Free Promise You Won't Tell? by John Locke Page B

me about Kelli’s relationship with her stepfather, Mitch.”
    “She hates him.”
    “Why?”
    She bites her lip. “I’m not sure.”
    The way she says it tells me she absolutely does know.
    “It could be important,” I say.
    She says nothing.
    “Has Mitch moved out of the house?”
    “No, ma’am.”
    “How long has he been out of town?”
    “He left Saturday morning.”
    “Any idea when he’s coming back?”
    “Saturday, I think.”
    “Does he travel often?”
    “I’m not sure. We don’t really talk about him.”
    “Because?”
    “They don’t get along.”
    “Does Mitch get along with Lydia?”
    “They sleep in separate bedrooms.”
    “How long has that been going on?”
    “I don’t know. A long time, I think.”
    Dillon says, “She doesn’t keep clothes in the guest bedroom. Just an alarm clock and a cell phone charger.”
    We come to the end of the photos.
    Riley says, “Are the sleeping arrangements important?”
    “Probably not,” I say. “I’m just trying to understand their relationship.”
    She says, “Lydia sleeps upstairs when he’s out of town. So she can be near Kelli. When Mitch is home, she sleeps in the master bedroom.”
    “And Mitch sleeps in the guest bedroom?”
    “No. He has his own master bedroom upstairs.”
    I look at Dillon.
    He says, “There were three bedrooms upstairs. I looked in all of them.”
    Riley says, “There’s a fourth one. He keeps it locked.”
    Dillon thinks a minute. Then says, “Right. One of the doors was locked. I assumed it was storage.”
    “Seriously, Dillon?” I say.
    “I was in a rush, Dani. It took me forever to get in the house. You said Kelli’s room was the priority. I barely had time to photograph it, much less break into another room.”
    Riley says, “You broke into their house ?”
    I say, “How did you think we got the pictures?”
    “I assumed Mrs. Underhill let you in.”
    “She did, in a manner of speaking.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    Dillon says, “This ought to be interesting.”
    I say, “If she had done a better job of securing her home, Dillon couldn’t have entered. And by not setting the alarm, and refusing to install stronger locks, she may as well have sent him an engraved invitation.”
    Riley frowns.
    I add, “Is it really breaking and entering if he didn’t go there to steal anything.”
    “Yes,” Riley says.
    I change the subject and ask, “Why does Mitch keep his bedroom locked?”
    “I don’t know, but he doesn’t allow anyone in there. Ever.”
    Dillon and I exchange a look.
    He shrugs. “Sorry, Dani. I didn’t know.”
    I sigh.
    “My case isn’t looking very good, is it?” Riley says.
    “Honestly? No. We really need the other photos.”
    Riley says, “I’m sorry, but I really hope there aren’t any others.”
    “I understand,” I say. “But if they did something to you and photographed it, we’d own them.”
    We’re quiet a minute, then Riley says, “Do you really think they took other pictures? Because if they did, wouldn’t they be all over the internet?”
    “You’d think so. But Ethan’s the son of a lawyer. He and Ronnie probably showed the pictures to the kids in the car, but I expect the only one he shared was the one where you’re passed out.”
    “And you said that one doesn’t help us.”
    “Well, it’s certainly not worthless. It proves Ethan was in the room with you.”
    “But it doesn’t prove I was unconscious at the time.”
    “Maybe not. But it might give a judge a reason to pursue the case.”
    “But naked pictures would be huge?”
    “They would. And Ethan and Ronnie certainly took pictures of you. Rick overheard Nathan tell someone there were a dozen photos. And Nathan came within an inch of sending them to Dillon before denying it.”
    Riley says, “If Ethan and Ronnie didn’t share them, how could Nathan have them in the first place?”
    Dillon and I look at each other.
    He says, “You think all ten guys have the photos and are