Page 38 of Last Seen Alive

“Trent and I have been assigned the case.”

“Even though I’ve been charged? Doesn’t that usually mean case closed?”

“Usually, but an exception is being made. I assure you we are doing everything to get to the truth.”

“Did you see Michelle, tell her about Claire?”

Amanda glanced over at Trent, sensing that he’d withdrawn energetically. “We just left there.”

“How is she? Heartbroken, I bet. She was just as devastated as me when Claire disappeared from her life. Only Claire had ghosted her years sooner. Michelle would call and ask me to have Claire call her. Claire talked as if she were in contact with Michelle. Why all the secrets and lies, Amanda?”

“We’re working to get that answer.”Among many others…

“Did Michelle tell you I wouldn’t have done this, that there’s no way I could have hurt Claire?”

“She did. She also told us about a good friend that Claire had. She didn’t know her name, just the nickname Roo. Does that ring any bells?” If Claire had a close friend, one would think the man she loved and married would know about her.

A few beats of quiet, then, “Don’t think so.”

“Who was her maid of honor at your wedding?” Trent asked, and it had Amanda looking at him.

“Her sister, Michelle.”

How strange. Where would that leave Roo—whoever she was? “You told me that Claire’s friend got her on the dating app, how you two ended up meeting. Who was that?”

“Honestly? I never met her.”

“You never met your girlfriend’s best friend?” Trent let out a huff of disbelief and shook his head.

“I asked Claire about her, but she said she’d moved away. I let it go.”

“And you figured she had only the one friend?” Trent again, his skepticism not hidden well.

“She told me she had a hard time getting close to people.”

Another dead end…She and Trent would need to revisit Claire Ramsey’s dormant Facebook account. They could check there and see if they could identify this best friend. “I found an old Facebook account belonging to Claire. You wouldn’t happen to have her password? Access to Claire’s private messages might be a big help.”

“Wouldn’t know where to begin.”

“One more thing, Logan. Is the house you’re living in now the one you shared with Claire before?”

“No, and before you ask, I have no idea how she got there.”

Yet another mystery with this case…“Okay, well, I’m going to let you go for now. Just hang in there all right.”

“Yeah.” Sapped of all enthusiasm and bland acceptance.

They said their goodbyes and ended the call.

Trent parked in the hotel lot and got out without saying anything. Amanda followed his lead.

“That Facebook account I mentioned… We could see if we can get anywhere finding the best friend that way. Logan doesn’t have the password, but we could get a judge to approve access.”

“We can. And it might not get us anywhere.”

Wasn’t he just Mr.Positivity?

He got the door for her.