Threads of Suspicion(34)
Ann tapped number eight—unnamed person who killed Caroline Lewis. “I think the person who killed Caroline is someone close to Nathan. I’ve got someone undercover in his office right now looking into that possibility.”
“Well, that’s interesting news.”
Ann pulled out a chair at David’s gesture. “Nathan’s a friend, the case needs to get solved, and someone working on it from the inside can more easily run down possibilities. I made a call on the way over here and had dates pulled. The last contact Nathan had with Saul was on August twenty-second—it’s in the file as a phone update. Saul was canvassing the area, people were being talked with, queries were out, but he had nothing new to report.”
“That date fits what is in Saul’s own paperwork,” David confirmed. “Saul disappeared in the days after September eighth.”
“If Saul had found out something about Caroline’s murder, that knowledge didn’t have time to reach Nathan. There’s nothing in Nathan’s records to indicate they spoke that week.”
“That closes down one hope I had,” David said with regret.
“Nathan has had three private investigators work alongside the police over the years. The other investigators looked into Saul’s disappearance based on the same assumption you had. I asked to get copies of whatever notes they made regarding Saul for you. Hopefully their notes might narrow down where Saul was last seen.”
“Thanks. You’ve got a better chance of finding anything useful working from the inside of Nathan’s office than I do hoping to re-create Saul’s work for him. So for now, I’ll move on to other possibilities.”
“If you have specific questions, I can try to get you answers without having to go to Nathan directly.” Ann pushed back her chair and stood. “I’m going to spend a few hours helping Evie data-crunch on her names. If you have something specific come to mind, I’ll be around.”
David smiled. “We both appreciate that help, because after Evie solves her case, she’s doubling up to help me solve this one.”
“I’ll take getting these two cases solved however it comes about,” Evie said with a laugh. “I’m ordering in food, as I still owe Ann lunch. I’m thinking steak sandwiches. Want in?”
“Sure.”
Evie ordered them a late lunch while Ann made a brief call to her husband, Paul. It was nice, having a friend helping out who understood this kind of work.
Evie wrote the question Who Killed Jenna Greenhill? on her whiteboard and then numbered one through twenty-four down the side. “We fill up the list with the highest-probability names so that researchers have something to work on, then I’ll send you home.”
“Paul is taking me out to an arcade late tonight—we’re working a small matter for a friend on our own time—so I’m yours until then.” Ann settled in at an empty desk. “Give me the apartment lists, the names of those who lived in buildings on Jenna’s block. I’ll start cross-referencing names with moving records, arrest records, school records, disciplinary actions, and look for signs of trouble in their lives after Jenna disappeared.”
Evie found more answers to inquires in her inbox, all with attached lists of names. She passed printouts to Ann, then dumped the accumulating reports onto a flash drive for her use. “You’ll want to reference those big sheets of paper on the far desk for the resident lists by building.”
“Thanks.” Ann plugged in the flash drive and brought up the reports. “You’ve been busy.”
“I learned by watching you. The more data, the better the odds of finding an answer. If I’ve tossed a big enough net out in the last thirty-six hours, I’ve now got his name.”
“Given your wide array of theories, I’d say you’re covering the bases.”
“That’s my hope.” Evie turned her attention to the music majors, began cross-referencing for the same indications of trouble.
Papers turned, keyboards clicked as they scanned the screens. Evie wrote the name Harold Jefferies at position twelve. A music guy suspected of using a date-rape drug, he had played guitar in a band Evie remembered being mentioned in Jenna’s journals.
“You’ll want to list Philip Walsh,” Ann said. “Put him at five. He’s been questioned twice regarding home break-ins with sexual assaults. He lived on Jenna’s block, moved two weeks after she went missing, never graduated. He’s been arrested four times for theft—he likes lifting handbags from the back of a chair and walking away.”
“That’s promising.” Evie wrote in the name. She added Candy Trefford on the list at number ten. According to her interviews, the ex-girlfriend of Steve Hamilton had a temper, a strong jealous streak, and was in the original police investigation as someone cops repeatedly returned to speak with.