It wasn’t the right reaction. There was supposed to be anger. There was supposed to be yelling. Instead, Tammy just rocked her back and forth, whispering It’s okay into her ear.
“I…” Ashley trailed off. The weight of it all punched its way up her chest like a stampede. Her tears were hot behind her eyes. Her head was going to explode. She knotted a fist in the back of Tammy’s shirt and breathed, “I’m so sorry.”
“Hey, look at me.”
Ashley nodded and looked up. Tammy took her face between her hands and fixed her with an intense stare.
“You did nothing wrong.” She tucked a strand of hair behind Ashley’s ear. She was gentler now than Ashley had ever seen her. She struggled to reconcile this Tammy with the one she’d pictured on the way to the station—brow etched with fury, angry at her for lying, for being there of all places. Instead, Tammy gave her a small, quiet smile. “And Paris is gonna find who did this. Just breathe.”
“I was there,” Ashley croaked.
“I know.” Her mother pulled her into another hug. “It could’ve been you.”
Ashley exhaled, pushing back the first words that came to her: it should’ve been me. Bug had been there because Ashley told her about the investigation. Bug had died because of her, just like all the others. She wrapped her arms around her mother and held her tight, like she was the only thing keeping her from sinking.
“Ashley, Tammy, why don’t you come on back?” Sheriff Paris asked.
They followed Paris deeper into the police station. It wasn’t particularly large—behind the lobby was a closed-off holding cell, two desks, and an office with a wooden desk and a wall of bookshelves. Ashley followed Paris into the office and took a seat on the visitors’ side of his desk. His office was surprisingly calming—white light streamed in through the blinds at the back, streaking the mahogany paneling on the walls.
Paris shut the door and circled to his desk chair. “I figured it’d be better to talk somewhere quiet.”
“We appreciate it,” Tammy said. “So? Do you know who did it?”
Paris frowned. “Not yet. I’m hoping Ashley can help me.”
“I didn’t see anything,” Ashley said.
“Maybe not, but you can still help.” Paris leaned forward and propped his elbows on his desk. “First, I have to know what you were doing at the motel.”
Ashley nodded. She felt Tammy’s eyes bore into her. “I was just visiting Logan.”
“And you two were in there all night? You never went outside?”
“No.”
“When I called your mom to let her know what happened, she said you were staying at Bug’s house. I haven’t talked to Bug’s mom yet. Were you at Bug’s house at any point last night?”
Bug’s mom. He would have to tell Bug’s family that their oldest daughter was gone. They would hate Ashley when they found out she was feet away when it happened and did nothing. They trusted her, and she’d failed them. Snakebite trusted the Bartons, and she’d already let three kids disappear. Ashley’s throat felt swollen. She clutched the front of her T-shirt and tried to swallow her tears before they surfaced.
“Maybe if you didn’t act like you’re accusing her of murder, Frank,” Tammy spat. She cupped a hand on Ashley’s shoulder.
“I’m—” Paris straightened his spine and tried again. “Why don’t you tell me what you did after you left your house?”
Ashley nodded. “I drove to the motel. Me and Logan just hung out. I fell asleep. I didn’t look at my phone. I didn’t see…”