Free Clarity by Kim Harrington Page B

her in a jealous rage. I was suddenly filled with relief. Both that Perry hadn’t done this, and that Joel hadn’t killed my brother, too, instead of just Victoria.
    The room stayed silent for a few moments. Then Joni continued, “I wanted them broken up. Vicki had already figured that Joel was cheating on her, and the night before she left, they had a huge fight. She told him they were done. I should have just kept my mouth shut. But I figured, this has gone on long enough, let the whole truth come out. So I told her I was the one Joel was screwing around with.”
    “How did she take the news?” I asked.
    “She went crazy.” Joni fingered the charm on her neck. “That’s when she gave me back the other half of the charm. Said we weren’t friends anymore. We’d never be again.” Joni’s shoulders slumped. “Vicki left town. I figured after the long weekend maybe she’d calm down a bit and we could talk again when she got back. Mend fences maybe. Now we’ll never talk again.”
    “She really came here alone?” I asked.
    “I guess.” Joni shrugged. “Though that really doesn’t seem like her.”
    “Did she know anyone down here?” Mom asked.
    “Not that I know of, but …”
    I leaned forward. “But what?”
    “In the weeks before everything blew up, I felt like Vicki was keeping a secret from me. I was paranoid, so I assumed she was starting to put two and two together about Joel and me. But she really didn’t know about that. So … maybe she was keeping a secret of her own.”
    “Did Joel know she was coming down here?” I asked.
    “No, but it wasn’t hard to find out. Her mom told me where she went.”
    “Might he have come down and …”
    “Killed her?” Joni finished for me. “Probably. I don’t know anyone else who would. She had no issues with anyone else. Just the worst luck in the world and poor judgment. Look at who she chose to be her boyfriend and her best friend.” She stared down at the table. “Stupid girl.”
    “You need to talk to the police,” I said. “To tell them what you know.”
    She pushed her seat back. “No. I don’t want to get dragged into this.”
    I wondered if I could talk her into it, but one look at Mom told me all I needed to know. Mom was reading her thoughts and the thoughts were all about flight.
    Joni couldn’t leave, though. She needed to tell the police about Joel. Before they found out about Perry and directed their attention toward him instead.
    I was glad Gabriel and I had exchanged numbers for work. I slipped my hands under the table and texted him from my cell.
    TELL COPS 2 COME 2 MY HOUSE NOW!
    My mother offered Joni a water, which she gulped in oneminute. I kept her lingering a little longer with a more pleasant vision I’d plucked from the charm.
    “I see you and Vicki, dressed the same, in white shirts and black bow ties. You’re whispering and laughing.”
    “We’re cater-waiters,” Joni said, still using the present tense for her lost friend. “We work these fancy parties and stuff in the city. It pays pretty good, but we also have a fun time.”
    Joni seemed to enjoy hearing the memories, but was still antsy. She got up to go.
    “Come back again if you want another reading, or even if you just need to talk,” Mom said, walking her to the foyer.
    Then the door opened, and Anthony and Gabriel Toscano walked in. Gabriel’s dark eyes were intense with concern, and I realized my text was kind of vague. He’d probably thought I needed help.
    And had rushed over himself instead of just sending someone else.
    I forced myself not to think about that, or how hot he looked at the moment, and focused on the issue at hand: Joni.
    “Detective Toscano,” I said to Gabriel’s dad. “Thanks for coming.”
    Joni took a giant step back.
    “Joni here,” I said to Gabriel, “just finished her reading. She was Victoria Happel’s best friend. She wanted me to call you over here so she could fill you in on what she knows. Particularly