Page 125 of Don't Say a Word

“I should have figured you’re still watching me.”

Cal wasn’t, but he didn’t tell Eric that. The kid had gotten hislife mostly together, but it was easy to fall down the same dirty path. If he thought the DEA was keeping an eye on him, all the better.

“I’m waiting.”

“She was asking about how Coach’s network operated. I told her to fuck off. She kept pushing, wanted to know if I had an idea of who he was working with at Sun Valley. I said if I had, I’d have told the police, but he wasn’t working with anyone there. I told her what I told you three years ago—that he had a supplier, that guy called the shots, and I don’t know who it was. Never saw him, never talked to him, wouldn’t know him from Adam. But she pushed, said Mrs. Clark was killed, and that surprised me. She also asked about Scott Jimenez.” He frowned.

“What aren’t you telling me, Eric?”

“I’m telling you everything! I tried to block it out because I don’t want to go back there. I nearly died.”

Slight exaggeration, but Cal didn’t correct him.

“Okay, okay,” Eric said, thinking for a second. “She asked if I knew Megan Osterman, said she died of a drug overdose this summer. Around the Fourth of July. I knew Megan, told her that. The PI already knew that Megan had been dating Scott. Then she asked about Scott’s sister, Desi, who I barely know. I honestly don’t know what she thought I knew, because I swear to God, I told you everything about Coach and his network. I didn’t hold out. Youknowthat, Cal.”

Cal didn’t think Eric withheld information on purpose, but he had been working for Bradford for more than two years. He could have forgotten something, or seen something he didn’t realize was important.

Why did Margo think there was another player at Sun Valley? Was there something about Lena Clark’s murder that had Margo thinking Bradford?

Had Cal and Hitch been so tunnel-focused on Bradford and how he got his drugs that they’d missed something? The supplierhad been their key focus, who they believed was the only operative they hadn’t caught. They didn’t even have a name. The Bradfords stuck to their story of how they bought and packaged the drugs even when confronted with evidence that they were lying. They hadn’t budged, and Cal always believed that the supplier held something over them. Because why would they be so loyal to someone who would remain free while they went to prison?

“Okay,” Cal said.

“That’s it?”

“For now.” He slipped him a phone. “Call me if you remember anything else. Call me if you get in trouble. Call me if Angelhart or anyone else talks to you about Bradford or Sun Valley. And answer the phone if it rings. I’m the only one with the number.”

Eric reluctantly pocketed the flip phone. “I thought this was over.”

“So did I,” Cal said.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Margo Angelhart

Luisa and I helped Tess and Uncle Tom clean up after the party and I didn’t get home until one in the morning. It wasn’t until I woke up at six thirty that I remembered I’d wanted to stop by the office and inspect Megan’s phone. I’d have time to do it before my meeting with Dwight Parsons.

I showered and was in the Black Rock Coffee drive-through lane when my phone rang. It was Angie.

“Margo, there’s crime scene tape around the high school, cops all over the place. Everyone says that someone was killed, but no one knows who!”

“Where are you?”

“Standing with, like, three hundred people in the parking lot.”

“I’ll be there in ten minutes,” I said.

I was trapped in the line with cars in front of me and behind me, so I called Josie.

She didn’t answer. She was probably at the crime scene since she was on duty today. I texted her.

Are you at SVHS? Is there another murder?

She didn’t immediately answer, so I called Jack and told him what Angie said. He said he’d find out and get back to me.

I was halfway to the high school when Josie texted me.

I’m on scene. Suicide, teacher. Sometime last night, trying to get more details from the ME who just arrived.