Page 54 of Secret Stalker

“Yes. That ring.”

“Definitely. It got caught in my hair when he grabbed me. Ripped out some of my hair by the roots. Or, at least, it felt like it.”

“Did you take the ring with you when you left?”

“No. I wish I’d thought to. It probably has my DNA all over it, from my scalp. Yet another reason not to cooperate with the police. Why? I’m guessing you found it and want me to give a DNA sample for comparison?”

He shook his head. “The ring was never found.”

She frowned. “But that doesn’t make sense. He was definitely wearing it.”

“You said you hit him on the head with a wine bottle?”

“Yes. It was one of those blue ones. I don’t remember the label.”

“What did you do with the bottle?”

She frowned again. “Other than hit him? Nothing. I already told you what happened.”

“Humor me. Please. Did you take the wine bottle?”

“No. I didn’t take anything but the buttons from my shirt, the ones I found anyway. The note that was in my pocket was gone. All I can figure is when Bobby was...pawing me, that he yanked it out. Probably to make sure I couldn’t show it to anyone to prove that he’d lured me there. I didn’t think to look for it when I left, because I didn’t know it was gone at the time.”

“Did you clean the cabin?”

She gave him an incredulous look. “I just told you I didn’t take anything or even stop to see if I still had the note.”

“Bex. It’s important. Did you clean the cabin?”

“No. No, I didn’t clean the cabin. I was too messed up to even think about something like that. I grabbed the buttons that I saw, grabbed my clothes and just...ran, back through the trees to where I’d hidden my mom’s car.”

“Are you sure about these details? You’ve told me everything?”

“I’ve been seeing that same night play out in my nightmares for ten years. I’m sure.”

“Bex, if you’re telling me the truth—”

“I am. I swear.”

“If you’re sure you’ve told me everything, then I’m sure of something else. You absolutely did not kill Bobby Caldwell.”

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