Levi. We have to help.”
“Maybe we should all get some sleep and revisit this in the morning . What does everyone’s schedule look like?”
“I’m supposed to work , but Jeremy can cover for me.”
“I can get away , too,” Ellie said. “Someone can cover for me at the diner.”
“Okay, then , let’s meet in the morning and figure out a plan,” Zak suggested. “We can meet here. I’ll bring breakfast. Say nine o’clock? That will give me a chance to make sure Levi is released.”
“I’ll be here,” I confirmed.
“Me, too,” Ellie added.
Chapter 10
I was never so glad to see anyone as I was to see Levi walk through my front door with Zak later that morning. He looked exhausted, although I doubted he was any more tired than I was, considering I’d never gotten back to sleep after Zak and Ellie left. The up side to insomnia was that my boathouse was cleaner than it had been for a very long time. After everyone hugged everyone else, we settled in to eat the breakfast sandwiches Zak had brought with him.
“So they let you go on your own recognizance?” I confirmed with Levi.
“The attorney Zak hired for me convinced the judge that the only evidence they have against me is circumstantial at best. I’ve been warned not to leave the area, but basically I’m free to go about my business as usual.”
“The game,” I realized.
“Lamé got a sub for my classes, but he’s agreed to let me attend the pep rally and game as planned.” Levi looked at his watch. “I really should get home to shower and change. The pep rally is at eleven. You’ll be there?” He looked at Ellie and me.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” I assured him.
“Me neither.” Ellie smiled. “I really should stop off at Rosie’s first, though, to make sure everything is covered. I can give you a ride home,” she offered Levi.
“I’d appreciate that. ” Levi stood up and hugged Zak and me. He thanked us both again and left with Ellie, who had arranged to meet me at the high school gymnasium at ten forty-five.
“Do you think he’s in the clear? ” I asked Zak when we were alone.
“Not really,” he replied. “The sheriff doesn’t have enough evidence to hold him at this point, but that doesn’t mean he won’t keep looking. Salinger has as much as said that he still considers Levi to be his prime suspect.”
“Did you bring up the fact that Levi didn’t even find out about the abuse until after the blackmail letter was sent? ” I asked as I began to load the dishwasher. Charlie and Lambda were lying in the sun on the deck just outside the kitchen window. Normally the view beyond my boathouse soothes my soul on even the stormiest of days, but today I found little solace in the serenity of my lakeside home.
“Yeah , but Salinger pointed out that we can’t prove when Levi became aware of the situation. He could have found out, sent the letter, and then waited to confront Griswold when he wouldn’t pay up.” Zak took a dishrag from the drawer and began wiping down the kitchen table.
“That’s nuts . All they have to do is talk to Ryan.”
“I agree , but Levi is an easy target and Salinger is looking for easy.”
“Do we know if Griswold ever paid the blackmailer any money?”
“I assume the sheriff is looking into it , but at this point he refuses to talk about it. I could probably hack into his bank records, but I’m not sure that’s the wisest thing to do at this point.”
“Yeah, I’m sure Salinger will be keeping an eye on all of us with Levi being his prime suspect.” I poured myself a cup of coffee and topped off the one Zak had been drinking. “Still, I suppose trying to track down the person behind the blackmail is a good idea. You mentioned that the letter Griswold received was on Ashton Falls Event Committee letterhead. As Ellie said, there are nine people on the committee, but I can’t imagine any of them being responsible for Griswold’s death.”
“Do any of
“Maybe we should all get some sleep and revisit this in the morning . What does everyone’s schedule look like?”
“I’m supposed to work , but Jeremy can cover for me.”
“I can get away , too,” Ellie said. “Someone can cover for me at the diner.”
“Okay, then , let’s meet in the morning and figure out a plan,” Zak suggested. “We can meet here. I’ll bring breakfast. Say nine o’clock? That will give me a chance to make sure Levi is released.”
“I’ll be here,” I confirmed.
“Me, too,” Ellie added.
Chapter 10
I was never so glad to see anyone as I was to see Levi walk through my front door with Zak later that morning. He looked exhausted, although I doubted he was any more tired than I was, considering I’d never gotten back to sleep after Zak and Ellie left. The up side to insomnia was that my boathouse was cleaner than it had been for a very long time. After everyone hugged everyone else, we settled in to eat the breakfast sandwiches Zak had brought with him.
“So they let you go on your own recognizance?” I confirmed with Levi.
“The attorney Zak hired for me convinced the judge that the only evidence they have against me is circumstantial at best. I’ve been warned not to leave the area, but basically I’m free to go about my business as usual.”
“The game,” I realized.
“Lamé got a sub for my classes, but he’s agreed to let me attend the pep rally and game as planned.” Levi looked at his watch. “I really should get home to shower and change. The pep rally is at eleven. You’ll be there?” He looked at Ellie and me.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” I assured him.
“Me neither.” Ellie smiled. “I really should stop off at Rosie’s first, though, to make sure everything is covered. I can give you a ride home,” she offered Levi.
“I’d appreciate that. ” Levi stood up and hugged Zak and me. He thanked us both again and left with Ellie, who had arranged to meet me at the high school gymnasium at ten forty-five.
“Do you think he’s in the clear? ” I asked Zak when we were alone.
“Not really,” he replied. “The sheriff doesn’t have enough evidence to hold him at this point, but that doesn’t mean he won’t keep looking. Salinger has as much as said that he still considers Levi to be his prime suspect.”
“Did you bring up the fact that Levi didn’t even find out about the abuse until after the blackmail letter was sent? ” I asked as I began to load the dishwasher. Charlie and Lambda were lying in the sun on the deck just outside the kitchen window. Normally the view beyond my boathouse soothes my soul on even the stormiest of days, but today I found little solace in the serenity of my lakeside home.
“Yeah , but Salinger pointed out that we can’t prove when Levi became aware of the situation. He could have found out, sent the letter, and then waited to confront Griswold when he wouldn’t pay up.” Zak took a dishrag from the drawer and began wiping down the kitchen table.
“That’s nuts . All they have to do is talk to Ryan.”
“I agree , but Levi is an easy target and Salinger is looking for easy.”
“Do we know if Griswold ever paid the blackmailer any money?”
“I assume the sheriff is looking into it , but at this point he refuses to talk about it. I could probably hack into his bank records, but I’m not sure that’s the wisest thing to do at this point.”
“Yeah, I’m sure Salinger will be keeping an eye on all of us with Levi being his prime suspect.” I poured myself a cup of coffee and topped off the one Zak had been drinking. “Still, I suppose trying to track down the person behind the blackmail is a good idea. You mentioned that the letter Griswold received was on Ashton Falls Event Committee letterhead. As Ellie said, there are nine people on the committee, but I can’t imagine any of them being responsible for Griswold’s death.”
“Do any of
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