Threads of Suspicion(30)
“Whoever did this likely shared her passion for music.”
Evie glanced over at David.
“She’s got the boyfriend in Steve,” David explained. “She’s not looking beyond him. Interested guy number two, how’s he going to get some of Jenna’s time? I bet he’s around when Steve’s out of town, sharing her interest in music. A guitar player, someone good on keyboards. Someone who could get Jenna’s free time by having the one thing she’s willing to let draw her out of her studies.”
Evie realized where David was taking this. “Jealousy.”
David nodded. “A tried-and-true motive for when a guy accidentally kills a girl. She didn’t attract a killer because she likes to study the human genome. It’s not just the Triple M concert. Music was the one avenue Jenna allowed in her life by her own choice. Music is how this guy found her. He knew her for years and wanted what Steve had—or he met her recently, but it’s the same drawing card. Music.”
Evie saw the leap he had made. “I’m not looking at music because it was Jenna’s passion. I’m looking at music because it’s his.”
“I think you’re looking for a music major, a music student.”
“Someone who would hear her voice and think That’s lovely, share her passion, and think That’s my soul mate.”
David nodded. “There’s your thread. If he’s on the campus with her, you’re going to find him through his music.”
Evie lifted her backpack from the backseat to look for the provost’s office number, found the card, and made a call. While she got bounced around getting to the person who could find her the student rosters from that time, she glanced over at David. “You probably just set me on the track that’s going to solve my case.”
He simply smiled. “If so, you can buy me dinner, then help me find my missing PI.”
Seven
Evie met up with Ann near Jenna’s apartment building, arranged to ride with her, and waved David on to his interview.
“For efficiency, let’s split up and start by following Jenna’s credit-card purchases, get a look at where she liked to shop around the campus area,” Evie suggested. They could show Jenna’s picture around, hopefully jog owners’ and longtime employees’ memories.
Ann stamped her feet to clear snow off her boots and gamely nodded. With only a little irony, she said, “It’s a beautiful January day for strolling around.” Fortunately, it was a bit warmer than yesterday. Ann handed back Evie’s page of facts and theories. “I like the music-student theory.”
“David’s suggestion on the drive over here. Music is this person’s passion, I’m guessing, and why he chose Jenna. Or she—I’m not convinced yet we’re looking for a guy. Jenna would have opened her door late at night to a woman without a second thought.”
“I saw that,” Ann returned, “and the ‘literally moved her body’? You’re good at seeing the scope of something, Evie, but that’s just macabre. Possibly true, but beyond macabre. Although hauling a body away in a sleeper sofa carried out to a moving van does open one’s eyes to what might not have been explored yet.”
Evie shrugged. “College students move all the time. It’s easy enough to use that to your advantage. ‘The girl upstairs disappeared. I don’t care what the penalty fee is, I’m breaking my lease and getting out of here.’ Remove Jenna’s body in a wardrobe box or that sleeper sofa, wipe your place with so much bleach it stinks because you have to at least get your security deposit back. It’s a simple enough story to sell, which covers up a murder scene and gets rid of the evidence. I’ll look at dates people moved out, see if something interesting shows up for residents in her building or buildings along that block.”
“You think relevant paperwork is still around?”
“Between lease agreements, truck rentals, post-office address changes, student records, and DMV records, I’m sure I can find what I need. If this was a typical case, cops would have solved it already. The best way to use my time is to look wider than they did.”
“You are doing that, Evie. A drunk driver hitting her caught me off guard too,” Ann said. “I could see him dumping her body, but the blood on the street would be difficult to wash away.”
Having already thought about that problem, Evie simply said, “A couple of drunks, hosing off the street where a friend threw up, it could be sold that way. It’s late at night and you wouldn’t see blood as red until the sun is up. The search didn’t begin until Monday, and if Jenna had walked a distance, was a few blocks away when she was hit, the cops don’t see that location right away. There were heavy rains Monday night. It would probably take two people or more in the car who hit her to cover up that kind of involved crime scene, or very good friends of a drunk driver willing to help him cover up such an accident. Still, it can fit the facts.”