Chapter 31

She didn’t disappoint. “Evan, that’s terrible. Are you all right?”

“Yes, ma’am. I wasn’t home at the time.”

“Well that’s a relief. And, of course, you are welcome to stay here with us. The guest room next to Danny’s should be suitable.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Carmody. I appreciate the hospitality.”

She nodded. “What do the police say? Have they found the person who did it?”

Danny intervened again. “No, and they’re not looking for him. They have some idiotic idea that Evan vandalized his own apartment.”

Nessa’s gaze zeroed in on Evan. She stared at him, coolly analytical. “And why would they think that?”

Evan squirmed under that thorough scrutiny, “There was a homophobic slur spray-painted on the wall. Their theory is that I got mad at myself and did it. And my personal items—books, photos, clothes—weren’t damaged. Supposedly, I didn’t want to destroy things that were important to me.”