“It’s not money,” Lance said. “They don’t have much, and her life insurance is minimal.”
“What if their marital problems are worse than anyone thought?” Sharp suggested. “Maybe Chelsea was going to leave Tim and take the kids back to Colorado.”
“There would be legal issues with her taking the kids to another state,” Morgan said.
“But her parents have more money than Tim and can afford better lawyers.” Sharp wrote DIVORCE? in black marker under Tim’s name on the whiteboard.
“The reports on Tim’s family are interesting.” Lance scanned a report his mom had flagged. “Both Tim’s father and brother have served time in state prison. His mom’s drug-dealing charge was pleaded down. She served a year in a county facility for women. Tim’s brother missed his last meeting with his parole officer.”
Sharp marked their names with an asterisk. “They’ve asked Tim for money in the past. Maybe they decided he needed to share his newfound success.”
Morgan tapped her pen. “Tim hasn’t received a ransom demand.”
“Maybe they’re waiting for the publicity to die down,” Lance suggested.
“Or for us to go away,” Sharp added. “I know a PI in Colorado. I’ll give him a call. I want eyes on Tim’s family.”
Lance leaned over his laptop and opened another computer file. “Next up is Chelsea’s boss, Curtis MacDonald.”
“Chelsea wanted to talk to him about something important. We have no indication of what that was.” Morgan turned to Lance. “What about the data on Chelsea’s computer and smartphone?”
“Nothing unusual,” Lance said. “Mostly she was interested in mom-type topics. Colic, infant development, sibling relationships, etc.”
“Assuming the dead woman isn’t Chelsea, do we still think there’s any chance that Chelsea left on her own?” Sharp asked.
Morgan shook her head. “In my opinion, no.”
Lance thought of the pretty blonde woman. Was Sheriff King right? Was she hiding out somewhere, depressed, suicidal, angry with her husband and determined to teach him a lesson? “My gut agrees with Morgan. Everyone we asked says Chelsea would never leave her kids.”
“The pendant’s broken chain and the hairs ripped out by the root support her being forcibly taken,” Morgan said.
Sharp nodded, his eyes grim. “Then we’re all in agreement on that. Unless Chelsea had some kind of psychotic breakdown, she wouldn’t intentionally abandon her family.”
Lance returned to his list. “I saved the best for last. Harold Burns?”
Sharp crossed his arms across his chest. “Level-three violent sex offenders aren’t magically cured. They’re a public threat as long as they’re loose.”
“Studies are mixed,” Morgan argued. “We can’t assume he’s guilty because he was confrontational.”
Sharp widened his stance. “He didn’t peep in windows. He committed a violent rape. He used a gun. He threatened and choked his victim.”
“I agree. I saw too many repeat offenders of all types to believe any violent criminals should be out on the street. But anyone on the sex offender registry is going to react when an investigator comes calling to talk about a missing woman.”
Lance paced, picturing the way Burns had intimidated Morgan. “Even if Burns is likely guilty of something, we can’t assume Burns is guilty of this crime.”
“How far from Burns’s home address and the auto shop was the body found?” Sharp asked. “I’m going to get a map.”
“I have one right here.” Lance clicked through and pulled up a map of the area. He placed a pin on the location near the state park where the body was found. Then, he marked the other two addresses. “The body was found less than two miles from the auto shop. If you went through the woods behind the salvage yard, eventually you’d end up in the state park.”
Morgan’s phone buzzed. “It’s the sheriff.”
Lance stopped. Had the ME identified the body?
Chapter Twenty-Three
Holding her breath, Morgan pressed the phone to her ear. “Morgan Dane.”
“King here,” the sheriff said in a deep grumble.
“Have you heard from the ME?” Morgan asked.
“No. That’s not what this is about.” The sheriff actually huffed. “I got a call from Harold Burns’s lawyer. You and your investigators will stay away from him. Consider this your official warning.”
“You know he’s a level-three violent offender and the woman’s body was found less than two miles from Burns Auto Shop?” Morgan’s voice was as cold as the icy shiver that slipped through her insides. Burns had gone on the offensive after their visit to the auto shop. She’d expected him to lay low.