What I've Done (Morgan Dane #4)(37)

“It sounds like you believe Haley is guilty and just want to destroy the prosecutor’s case,” Eliza said. “My daughter is innocent. I want to prove that.”

Morgan nodded. “That’s our ultimate goal, but we don’t have to adhere to such a high standard. We only need to show that the prosecutor hasn’t proven her guilt.”

“I don’t want her to get off on a technicality,” Eliza argued. “Her life will be ruined. We need to find out who really killed that young man. I know the law says she’s innocent until proven guilty, but we all know that’s bullshit. We need to find the real killer.”

“That would be optimal,” Morgan agreed. “And we will do everything in our power to do just that.”

Haley returned to the kitchen in flannel pajama bottoms and a sweatshirt.

“Is there somewhere quiet we can go to talk?” Morgan reached into her tote for her notepad and a pen. She wanted Haley to speak freely, and Morgan thought her best chances for honesty would be if she and Haley were alone. There were things a woman might not want to say with her mother or men she didn’t know well in the room.

“My bedroom.” Turning away, Haley led her up the steps to the upstairs hall. “My mom’s room is downstairs. I have my own space up here.”

Her bedroom was a suite, with a large private bath and sitting room, complete with desk, big-screen TV, and a small sectional couch.

Haley flopped onto the sofa.

Morgan sat on the other leg of the L. “First, I want you to relax and tell me everything you remember about last Friday night. Start from when you left the house. No detail is too small. Just picture it in your mind and tell me what you remember.”

“I’ll try.” She took a deep breath as if preparing herself. “Piper and I took an Uber to Beats. It was her birthday, otherwise I would have stayed home. I don’t like clubs much.” Her story didn’t waver as she described having an alcohol-free cocktail and dancing with Piper. “Then I ran into Noah. He consulted on a new website for the bank. I’d met him a couple of times.” She paused, plucking a tissue from a box on the end table. “I liked him—too much, I guess, because I let him buy me a drink, then I totally blew off Piper to dance with him. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Do you know what time that was?”

“Maybe ten?” Haley didn’t sound sure. “I wasn’t paying attention to the time.”

Piper had remained at the bar for about an hour after Haley deserted her.

“Then what happened?” Morgan asked.

“He bought me another drink. We ate nachos. We danced some more. Then it all starts to get fuzzy.” Haley frowned. “Yesterday and today, I’ve been remembering pieces of the evening, but I still have significant blank spots.” Haley closed her eyes. “I tripped on my way out of the club and banged my leg. It hurt, so when we got to his place, I asked him for an aspirin and ice.” She opened her eyes. Her expression turned bittersweet, then confused, then devastated. “He was really nice. I don’t understand what happened.”

“Is that the whole memory?” Disappointment filled Morgan as she noted the explanation for the bruises on Haley’s leg. She’d been hoping Noah had gotten violent, not that he’d been sweet.

“No. He took me to his house, put me on the couch, and got me an ice pack. Then I wanted something salty. I took extra medication because salt cravings are a warning sign that I need it. Noah brought me water and some chips. We went into the family room. Noah turned on the TV. But I don’t remember what was playing. We were kissing . . .” Her face darkened. She shuddered. “Then I have a big blank space until I woke up.”

Shivering, Haley pulled a fleece blanket bearing a university logo across her legs. “The rest of the weekend is fuzzy. Even finding Noah doesn’t feel like it was real. Everything until I was treated at the hospital is hazy. I haven’t felt that Addison’s brain fog in a long time. I never let myself get that sick.”

“Have you ever passed out from drinking alcohol before?” As much as Morgan hated it, Haley’s entire life and lifestyle would be under scrutiny.

“Yes. Once.” Haley sniffed. “After a frat party freshman year. There were tequila shots and beer and something the fraternity called jungle juice, which tasted like spiked fruit punch. I blacked out. But I had a lot more than two drinks, and I vomited for an entire day afterward. When I woke up at Noah’s, I was confused and foggy, but I wasn’t hangover-sick like that.” Haley’s posture stiffened with resolve. “I couldn’t have passed out drunk and not been violently ill the next day.”

“I agree.”

But was Haley being truthful? Her story was bizarre, and she wouldn’t be the first defendant to lie to her attorney. She wouldn’t even be the first client to lie to Morgan this week.

Morgan moved on. “Do you have an ex-boyfriend?”

Haley cocked her head. “Yes. Kieran Hart.” She spelled the name for Morgan. “And now that you mention it, he was at Beats Friday night.”

“Did you argue?”

“No. He said hi. I ignored him, and that was the end of it. We haven’t talked in more than six months, but there was no way I was opening up any line of communication with Kieran. When we were going out, he would text me constantly. He always had to know who I was with and when I was going to be home. I asked him to stop. When he wouldn’t, I shut that relationship down.”