“Were you friends with June?” Shadow’s father asks, bringing me out of my thoughts as he reaches for my hand.

June?

I quickly realize they weren’t cool hippie parents who named their daughter Shadow after all.

I don’t want to lie, but I don’t think me telling them we couldn’t stand one other would be appropriate either.

“We went to Black Mountain Academy,” I settle on.

The father nods. “Well, thank you for attending—” he gestures for me to fill in the blank.

“Aspen,” I chime in.

The mother suddenly perks up beside him. “You’re Aspen?”

Oh, shit. I should have told her a different name. No doubt she’s heard the rumors going around about Knox.

I back away slowly as not to upset them further, but she grabs my hand. “June used to talk about you all the time.”

Fuck.

This woman is going to punch me, and I’m going to let her because her daughter was murdered, and God knows she could use the outlet.

However, the next words out of her mouth send me reeling.

“She said you gave her a position on student council.” The mother smiles at her husband fondly. “You two were even in the same ballet class.”

I fight the urge to tell her the only dancing I’ve ever done was on a pole while wearing a G-string.

Clearly, they have me confused with someone else.

“Thank you for not only making her student council secretary, but taking the time to study with her after school at your house. Her math grades improved greatly because of you.” She gives my hand a squeeze. “Our June was lucky to have such a good friend.”

Dammit, Shadow. Usually when you’re using someone as a cover up, you give them a heads up about it.

“Right.”

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Shadow—or rather, June— told her parents she was hanging out with me whenever she was spending time with Knox.

“June was a great person. She’ll be missed,” I fib, because they need those little white lies.

With that, I give them a somber smile and walk away.

It’s crazy how sometimes you really don’t know a person after all.

How we all have our secrets.

I scan the back of the room for Knox so I can get to the bottom of this, but someone takes hold of my elbow.

When I look up, I see my mother. And Trent.

“What are you doing here?”

“We came to pay our respects,” Trent answers.

“But we see you already have,” my mother notes.

Trent juts his chin toward his son, who’s just spotted us. Knox attempts to walk out, but Trent is hot on his heels. He swiftly reaches for his shoulder, ushering him out of the room.

“Where are you going, Aspen?” my mother hisses as I leave her side, but I ignore her.

I catch the tail end of their conversation as I walk out to the parking lot.

“Get your ass back in there,” Trent sneers through gritted teeth.

Knox’s jaw tics as he presses the unlock button on his key fob. “Can’t. I have somewhere to be.”

Trent jabs a finger in his face. “The only place you need to be is where I goddamn tell you to be. Understood—” He stops when he sees me standing there. “Do you mind? I’m talking to my son.”

Thinking quick, I blurt, “I just wanted to tell you that I’m leaving to go to Violet’s.”

He glowers. “Not right now, you’re not. We’re going up to that casket as a family to pay our respects to June and her par—”

“Shadow,” Knox grits out, his expression indecipherable. “She liked to be called Shadow. Not June.”

Trent looks like it’s taking every ounce of willpower not to lose his shit. “I don’t give a fuck what she liked to be called. I came here tonight to do you a favor. Now get your ass in there.” He glares at me next. “Both of you.”

I cross my arms, returning his glare. “I’m not going up there twice.”

I can tell he wants to argue, but a small group of people walk past us to their car. “Fine.” He gestures to Knox. “Let’s go.”

I inhale a heavy breath as they head back inside the building.

Knox might not be emotional about Shadow’s passing, but he scolded his father for calling her June.

That has to mean something…right?

Then again, he ran out of the funeral home like his ass was on fire, and he hasn’t been home much this week.

I rub my temples, forcing myself to think.

There’s no way these two murders aren’t connected, because I found Candi’s necklace under his bed.

Maybe he’s going back to the crime scene to clean up?

Another horrifying thought hits me.

Both Candi and Shadow were missing for a couple of weeks before they were found.

What if he’s holding girls hostage somewhere and torturing them before he kills them?

Or maybe…he’s keeping the bodies somewhere else before depositing them in the woods.

And that’s where he’s been this week, visiting his latest victim before he dumps her.

My chest tightens. There’s only one way to find out.

I look around the parking lot. It’s empty for the time being, which means I have to do this now before either Knox or someone else sees me.

I say a silent prayer that he didn’t press the button on his key fob again as I trek toward his jeep.

I breathe a sigh of relief to find it’s still unlocked. Being as quiet as I can, I quickly open the door and crawl over the seats to the very back of the jeep. Then I hunker down so no one can see me.

I’m surprised Knox can’t hear my heart beating frantically when the door clicks open and he starts the engine a few minutes later.

Remembering that Brie will be at the wake soon and will no doubt wonder why I’m not, I quickly reach into my purse and turn off my phone.

I try to pay attention to all the turns he makes, so I can tell the police how to get there, but I end up losing track because there are so many.

It feels like an eternity before the tires drive over what sounds like dirt and gravel before coming to a complete stop.

I hold my breath when the backseat door opens before slamming shut.

I force myself to stay put because I don’t want to pop my head up or leave too soon after him, in case he doesn’t go right inside, provided there’s even an inside to go into.