Remember Me by Christopher Pike

bathroom?"

    "No."

    "Do you recall if the sliding glass door that leads onto the balcony was open or closed?'

    "No."

    "How long were you in the bathroom?"

    "A few minutes."

    "What did you do when you left the bathroom?"

    "I returned to the living room."

    "Who was there?"

    "No one. At first. Then Jeff came in from the hall."

    Garrett paused and then scanned the room again. I waved to him, but he didn't wave back.
    "Who left the living room after Amanda?" he asked.

    "I did," Jeff said, a lit cigarette in his hand.

    "What's your last name, Jeff?"

    "Nichols."

    "How long after Amanda left the living room did you leave?"

    "A minute or so."

    Garrett made another note in his pad. "Tell me about it."

    "I had to go to the bathroom," Jeff said. "I went into Beth's bedroom, but there was already someone in there. So I went into the bedroom at the end of the hall and used that bathroom instead."

    "Did you see Shari on the balcony when you went into Beth's bedroom?"

    "Yeah."

    "You're sure it was her and not Amanda?"

    "Yeah, it was Shari."

    "What was she doing?"

    "Standing by the rail, looking out at the ocean."

    "Anything else?"

    "No."

    "Was the sliding glass door open or closed?"

    "It was closed."

    "Was it locked?"

    "I don't know. I didn't try opening it."

    "Could there have been anyone else on the balcony besides Shari?"

    "I doubt it."

    "How close did you get to the door?"

    Jeff took a puff of his cigarette. "Maybe ten feet."

    "Did you have a clear view of the entire balcony?"

    Jeff hesitated. "No."

    "What portion of the balcony couldn't you see?"

    Jeff considered a moment. "The area behind the wall between the kitchen and the bedroom."

    "How did you know there was someone in the bathroom?"

    Jeff shrugged. "The door was closed; the light was on."

    "It was you who was in there, right?" Garrett asked Amanda.

    "Yes," she said, her hand on Jimmy's knee.

    Garrett turned his attention back to Jeff. "How long were you in the bathroom in the master bedroom?"

    "A couple of minutes. Then I came back into the living room."

    "Who was in the living room at that point?"

    "Amanda."

    "What was she doing?"

    "Sitting on the couch, looking at a magazine."

    "Who left the living room after Jeff?" Garrett asked the group.

    "Beth did," Daniel said. He glanced over at his big-breasted object of desire. He had to shake her. "Beth?"

    "Yes, we were good friends," Beth said suddenly, blinking. Garrett uncrossed his legs and leaned toward her.

    "You were a good friend of Shari's?" he asked.

    "Yes," she said. Studying her closer, I realized she must have been crying before Garrett and I had arrived. Good girl, I thought. But she was still a slut.

    "What is your full name, Beth?"

    "Elizabeth Palmone."

    "How long after Jeff left the living room did you leave?"

    "Not long."

    "How long?" Garrett asked.

    "Less than a minute."

    "Where did you go?"

    "Into my bedroom."

    "Did you see Jeff or Amanda in there?"

    "No."

    "Did you see Jeff leaving your room?"

    "No."

    "Did you notice Amanda in the bathroom?"

    "No. I mean, I noticed there was someone in the bathroom. But I didn't know who it was."

    "What did you do in the bedroom?"

    "Nothing."

    "Did you see Shari on the balcony?"

    "No."

    "You're sure?"

    "Yes." Her eyes strayed to Daniel. "I went out on the balcony. I didn't see her.

    She wasn't there. Right, Jo?"

    "Right," Jo said.

    "Wait a second, Beth," Garrett said. "Jo was on the balcony when you stepped outside?"

    "Yes," Beth said. "I think."

    "Was she or wasn't she?"

    "It was dark." Beth was confused. "I think she was."

    "How long were you in your bedroom before you went outside?"

    "A little while."

    Garrett leaned forward even more. His next question was to be the important one, I knew.
    "Was the door to the balcony open or closed when you went outside?" he asked.

    "It was closed."

    "Was it locked?"

    "Yes," Beth said. "It locks when you close it."

    "And when it's locked, you can't get back in