Dressed in a tank top, leggings, and lime-green running shoes, Maisie stepped onto a treadmill at a gym Kyle Grady frequented and did her best to blend in. She despised gyms, and gym equipment, and tight spaces crammed with smelly people. She preferred to exercise outdoors, in the open, with fresh air and fewer humans.
Kyle exited the men’s locker room. Standing at a height of about six foot five, he was slender, yet toned, and sported dark-brown, feathery hair and a goatee. Gym bag in hand, he headed outside. Maisie hopped off the treadmill and crossed the room, meeting him at the front door. He smiled, pushed the door open and allowed her to walk outside first.
“Thank you,” she said. “You look familiar to me.”
“Really? I don’t think we’ve met.”
“You’re Kyle Grady, aren’t you?”
He nodded.
“Lane and Zoey Marshall were my neighbors,” she said.
“Oh. Yeah. Guess you know Lena then.”
“I do. I’ve been spending time with her family this week.”
“Me too. It’s hard seeing what she’s going through, but there’s not a lot I can do for her right now.”
“You used to be roommates with Jayden Conrad, didn’t you?”
“For a while. Why?”
“Do you know if he ever crossed paths with or knew Lane or Zoey?”
“Can’t say for sure, but I don’t think so. I mean, he probably saw them around campus. Well, Zoey, not Lane, since he wasn’t in school. Why?”
“I was just wondering. I heard they knew each other, and it’s just odd to me how he was murdered recently and now Lane has been murdered. I can’t help but think it isn’t a coincidence.”
He scratched the side of his head, looking confused and worried. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“When you were dating Lena, was she ever in your dorm room, or somewhere Jayden and Zoey would have interacted together?”
“Don’t think so.” He jangled his car keys in his hand, stared out into the parking lot, appearing nervous. “Well,” he said, “I gotta go.”
Maisie opened her mouth to push even harder, but never got the chance. Kyle sprinted across the parking lot and got into his car. Ten seconds later, he was gone.