Page 30 of The Secrets We Hide
“Thank God,” Valerie muttered.
“Talia.” Emmy put emphasis on the name, trying to get Valerie to back off. “I need you to think through the last few weeks, not just yesterday. Was Mandy acting differently?”
Talia looked down at her hands. She started folding the handkerchief into a tight square. “She was happy ’cause hermom made Bill move out and Mrs. Vickery was gonna get a divorce and they were both gonna move away.”
Valerie looked shocked. “Allison was leaving Bill?”
Talia nodded and shrugged at the same time.
Emmy asked, “Did Mandy say where they were going to move to?”
Talia shrugged a shoulder. “Just away.”
“Can you tell me a little bit about Mandy’s life?” Emmy could see the confusion in the girl’s eyes. “Did she get an allowance?”
“Yes, ma’am. Allison gave her a hundred dollars a month.”
“Did Mandy save her money or spend it?”
Talia’s shoulder went up in a shrug. “We bought stuff at the outlet mall sometimes or we went to the Good Dollar for candy.”
“Did Mandy have a phone?”
“She had her mom’s old iPhone, but it wasn’t new or anything.”
“And that’s the only phone she had?”
Talia nodded.
“Does Mandy have a boyfriend?”
Talia shook her head. “No, ma’am. She likes Denny Wright, but he’s a senior and he already dates a cheerleader and he’s never even talked to her.”
“Did she used to date somebody?”
“No, ma’am, not really. We hung out with boys but nothing serious.”
Emmy knew about those crushes. “Did Mandy tell you anyone was bothering her lately? Maybe in the past few weeks?”
“No, ma’am.”
“What about two days ago? Were you with Mandy after school on Thursday?”
“No, ma’am. She went home early ’cause she had bad cramps.” Emmy knew that was the day both Coach Bell and Drake Saddler had seen Woody at the house with Mandy. “Did she tell you that anyone was at the house?”
“No, ma’am. She said she went home and slept.”
“Did Mandy ever skip school?”
Talia glanced at her mother, then looked down at the hand-kerchief again. “Sometimes.”
Valerie asked, “Did you skip with her?”
Talia shrugged and shook her head. “Not really.”
“Talia.” Emmy leaned toward the girl. She knew in her gut that Talia was hiding something more important than skipping school. “Baby, it’s all right to tell me if Mandy was seeing anybody. A couple of people have already told me the truth. You’d just be confirming what I already know.”
Talia’s gaze went back to her mother.
