What Happened That Summer

Chapter Thirteen

Carter Revon wasn't known for being affectionate. He was handsome, sure, but he wasn't known for being the most caring person in the world. Even at the police academy, his witnesses always seemed surprised by his cold nature.

They always gave him what he wanted, however. His good looks and blunt attitude helped with that.

So the real question was; why did he kiss Darcy Quinn?

The redhead was aggressive and unbecoming, but she had a softer side, Carter thought. She employed teenagers, paid them well, and for a man with a newborn, she'd let him off working nights.

She didn't seem like the type that would like him. It was just a vibe he got from her.

So he'd done something out of instinct, with no care for his rational.

He'd kissed her.

And not for the life of him, did the detective know why.

He needed a distraction, that was for sure. He rubbed his eyes and started over the case files once again. Darcy Quinn, Ares Ceresio, Mariella Sanchez, Victoria Davis, Kace, and Kyana Colben.

Carter started with the person he'd seen the least of. The brunette that everyone called 'Tori' and didn't seem to like the others.

Victoria Davis: interior designer, lives alone, didn't talk with her parents, had no other siblings to speak of. She'd gone to Camp Eagle Ridge for counts of vandalism, but she said that she'd just wanted to be with her friend Darcy after she'd gone. She also had a gym membership and went often.

But she didn't have the strength the killer did. The autopsy report said Ethel Moore's skull had been fractured in multiple places. That meant the killer was likely very strong. Victoria Davis was in the fiftieth percentile for weight. And she had no motive to kill the girl.

Davis had gone to college for design and had a bachelor's degree in it. She had a good life, even eight years ago. Her alibi was supported by the fact that she had told the camp counselors that she was experiencing some menstrual cramping.

Carter tossed her file aside.

Ares Ceresio: Stockbroker, not very interesting, known to be very flirtatious, but not violent, except for the gang fights that had gotten him sent to Camp Eagle Ridge.

Ethel Moore had been connected to a gang, could there be a connection there?

No, Ethel lived in Illinois, not the New York environment that Ares was natural to. No motive and his alibi was airtight. The girl, Jill Salermon had practically gushed about how good Ares was in bed.

Darcy Quinn: The owner of a diner called Melody's. The only one who was alone when Ethel went missing. That had made her initially the most suspicious one out of the bunch. She had no alibi.

She was his initial suspect. After all, she had been an active gym member during those years, she wouldn't have any difficulty beating someone to death. She was strong, even if she didn't look like it.

But she'd been very close friends with Ethel, and had no reason to kill her. Unless she stole her boyfriend or something, but she had also gotten the cryptic notes.

Not to mention what had happened with the hypnosis. Carter shook that thought away.

Now onto the more convincing file.

Kyana Colben: forensic analyst and licensed coroner, she lived in Massachusetts with her twin brother on a three hundred acre family farm. She'd gone to Camp Eagle Ridge for assault and battery, along with her brother.