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stayed up late, thanks to me and my bawling. There was so much Bird could’ve said—would’ve had every right to. But her not saying it, and instead staying quiet, massaging my shoulders and neck while I sobbed—it almost made me feel worse. I didn’t know how long I’d cried or how long she’d worked her slim, strong fingers into my muscles. I just know that, for a good while, every knot she worked seemed to undo more tears.
    I shuffled to the shower, every part of me wishing I didn’t have to go to work. But I didn’t want to stay at Bird’s either, incase the cops came. I didn’t want her to feel like I was hovering around, listening. Or trying to influence her answers. And I didn’t want them asking me anything else. Seeing that I was nervous. The honest truth was, she didn’t have anything to tell them except that yes, we’d been here. That was what I kept telling myself. She’d left the house before we did, and we’d gotten back before her. So she couldn’t say much. Still, Bird’s dislike of Dee was sure to come through no matter what she said.
    Thinking about what we’d told them, though, I started to wonder if maybe it was too convenient, me and Dee hanging out at her place all day, without her there. Maybe we could say we’d gone out somewhere that afternoon. The movies, maybe. Somewhere.
    Dee. Had he talked to the police again himself? I still hadn’t heard anything from him, even after I left for work. Panic squeezed me, picturing him arrested. In trouble. Why hadn’t he called? I didn’t know. I needed to see him. This was just too much. Seeing him would help me know. To know that I was overreacting, making up crazy thoughts, and that this—none of this—was really about that other girl.
    NIKKI: They talkin’ to B 2day
    NIKKI: I 4got we went 2 the movies
    NIKKI: Rmembr?
    NIKKI: U ok?
    NIKKI: D whre r u?
    NIKKI: Can u call me at work?
    NIKKI: I need 2 tlk 2 u
    NIKKI: D?
    NIKKI: Did u tlk to them?
    It took him an hour to say anything back, and I was so high strung, I nearly dropped my scissors when the phone buzzed in my apron pocket.
    DEE: Breaking Hell
    I was so shocked to hear from him, it took me a full minute to realize that was the name of the movie we were supposed to have seen.
    â€¢Â â€¢
    Of course the cops came later. To work. Of course they did. They talked to Bird around ten—she texted me after they left: POLICE WAS HERE —and then they came straight over to find me, ask me to answer some more questions. It wasn’t much before eleven, I don’t think. They weren’t wasting any time. And they wanted me to come with them to the station.
    I looked at Alessia and told them I had to work. They asked me when did I get off. I said four, and they asked could I come in then. Just some more questions, they said.
    But their faces were harder than they’d been yesterday.

DETECTIVE: Miss Dougherty, we’re going to need to record this interview so we can refer to it later if we need to. Do you have any objections?
    ND: No, sir.
    DETECTIVE: Now, Miss Dougherty, yesterday you told police that on Friday, August twenty-third, Denarius Pavon picked you up from your place of employment, Fit to Be Curled?
    ND: Yes, sir.
    DETECTIVE: Can you tell us please the nature of your relationship? With Mr. Pavon?
    ND: He’s my boyfriend.
    DETECTIVE: And how long have you been together?
    ND: Almost a year. But we were broken up for some of that.
    DETECTIVE: Broken up for how long?
    ND: Six months. Maybe less.
    DETECTIVE: And you’ve been back together for . . . ?
    ND: Since May, sir.
    DETECTIVE: Three months, then. All right. Thank you, Ms. Dougherty. Now, back to the twenty-third. He told us that on that evening, he took you to pick up some beer and then got some food, and then you went to your friend Bird’s, where you were all night. Is that correct?
    ND: Yes,