Maggie stood up, too. She touched his arm softly, but he yanked it away. She tried to coax him into looking at her. "Sit down, Kevin. I know you weren't there. But most of the time, I don't know-not until I push people. The guilty ones don't push back. Please. Sit down."
"Rachel's the last person in the world I would ever hurt," Kevin said.
"I know. But it looks like someone did hurt her. So, if you didn't go to Rachel's house, who did?"
Kevin shook his head. "Don't you think I'd have told you if I knew?"
"You don't remember anything Rachel said? You didn't hear any rumors at school? From what I understand, the barn was a popular place. It's hard to believe there weren't stories going around."
"Oh, sure, everyone knows about the barn. Lots of people talk about it. But who knows what's real and what's just locker room bullshit, you know?"
"But you're sure she went there," Maggie said.
"I don't know it for a fact. But I can't believe she didn't."
"Why?"
Kevin spread his arms in exasperation. "She talked about having sex all the time."
"Was it just talk?" Maggie asked. "Or did she really do it?"
"I don't know. She didn't mention names."
Out of the corner of her eye, Maggie saw a plump teenage girl with chestnut hair standing in the doorway of the bar. Hands firmly on her hips, the girl swiveled her head, studying each table like a velociraptor. When she spotted Kevin in the corner, her face lit up in a smile. Then she saw Maggie, assessed her outfit in a single glance, and frowned. She marched toward them.
"Hello, Kevin," the girl said loudly.
Kevin glanced up, surprised. "Sally!"
He leaped to his feet and planted a kiss on Sally's lips.
"I came in with my parents for dinner," Sally said. "Paula said you were in here. She was sort of pissed." Then she added bluntly, "Who's this?"
"This is Ms. Bei," Kevin said. "She's with the police."
"The police?" Sally said, her eyebrows raised.
Maggie stood up and extended her hand, which Sally shook limply.
"We've both talked to the police already," Sally said.
"I know. Kevin was just telling me he didn't really know any of Rachel's boyfriends," Maggie said. "We're thinking someone must have gone over to her house after she left the two of you. Can you think of anyone?"
"I don't think anyone was special to Rachel," Sally said. "She used people up and threw them away."
"That sounds like a good way to get people pissed off," Maggie said. "Anyone sound like he was obsessed with Rachel? Did she ever complain about someone who wouldn't leave her alone?"
"Complain?" Sally said. "Not hardly."
"Okay, let's forget about Rachel for a while. What about other girls at school? They ever talk about boys who were giving them a hard time?"
Kevin scratched his chin. He looked at Sally. "What about Tom Nickel? Remember how Karin said he was always sending her those creepy notes? Real prick."
Sally shrugged. "Sure, but that was two years ago. He graduated last year."
"But he goes to UMD," Kevin said. "He's still in the area."
"I suppose."
Maggie wrote down the name in her book. "Anyone else?"
"Most of the guys in school are jerks," Sally said. "That's why I'm so lucky." She slung an arm around Kevin's waist, and he kissed her hair.
"How about girls who had a bad time at the barn?" Maggie asked.
There it was.
It lasted only a split second, but Maggie saw the look in Sally's eyes. Her whole demeanor changed, the cool arrogance replaced by fear. Then, just as quickly, the moment passed. Sally turned and kissed Kevin again, not looking at Maggie. When she turned back, she had pasted a mask on her face.
"I don't hang out with girls who go to the barn," she said.
Maggie nodded. "I understand."
"Kevin!" Someone shouted from the doorway to the bar. A fifty-something woman with a hassled scowl waved a stack of menus at them. "We're dying out here. I need you now, you hear me? Right now!"
Kevin turned to Maggie. "Was there anything else? I have to go."
Maggie shook her head. Kevin kissed Sally again and rushed out of the bar. Sally began to follow him, but Maggie tugged gently at her arm.
"Can you spare me another minute?" Maggie asked.
Frowning, Sally sat down where Kevin had been. Maggie sipped her beer and kept her eyes on Sally. The girl watched her nervously. When Maggie put the mug down, she put a hand over Sally's on the table. Sally looked at her, confused and afraid. The feisty jealous girl was gone.
"Do you want to tell me about it, Sally?" Maggie asked quietly.
Sally tried to act surprised. "I don't understand. Tell you what?"
"Come on," Maggie said. "Kevin's not here anymore. Your parents aren't around. It's just us girls. You can tell me."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Maggie gripped her hand tightly now. "Something happened to you. I mentioned the barn, and you practically fainted. You've been there, haven't you? Look, I'm not judging you. But if you were out there and someone took advantage of you, I have to know."
Sally shook her head. "It wasn't like that."
"You don't need to make excuses for me. I'm a sister, okay? I know what men can be like."
"I don't want to get anyone in trouble," Sally said. "I never thought it was anything important. I mean, I'd pretty much forgotten about it. And even when they said Rachel's bracelet was found at the barn, well, I didn't think there could be any connection."
"Tell me what happened," Maggie urged her.
Sally sighed. "I never told Kevin. I never told anyone."
"That's okay. You can tell me. I can help, you know?"
She watched the tangled emotions in the girl's face. "Do you really think it could be important?" Sally asked. "It's just too crazy."
Maggie wanted to tear the words out of the girl's throat, but she patiently caressed Sally's hand and waited.
Sally's lower lip trembled. "About six months ago, I was biking out in the countryside north of town. I drive out there sometimes and park, so I can bike on the back roads. It's always really deserted on Sunday mornings, so I thought it would be all right."
Maggie leaned forward. Oh, God, it wasn't a boyfriend. It was a psycho. Damn, damn, damn. She thought about Kerry McGrath, and she tried to let her eyes communicate the message. That was stupid, girlie.
"And?" Maggie said.
"My bike busted a chain. Someone picked me up."
"Someone?"
Sally nodded. "I mean, I knew him, so I wasn't scared."
"You went with him voluntarily?" Maggie asked.
"Yeah. I was miles from my car."
"Did he try something on you?"
Sally hesitated. "Sort of. Well, no, not really. But he stopped at the barn."
Bells began going off in Maggie's head. She could feel goose bumps rising on her skin, the way they always did just before a case blew wide open. Finally, finally, they were going to get answers.
"What happened, Sally?"
Sally swallowed hard. She stared down at her hands folded in her lap. Suddenly, she seemed very young. It was strange, Maggie thought, how these teenagers could pretend to be so adult and mature, and then when you scratched the surface, they became children again.
"We were just talking. He told me how nice I looked. He said it was a really hot outfit I was wearing, that I was obviously in great shape. He just seemed way too-serious, I guess. It started out harmless, but after a while it got creepy."
Maggie nodded. "Okay, what happened next?"
"Well, we were getting near the road that led to the barn. He asked me if I'd ever been there. I said no, I hadn't He was teasing, saying we should check and see if anyone was making out there. And then he really turned. He started heading there. I was freaking out."