Page 147 of See You Again
The air in her lungs stilled.
“How can I help you?” Cami kept her voice friendly as she reached into her bag on the passenger side to pull out a pencil and notebook, ready to take notes.
“I… um… I couldn’t sleep.”
Cami bit her tongue, forcing herself to be patient.
“I’m sorry about what my brother did last night.”
“That wasn’t your fault. You tried to help me.”
“I thought about what you said last night. About Amy. She was so sweet and pretty.” Trey sounded like he was close to tears.
Don't push, Cami. Go slow.
“That's what all of her friends said, too. They said she enjoyed talking to you in the coffee shop.”
“We were friends… kind of. She wasn't mean or stuck up like some of the other girls there.”
Cami made a humming sound of agreement.
“Is what you said true? The police think Matt killed her.”
She needed to tread carefully. “I know it must be hard to hear about your brother, Trey. But the evidence is undeniable. They're just waiting for confirmation of some final evidence before they arrest him.”
“You mean the DNA.”
“Yes.”
“I thought they couldn't make us give samples. Our lawyers said they don't have enough evidence to get a warrant.”
“That's true for the police, but it doesn’t stop me from using an independent lab,” she continued in a firm voice. “I'm not going to stop, Trey. I'm sorry if that's upsetting to you, but Amy deserves justice. And we can't allow your brother to hurt any more women.”
“Everything is so out of control,” Trey choked out. For a moment Cami felt guilty, but then she remembered Trey had given his brother an alibi, allowing him to walk free.
“Matt murdered her, Trey. One way or another, I'm going to get his DNA and prove that he’s guilty.”
“You don’t have any idea how hard the last few years have been for my family.”
Cami bit the inside of her cheek, hard.
It’s been difficult for his family? Trey’s mother murdered James’s father and stole billions from James and his siblings, and his brother Matt murdered an elderly man and a young college girl. Not to mention Amy’s family’s suffering and Janelle Dixon living a life under suspicion.
However, Trey needed to believe she was on his side. He had to recant the alibi.
“This must be incredibly difficult. I think you know what you need to do.” Cami took a deep breath. “It’s time to tell the truth. Admit Matt wasn't there with you and your mother that night. We can’t do this without your help. As long as you continue to lie about where Matt was, he's going to get away with murdering your friend. A young woman you cared a great deal about.”
She chewed her lip. Had she laid it on too thick? Trey seemed close to breaking. Her ears strained for any noise on the other end to give her a sign as to what he was thinking. She heard a sniff. Was he crying?
“I’m afraid.” Trey’s voice was soft. “Can I come talk to you in person first, and then we can go to the police together?”
“Of course,” she soothed, while she did a silent fist pump in the air. Her brain scrambled for a place they could meet.
“Some place quiet, away from people. I… I… don’t want to lose my nerve and change my mind.” He sounded frantic. “I want to do the right thing… but it’s not easy.”
“How about my office? I’ll text you the address and head that way now.” She couldn’t risk leaving him time to think about it. She needed to get it on tape, and even if he took it back later, the police might find a use for it.
“Thank you. I'm really sorry for all the things my brother has done to you.”