Stolen(54)

Yeah. No friendship medals for this one.

“So, then, if you’re not arresting Tru for failing to report Harriet as missing, what kind of charges did you have in mind?” Caity narrowed her eyes at him, while inching closer to Truella in an exaggerated show of support.

“I was thinking obstruction of justice.” He widened his stance. “Only because accessory to murder seems a bit premature.”

“I don’t know.” Caity slid Truella a questioning gaze. “I think she’ll talk to us.”

“Of course I will! I’m the one who called you, remember?”

“Well, Tru, you did hang up as soon as you found out the reward was only for information about Laura Chaucer,” Spense said.

“No, no, no. We got disconnected. My cell lost signal. My battery died.”

Spense grabbed a phone off the coffee table. “This yours? One hundred percent charged—and look at that signal.”

“Now. I had to charge it up so I could call you back.”

Spense uncrossed his arms and spread his palms. “Luckily, we’re here, so you won’t have to worry about either the battery or the signal anymore. Which was the problem, again?”

Truella blinked rapidly. “I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”

Caity shook a finger at Spense. “Put those cuffs away. Tru’s a good egg. I just know it.”

“She waited this long to call the cops. And then, it was just because she thought she’d get a reward. She clammed up as soon as she found out she wouldn’t get money for telling us about Harriet,” Spense said.

“I don’t need a reward. I promise I’ll cooperate.”

Spense offered Truella her cell. “You’d better.”

Truella’s hand shook as she accepted her phone from Spense. “Honest, I didn’t know anything bad happened to her—not until I saw that press conference on TV. Maybe it’s not really Harriet.”

“I hope not.” Caity’s false chumminess suddenly disappeared. Spense could hear genuine empathy for Truella in her tone. He’d known Caity couldn’t keep up a pretense for long, but it didn’t matter. She’d played her part of the ruse well, and just long enough.

Truella leaned forward, wringing her hands, a dazed look in her eyes.

Spense had no doubt she’d tell them everything she knew about Harriet Beckerman—to save her own hide. “On the phone, you said you thought the body that was found up in the wilderness might be that of your roommate. Describe Harriet, please.”

“She has long dark hair—almost black—and blue eyes.”

“Keep going.”

“She turned twenty last month. She’s shorter than me—I’m five four. And she’s thinner and prettier than me, too. She . . .” Truella’s eyebrows flattened. “She’s the kind of girl who doesn’t mind stealing her friend’s boyfriend.”

Maybe that was why Truella seemed so angry with Harriet.

“Let’s get back to her physical description. Does she have any distinguishing marks or features?” Caity asked.

Spense pricked his ears. The dolphin tattoo hadn’t been mentioned in the press conference.

“A tattoo on one of her hips. I don’t remember which one. It was some kind of fish, a whale, I think.”

“Okay. You’re doing great,” Caity said, her voice suddenly subdued. “Harriet fit the description you heard on the news, so you called the hotline. That was the right thing to do. But, Tru, why did you wait so long? What did you mean when you said you thought Harriet was on one of her excursions?”

“Harriet has a problem—she likes to party. Booze it up big-time. I’ve known her two years, and she’s disappeared for a few days maybe three other times before. But she always showed up eventually. You can see why I wasn’t too worried.”

Not worried that her friend was out there on a bender, and no one knew where. “Did you at least talk to her parents?” Spense asked.

“Harriet’s dad’s not around. And she barely speaks to her mom even when they are getting along.”

“They’re not getting along now?”

“Mrs. Beckerman put Harriet on probation. If Harriet didn’t get sober, her mom said she’d pull her out of school and stick her back in rehab. And Harriet didn’t want to go to rehab. I thought she’d gotten clean for real this time . . . until she went out that one Saturday and didn’t come home.”

“Saturday October 19?”

“Yeah.”

“I think I understand,” Caity said. “You didn’t want to get Harriet in trouble with her mother. Even though you were mad at her, you still wanted to protect her. Like you’re doing now. Only at the moment, you actually are helping, so keep it up.”