Leave No Trace

Chapter 8

Danielson

Danielson was confused about the boy sitting across from him.

Peter O'Hara, the childhood friend of Allison Perry was leaning against the desk, still in his Bradley College uniform. He had glasses, his brown hair shaggy, and for some reason, he did not look very concerned as to why he was sitting in a conference room in a police station.

I guess that's what privilege does to you, Mike thought carefully, trying not to make snap judgements, "How did you meet Allison?"

The boy looked at him sullenly, "We met when our mothers were in Rotary Club together. We were seven."

"And you went to the same school?"

O'Hara's demeanor changed when he heard the question, and he had the good grace to look guilty as sin, "For a few years."

"And you were close?"

"We were definitely close. We went to summer camp together for a few years. We spent a lot of time together as kids."

"What did you do together?"

"Played make-believe. The dumbest stories but Al had a huge imagination," the boy rolled his eyes, "We also rode horses and I took her to some of my fencing classes."

"Fencing classes and horseback riding?"

"My mother and I own a horse named Dragon," the boy said stiffly, hearing the amusement in Mike's voice.

"When was the last time you spoke to Allison?"

"In.... not this summer but.... A year ago. 2013 I guess. We went to a street festival together, and that was the last time we saw each other at all. "

"Have you been in contact since then?"

"No.. I'm too busy to talk to anyone really," O'Hara frowned deeply, "Why are you asking me all these questions about her? She was a childhood friend, and that's it!"

"Just a childhood friend? Never anything more?"

"It hurt her a lot when I transferred schools," he said bluntly, staring at Danielson, "I don't think she ever forgave me. But I... still think of her fondly."

"Just not fondly enough to answer her texts," Mike said casually, sliding a printout of their conversation on Facebook.

O'Hara paled, and stared at the months of unanswered texts "Like I said, I'm a busy person."

Mike chuckled, "Be straight with me, kid, why didn't you answer her?"

"I thought she had feelings for me. I didn't want to let her down. I liked her when we were kids but... I don't anymore."

"Did you know she had a boyfriend?"

"What part of we haven't talked since 2013 didn't you get?"

"Did you ever meet Mira Neal by chance?"

O'Hara thought for a second, "Brown hair, brown eyes, dominant personality?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, I've met her. At that street festival I told you about. She and Ally had this real camaraderie if you know what I mean."

"Spell it out for me,"

"Oh Ally hero-worshipped her. It was so obvious. And Mira must have felt something in return. They bantered like they were in a buddy-cop movie," he realized who he was talking to, "No offence meant, Detective."