“Start at the beginning. You weren’t at the Spring Fling party, but Candace came out to Kingman to see you.”

She nodded. “She called late Friday night, told me she was coming. Got there at three in the morning. We talked until dawn, cried, slept, talked more. But that wasn’t the beginning.”

Regan took a leap. “Adele Overton. She was the beginning.”

Tears formed in Alexa’s eyes, and she nodded.

“Do you know what happened to her?”

“Candace knew, and she told me. I should have known.”

When she didn’t continue, Regan asked, “Did you know, before I mentioned Adele’s name tonight on the podcast, that Lucas had known her?”

“Yes, because Candace told me. She told me about Lucas, that he’d been friends with Adele’s family. That he said some things to her that had her questioning everything. And then, as I listened, I realized why he started this podcast in the first place.”

“To solve Adele’s disappearance.”

She nodded. “It all made sense. I should have realized it sooner, but everything clicked tonight.”

“What were Taylor and Candace really arguing about?” Regan asked.

“I’m scared. There were four people in that conversation, and two of them are dead.”

“That will not happen to you,” Mateo said firmly.

“But you didn’t overhear the conversation,” Regan said.

She shook her head. “I only said I was there in the letter because I didn’t think you would take me seriously if I weren’t.”

Regan had suspected that. Good to know her instincts were still strong. “Go on.”

“At the end of the Spring Fling, Candace asked Taylor to go to the police with her and tell them what had happened to Adele. She said it was the right thing to do because her family was still looking for her. Taylor said no, that they would all go to jail.”

“And Kimberly Foster was there.”

“Yes. And based on what Candace said, Kim was on the fence. She had already graduated, she had a good job, she had a lot to lose, but she reminded them that it had been an accident, and she thought they should get a lawyer to help with their statement. Kim was always practical like that. Candace didn’t want to, she felt so guilty, but she said she would do it if that meant telling the truth. Then Rachel said no.”

“Rachel Wagner was there?” Vicky had mentioned it this morning, but Rachel implied that she’d only been around for part of the discussion.