Page 16 of Don't Say a Word

Jack left. He wasn’t certain this closed case would help them, but it wouldn’t surprise him if one or more of the low-level dealers had slipped under the radar and avoided arrest.

He sent Margo a text message.

I have a pile of paperwork about an old case involving drugs at Sun Valley. It’s closed, but maybe something here relates to what happened to Elijah. I’ll leave it on your desk.

A moment later, Margo responded.

Come to my house tonight, six? Pizza and paperwork.

Jack winced. Actually better to tell Margo the truth over text than in person.

Dinner with Whitney.

No response. Maybe Margo was getting over her hatred of his ex.

Seven minutes later he was in his car when a message from Margo popped up.

Why?

Jack wondered how many nasty messages Margo had started and erased.

I’ll tell you later.

Almost immediately came a chain of angry emojis, signifying Margo’s displeasure with his answer.

He left to serve the rest of the subpoenas.

Chapter Five

Margo Angelhart

Irritated, I shoved my phone into my pocket. Why was Jack having dinner with Whitney? Why couldn’t he tell me about it now? If he was getting back together with his bitch of an ex, I’d be furious. Not only because I like his girlfriend, Laura—the first of Jack’s girlfriends I’d ever sincerely liked, going all the way back to high school—but because Whitney cheated on him, lied to him, and put him into debt he had only recently climbed out from.

No, he wouldn’t eventhinkabout getting back together with her. Even though the divorce weighed on him and he wanted to spend more time with Austin, I doubted he would rekindle whatever was left of the marriage that woman sent up in flames. But if she did anything to hurt my brother, I would explode.

Deep breath, I told myself. Jack was a grown-up; he could take care of himself. Still, I hurt when he hurt, so I hoped this was just a minor bump.

I wish he would havetoldme what was going on because my mind always went to the worst-case scenario.

After reading the police report Josie had sent me, I’d set up ameeting with Lena Clark, the guidance counselor, who sounded happy to talk to me.

Sun Valley High School consisted of two distinct buildings. The brick “old school” was built around a central courtyard, while the “new school” to the east was a large three-story structure, constructed in the last decade to replace a worn-out building that dated back to the dark ages. I wasn’t fond of the modern design of the new building, which seemed more suited to an office complex than a school. The administrative wing occupied the western end of the old school, which is where I headed for my meeting with Lena Clark.

I introduced myself to the receptionist and informed her of my appointment; within minutes, Lena came to the lobby. She was a petite, trim fortysomething with dyed blond hair, dressed in a long black skirt, white blouse, and gray blazer—with more necklaces hanging around her neck than I even owned. She wore platform heels, but still didn’t top my very average height. “Ms. Angelhart?”

“That’s me.”

She extended her hand. “I was surprised to get your call.”

“Thank you for making the time to meet.”

“Anything I can do for the Martinez family.” She motioned for me to follow her through a door she opened with a card key.

She led me down a long wide hall with offices to the right and floor-to-ceiling windows on the left, which looked out to the partly covered courtyard. The office’s interior windows would receive natural light without any direct sun, a plus in Arizona. Lena’s spacious office had two windows that looked out into the hall, a couch, three chairs across from her uncluttered desk, and a round conference table that could seat six. Two walls were filled with bookshelves neatly crammed with college prep material, college brochures, and labeled binders.

“Full disclosure,” I said when she closed the door behind me. “My cousin is Officer Josie Morales, who spoke here last week. She shared some of your conversation with me.”

“I like Officer Morales,” Lena said with a genuine smile. “Shewas so good with the students, straightforward and honest. We haven’t had a school resource officer for the last several years. We were supposed to have someone at the beginning of the school year, but it hasn’t happened yet. Tell her for me that I think she would make an excellent SRO. It’s a position not all those in law enforcement can do well.”