She was sure that she would never forget the sight of Rhea dead and that pool of blood on the floor.
Riley and the others went obediently into the well-furnished common room and sat down on various chairs and sofas.
Chief Hintz said, Officer Frisbie and I are going to talk with each of you individually. While we do, I dont want any of the rest of you to talk to each other. Not one word. Do you hear me?
Without even glancing at each other, the girls nodded nervously.
And for now, dont even use your phones, Hintz added.
They all nodded again, then just sat there staring at their hands, at the floor, or off into space.
Hintz and Frisbie led Heather into the adjoining dorm kitchen while Officer White stood slouching vigilantly over Riley, Trudy, Cassie, and Gina.
After a few moments, Trudy broke the silence. Riley, what the hell?
White interrupted, Be quiet. Chiefs orders.
Silence fell again, but Riley saw that Trudy, Cassie, and Gina were all staring at her. She looked away.
They think its my fault theyre here, she realized.
Then she thoughtmaybe it was true, maybe she shouldnt have spilled their names. But what was she supposed to do, lie to a police officer? Still, Riley hated the distrustful vibes she was getting from her friends. And she couldnt really blame them for feeling that way toward her.
What kind of trouble are we in, anyway? she wondered. Just for going out together?
She was especially worried about Heather, who was still in the kitchen answering questions. The poor girl had been especially close to her roommate, Rhea. Of course, this was a nightmare for everybody, but Riley couldnt begin to imagine how hard it must be for Heather.
Soon they heard the deans voice stammering uneasily over the dorms PA system.
This is Dean Trusler. IIm sure all of you know by now that something terrible just happened on the girls floor. You have orders from Police Chief Hintz to stay in your rooms tonight and not leave the dorm. A police officer or a campus official might come by your room to talk with you. Be sure to answer any and all questions. For now, dont plan on leaving campus tomorrow, either. Youll all be getting additional notification soon.
Riley remembered something else the chief had said
Were likely to have questions for many of you.
He was starting with Riley and the other four girls right now.
It was starting to make sense to her. After all, theyd been together with Rhea shortly before she was killed. But what did Hintz think the girls might know?
What does he think I might know? she wondered.
Riley couldnt imagine.
At last, Heather came out of the kitchen, accompanied by Officer Frisbie. Heather looked pale and sick, as if she might start vomiting again. Riley wonderedwhere was Heather going to spend the night? She couldnt very well go back to the room she had shared with Rhea.
As if overhearing Rileys thoughts, Officer Frisbie said, Heather is going to spend the rest of the night in the RAs room.
Heather walked shakily out of the common room. Riley was glad to see that the resident assistant met her at the doorway.
Officer Frisbie called for Gina to come into the kitchen, where Hintz was still waiting. Gina got up stiffly and followed the woman through the swinging door, leaving Riley, Trudy, and Cassie sitting in uncomfortable silence. It seemed to Riley that time had slowed down as they waited.
Finally, Gina reemerged. Without a word to the others, she walked through the common room and out the other door. Then Officer Frisbie asked for Cassie, who went next into the kitchen.
Now there were only Riley and Trudy sitting there in chairs across from each other. As they waited, Trudy kept giving Riley angry and reproachful glances. Riley wished she could explain what she had said during her short conversation with Officer Frisbie. All shed done was answer a simple question. She hadnt accused anyone of doing anything bad.
But Officer White was still looming over them, and Riley couldnt say a single word.
Finally, Cassie came out of the kitchen and went back to her room, and Trudy was next to be called into the kitchen.
Riley was now alone with Officer White, feeling isolated and afraid.
With nothing to distract her, she kept flashing back to poor Rheas body, her wide open eyes, and the pool of blood. Now those images were mixed with memories of her own mother lying deadso long ago, but still so horribly vivid in her mind.
How could something like that be happening here and now, in a college dormitory?
This cant be real, she thought.
Surely she wasnt really sitting here bracing herself to answer questions that she couldnt possibly know the answers to.
Surely one of her best friends hadnt just been savagely murdered.
She had almost convinced herself of the unreality of the moment when Officer Frisbie led Trudy out of the kitchen. With a sullen expression, Trudy left the common room without so much as a glance at Riley.
Officer Frisbie nodded at Riley, who got up and obediently followed her into the kitchen.
This cant be happening, she kept telling herself.
CHAPTER FOUR
Riley sat down at the table in the kitchen, across from Chief Hintz. For a moment the chief just stared across at her, holding his pencil over a notepad. Riley wondered if she was supposed to say something.
She glanced up and saw that Officer Frisbie had positioned herself off to one side, leaning against a counter. The woman had a rather sour expression on her face, as if she wasnt very happy with the interviews. Riley wondered if Frisbie was annoyed by the girls responses or by the way her boss had been asking questions.
Finally the chief said, First of all, did the victim ever give you any reason to think she feared for her safety?
Riley was jolted by that word
Victim.
Why couldnt he just refer to her as Rhea?
But she needed to answer his question.
Her mind raced back over recent conversations, but she only remembered innocuous exchanges like the one she and Trudy and Rhea had had earlier tonight about whether Riley was on the pill.
No, Riley said.
Did anyone wish her ill? Was anyone angry with her recently?
The very idea seemed odd to Riley. Rhea washad beenso pleasant and amiable that Riley couldnt imagine anyone being mad at her for more than a few minutes.
But she wondered
Did I miss any signs?
And had the other girls told Hintz anything Riley herself didnt know?
No, Riley said. She got along with pretty much everybodyas far as I knew.
Hintz paused for a moment.
Then he said, Tell us what happened when you and your friends arrived at the Centaurs Den.
A rush of sensations came back to RileyRhea and Trudy physically pushing her through the door into the thick fog of cigarette smoke and the deafening music
Did she need to get into all that?
No, surely Hintz only wanted to hear bare-boned facts.
She said, Cassie and Heather and Gina headed straight to the bar. Trudy wanted me to dance with her and Rhea.
Hintz was reviewing notes hed taken from the other girls, who of course had told him what theyd known about Rileys actions, including the fact that Riley had left them to go downstairs.