“Your … help?” He says help like it’s the weirdest thing he’s ever heard in his life.
“Yeah, he wants an interview. I figured what the hell?”
“Are you serious?” He puts the margarita down. It wobbles on the uneven tiles.
“Yes.”
“Lucy, that is not a good idea.”
“Why not?”
His eyes widen slightly, like I should already know the answer to that question.
Because you murdered her, Lucy.
“He’s not on your side,” Matt finally says.
“No. He’s not.”
“Then…？” He’s exasperated. I’m very familiar with this emotion from Matt.
“No one’s on my side. But he doesn’t seem to be on anyone’s side, so that’s really the most I can ask for.”
He lets out a long sigh and takes another drink of his margarita. I’m still getting used to his shorter hair. It’s cropped so short I can see his scalp. Something about it makes him seem hostile. His scalp is angry.
“He said that you didn’t do an interview.”
“Of course not.”
“I don’t care if you do one. Just, if you said no because of me.”
“Jesus, Lucy, of course I said no because of you.” His exasperation is growing. “You could show a little gratitude, dammit!” he had screamed at me as I stuffed my clothes into garbage bags. I still don’t know what I was supposed to be grateful for. I guess that he wanted to stay married, even though he thought I murdered my closest friend?
I can’t muster up any gratitude for that, even now.
“I have an idea!” the voice yells.
“I think you should do it.” I dip a chip into the salsa and pop it in my mouth.
“I literally can’t think of a worse idea.”
“I’m doing an interview. Kyle’s already told the whole world that you were cheating on me. You don’t want to share your side?”
“I wasn’t cheating on you.”
“I HAVE AN IDEA!”
I manage not to snort-laugh, which is a real accomplishment. “Then you really should do the interview and tell Ben that.”
He leans back in the booth, working his jaw in a way that used to make me nervous. I pull the napkin off my silverware and imagine stabbing the knife in his eye.
“You know what? Fine.” He’s got me now. That’s his “I’ll show her” tone. “Tell Ben to call me again. I’ll do it.”
Listen for the Lie Podcast with Ben Owens EPISODE FOUR—“THE AMNESIA DEFENSE”
When the news about Savannah’s death first broke, it was widely believed that there was a third person who killed Savannah and injured Lucy. But when police were unable to find evidence of anyone else on the scene, and when Lucy continued to insist that she remembered nothing about that night, the narrative began to change.
Remember Joanna Clarkson? One of Matt and Lucy’s neighbors from the Block? She spoke to me again about how suspicion started to shift to Lucy.
Joanna:??????????Well, the scratches and bruising on Savvy’s arms were concerning, for sure. But I was still skeptical until I heard about them fighting at the wedding. And then right after that, Matt threw Lucy out of the house, and it just doesn’t get any more suspicious than that.
Ben:???????????????He threw her out? Do you know that for sure?
Joanna:??????????I know for sure that he asked her to leave.
Ben:???????????????And this was immediately after she was released from the hospital, right?
Joanna:??????????Right. And that is just weird timing. You do not kick your injured spouse out of the house after suffering through a trauma like that unless you think she did it. I’m sorry, I know Matt, and that is the only reason he could have done that. The only reason.
Ben:???????????????At this point, did most people you knew think that Lucy was the one who murdered Savannah?
Joanna:??????????Everyone I knew thought that.
Ben:???????????????But the police never arrested her for the murder, correct?
Joanna:??????????They never did. Something about not having a murder weapon, or a solid case. I don’t know. I think they were in over their heads. No offense to the Plumpton PD, but they’re used to corralling drunk tourists, not investigating murders.
Ben:???????????????But didn’t it give people pause, that there wasn’t enough evidence to arrest Lucy?
Joanna:??????????Sure, I thought about that some. But our justice system needs evidence, witnesses. Just because someone doesn’t go to jail for something doesn’t mean they didn’t do it.