Page 108 of Homecoming

“Where were her friends at this point?”

“I forgot that part. She argued with the future SIL because she wanted to stay at the Barnacle when the rest of them were going back to her parents’ house. They didn’t want to leave her alone with me. She told them she was fine and could do what she wanted. I didn’t hear what they said to each other, but the othersleft, and she was wound up from fighting with them. She did a couple of shots and wanted to dance, so that’s what we did.”

“Did she say anything more about the guy?”

“No, but she’d told me before that he hadn’t given up on them getting back together, but she’d moved on. He had no interest in leaving the town they grew up in, and she wanted a bigger life than that. Apparently, he’d shown up on campus a few times since she went back to school, and she’d told him to get lost. He didn’t like it, but he left after accusing her of wanting other guys more than she wanted a bigger life. I guess it got a little ugly a few times.”

“This is great info, Keith. What do you know about where she lived at UConn?”

“I think she was in an off-campus apartment in Storrs.”

“If we need it, I’ll try to track down her friends and roommates to get some more info about what happened with him.”

“Do you think it was him she saw?”

“I’m going to check the security footage from the bar and see if we can ID him as being there. If we can, that could be enough to get the heat off you and Kirby. You had no motive. He did.”

“What if you can’t prove he killed her?”

“I don’t have to. I just have to show it’s likely that someone other than you two did it. If I introduce enough evidence to provide reasonable doubt of your involvement, it’ll never get to trial.”

“What if it’s not enough, and they still think we did it?”

“Let’s take it one day at a time. I’ll do everything I can to get you out of this.”

“And what happens then when I have to live the rest of my life as someone who was accused of murdering a woman?”

“Being charged isn’t the same as being convicted.”

“Isn’t it, though? Won’t there always be people who think it might’ve been me?”

“Not if someone else is eventually convicted.” Dan leaned in. “Look, Keith… I know this is excruciating, but you didn’t do it. You just have to be patient while we gather information that we can use to exonerate you. I’ve got good people working this from all angles.”

“You had them working on it before today?”

“Yes, I’ve had them working on it since about one minute after your mother called me Saturday afternoon.”

“You really are good at this, aren’t you?”

“That’s what I hear.”

“I know we didn’t get off on the best foot… but I want you to know… Kara’s a good kid who doesn’t suffer fools. If she thinks you’re okay, you probably are.”

Dan laughed. “For some strange reason that makes me the luckiest guy in the world, she approves of me.”

Keith held out his hand across the table.

Dan reached out to meet him halfway and shook his hand.

“Thank you, Dan.”

“You’re welcome.”

Dan next askedto see Kirby, and when his brother-in-law was seated across from him, he noted that Kirby couldn’t stay still. His fingers were tapping on the table, and his leg bounced so hard that his entire body moved with it. “Are you sleeping at all?”

“Not really.”

“Do you need anything?”

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