A flicker of uncertainty flashed in his eyes, but he attempted to wave off her words. “It won’t be a big deal. He has the money to get out of it.”

Aiyana felt her jaw drop. “That’s all you have to say? If you really saw what you claimed to have seen, I think you would’ve given me a much different response.”

The grooves in his forehead deepened. “What do you mean?” he asked with less surety.

“You know he didn’t do it. You’re simply justifying your actions by telling yourself it won’t really hurt Seth.”

“I’m done talking to you,” he said and started to close the door.

Aiyana stopped it with the palm of her hand. “If you shut me out, I’ll stand out here and pound all day if I have to.”

He rolled his eyes. “Jesus Christ! What is it you want from us?”

“The truth!”

“With Seth’s reputation, how do you know he didn’t do it?”

“Because I know my son. I know the man he has become. I can’t believe you’d falsely accuse him. I thought you were better than that.”

The last part of her statement seemed to really bother him. “I’m getting Lois,” he said in a huff. “I didn’t want to get involved in the first place.”

After he disappeared, Aiyana heard raised voices coming from inside. You talk to her! You’re the one who wanted to go to the police.

Just tell her to leave.

She won’t!

When Lois cracked the door open, she was already on the defense. “Maybe you should be over at the station, bailing out your son,” she said, “instead of banging on our door, trying to cause trouble.”

Cal was over at the station, taking care of Seth’s bail and getting him released. Aiyana felt her time was better spent trying to get the Iveys to recant. “I’m trying to cause trouble?” she echoed. “I’m not the one who’s falsely accused an innocent man.”

“I saw what I saw,” she insisted.

“And what was that?” Aiyana challenged.

“It’s just like I told the police. When I got out of the car, I saw Seth arguing with Mr. Kouretas. He was mad that Mr. Kouretas wouldn’t leave town.”

“Even though Seth was there without Tia, so there was no risk of her being photographed?”

As she blinked, Aiyana could almost see her mind scrambling to come up with a credible response. “Sh-she may have been in the car.”

“Now Tia was there, too?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t see her. But that part doesn’t matter.”

“The details do matter, Lois. And you and Graham were just arriving at the bar—at midnight?”

“What are you implying? A lot of people go out late at night.”