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“He wouldn’t say.”

“Did he say what the conversation was about?”

“No. He only said it was awkward.”

“Awkward?” Ellery repeated.

“Wait. No. He said it wasdifficult. It was going to be difficult. That’s it. I think.”

“You’re not sure?”

“I’m not sure of the exact word he used. Maybe itwasawkward. But Iamsure that it was just a day or two before he died.That, I’m positive about.”

At the time, Ellery had been living with Noah and Flip. Brandon had been there off and on, and Brandon was always a distraction, but not so much of a distraction that Ellery wouldn’t have noticed if Noah was especially stressed.

At least, he didn’t think so. Or would he?

It was hard to say.

“You don’t haveanyidea what the conversation was about? Or who he was going to talk to?”

Flip’s expression was regretful. He shook his head. “I don’t think Noah wanted me to know until he’d spoken to the person. That’s the impression I got.”

“I don’t remember anything about this.”

“Neither does Lenny.” Flip sighed.

“You didn’t tell the police about it after Noah was killed?”

“Tell them what? That Noah mentioned he was going to have an awkward conversation with someone? It wasn’t like he was afraid or that he thought there would be trouble. He was uncomfortable and he thought it would be awkward. Or difficult.”

Ellery cast his thoughts back to that time and that place, but none of this rang a bell.

“Do you remember anything going on back then that might have been the reason for Noah’s talk with this unknown person?”

“No. But I know that person had to be one of us. Or why not tell me the name? It had to be because it was someone I knew.”

Ellery glanced at the little numbers clicking past on his phone. Jack wasnotgoing to be happy with direction of this interview. But wasn’t this the very kind of thing that Jackneededto know?

“How serious could this conversation have been if none of us can remember anything that was going on at the time?”

Flip shrugged. “I know. I agree. But it popped into my mind last night and now I can’t think of anything else.”

What the heck could that awkward conversation have been in regard to? What were the usual conflicts they’dhad? Borrowing something without asking, eating the last of something, skipping out on household chores, not paying their fair share of a utility bill? Kid stuff.

The other problem with that theory was Ellery and Flip and, yes, sometimes Brandon, had been Noah’s roommates, and none of them had any problem speaking up if they thought somebody wasn’t pulling their weight. It wouldn’t require specialawkwardconversations.

What then?

Had Noah become aware of something outside their own small household? But within their tight circle of friends?

But what?

“Okay. Well, it’s all here for Jack to consider. As far as your movements last night?”

“I made no movements. I was dead to the world the minute my head hit the pillow. The last thing I remember was Lenny speculating on whether Chelsea was going to have another try for Freddie.” Flip added a little wearily, “Poor Chelsea.”

“You didn’t hear anyone moving around last night?”