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Monterey, California. ”
    A guy with wild curly hair and freckles popped up. “We all know about Alex here,” he said. “He had this ex-girlfriend, Cleo, that he just couldn’t get over. Practically stalked her. And one night he hurt Cleo’s new boyfriend, Brett, really badly. Brett was hospitalized for a month.” Hismouth wobbled. “Brett’s my best friend. I was so worried about him.”
    The newscast cut to the reporter again. “Channel 11 tried to contact Cleo Hawkins and Brett Greene’s parents for questioning, but they couldn’t be reached at this time.”
    Ava’s mouth dropped open. She stared at Mac’s phone. “How can this be true?”
    Julie felt a pang. It was clear Ava hadn’t heard this piece of the puzzle, not from her own lawyer, and certainly not from Alex. She looked like someone had just slapped her hard.
    Mac winced. “I’m sorry you had to hear it like this.”
    Ava said nothing. She pressed PLAY , and the video started over. “Alex isn’t like that,” she said after it finished.
    â€œIt fits, though,” Parker piped up. “He sees you doing a striptease for Granger, and he snaps and kills him.”
    Ava glared at her through tear-blurred eyes. “Alex isn’t the type who snaps .”
    Caitlin bounced her balled fists on her knees. “Actually, my attorney told me the same story about the kid from his old school. Apparently the cops found a text from Alex to Granger saying ‘Stay away from my girlfriend or I’ll kill you.’”
    Ava was growing paler and paler by the second. “ What? ”
    â€œAlex sent it after you confessed that Granger hit on you,” Caitlin said in a small voice. She peeked at Ava. “Your lawyer didn’t tell you any of this?”
    Ava made a face. “I haven’t even heard from my lawyer yet. And he’s supposed to be the best.” She looked down. “Even with a verbal threat and a motive, and a supposedly violent history.” She said supposedly as if she didn’t fully believe it. “It still doesn’t seem like enough to arrest Alex.”
    Caitlin coughed awkwardly. “Well, Alex’s prints are all over Granger’s doorknob, too.”
    â€œWow,” Mac exhaled.
    â€œWhy didn’t I know any of this?” Ava exclaimed, her voice shaky.
    â€œMaybe your lawyer or your parents were trying to protect you?” Julie volunteered.
    Ava shook her head, looking shocked. “I just don’t understand.”
    Julie looked around at the others. “But this means that we’re no longer suspects, right?”
    â€œThat’s what my lawyer told me,” Caitlin said quietly.
    Julie had to admit she felt relieved. If she never visited that police station again, it would be too soon. Still, Ava’s face made the victory bittersweet. “So, if Alex killed Granger,” she began, working something out in her mind, “and if he did it for jealousy reasons, does that mean Granger did kill Nolan? And the two murders are unrelated?”
    â€œMaybe.” Mac pulled her knees into her chest. “Maybe it’s all cleared up after all.”
    No one spoke for a moment. Julie looked away fromAva. Then Parker cleared her throat. “Someone else was killed recently, too.”
    Everyone looked at her. Suddenly, Parker couldn’t speak. Julie took a breath, having a feeling she knew what Parker wanted to talk about. “Parker’s dad was killed,” she said.
    The others gasped. “Oh my god,” Ava said. “How?”
    Parker cleared her throat, regaining her voice. “He was stabbed in the prison yard. They haven’t figured out who did it yet, but obviously it was another inmate.”
    â€œWow.” Mac ran her fingers along the stitching on Ava’s comforter. “There’s a lot of death going around.”
    Caitlin cocked her head.