Letting it go, he asked, “What did you need to discuss?”
Chapter 28
Griffin listened to her suppositions with growing unease. Midway through, he left Rae pacing in the living room and went into the kitchen to make her a cup of chamomile tea. He poured himself a glass of water. When he returned, he asked if she’d like to sit down.
Taking the cup, she gratefully sat on the couch. “Your niece is the key,” she repeated, as if she hadn’t already driven home what she needed him to do. “Will you talk to Jackie?”
“Of course.”
“I don’t want to believe one of the girls pushed my daughter into the pool. Not intentionally.”
“No one would want to believe that. They’re just kids.”
“If another girl did push my daughter, she probably didn’t realize Lark was standing close to the pool’s edge. And it was icy outside. None of the girls should’ve been allowed to go into the pool area in the first place. It’s just so stupid. Why didn’t Katherine tell the girls to stay in the house?”
“Rae, slow down.” He nudged the cup toward her lips. “Drink.”
She was becoming overwrought. It was another aspect of her personality he’d never before witnessed. It occurred to Griffin that his expectations were framed around the Rae he’d known in high school. An illusion. The seventeen-year-old girl he’d known had matured into the woman seated beside him. This version—the true version of Rae—was a woman who’d lost her daughter only months ago and now feared a heartbreaking accident was something more.
No wonder she’d assumed the worst from Quinn’s story.
Griffin said, “Quinn was hanging around outside the Thomersons’ hoping to see Lark?”
“But not for the reasons you think. They were just friends. He went over to lend moral support even though he knew he probably wouldn’t see her.”
“Support via text message. Sounds like a typical kid’s behavior.”
“It is.” Rae took another sip of tea, set the mug down. When she turned slightly, their knees almost touched. “Quinn’s parents get drunk just about every night. Whether they stay home, or come back from the bars drunk, they fight. And I mean, knock-down-drag-outs.”
“They’ve been doing that for as long as they’ve known each other.” Griffin recalled the many times his mother had tried to intercede in the Galeckis’ wretched lives. He suddenly understood what Rae meant. “Was Quinn also hanging around Thomersons’ to avoid going home because of the fighting?”
“Probably. At least he’d learned how to avoid being collateral damage.”
“How?”
“From Lark. She came up with a plan to keep him safe,” Rae said, clearly taking pride in her daughter’s ingenuity. “She’d sneak him into her bedroom whenever Mik and Penny were out of control. Have him stay until the coast was clear. Then he’d drive home around midnight. By then, his parents were too drunk to drag him into one of their battles. They thought he was in his bedroom the whole time.”
“He’d lock the door and leave music playing?” Griffin had used that ploy a few times himself in high school.
Rae nodded. “Then he’d climb out his bedroom window. Good thing he and my daughter both had bedrooms on the ground floor. Lark’s strategic planning would’ve been harder to pull off if either of them lived in a two-story home.”
“You didn’t know about any of this?”
“Not a clue. Anyway, I’m sure Quinn was texting Lark from outside Thomersons’。 Earlier that night, she’d told me she didn’t want to go to the slumber party. A change of heart.”
“Because of her falling-out with one of the other girls.” Only a theory, but Griffin knew Rae was convinced of its veracity.
“Right. Once she’d gone to Stella’s house, Quinn probably hoped she’d change her mind. Call me to pick her up. Then he’d have somewhere safe to stay until midnight.” A faint tremor went across Rae’s shoulders. “Pacing outside the brick wall, Quinn heard everything. He’s sure he heard two girls arguing.”
“Thanks. I’m clear on everything now.”
“You’ll talk to your niece?”
“Absolutely. I’ll take care of it tomorrow. Rae, do you mind if I share this with my sister? Sally will want to know what I’m discussing with Jackie.” He grimaced. “Lately I haven’t been on the best terms with my sister. Bringing her in on this will smooth the way.”