Page 50 of Forever Dead

Another had a domestic violence record and had moved to Ohio more than fifteen years earlier.

A third had served prison time for armed robbery.

Selena made notes beside each name, marking current location and whether any recent connection to Harlan County appeared in the material.

Then she opened Curtis Halle.

The first page stopped her.

School incident. Age seventeen.

Details were limited, but there had been disciplinary intervention following repeated troubling behavior toward a teacher.

Selena sat straighter.

The teacher’s name was not included in Tanya’s summary, but the timing aligned with Eleanor’s years at the school.

She kept reading.

At twenty-four, Curtis had been served with a restraining order by a former girlfriend after repeated unwanted visits to her workplace and home.

At twenty-eight came another restraining order, this time involving a coworker. The accompanying court filing described threatening messages, property damage, and repeated appearances outside the man's apartment.

Selena turned to the next page.

The pattern worsened in his thirties. Arrests for assault. A weapons charge that had been reduced. An incident involving a neighbor in which Curtis reportedly smashed windows and threatened to burn the house down.

Then came the breakdown.

The available record was tied to a criminal proceeding, which explained why Tanya had been able to access more than ordinary medical information. Curtis had been found incompetent during part of the case and committed to a secure psychiatric facility.

Selena read the dates twice.

He had been discharged six weeks ago.

A court-filed discharge summary was included among the documents. It described him as stable at the time of release, compliant with treatment and suitable for supervised community placement.

The language did not reassure her.

There were references to continuing monitoring, medication compliance, and the need to avoid identified stressors. Nothing stated he was dangerous. Nothing said he had relapsed.

Still, six weeks.

Eleanor Marsh had been murdered the night before last.

Selena reached for her phone and called Arnold.

He answered quickly. “Hey.”

“I’ve got a potential suspect.”

A pause followed. “Already?”

“Curtis Halle. Former Elmsview High student. Violent history that escalates over time.”

“The name sounds familiar. What kind of history?”

“Two restraining orders in his twenties. Assaults later. Threats. Property damage. Eventually had a breakdown connected to a criminal case and was committed to a psychiatric facility.”