Evie added the name Mark Reynolds at number nine. “This one catches a lot of maybes. He’s a music major. He lived in the building next to hers. My interview notes have him dating one of Jenna’s friends, and that relationship breaking up in high-drama acrimony the month before Jenna disappears. He’s got a history of alcohol infractions, drunk-and-disorderly arrests, two DUIs, and I’ve got him in rehab twice after Jenna’s disappearance, according to prior police conversations.”
“He’s worth a conversation,” Ann agreed. “Let me give you what may need to be number three on that list. Aggravated assault, rape charges stuck, tossed out of school, lived on her block, and did more jail time recently for sexual assault of a girl who looks a lot like Jenna. Adam Wythe.”
Evie wrote in the name. “It’s not going to be a comfortable list when we’re done.”
“It never is,” Ann said.
Evie squeezed in another name at the bottom of the board, taking the list to twenty-seven. The number of guys with a history of trouble regarding women who lived in the area around Jenna’s apartment was disturbing, given this was supposedly the quiet side of campus.
“We have our first volley of names. Thanks, Ann. It’s a good place to be for day two.”
“A useful beginning,” Ann replied. She marked her lists with Post-it notes and handed them on to Evie. “There are a lot of names still to go through.”
Not a surprise, as Evie was barely halfway through the music-majors list. “Tomorrow’s problem. We’ll see what the researchers come back with on these. I figure cops have looked at most of these names in the past, but they caught our attention for a reason. Looking at someone with the benefit of additional history sometimes reveals more.”
“Finding a name on that list who’s now in jail for an abduction-type event or killing would narrow the search very quickly.” Ann gathered up her coat, stepped to the conference room door, said good-night to David.
Evie walked her out. “I appreciate the help today.”
“It’s a pleasure, Evie. I miss this work on occasion. Stack up whatever you most want to tackle tomorrow and I’ll help you move that mountain.”
“I’ll do just that,” Evie promised.
Returning to the office, Evie remembered she still needed to call Rob. She considered the time, made the call, and wasn’t surprised when his private number rolled over to his voicemail. “Hey, Rob. I was thinking about you and wanted to say hi. I’m about an hour away. Let’s meet up for dinner, whatever night works for you. I’ll come your way. Hope your day is going well. Mine is.”
She pocketed her phone. He’d call her back, or text, depending on what was happening.
Back at her desk, Evie sent an email with the twenty-seven names to her researcher at the State Police. He’d disperse them to others and funnel back the results of criminal and general background checks as they came in.
David joined her to study the assembled names. “Think he’s up there?”
Evie scanned the list once more. “I’d give it maybe a thirty percent chance,” she guessed, trying to be optimistic. “How’s yours coming?”
“I’ve finished reviewing Saul’s closed cases. I’m at forty-two names with motives to want him dead. I’ll see which ones lie to me in interviews and hopefully narrow it down to a top ten. I have a feeling there are a lot of Everett types in that data with minor and major infractions.
“I’ve been able to pretty much eliminate the other active cases,” he added. “According to people I’ve spoken with, Neil Wallinski was eventually located in Alaska. The VP position was filled four months later by a name not on the candidate list Saul was checking out. And the gambling husband died in an early-morning car crash a year after Saul’s disappearance; he’d been playing poker most of the night. No one seems to have benefited from Saul’s disappearance in those situations.”
“It’s good to have at least those checked off,” Evie commented.
David smiled. “It’s a start. There are a lot more I need to close with this one.” He gathered up the used coffee mugs. “You ready to call it a day?”
It was after six p.m. Evie weighed her options. “It’s been a long day, but it’s still relatively early. I’ll put in another hour here with things I need to read. I’ve got an interview with Jenna’s boyfriend after he gets off work, and I’ll probably do that later from the hotel. And I still want to try to get through Jenna’s laptop tonight. What about you?”