Black Orchid Girls (Detective Amanda Steele)

Amanda got up to see herself out.

“Wait, where are you going?”

“You answered my questions.”

“Did Ashton kill Chloe?”

Amanda stopped, turned, and went cold as she met the girl’s gaze. “It’s an open investigation, and I can’t say.”

She left and got into the car, her entire body quaking. Why did some kids think it was okay to pick on someone who was different than them? Even to go so far as humiliating that person? The world had little hope if such thinking was a part of the future, but sadly it would probably still exist.

Her phone rang. It was Trent.

She let it go for a bit, trying to calm herself down. “Hey,” she eventually answered.

“Oh, I got you. I’m done at the bar, and no one recognized Josh Ryder or Ashton Chambers, for that matter, for the time or day in question. How did you make out with Jayne?”

“Ashton would have had a good reason to hate both Josh and Chloe.” She shared the prank they’d pulled. Not that prank was strong enough a word. “All because he was weird. Jayne’s word.”

“As long as people are threatened by differences, they’ll justify bullying. But, wow. That’s brutal. Maybe Ashton’s recent bump-in with Chloe had him planning this.”

“Though given the video, one person drove while another killed. Did Ashton and Josh pair up? I’d find that hard to believe, but we’ll press him tomorrow when his lawyer is present.”

“You bet we will. Also, if Josh really thinks someone is framing him, he’s going to need to hand over some names.”

“Only if he wants us to believe him.” She realized it was on her and Trent, the side of the law, to prove guilt. She still wasn’t quite sure where she stood with Josh. Even if he was one of the best suspects they had so far. “I’m going to head home, Trent. You should do the same. Tomorrow’s going to be a long one.”

“Sounds good. You have that right. By the way, the lawyer will be in at eight.”

She groaned internally. That was earlier than she’d have liked, but he’d need time to confer with his client. “I’ll be at Central at eight thirty.”

“Okay.”

They wished each other a good night and hung up. Now she just needed to return to the station and pick up her car. Then it would be a nice, relaxing evening with Zoe.