The Girl From the Woods
35
"You're causing quite the commotion, Mr. Mathers."
"Mr. Saunders attacked me!" I shot back.
Brandt held up a hand. "I understand that. But what you need to understand is that you can't just be walking around town openly."
"But I didn't—"
"Then who did? We've looked for the man called Victor, but with little to go on, we're at a loss. You were the last person to see her alive. She was found on your property."
"I know," I said softly. "And I can't explain that. I wish I could. Have you checked her phone records? There's no connections between us. I saw her at a party, and then again just before she died. Her blood was on my hands, that much is true, but I did not kill her. How many times do I have to tell you?"
"It doesn't make sense," Brandt replied. "You are quite literally the last person who saw her before she died."
"She wanted my help to find the person responsible, and I can't do that if you keep me here! I was getting too close, so Victor shut me down."
"There is no Victor, Quinn. He doesn't exist."
"You're right about that. Whoever attacked me and put me in the hospital, that wasn't her brother. That was her killer."
"You seem certain of this."
"I am."
Then I remembered what I'd come here to do—to touch something of Detective Brandt's so that he will see what Rachel saw. He would see her last day.
"Can I use your pen?" I asked.
Brandt blinked at me. His pen sat next to the notepad, which he'd written some things on. Reluctantly, he passed it to me.
"Don't stab me with it," he instructed.
"I'm going to show you why I came here," I told him.
"Mr. Saunders attacked me!" I shot back.
Brandt held up a hand. "I understand that. But what you need to understand is that you can't just be walking around town openly."
"But I didn't—"
"Then who did? We've looked for the man called Victor, but with little to go on, we're at a loss. You were the last person to see her alive. She was found on your property."
"I know," I said softly. "And I can't explain that. I wish I could. Have you checked her phone records? There's no connections between us. I saw her at a party, and then again just before she died. Her blood was on my hands, that much is true, but I did not kill her. How many times do I have to tell you?"
"It doesn't make sense," Brandt replied. "You are quite literally the last person who saw her before she died."
"She wanted my help to find the person responsible, and I can't do that if you keep me here! I was getting too close, so Victor shut me down."
"There is no Victor, Quinn. He doesn't exist."
"You're right about that. Whoever attacked me and put me in the hospital, that wasn't her brother. That was her killer."
"You seem certain of this."
"I am."
Then I remembered what I'd come here to do—to touch something of Detective Brandt's so that he will see what Rachel saw. He would see her last day.
"Can I use your pen?" I asked.
Brandt blinked at me. His pen sat next to the notepad, which he'd written some things on. Reluctantly, he passed it to me.
"Don't stab me with it," he instructed.
"I'm going to show you why I came here," I told him.