“I’m calling with good news.” Angelica’s voice is lilting, a kindergarten teacher’s voice. “Betsy is a finalist in the school art scholarship prizes. Her work will be on display tomorrow during graduation, and if she wins, she’ll get a thousand-dollar scholarship, too. It’s so exciting I didn’t even mark her tardy today during the Seniors’ Day festivities. I covered for her and said she was with me finding out about being a finalist for the prize.”

“Wow, great. I don’t think I’ve seen her latest work. What’s the subject?” In my mind I imagine a portrait of a teenage girl, gorgeous, except for the knife glinting in her hand stabbing her evil parents. I’m being macabre. But honestly, I watch a lot of crime TV these days, do a lot of online research about death. If you are going to be murdered, you’re more likely to be killed by someone you know and, most likely, love. Almost half of all murdered women are killed by a romantic partner. Lovely, I know.

Even poor Brad was a suspect in Mary’s disappearance, for a brief moment, those crazy three days when she was missing. But he was in Iceland on a family trip. I didn’t know their little date, with Mary wearing my red dress, was special because he was going on vacation the next morning. No, I found that out after she died. He couldn’t be a suspect. He was a dead end, so to speak, but still, he must have been traumatized by the suspicion. All of the strange men they questioned, the convicted child abusers and child molesters they rounded up and questioned were cleared. None of them knew anything about poor Mary. All the while she was drifting toward me in the California Current.

Focus on Angelica.

“It will be such a big, fun surprise for Betsy tomorrow evening. Well, really for all of you. All Betsy knows is that she’s a finalist. I hope I didn’t spoil it for you but I just love delivering good news.” Angelica is so cheerful. “Well, I’ve got to run.”

“Angelica, wait. Have you noticed Betsy hanging out with the wrong crowd?” She would know, wouldn’t she?

Silence.

Finally, she answers. “I don’t know exactly who she hangs out with, to be honest. A lot of kids drift between groups. Betsy seems fine. She’s artistic, and smart. A lovely girl. You should be proud of her, how she’s been able to pull herself together and complete high school even after losing Mary. She’s one of the strongest young women I know.”

Whatever. “I met a man named Bo yesterday in the gym during Volunteer Day. Says he’s a substitute teacher?”

“Oh, yes, Bo is one of the kids’ favorites. He’s a substitute gym teacher and he donates his own time to tutor the kids.”