Chapter 6: The Other Father

6

I suspected there must be some unspeakable secret between Natalie and Frank Watson.

But one was a blossoming young girl, the other a greasy, middle-aged man in his forties—I really couldn’t imagine what kind of relationship they could have.

Given that Natalie was almost completely monitored by her parents at home, her only chance to contact Frank Watson would be at school.

I took Frank Watson’s photo and went to Natalie’s school to investigate, but her teachers and classmates all said they’d never seen him.

Just as I was about to leave, a girl with manicured nails suddenly grabbed my arm. “If I give you a clue, will there be a reward?”

I smiled wryly. Frank Watson had already been caught, so there was no reward, but I really needed a clue.

I added the girl on Instagram and sent her a $30 Venmo payment. Her name was Lexi Lee, and her feed was filled with nightclub selfies.

Lexi didn’t immediately share her clue. Instead, she told me to wait for her at the school gate after class. I had no choice but to agree.

After school, Lexi ran over, hooked my arm, and kissed me on the cheek.

I was startled and quickly pushed her away. If my patrolling colleagues saw this, I’d have to write a ten-thousand-word incident report.

Lexi winked at me. “Help me out. I’ve been harassed by a few creeps lately. If they see I have a cop boyfriend, no one will dare bother me.”

I looked across the street. Sure enough, four cocky young men sat in a beat-up Honda Civic. When they saw me, they quickly rolled up the windows and sped off.

Lexi asked me to buy her a Frappuccino. She ordered a caramel Frappuccino with extra whip, rolling her eyes at the barista when he asked for her name. She pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one right in front of me.

I started to wonder if she’d really seen Frank Watson, or if she was just playing me.

The Starbucks across from the school was crowded with teens in oversized sweatshirts, the air thick with sugary coffee and gossip. Lexi tapped her acrylic nails on the table, smirked, and waited for me to pay.

“First tell me, why didn’t Natalie come to school? Why are you investigating her?”

“She’s dead. Murdered.” I tapped Frank Watson’s photo. “This man is the suspect.”

Lexi took the photo and studied it carefully, then declared, “Impossible. He definitely isn’t the murderer.”

“Why do you say that?”

“This man is Natalie’s father! How could he possibly kill his own daughter?”

My heart hammered. I stared at the photo, then at Lexi, the world tilting under my feet. Had we been chasing the wrong monster all along?