A Justified Murder (Medlar Mystery 2)

“Break that vow. Now,” Jack said.

“They texted horrible things to me.” Britney’s eyes filled with tears. “I told you. They said I was fat and ugly and not up to their standards and my dad is poor and my mother smokes cigarettes. They said I should end my life.” She put her hands over her face.

“We did not do that,” Ashley said. “We’ve told her and told her that we didn’t do it, but she won’t believe us.”

“But it’s all true. I am fat. My mother does smoke. My dad—”

“Then who sent them?” Sara asked.

Britney said, “They were from their phones.”

Kate looked at the other girls. “Did you ever lose your phones? Even for just a day?”

The girls stared at her like she’d asked if they’d forgotten to attach their arms.

“Then who did write those texts?” Jack asked. “Who dislikes you that much?”

The girls looked at one another, then back at him. “Jessica Williams. She is our main enemy.”

Jack ran his hand over his face. “As opposed to minor ones, I guess. Why did you declare her to be at the top?”

“She used to be one of us,” Madison said.

“But she stole Maddy’s boyfriend.”

“And of course the boy had nothing to do with it,” Sara said.

Their expressions showed that they didn’t understand what she meant.

“How did you get back at her?” Kate asked.

The girls said nothing.

“I’m guessing you posted naked photos of her,” Sara said.

“She deserved it!” Ashley said. “She—” The looks of the adults made her shut up.

“How did you know it was us?” Madison demanded.

“Somebody told us,” Kate said. “Okay, so Britney, you assumed they were going to do the same thing to you.”

The girl nodded.

“And you didn’t want to be thrown out and ripped apart,” Sara said.

“No.”

“And Janet Beeson saw you on Facebook taking the pills?”

Again, Britney nodded.

“After Janet found you, what happened?” Sara asked. “How did you get back together?”

“Our parents met with us,” Ashley said.

“Glad to hear that your parents are at least somewhat involved with you three,” Jack said.

Ashley spoke. “My mom told us that she had three best friends in high school and they separated because of silly arguments. She said she still missed them so she wanted us to stay friends forever.”