Brantley damn sure didn’t like the direction this was going.
Jason’s keen eyes bounced back and forth between them. “You think he had something to do with Lauren’s disappearance?”
“I don’t think anything yet,” Brantley told him. “But I’m pullin’ the threads I find.”
“And you’re with the governor’s task force, I’m told.”
“We are. Missing persons. New development.”
“Well, I hope you can find out what happened to her. I know it hit Coyote Ridge hard when she disappeared. That sorta thing doesn’t happen in small towns.”
“We’re from there. Know all about it.”
“Wait. Walker was it?” Jason sat up straight.
“Brantley, yeah. My partner, Reese Tavoularis.”
“Town was built on your land,” Jason said with a smile.
“Not my land,” Brantley corrected. “My family’s. I’m just livin’ on it like everybody else. Can you tell us where you were on Saturday night?”
“Home with my husband.”
Convenient.
“I’ve also got some out-of-town guests. His parents are in from Denver. You’re welcome to speak to any of them. Why do you ask?”
“Did you know Corinne Greenwood?”
Jason seemed to consider it. “Name isn’t familiar.”
“Probably went by Cori. She was Lauren Tyler’s best friend back in high school,” Reese explained. “She went missing on Saturday night.”
“You think it’s related?”
“Well, I don’t believe in coincidence,” Reese answered.
“No, I don’t suppose you do.”
“Do you remember anything that might help us from back then?”
Jason was quiet for a minute. “No. I really wish I did. All I really remember was how upset everyone was after she went missing. The school was in an uproar for a few days, everyone out helping with the search, canvassing the area. I remember Dugan stayed apprised of what was going on, letting the teachers know. And then eventually it just died off, as though she never existed.”
For some people, Brantley knew. Others were still suffering the loss.
Getting to his feet, Brantley extended a hand. “Thanks for your time.”
“No problem. If there’s anything else I might be able to help with, feel free to reach out.” Jason grabbed a business card, passed it over, then shook Reese’s hand.
Neither of them spoke until they were back in the truck, and Reese was the one to kick it off.
“Okay, no offense here, but did you notice the gay population in Coyote Ridge is pretty significant?”
Brantley glanced over, barked a laugh. “Seriously?”
“Sorry.”
“I don’t take any offense to it, I just figured you’d be callin’ out the fact that Dugan sounds like he was pervin’ on teenagers while pretendin’ to lead the school.”
“Well, there’s that, too.”
“We should pay Dugan another visit,” Brantley said, turning the truck toward downtown. “Think maybe we can catch him in class?”
“Worth a shot.”
Turned out, it wasn’t worth a shot. Professor Dugan had called in sick both Monday and today. The administration office had no idea when he would be back.
“Coincidence?” Reese grumbled.
“If I believed in ’em, maybe.”
“I’ve got a really bad feelin’ Dugan’s our guy.” Reese’s voice was deadly low. “And not only did he abduct and likely murder Lauren Tyler, but he’s probably got Cori, too.”
Same thing Brantley was thinking.
“Worse than that,” Brantley said softly, “we’ve tipped the motherfucker off.”
***
From the looks of it, Brantley was right. They had tipped off William Dugan. A quick swing by his house was confirmation the asshole was now officially MIA. Granted, if the guy had been living there, he’d packed up and scooted out fast. From a couple glances through the windows, there wasn’t a single piece of furniture left. Although Reese figured the man hadn’t actually been living there at all. Probably used the property for an address.
Now back at HQ, they were all working to locate the missing professor, including Baz, who had made an appearance while they’d been at the law office. After relaying what they’d learned, which was a whole lot of nothing, he’d taken a seat at Reese’s desk and borrowed the computer.
“What about his parents?” Brantley mused aloud. “They still alive?”
“No,” JJ answered, not looking up from her monitor.
“Both deceased,” Baz said. “I looked into them first thing. Died a few years ago, left everything to their only son.”
“Including real estate? Maybe there’s something still in their names, a place he might be hidin’ out,” Reese prompted even though he was already digging for the information.
“Not that I can tell,” Baz answered at the same time JJ said, “None.”
“Brothers? Sisters? Cousins?” Reese rattled off, hoping for anything that might give them another thread to pull.
“Only child,” Baz responded. “His father had a brother, but he died of SIDS when he was three weeks old. Mother had no siblings. Aside from his parents, Dugan’s got no living relatives that I can tell.”
“Did you hack the university?” Brantley prompted. “See what his records show?”
Baz looked up, his eyebrow lifting.
“Immunity and means,” JJ supplied, grinning. She glanced at Brantley. “And no, not yet. But I will if you give me the go-ahead.”
