Read Online Dead Girls Don't Lie by Jennifer Shaw Wolf - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer Shaw Wolf
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are.”
“That’s all it was? No fight or anything?” The man directs his question back at me.
“No.” I say it slowly, positive he’s not interested in a fight between two teenage girls over a guy.
“Well, Jaycee. That being said, I still have a few questions I’d like you to answer.” The dark eyes find me again, shrinking behind Dad.
“And you are?” Dad’s voice holds a challenge that I’ve only heard a couple of times, when I watched him in court.
“Special Agent Herrera.” The man reaches inside his coat and pulls out a badge. “I’m part of the Spokane Violent Crime and Gang Task Force. Through the FBI.” FBI? My heart stops. “I specialize in drug- and gang-related crimes.” He slides the badge back in his pocket. “When was your last communication with Rachel?” I swallow hard. I can feel him weighing my expression, my breaths; my every move. “Her last phone call, or text?”
I’m suddenly confused. Does the video message I saw this afternoon count? It was from Rachel, but not directly. She told me not to talk to the cops, begged me. In spite of everything I’ve been taught about telling the truth, I’m not sure what’s right anymore. I start small. “She tried to call me a few nights ago.”
He flips open a little notebook. “When exactly?”
I want to look away, but I don’t dare. “Friday.”
His eyes flash with surprise, and I hear Dad and Araceli both draw a breath. “The night she was murdered?”
I flinch. “Yes.”
He writes something down. “Approximately what time was the first call?”
“Late. I’m not sure when.” I glance up at Dad, wondering if Detective Herrera is going to ask me where I was when Rachel tried to call me, knowing I can’t lie to him.
“I see. And did you have a conversation with her that night?”
“No. My phone was off. I didn’t see that she had called until later,” I say. His eyes are still boring into me so I include, “But she sent me a text.”
Dad and Araceli exchange shocked looks.
Agent Herrera stays steady. “And what did the text say?”
“I’m not sure. I didn’t read it. I deleted it.” The lie and the truth come out with one breath. If I don’t admit what it said, I’m not responsible. Phone records can be traced. I’m sure Detective Herrera can find out what the text said without me.
“Oh?” Special Agent Herrera says.
Araceli looks shocked, hurt, and confused. She turns to me. “Jaycee, I don’t understand. A text? Rachel didn’t have a cell phone.”
Now it’s my turn to look shocked. Somehow I didn’t think that Rachel would have kept the phone a secret from her mom this whole time.
But Agent Herrera is nodding. “You aren’t the first of Rachel’s friends to tell me about her having a phone. But the other person couldn’t tell me where she’d gotten it. Can you?”
I swallow, look from Araceli’s hurt face to my father’s disappointed one. “She said her dad sent it to her. That he was paying for it.”
Araceli’s eyes widen. “No. No. She has no contact with her father. He wouldn’t have given her a phone.”
“But it seems she did have a phone.” Agent Herarra writes something down. “Perhaps of unknown origin.” He turns to me. “How long would you say she had this phone?”
“Almost a year.” I look up at Dad for help. “She showed it to me last summer. I didn’t know she hadn’t told her mom about it.”
“Do you have any idea where that phone is now?” Agent Herrera’s eyes are measuring me even more closely than they were before.
“No. I thought … I mean, she had to have had it with her. The text came the night she died.” I’m floundering again, not sure what the truth is.
“So I assume you have the number?” Agent Herrera holds his little notebook, poised and ready to write.
“It’s in my phone,” I answer, “but I don’t have it. My dad …”
“I’ve got it right here.” Dad pulls my phone out of his pocket. I don’t know why he
“That’s all it was? No fight or anything?” The man directs his question back at me.
“No.” I say it slowly, positive he’s not interested in a fight between two teenage girls over a guy.
“Well, Jaycee. That being said, I still have a few questions I’d like you to answer.” The dark eyes find me again, shrinking behind Dad.
“And you are?” Dad’s voice holds a challenge that I’ve only heard a couple of times, when I watched him in court.
“Special Agent Herrera.” The man reaches inside his coat and pulls out a badge. “I’m part of the Spokane Violent Crime and Gang Task Force. Through the FBI.” FBI? My heart stops. “I specialize in drug- and gang-related crimes.” He slides the badge back in his pocket. “When was your last communication with Rachel?” I swallow hard. I can feel him weighing my expression, my breaths; my every move. “Her last phone call, or text?”
I’m suddenly confused. Does the video message I saw this afternoon count? It was from Rachel, but not directly. She told me not to talk to the cops, begged me. In spite of everything I’ve been taught about telling the truth, I’m not sure what’s right anymore. I start small. “She tried to call me a few nights ago.”
He flips open a little notebook. “When exactly?”
I want to look away, but I don’t dare. “Friday.”
His eyes flash with surprise, and I hear Dad and Araceli both draw a breath. “The night she was murdered?”
I flinch. “Yes.”
He writes something down. “Approximately what time was the first call?”
“Late. I’m not sure when.” I glance up at Dad, wondering if Detective Herrera is going to ask me where I was when Rachel tried to call me, knowing I can’t lie to him.
“I see. And did you have a conversation with her that night?”
“No. My phone was off. I didn’t see that she had called until later,” I say. His eyes are still boring into me so I include, “But she sent me a text.”
Dad and Araceli exchange shocked looks.
Agent Herrera stays steady. “And what did the text say?”
“I’m not sure. I didn’t read it. I deleted it.” The lie and the truth come out with one breath. If I don’t admit what it said, I’m not responsible. Phone records can be traced. I’m sure Detective Herrera can find out what the text said without me.
“Oh?” Special Agent Herrera says.
Araceli looks shocked, hurt, and confused. She turns to me. “Jaycee, I don’t understand. A text? Rachel didn’t have a cell phone.”
Now it’s my turn to look shocked. Somehow I didn’t think that Rachel would have kept the phone a secret from her mom this whole time.
But Agent Herrera is nodding. “You aren’t the first of Rachel’s friends to tell me about her having a phone. But the other person couldn’t tell me where she’d gotten it. Can you?”
I swallow, look from Araceli’s hurt face to my father’s disappointed one. “She said her dad sent it to her. That he was paying for it.”
Araceli’s eyes widen. “No. No. She has no contact with her father. He wouldn’t have given her a phone.”
“But it seems she did have a phone.” Agent Herarra writes something down. “Perhaps of unknown origin.” He turns to me. “How long would you say she had this phone?”
“Almost a year.” I look up at Dad for help. “She showed it to me last summer. I didn’t know she hadn’t told her mom about it.”
“Do you have any idea where that phone is now?” Agent Herrera’s eyes are measuring me even more closely than they were before.
“No. I thought … I mean, she had to have had it with her. The text came the night she died.” I’m floundering again, not sure what the truth is.
“So I assume you have the number?” Agent Herrera holds his little notebook, poised and ready to write.
“It’s in my phone,” I answer, “but I don’t have it. My dad …”
“I’ve got it right here.” Dad pulls my phone out of his pocket. I don’t know why he
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