Easier to Lie

Chapter Sixteen

Amy-Jo Abigale, eighteen years old. 5'5", long dark hair, olive skin, about to start her first year of college. Also, a graduate from Sedona High School.

She was visiting her grandparents for a couple of weeks before moving to Nevada for college. She was a nice girl. She had been on the soccer team with Leah, but I didn't know her that well. Leah was a wreck, she couldn't stop staring at the news report.

"This happened here," she said through tears, "right above us, Reggie. To a girl we knew. Amy-Jo was my friend."

I was holding her and letting her cry. We couldn't hear much of the report over her, but Eric gained our attention.

"Isn't that Frankie?" He paused the TV and pointed out Frankie in the crowd.

I stepped closer to the TV to see for myself. Sure enough, there he was. I was numb again. I didn't realize I had walked up to the next floor. Eric was behind me, but I couldn't hear anything he said.

The floor was crowded with cops and reporters. Residents had stepped out to watch the chaos. I had one purpose, find Frankie.

I stood on my tip-toes to get a better look. Seconds later, he was in handcuffs and being escorted as he walked by, but I saw no emotion in those heavenly eyes. They were solid black, full of nothing.

When he looked at me, Eric put his arms around me. I wasn't sure if he was being my sweet boyfriend or if he was holding me back from Frankie. What had made perfect sense to me was now a puzzle with missing pieces. I couldn't move, couldn't speak.

Bystanders were talking but my mind couldn't focus on anything. I felt dizzy, like I was spinning a million miles an hour. Eric held my hair back when I started getting sick. The only image I could focus on was Frankie and how he looked in those handcuffs. I was terrified that Leah had been right about him.

"It's him!" Leah exclaimed once I was back in the condo. "The pink tie and everything. They got him!" This time she was crying tears of joy. "Did he say anything to you?"

I shook my head and leaned all my weight against Eric for support. "Nothing. He said nothing. His eyes were full of nothing."

"I don't want to say I told you so."

"Then don't," I snapped. I didn't intend to sound as mean as I knew I did.

We sat there, all four of us listening to the broadcast. Leah was curled up on the floor with Adam. Her phone was buzzing every minute with texts about Amy-Jo. When my phone rang I expected it to be my parents, but I didn't recognize the number.

"Hello?"

"Reggie, I need you. Can you come down to the police station?"

"Frankie? Why are you calling me?"

"I need help. Please come down here and let me explain."

Eric parked in front of the police station, but I didn't get out right away. "Are you sure you want to do this? You owe him nothing."

"I know," I didn't know why I agreed to talk to him. He had done nothing except disappoint me. "I need to know the truth, though. Are you okay with this?" I didn't want to upset him.

"I'm here for you. Whatever you need."

He walked me inside and spoke to the officer at the desk. I lost my will to speak once the car door closed behind me. This was not the summer I had planned on having.

Eric waited near the desk when an officer led me down this dark and damp hallway. I was feeling sick to my stomach again. I wasn't sure if I could hold it in, especially being face-to-face with Frankie.