Page 31 of Little Hidden Fears

“Do you think it could have all been an act?”

“I’ve always felt like I can get a good read on people. His behavior, the tears, the remorse, it all seemed genuine to me.”

Genuine.

Ted Bundy had been described as genuine in character.

And then he murdered thirty women over a four-year killing spree.

I wasn’t buying it.

I was also starting to question all the things shehadn’ttold me during our first meeting. If she wanted justice for her friend, I would have expected her to tell me everything, no matter how irrelevant it may have seemed.

“Don’t you think you should have told me about Gabe and the visit you had with him during our first meeting?” I asked.

“I mean, maybe. I guess I don’t know why her past with him is relevant. He didn’t kill her.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I just am.”

“Do you know where he lives?”

“I know where he was living when I went to see him. Not sure where he is now.”

It seemed odd to me that Zoey went to see Gabe with the intention of threatening him if he ever tried to see Noelle again.And yet, here she was standing up for him, acting like the rapist was now a saint.

Some people think others can change.

I say, maybe they can, but notthatmuch.

“How many people work at the women’s center?” I asked.

“I’m not sure. Even though Noelle was passionate about it, she was private when it came to sharing any personal details. It didn’t surprise me. She’d always been a private person.”

“Is there a specific person who runs the center?”

“Yeah, a woman named Barbara. Not sure about the last name.”

Barbara.

I jotted the name down in my notebook.

“I’ve got another name for you,” Zoey said. “I’ve been going over the conversations I had with Noelle in the weeks before her death, and I remembered something.”

“Go on.”

“Noelle taught tennis lessons once a week at Royal Palms. She didn’t need the money, of course. She did it for the love of the game. A few weeks ago, I picked her up for lunch, and she was upset, which wasn’t like her.”

“Did she say why?”

“A woman who works at Royal Palms told Noelle she suspected someone working at the club was embezzling money.”

“Who was this woman?”

“I’m not sure. Noelle didn’t give me a name. I’m guessing she would be someone who knows about the financials of the company.”

“Did she tell Noelle who she suspected of stealing money?”