Page 135 of The Advocate’s Ultimatum

“Did the other girl give any names?”

“Fake, ridiculous names like Feedle Dee and Feedle Dum.” Bay’s fingers curled together. “When she started talking to him, that’s when he got even more interested. I didn’t like it.”

“Then he saw you again,” Sabre prompted.

“At the laundromat.”

“How many times?”

“A few.”

“He already knew where you lived,” Sabre said.

Bay looked at her sharply, surprised she understood.

“Yes, but the questions changed. He asked why we were never with friends. Why we never stayed anywhere long. He tried to get her to speak more, but I had already told her not to, so she didn’t.”

“What happened after that?”

“He started following us.”

Vale stopped taking notes. “How do you know?”

“He would park where he could watch us. And he walked too slow past places we were. Sometimes he waited outside stores.”

“What did he want?”

Bay looked at Sabre directly. “He wanted me first. And when I wouldn’t give him that, he wanted money.”

“From whom?” Vale asked.

“Us or whoever would pay. He threatened to come to our house.”

Sabre changed course. “Tell me about the night Todd died.”

Bay’s shoulders tightened. “I was watching him.”

“Why?”

“Because she’d been restless.”

“Hannah?”

“No names.”

Sabre let it go.

“I knew she was thinking stupid thoughts.”

“What kind of thoughts?”

“Outside thoughts.”

Sabre understood enough. “What happened?”

“I saw her go into his apartment.”

“And you followed her?”