Page 41 of What She Saw

“I met him once or twice. But we weren’t friends.”

I liked ripping open scabbed wounds filled with rot and infection. “He was hot and charming. He must have noticed you.”

“Sure, he did. But that was that.”

“Is he why you snuck out and went to the festival?”

She tapped her fork against her plate. “No.”

“Some theorize Colton had help.”

“I don’t have all afternoon to sit here and listen to this crap.” She dropped her fork, letting it fall on the half-eaten piece of cherry pie. “You have no idea how hard it was for us all after the festival. We were all terrified until he was arrested. I didn’t sleep for weeks.”

“You were worried for your personal safety?”

She stood and grabbed her purse. “Leave me alone.”

“See you around?”

Her smile was as sweet as artificial syrup. “Not if I can help it.” She tossed ten bucks on the counter and left.

Buddy came out, glanced at the half-eaten pie, and set the burger and fries in front of me. “That’s not like Bailey. She looks pissed.”

I had that effect on people sometimes. “She said she had work.” I sipped my soda and then plucked up a hot, salty fry. “Do you remember Laurie Carr working your burger stand at the festival?”

He picked up Bailey’s plate and wiped the counter with a rag. “You’re still on that?”

“Did you see Bailey at the concert?”

“I saw her about nine. She was buying a burger.” The words sounded automatic, as if the repeated words were etched into his brain.

“How did she seem?”

“Distracted by the bands and the crowds.”

“When’s the last time you saw Bailey that night?”

“About midnight.”

“She said she left before then.”

He shook his head. “Yeah, she says a lot of things.”

“Thirty-one years ago, I bet Bailey was hot and got lots of attention.”

“She was smoking. And high-maintenance. Never worth the trouble, as far as I was concerned.”

High-strung and privileged. Not much had changed with Bailey. “Did you see Laurie at the tent?”

“Sure. For a little while. Then she left to go sing onstage.”

“That would’ve been about eleven p.m.?”

“That’s right.”

“How long did you work the tent with Patty?”

“A couple of hours. Then Patty said she needed a quick break, so I hung around a little longer.”