“It’s not true!” he shouted, the streetlights shining on his tears. Some mannerly East Siders walked by a little faster, but didn’t look at them.
Will let out a long breath. “I don’t want it to be true, John. But the police found a shoe-print on the boat, and some hairs. The odds are they’ll be yours.”
John was completely silent.
“Where were you on Sunday night?”
“What is it with you?” John exploded. “I have to account for every second like a ten-year-old?”
Will wanted to say, then stop acting like a ten-year-old. But, calmly, “Two nursing students were killed up at Oxford, John. They were killed with a knife, like Kristen Gruber was.”
A gasp came from the shadow in the other seat. It relieved Will.
“You don’t think…? It wasn’t me. I didn’t do anything!”
“But you told me you partied up there. Did you see some pretty nursing students? Maybe they gave you the brush-off in a bar and you decided to get even.”
“I was home with mom. You can ask her. We rented a movie.”
Will finally let out a breath.
“You have to go to the police. I’m going to give you the name and number of a detective in Covington. I want you to call her in the morning. All you have to do is tell her what happened. Tell her the truth. You were scared. But you want to come forward and do the right thing. Now, did anyone see you with this knife that night?”
“No.”
“Think, John. Did they?”
He almost cringed in the seat. “No! Nobody saw it.”
“Then I’m going to borrow it. I’ve borrowed it for a month, okay? So you haven’t had it.”
“I thought you said tell the truth.”
“Yeah,” Will said, both temples throbbing. “Leave the knife out of it. If you’re telling me the truth, then the knife has no part of your story, right?”
He nodded. “Are you going to tell mom?”
“You can do that. You’re an adult now.”
Will slid the knife into his pocket. He hated knives. The Mount Adams Slasher had used a knife, including on Theresa. He started the car and backed out. As he cruised slowly around the park to return the way they came, he asked, “John, why didn’t you call the police when you found her body?”
“I wanted to. Zack wouldn’t let me. He drove out of there as fast as he could, telling me he didn’t want to get caught with drunk underage girls and E on his dad’s expensive boat.”
“Zack said you’re the one who wouldn’t let him call.”
“You talked to Zack? He’s lying!”
Of course he was, Will thought. Zack had control of the boat and could have chosen to stay. But there was a problem of corroboration, and it wouldn’t help John.
“Ask Heather,” he said. “She’ll tell you.”