“Not at your age. Have you ever done it before? Has anyone ever seen you at The Blue Suede Shoe at midnight?”

“Just because we’ve never done it before doesn’t mean we didn’t do it last night.”

“Okay. So let’s say you did. You go there at midnight, for the very first time, and witness a fight. Did you try to stop it?”

“I—I was yelling for Seth to stop.”

“Yelling. Then, there must’ve been others who heard you. The Blue Suede Shoe is a very popular place. Who else was there?”

“No one. We were in the parking lot.”

“Did you run into the bar to get help?”

“N-no.”

“Why not?”

She had to think about her answer. “It happened too fast.”

“So what did you do after? Go in and have a drink? If so, there must be someone who can place you there. Who’d you see?”

“No one,” she said, her voice no longer so strident. “We didn’t end up going in.”

“Because...”

“I was too upset.”

“You weren’t even there,” Aiyana said with disgust. “And if you don’t think it’ll all come out in court, you’re wrong, because Seth won’t stand for what’s happening. He’ll fight this. I hope you know that.”

“You need to leave now,” Lois said in exasperation. “I don’t have to stand out here in the cold while you call me a liar. I’ve told the cops everything I know.”

“You told them when you called them last night?”

“No, not last night. Kouretas said he was okay. This morning, he must’ve decided to go to the police, because they called me a few hours ago to see what I witnessed.”

“What you witnessed? Or what you and Graham witnessed? Because sometimes it sounds like you were there alone.”

“We were there together,” she reiterated.

“Then, let me get this straight. Kouretas was hurt and angry, and yet he just...got in his car and drove away? And you did the same?”

She seemed stumped, so Aiyana kept pressing. If she could get Lois flustered enough, maybe she’d break down and admit the truth. “Did you tell anyone else what you saw?”

“Just leave us alone!” she snapped and slammed the door.

Aiyana didn’t expect either Lois or Graham to return, but she pounded on the door again, just to make sure they were listening. “Your daughter loved Seth more than anything in the world. And this is how you treat him after she’s gone? I bet she’s rolling over in her grave.” She started to leave but turned back for one last parting salvo. “Or maybe, since she knew you so well, that’s all she would ever expect of you.”

There was no response, so she returned to her car and called Cal. “Do you have him?”