before stepping into the hall.

“Hey.”

Reese glanced up from her phone, startled. “Oh, hey. The door was locked. I didn’t know anyone was here.”

“I parked out back.” She nodded down the hall. They rarely used the back door, but she hoped Reese wouldn’t make an issue of it.

Cassandra stepped toward her. “You look nice today.”

In truth, Reese looked like hell, same as Cassandra did. She had clearly been crying. But instead of her usual activewear, she was wearing black jeans, a pale pink sweater, and boots.

“Yeah, well...” Reese shook her head. “I’m headed to my parents’ house. I just need to be home, you know? This week has been...” She trailed off.

“I know.” Cassandra sighed. “Did you talk to Paula?”

“Yeah. She knows we’re coming to the service tomorrow.”

Cassandra felt a pang of guilt.

“Ten fifteen still okay?” Reese asked. “It starts at eleven.”

“That’s good, yeah.”

Reese looked her over, seeming to notice her appearance for the first time. “Where are you off to?”

“Me?”

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