“So, Kayla asked around. And none of her friends knew the guy’s name that Amelia was with. But her friend that took the picture is going to ask around too. Someone must’ve invited him to the party, so she’s bound to find out something. She did say, though, that she overheard him talking, kinda bragging, I guess about...” She paused, swallowing. Whitney stepped closer. “Like how he could score drugs for them, and also something about being kicked out of his last school. She wasn’t sure for what.”

“Sounds like a winner,” Whitney muttered under her breath. What was her daughter doing with a guy like that? Then again, it didn’t sound like Whitney’s radar was working very well either. Exhaling, she glanced around. Her head was spinning from all the information she’d received in the last few minutes. She pinched the bridge of her nose. “God, I just don’t understand any of this. I have no idea what to think right now.” Her gaze flickered to the stairs they’d just come down. “Jay seemed like such a genuine guy.”

Natalie’s shoulders softened, her lips lowering and her eyes crinkling in concern. “I’m sorry.”

“Do you think he’s the older guy Becca was talking about?”

Natalie bit her lip. “I mean, has he ever acted weird around her?”

The first time Jay came over was to pick Whitney up for a date. Whitney had been running late, on the last touches of her makeup, when she heard the knock on the door. Hollering down the hall, she asked if Amelia could answer.

While swiping on some lip gloss, Whitney heard Amelia and Jay talking in the family room. She should’ve paid more attention to what was being said, but she was more fixated on how she looked. It sounded like nothing more than small talk, but she couldn’t be sure.

The second time he picked her up, Whitney had been ready early. Amelia came out of her room as they were leaving. All she said was goodbye and have fun or something like that. Whitney tried to remember if Jay acted oddly, stared at Amelia too long. Anything to indicate he was interested in her. But she came up empty.

Jay had always seemed focused on Whitney.

Even their conversations about Amelia revolved around him wanting more time with Whitney. Nothing to indicate he was up to anything shady regarding her daughter. The occasional times he’d been around Amelia their conversations were hi, bye. Nice to see you. Have a good afternoon. The kind of exchange she had in grocery stores with acquaintances.

“Not that I can recall,” Whitney said now.

“Then I think our best bet is finding the guy in the picture,” Natalie said. “I mean, she was here with him, not Jay. And, actually, Jay doesn’t technically live here.”

“I know. Seriously, what’s that about?”