Of all the things she could’ve guessed might fall from the lips of her daughter’s friend, this was nowhere on the list, and Alyssa went still, blinking several times to make sure she’d heard correctly. ‘What were you doing at a frat party?’

‘I was trying to see where I’d fit in when classes start this fall, and I know I shouldn’t have been there. Please, please don’t tell my mom,’ she implored.

Somehow, through the red haze that filled her mind at the fact that her daughter’s friend was just now coming forward with this information, Alyssa was able to temper her voice… for now. ‘Did you see something, Leigh Ann, that night? Something that would help us locate Rachel?’

‘I don’t know,’ she whispered. ‘But I can’t keep his secret anymore. It’s just not right.’

The words were spoken low, as if they weren’t meant for Alyssa to hear. ‘Whose secrets, Leigh Ann? Who are you keeping secrets for?’

‘Jersey’s boyfriend.’

Alyssa stiffened. ‘You’re keeping secrets for Beau Cambridge?’ Again, Cord’s head snapped up, his face freezing into a mask of hardness as he abandoned any pretense of assisting Hal and openly listened to Alyssa’s end of the conversation.

‘Yes, ma’am. I mean, no, not really for him. I mean, I don’t even think he knows I know.’

‘Then what secrets did you mean you’ve been keeping?’ Alyssa was finding it harder to keep the anger and impatience out of her voice. The lives of at least three girls, and probably more, hung in the balance. If Leigh Ann knew something, if Beau Cambridge was involved, she needed to know right now. Actually, she needed to know five days ago.

‘He was there that night, too.’

Alyssa’s pulse doubled in speed. ‘You weren’t there together?’

‘What? No! No, of course not. I’d never do that to Jersey. Never! I told you I don’t even think he knows I was there.’ Leigh Ann blew her nose before continuing. ‘I don’t remember what time it was, but I was starting to feel uncomfortable and guilty for being there, and so I was about to leave. And that was when I saw him. He was in the kitchen talking to Rachel. Actually, she didn’t really look like she wanted to be talking to him, you know. To be honest, she kind of looked frightened of him.

‘I mean, not at first. The truth is, I watched them for a while. I mean, I was shocked to see Jersey’s boyfriend there at all, especially with another girl, you know. I was going to snap a picture to have proof, but I was afraid he’d see me.

‘Anyway, she – Rachel – seemed annoyed. And then she kind of put her hands up between them, like she was pushing him away, but he just leaned in. I thought he was going to kiss her or something, and then someone bumped into his back, and that’s when Rachel escaped. And then I left before Beau saw me.’