"Devon?" Frank made a reasonable guess.

Fenton nodded. "My contact in Austin wasn't on the case at the time but he filled me in on what he knew. He's also going to introduce me to the officers in charge of the investigation once I arrive in Austin."

"Three years is a long time to remember a case you weren't a part of. What made him remember this one?" Joe inquired.

Fenton sighed. "It's still an open investigation. No arrests were ever made."

"But if Devon saw the murder, why wasn't she able to make an identification?" Frank was confused.

"Rob says Devon claims to have no memory of the night the murders took place. She's conveniently blocked the events from her memory, or at least that's the official story."

Joe stood and began to pace. "Dad, Chet is crazy about Devon. What are you trying to say?"

"Rob says they are starting to wonder if Devon wasn't involved in the murders as more than just a witness. Boys, I'll know more after I get back from Austin but until then the two of you - and Chet - need to be very careful around her. She could be dangerous."

*****

"Here, eat it while it's hot." Chet insisted as he set the small pizza on the table between Devon and him. Devon selected a slice and placed it on her plate. She twirled her straw around in her glass absently. Chet smiled at her. "You know there was a time when I could heat a large one of these by myself. Now I only splurge and even eat pizza at all maybe once a month."

Grateful they didn't have to immediately talk about her sister, Devon shook her head. "Why the change?"

"I wanted you to notice me so I lost weight." A hint of a blush crept into Chet's cheeks.

Devon's eyes widened in surprise. "You did it for me? Wow, no one's ever done anything like that for me. They would do it for 'Laney' but never for me." She hung her head at the mention of her twin.

Chet reached over and touched her hand. "Tell me about her."

"Laney was perfect. She knew how to dress the right way and how to make herself beautiful. She always knew what to say and when to say it. She never had trouble making friends. People wanted to be near her. She was everything that I wanted to be but never had a clue how to start. People couldn't understand how we could be related let alone twins. I'm the one who should have died in that crash."

"I'm glad you didn't. Dev, why do you feel responsible for her death?"

Devon paled. "I can't tell you. I've really said more than I should already."

"Why can't you?" Chet pressed a little harder. He didn't like the fear and self-recrimination he saw there in her eyes right then.

"Uncle Rex says I can't trust anyone with what I know. He says I'll only end up hurt if people knew about that night."

Chet was growing to dislike the man more and more. "I would never hurt you, Devon. Who is this guy to you anyway?"

Devon sighted and reluctantly took a bite of her pizza. "He's my godfather. I'm staying with him right now for the lack of anywhere else to go. He took me in not long after the accident."

"You can trust me, Devon. Let me help you."

Devon took a deep breath and then blurted out her worst fears. "I don't think 'Laney's accident was an accident. I think she was run off the road and murdered. I think the person responsible was trying to kill me and I think he's followed me here from Austin."

*****

Frank sighed as he hung up the phone. Joe looked at him and waited for his older brother to fill him in. Frank didn't look pleased. "It took awhile but Mr. Appleton looked up Devon's school records for me. She transferred here from Candleton Park High School in Austin but she'd only been there for about a year."

"Where was she before that?" Joe asked.

"She spent two years in a mental hospital."

Before Joe could react to that news, the phone rang. Joe answered it quickly. To his surprise it was Chet. "How'd you know we were at home?"

"Chet, Dad found out some things you need to know." Joe tried to warn his friend.

"Later. We'll be there in about twenty minutes."

*****

Chet hung up the phone and turned to Devon. "They'll be there. Don't worry Devon. We aren't going to let anything happen to you."

Devon forced a smile. "I trust you. I know Uncle Rex said I shouldn't but I do. I know you won't hurt me and I think maybe you'll believe me."

"Come on, let's go. Between Frank, Joe and I, we'll get to the bottom of all this."

*****

Joe had resumed pacing. Frank was sitting on the couch trying to read a computer magazine. It was hard with his younger brother walking back and forth in his periphery. When Joe checked his watch for the hundredth time, Frank tossed aside his magazine. "Joe, will you quit pacing? You're making me nervous."

Joe stopped and threw himself in the overstuffed chair. "You should be nervous. Chet called an hour ago and he still hasn't gotten here."

"Relax, he'll be here. Maybe they didn't leave immediately."

"Or maybe Chet's in danger. I think we should go look for him."

Frank nodded. "Okay, where do you suggest we start? Do you even know where he was calling from?"

Joe had to admit he didn't.

Frank shook his head. "So we would be driving around with no clue where to go and meanwhile Chet would get here and wonder where we were."

"Okay, so you have a point. But if he's not here in ten minutes I'm going looking for him no matter what."

Joe jumped a moment later when the shrill ring of the phone broke the silence.

Frank picked up the receiver and said hello. He frowned. "Hey Con. What's going on?" His eyes widened. "What?! Are they okay?"

Joe waited impatiently to find out what was going on. It was obviously something big from the worried, intense look on his brother's face. Frank continued. "Okay, Joe and I are on our way. Thanks for calling, Con." He hung up the phone and stood.

"Come on, we have to get to the hospital."

Joe jumped up, worried now as well. "What happened? Who's hurt?"

"There was an accident near the mall. Chet apparently ran a red light and hit a bus. He and Devon have been taken to the hospital."