Page 32 of Silent Bones
Noah sipped his coffee and watched her closely. A crack in the armor, just for a second.
“But… Long Island’s six hours away,” Callie said. “That’s… that’s not just a transfer. That’s a relocation.”
Bill gave a shrug. “You’d have to ask him.”
Before the air could tighten further, a soft knock sounded at the door.
Bill rosefrom his chair and opened the door.
“Avery, come on in, dear.”
She stepped into the room, eyes darting from Noah to Callie and back again. She looked younger than her age, which had to be around seventeen or eighteen. She had long dark hair pulled into a ponytail, tan skin, and a fitted green DEC hoodie over black leggings. Her posture was perfect. Her expression wasanything but. She looked guarded. It was clear she’d been crying. Her eyes were puffy and red and she had balled-up tissue in one hand.
“Detective Sutherland,” Bill said, “wants to ask you a few questions.”
“Am I in trouble?” she asked, glancing at her father.
“No,” Noah said, gesturing to the seat across from him. “Just looking for some clarity.”
She sat slowly. Callie remained quiet, letting Noah take the lead.
“How long did you know the victims?” he asked.
Avery folded her hands in her lap. “Since high school. Some earlier. Stephen and I were close… closest, I guess.”
“You appear in a lot of photos with them. Camping trips, bonfires, that sort of thing. But you weren’t with them the night they died.”
“No,” she said.
“Why not?”
She looked to her father. He gave a tight nod, encouraging but firm.
“I’m focusing on my future,” she said carefully. “I graduate this spring. I’m trying to get into the DEC’s wildlife conservation internship.”
“Well, that is, after she’s been to college for a couple of years,” Bill added. “She needs to keep her head down. That friend group… wasn’t the best influence. Isn’t that right, hon?”
Avery didn’t answer, and Noah noted the flicker of tension between them.
Noah leaned forward slightly. “Can you tell me where you were that night?”
“At home. With my mom.”
“She’ll confirm that?”
“She already did,” Bill cut in. “When Detective McKenzie called her today.”
“Oh, he’s called already.”
“Yeah, I’ve already been through numerous questions. He said he was speaking to all of the parents.”
Noah nodded. “Alright. Well, I’d like to show you something, if that’s okay. Something that came from Stephen’s phone. I thought you might be able to shed some light on it.”
He reached into his folder and pulled out a printed screenshot, the still frame of a video showing Avery outside a tent, shirtless, but in a bra. She was straddling Stephen and laughing as she gestured at someone off-screen.
Bill furrowed his brow. “What’s this?”
Avery’s face turned a shade paler. “That was nothing,” she said quickly. “It was a joke. We were just playing around.”
