“My lack of deviousness?”
“Or the expression, anyway. Your level of deviousness remains to be seen.”
“I suppose it does.”
Paige is staring at me again.
“Paige,” Ben says.
She doesn’t look away this time. “I can’t believe you’re sitting here talking to us. Do you listen to the podcast?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Okay.” Paige scoots forward on the couch, pressing her palms together in a prayer pose. I can feel the excitement rippling off her. “I don’t know where to start.”
“Paige, she’s not here for an interview,” Ben says. “I just asked her to drop by to say hi.”
He’s buttering me up for the interview. If I’m comfortable with him—and with Paige—I’m more likely to open up. Give him the good stuff.
I have no idea what the good stuff would be, but I suppose he can hold out hope.
“I know.” Paige drops her hands. “Just one, though. I have to know, because I have a theory.”
“Sure.” Why not? Fuck me up, Paige.
“I’ve never killed a woman, but I’m willing to try anything once.”
I shift, trying to ignore the voice. It’s getting louder lately.
That can’t be a good sign.
“Why did you punch Ross Ayers in high school?”
I blink, startled. I don’t know which question I was expecting, but that wasn’t it.
“Should have just fucking killed him. That would have been much more satisfying.”
“No one knows. We asked everyone,” Paige continues.
No, only Emmett knew, and he was always good at keeping a secret.
“He was taking up-skirt photos of a girl in one of our classes,” I say.
“I knew it.” Paige makes two fists like she’s either victorious or getting ready to punch someone. “I knew it was something like that.”
Ben looks startled, like this isn’t a theory she had shared with him.
“I think he saw me telling the teacher, because the photos were gone when they checked his phone,” I say. “I didn’t tell people because the girl he’d done it to begged me not to. She was embarrassed. So, I figured since he wasn’t getting punished, I’d take matters into my own hands.”
“Paige—”
“I know, call Ross to see if he’ll do another interview.” She’s typing on her phone.
“He’s just going to deny it.”
“Emmett knew, right?” Paige asks. “He got shifty when I asked him about it.”
Jesus. I can see why these people actually solved a case last season. They’re actually really good.
I don’t know whether I’m relieved or terrified.
“I have an idea—”
“I didn’t tell him who the girl was, but, yeah, he knew,” I admit, silencing the voice.
“I get the feeling Emmett is keeping a lot of your secrets?” Paige cocks her head. It’s more of a challenge than a question.
“I haven’t spoken to the man in five years.”
“Why not?” Ben asks.
“Shockingly, people stop calling when you’ve been accused of murdering a mutual friend.”
I think of the missed calls on my phone, the texts from Emmett that I ignored.
Paige is staring at me like she knows I’m lying.
I look away.
“Are you in touch with Matt?” Ben asks.
“I wasn’t, but I just saw him recently.”
“Are you going to see him again?”
I shrug. “He asked to get together, but I haven’t texted him back. Why?”
“He won’t do an interview. I thought maybe you could put in a good word.”
I lift an eyebrow. “Seriously? You want me to try to get Matt to do an interview?”
“Why not?”
“He thinks I did it.”
“Is he right?” Paige asks.
I shoot her an amused look to try to cover the swell of panic I feel. “You know what? Fine. No promises, but I’ll try.”
Listen for the Lie Podcast with Ben Owens
EPISODE FOUR—“THE AMNESIA DEFENSE”
Reporter （news broadcast）： Breaking news tonight—a local wedding took a tragic turn when one of the guests, twenty-four-year-old Savannah Harper, was found dead in the woods not far from the festivities. A second young woman was found wandering nearby, also injured in the apparent attack, and is currently in stable condition at the hospital. Police are asking that anyone with information …