Page 92 of Five for Silver

“Didsomeone hit you?”

Chad sighed, and gave his pizza crust toMerc. “Yeah. Lucy.”

“Lucy? Lucy Hastings? What the hell?”

“She was angry I’d been investigating hersister’s disappearance. She got upset when she found out I’d beenlooking at her as a potential suspect.”

“Jesus, Chad!” Josh dropped his slice. “Youaccused her of killing her own sister?”

“I didn’t accuse her. I just asked her oldfriend a few questions.”

“Do you really think Lucy did it?”

“I don’t know, but statistically, you’remore likely to be murdered by a family member or somebody you knowcompared to a stranger.”

“Yeah,” Josh nodded, “But that statisticdrops dramatically when you’re in the territory of an active serialkiller.”

“I know—”

“And you fit the killer’s profile.”

“She lied.” Chad took a deep breath. “Shelied about where she was the night Harriet went missing. She wasn’tat home like she said.”

Josh bit his lip. “Okay, that sounds a bitmore promising.”

“Harriet had just broken up with GavinHargreaves, Lucy’s teenage crush, and he moved away.”

“Motive. Good. But…”

“She had an alibi that night. She was withher friend Candice, unless the two of them were in on it togetheror Lucy did it alone and managed to destroy and conceal a body inthirty minutes, I don’t know, Josh…”

“What does your gut say?”

“She didn’t do it.”

Josh shifted forward on the sofa to reachfor the bottle of cola. “Any other suspects?”

“James.”

“Ah, James.”

“He told me about his relationship withHarriet, or his PG, watered down version of it at least where helet the infatuated schoolgirl down gently and she fled intears.”

“Your gut says?”

“He’s lying about their relationship.” Joshpoured Chad a drink and handed it to him. “Thanks.”

“But do you think he killed her?”

“He was arrested soon after herdisappearance, and they didn’t keep him in custody for the fullforty-eight hours. They let him go without charge.”

Josh clicked his tongue to the roof of hismouth. “I see. Anyone else?”

“It’s hard to find any new evidence for acase over thirty years ago when you’re keeping your personalinvestigation a secret.” He sighed. “It’s not like I can make apublic appeal for more information—could you imagine the fallout?”

“Maybe it was Vincent after all.”

“Maybe.”

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