Page 6 of Liar's Point

Another deep breath. The woman’s eyes looked almost black in the dimness. She had pale skin, and Nicole wondered how long she had lived here. Most full-time residents had year-round tans unless they constantly slathered on sunscreen.

“Cassandra Miller.”

Nicole took the little spiral notebook from the inside pocket of her jacket. “Is that with a C?”

“Yes.” She eyed the notepad with a wary look.

“And your home address, Cassandra?”

She rattled off the address of an apartment complex in town several blocks off the beach. Then she surprised Nicole by volunteering her cell phone number. With a twinge of satisfaction, Nicole jotted everything down. Already she’d managed to get more than Owen.

“So, you mind telling me about what happened? How you came upon the vehicle?”

The woman turned her face to the water and took another deep breath. Deep breaths seemed to be a big thing with her.

“I was nearing my midpoint.”

“Midpoint?”

“I always turn around at the lighthouse.”

“All right.”

“I noticed the car when I first passed it.”

“What time was this?”

“I don’t know. About ten after six?”

Nicole made a note. “Did you see anyone inside?”

“No. I thought it was empty.”

“Did you get a close look at it?”

She shook her head. “I was running. Then I reached the lighthouse and turned around, and that’s when I got a weird vibe.”

“A vibe about what?”

“Just, you know, a feeling. I knew something was off. Something about the car bothered me.”

Weird vibe, something off, Nicole scribbled.

“I thought maybe someone was swimming or surfing. The waves are high today. But there’s a rip current here, and there are warning signs all over the place. I started to get worried that maybe someone was out there alone.”

She took a deep breath and blew it out for an eternity as Nicole waited, her pen poised above her notepad.

“And then?”

“Then I jogged over for a closer look, and that’s when I saw the dream catcher.” She glanced over her shoulder at all the cops. “I recognized it.”

“Recognized what?”

She turned to face her. “The car. The dream catcher. All of it seemed familiar. I looked closer, and sure enough, it was her.”

Nicole leaned closer. “You’re saying you know the person who—”

“Yes. Her name is Aubrey.”

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