CHAPTER 297: CINDY’S TRUTH

Marvin stayed at the service.

Unlike Max, he had no problem lingering for the food. A free meal was a free meal, and after the trip out here, he wasn’t about to turn it down. Most of the guests had no idea who he was, just another man in a suit among the mourners.

But Abby’s father knew.

He knew Marvin as the detective assigned to the ongoing case. He was also the one who had insisted on attending today.

Officially, Marvin had said it was to pay his respects. In truth, he wanted to see the people connected to Abby in their natural setting, who they spoke to, how they acted, and, most importantly, the ones he hadn’t interviewed yet.

He hadn’t expected much, maybe a few routine conversations. But instead, he’d hit what felt like the jackpot.

He’d already spoken to several of Abby’s family members, the ones she’d been close with, and a few of her classmates. But then there was the flashy one. The young man with red hair and a black jacket. From his behavior, Marvin could tell they’d been close. His actions at the incense table, the long bow, the way others looked at him, it all stood out.

And yet... no one had questioned him before now.

That alone was worth noting.

As Marvin stayed seated near the back, watching the flow of the room, his eyes picked up on movement. The red-haired boy left the venue with another younger male.

That’s the one he gestured to stop during our little chat,

Marvin thought. Something’s going on there. Or maybe it’s just kids being stupid.

But it wasn’t just the boy who caught his interest.

There was another man.

The image was clear in Marvin’s mind, sharply dressed, glasses perched casually on his head. He hadn’t spoken to anyone outside of polite nods, but he’d been observing the room constantly. Even when Marvin had been talking to the kid, the man had stayed within a certain distance, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

And if I’m not mistaken... was that a taser and a baton under his jacket?

Marvin’s lips curved slightly. If I’m right, that’s professionally trained security. For that kid? This is starting to get interesting.

Eventually, food was brought out for the guests. As was always the case at gatherings like this, people clustered at tables with those they knew best, voices rising in soft conversation.

Abby’s father moved from table to table, glass in hand, taking a drink with each group. He’d managed to stay sober throughout the service itself, but now... now he was loosening up. Soaking in the warmth of familiar faces, letting the alcohol dull the edges of the day as he gave Abby the send-off she deserved.

Marvin, knowing next to no one here, decided there was no point wasting time.

He wandered over to one of the tables and sat down without asking. Across from him sat Cindy and Warma, eating quietly. Neither made a comment about his sudden arrival; they simply kept their eyes on their plates.

"I wanted to ask you a few questions, Cindy," Marvin said, his voice low but steady. "I know I wasn’t able to find Abby in time. All efforts were used, believe me."

"But now," Marvin continued, leaning forward slightly, "I want to bring down the person responsible. And I think your answers might help me get there. From what I know about you, Cindy, you’re quite popular in your school. You know a lot of people, so I imagine you’d have crossed paths with others besides Abby."

Cindy glanced toward her father, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. She wasn’t sure if she should be speaking to him at all, not without knowing exactly where this line of questioning would lead.

Warma gave a small nod. "Answer him. If it helps."

Cindy turned back to Marvin. "I’ll do what I can. But I already told you everything I know about Abby."

"Right, right," Marvin said with a faint smile. "Well, what I wanted to ask was about Jay Woods. Another student who died, hit-and-run, still an open case. Did you know Jay well? Or did Abby?"

"I knew Jay," Cindy replied after a short pause. "But it was more of a... friend-of-a-friend situation. We’d have lunch together sometimes, but not just the two of us. Same for Abby."

That answer caught Marvin’s attention. He’d suspected there might be some connection, but regular lunches, however casual, were more significant than he’d expected.

"And what about Sam Okoye?" Marvin pressed. "Did you have lunch with him as well? Or did Abby?"

He watched her face carefully, hoping for even the smallest reaction. This might be the thread worth pulling.

But Cindy shook her head. "I hardly knew the guy. Next to no one did. I mean, people saw him getting bullied, so... no one was really surprised when..." She trailed off, glancing down. "But it does remind me, Abby once told me that Sam reached out to her. I can’t remember what it was about, though."

She didn’t think much about the detective’s questions. He’d said it was to help find the one responsible for Abby’s death, and for that, she was willing to answer.

"So," Marvin said, his tone casual but his eyes sharp, "Abby knew both of them in some way. This ’friend-of-a-friend’ you mentioned, did they also know Sam? And if so, would you mind giving me their name?"

That was when Cindy hesitated.

The name on her tongue was Max Smith.

If she said it, Marvin would start digging into him. Even she found the whole situation with Max strange though, even her father wouldn’t tell her about who he really was, so maybe this was the only way to find the truth. After all, if Max had nothing to do with her death, it would be fine. And if Max had something to do with Abby’s death...

Her hand tightened into a fist beneath the table. After a few seconds, she decided to speak.

"Yeah," she said finally, her voice quieter now. "The friend-of-a-friend who knew all of them... was the red-haired boy you saw here today. Max Smith."