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“The phrase you heard has some meaning, Geneva. I have what I believe to be a source for it. This could be a real clue. It tells us something about who might have been Sidney’s accomplice if he had one.”

“You think whoever that was wrote letters to him?” she asked.

“Maybe. They had to be communicating in some way. There’s never been a shred of evidence that Sidney had help on the inside. The guards he came into contact with were extensively investigated. We know Sidney came here to the Helene area. We know he was here for at least two days.”

“I wish I could just leave,” she said. “Head out west. Go to Canada. Anywhere but here. But I can’t leave my dad. We should probably keep our voices down. Landon’s in there trying to distract him. They’re playing chess. Dad’s getting frustrated because he keeps knocking pieces off the board. He’s got new tremors in his right hand.”

“I need you to think,” I said. “Was there anyone around you or one of the other girls who was heavily into online gaming when you were in high school?”

“Lots of people were. At least, I imagine they were. There was an e-sports club team if I remember. It might even be school sponsored by now.”

“I don’t think e-sports is quite the same crowd,” I said.

“More like the D&D clique?”

“Maybe.”

She picked at a cuticle. “I don’t know.”

“Think,” I said. “I’ve spoken with the Olesons. But what about Maisy’s or Emily’s or Sarah’s families? Any brothers or boyfriends that might have been into something like that?”

“Jake Thacker, a guy I dated, played some kind of medieval online game,” she said. “I remember going over to his house a couple of times and him being in the middle of some quest or whatever. I wouldn’t say it was hardcore.”

“Thacker,” I said. “We need to talk about him, Geneva. Zoe Oleson said some things.” I decided not to tell her that Zoe had actually written Derrek Sidney. It felt too private. But I wanted to see if Geneva’s story would line up with Zoe’s, or if one of the girls was lying.

“We broke up a few weeks before we all went to Deadwater Lake,” she said. “If you talked to Zoe, she probably told you Annabelle was into him. Zoe tried to make a big deal out of that at the time. It was crappy what Annabelle did. Jake and I … we broke up. Yes. But things were still fluid, at least in my mind. Annabelle knew that. But things were winding down between us anyway. I wasn’t happy about Annabelle hooking up with him. But it wasn’t this big drama or feud we got into. It was just that I knew she wasn’t being a very good friend. But we were going our separate ways. It was the last weekend the five of us were ever going to be in one place again. I put that all aside. I swear.”

“Do you know how I could get in touch with Jake?” I asked.

“I have no idea. Last I heard he joined the Army. Served in Afghanistan, I think. He could be anywhere.”

“What about any family of his that might be in town?”

Geneva shook her head. “His dad died maybe ten years ago, I heard. I think his mom retired to Florida or somewhere. He was an only child.”

Another potential dead end. But it also made it less likely that Jake Thacker was the one who vandalized Geneva’s car unless he’d secretly come back to Helene.

We heard a loud crash and a thump coming from inside.

“Dammit, Landon!”

Geneva shot to her feet. As she raced into the house, I followed her. Invited or not, if the Bells needed help, I was ready to provide it.

“It’s okay,” Landon called out. “He just tried to get into the shower by himself.”

I stopped short before running down the hallway behind Geneva. I could see Kevin Bell’s bare legs sticking out of the hallway bathroom. He was dripping wet and swearing up a storm.

“We should call someone,” Geneva said. “Have the fire department come out to help us lift him back into bed.”

“I don’t need all that fuss,” Kevin shouted. “I just need a hand. And I need you all to stop looking at me that way. Give me some dignity, for Pete’s sake!”

When Geneva and Landon tried to move in to help their father, Kevin Bell thrashed and swore some more.

“Dad!” Landon shouted. “Either you help us get you up, or we’re calling for a fall assist.”

“Then half the town will be in my business,” Kevin moaned.

Lord. His stubbornness reminded me so much of my own father. We weren’t there yet. Dad could handle all his activities of daily living unassisted. Someday that might not be true.