Page 47 of See You Again

“We are all really excited to meet you,” one woman said with a nervous smile. “I’m Whitney Talmadge.”

Cami recognized the name. “You went to high school with Amy.”

“Yes. I played soccer with her and Janelle.” Whitney’s smile dimmed.

The woman seated beside Whitney spoke next. “I'm Laura. I worked with Amy at the coffee shop, but we also went to high school together.”

“I guess that just leaves me,” the last woman said. “Melanie Fields. Nice to meet you.”

“We spoke on the phone.” Cami smiled. “Amy’s roommate. You were the first one to notice she was missing.” She looked around the group. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to start with the days leading up to her disappearance. How was Amy? Happy? Nervous about exams?”

“She was excited about the end of the fall semester. She was talking about dating again, maybe getting on the apps. I thought she was finally getting over Todd,” Laura said.

Whitney nodded. “We all did.”

“She was dating a little bit? How did that work out for her?” Cami had heard some of this from Amy’s mom and sister, but she suspected Amy might have shared more with her girlfriends than her family.

“I don't think she ever went on more than a few dates with anybody.” Melanie frowned.

“Nothing serious then?” The women looked at each other and shook their heads.

“Did she mention if she was having trouble with anyone? Maybe from one of her classes? Or work?”

Part of Cami’s job was to ask questions she already knew the answers to, in order to see if everyone’s story was the same. It also helped warm up the person being interviewed by asking them simple questions.

Laura frowned. “The only one who even stuck out, other than Janelle or Todd, of course, is the one the police asked about. The older guy she went out with.”

“The one from the coffee shop,” Lindsay added.

“Did she know him from Wheaton, or is he someone she met in Stoverton?” Cami asked.

“She met him when he came in the coffee shop off campus in Stoverton. I worked that day, too. He was in town because he had a brother or a sister moving out for winter break.”

“So, he just… what? Saw her, thought she was cute and asked her out?”

“Amy was really pretty… and happy.” Lindsay’s voice was wistful. “Guys used to ask her out all the time, but she was head over heels about Todd. She was bubbly, and kind… People were drawn to her. There were even a couple of guys who hung out all afternoon mooning over her. They’d pretend they were there to study, but it’s obvious they had a crush. None of them had a chance though.”

“Why?” Cami cocked her head.

Laura made a face. “I don’t want to be mean, but… They were freshmen… nerds. Not her type at all. She was always nice to them though. That’s just who Amy was.”

“So, why do you think Amy decided to go out with this particular guy?”

“Amy was a little naïve. I think we all were… before this happened.” Whitney’s face clouded. “After Amy disappeared, it opened our eyes in a way they hadn’t been before.” She blew out a breath. “He was older and attractive. And he was super flattering. I think she was feeling kind of low because of the whole Janelle and Todd thing.”

“He was rich, too,” Laura said.

“Why do you say that?” Cami discreetly jotted a note.

“He had on a flashy watch covered in diamonds.” She shrugged. “He just had that look… you know… pampered, full of himself. And when he pulled out his wallet, it was stuffed with cash.”

“Could the watch have been a knock off? Someone trying to show off?”

Laura shook her head. “I've seen enough TJ Maxx dupes to know the difference. This was the real deal. Or at the very least, an expensive fake. He had an attitude that screamed, ‘I’m better than you.’” She paused and made a face. “I didn't know if it was a good idea for her to go out with him. He was so much older… But I didn’t say anything to Amy. I thought, what’s the worst that can happen?”

Laura’s eyes fell to the floor, and she lifted a hand to wipe at her eyes.

“When you say a lot older, what do you mean?”