“You said she was weird?”
“She wasn’t good at reading social cues. Didn’t get that Jenna saw her as the misfit, was simply playing fairy godmother by letting her be around the group who had it all together. Even I felt sorry for Lynne when I saw how they were using her just to show how nice they were. Jenna always had the do-gooder image going, but it was so she’d be noticed. It wasn’t real.”
“Jenna gossiped about Lynne, laughed at her behind her back?”
Candy shook her head. “More subtle than that. Lynne made Jenna look good—‘See how accepting I am of this out-of-place one?’ But she didn’t like Lynne, wasn’t a true friend. She didn’t want her to succeed and become someone. Just let her flounder and didn’t clue her in, didn’t help her.” Candy looked away a moment, then back to say, “Put a good boyfriend with Lynne, some guy who’s kind, someone who ‘gets’ her, he could have steered her to a successful career. Lynne had a strong voice and the desire to make it in the music business—if someone had bothered to help her, to coach her. But Jenna wasn’t into helping anyone but herself. I wasn’t into music, so Lynne’s help couldn’t come from me. I felt sorry for her, but she didn’t realize what was going on and, far as I know, never did realize it.”
“For somebody who comes off a bit snarky about life, Candy, you see and sum up people pretty well. What happened with Lynne after Jenna disappeared?”
“Don’t know.” She lifted her palms. “Jenna disappeared, Lynne wasn’t around anymore. After a while, I mean, she just wasn’t doing anything with Jenna’s friends. She was part of the search, handing out flyers, was over-the-top distraught that the police couldn’t find Jenna. She got kind of spooky for a while. I remember Lynne wanted to do a memorial event with songs she’d written in Jenna’s honor, and she got locked on what might have happened, where they should search next. She wasn’t picking up on the fact that people didn’t want to talk about Jenna anymore, but were moving on. After a while, Lynne just drifted away into her own world again.”
Evie pocketed the photo. “Thanks.”
“That’s it?”
“Yes. I have no idea if Lynne was involved in what happened to Jenna or not. From your description, probably not. But I’ll look hard enough to eliminate the possibility. You know that solving what happened to Jenna matters, and cops aren’t going to leave the case alone until it’s figured out. So if you have another name you want me to consider, Candy, I’ll be glad to hear it.” She waited a beat.
“Kayla Quim,” Candy grudgingly offered. “Her boyfriend worked for a music company repairing and restoring guitars. Jenna was making a play for the guy. Kayla would have taken that very personally.”
“Jenna sure was getting around for being known as Steve’s girlfriend.”
“She liked being the benevolent queen bee in the background pulling people’s strings. I know you don’t see her that way, but I’m right about this. While Steve was her latest catch, she was quickly looking elsewhere when he wasn’t around. I think what happened to Jenna was the result of her stepping onto the turf of a jealous type, and paying for it. I’m the jealous type and I can see that happening. It wasn’t me, my alibi always did hold, but there are more women like me out there, the kind cops like to suspect. And Jenna had a knack for making a person furious.”
Evie felt something click with Candy’s words.
“Thanks, Candy.” Evie pocketed her notebook and offered a twenty. “For your time. I’d buy a meal and leave a tip, but then I’d have to spend hours at the gym working off the calories.”
Candy chuckled. “Been there. It’s been a slow night, so thanks.”
Evie said goodbye, headed out, replaying the conversation in her head, feeling again that jolt when Candy mentioned, “Wannabe Maggie?” The only question at the moment was how hard they could push on this tonight versus waiting until morning.
Evie started the car, got the heater going, and checked the time before making the call. “Ann, sorry about the late hour, but do you remember talking with a Lynne Benoit at the Fifth Street Music Hall?”
Her friend thought for a moment. “Check my notes. She’s the one who fingered the groups who had been banned because they did drugs in the dressing room.”
“Did she say anything specific about Jenna?”
“She remembered the search for a missing college girl but couldn’t recall the name—that kind of comment.”