Chapter 7
Back at the sheriff’s department, Noelle scanned the list of local missing men that Detective Evan Bolton had pulled together. Evan looked over her shoulder as she clicked on each one. “The most recent of these vanished two months ago,” said Noelle. “Our victim hasn’t been dead more than a week.”
“That doesn’t mean he disappeared a week ago,” said Evan.
“True. Would be helpful if I had an age and height for him. All I could confirm was that his hair was dark.”
“That bad?”
“That bad,” confirmed Noelle. “I asked the ME to send over a height and picture of the tattoo ASAP. I don’t know how long it will take her to determine an age range.” She clicked on a photo of a gray-haired man with a drooping mustache and jowls. “This guy vanished four years ago.”
“We’ve got records of missing people going back for decades,” said Evan. “I narrowed this search to five years.”
“Where do people go?” Noelle muttered as she read the gray-haired man’s report.
He had left behind a wife of forty years and his brand-new Ford truck.
“No one even had an idea of what happened to him. Just went for a walk and never came back.” She wondered what the wife was doing now.
Noelle went back to the man who’d vanished two months ago.
His wife had reported him missing, but his vehicle was missing too.
“No hits on his credit cards or cell phone or license plate.”
“Always makes me wonder how many vehicles and people end up in the bottom of lakes or deep rivers,” said Evan.
“One wrong turn or sudden health crisis and they’re impossible to find.
Not that long ago they found a car in the Columbia River that had gone missing in the 1950s.
The whole family had vanished except two of the children, who were found in the river a year later. ”
“I read about that,” said Noelle, still looking at the man from two months ago, trying to compare the shape of his head to that of the victim’s in the photo she’d taken this morning.
Impossible.
“I don’t think we can do much until we hear from the ME,” she said.
“A press release went out,” said Evan. “That should bring in some tips, but so far it’s just people calling with questions, demanding more information. I don’t understand why some people believe every fact in a case should immediately be made public.”
“Armchair detectives. I think it’s gotten worse with the increase in true crime shows and podcasts.
” Noelle turned away from her screen. “The home closest to my crime scene is a mile away. I sent an officer there, but the owner’s camera views are of their house and barn, not the road.
Any photos from the forensic tech yet?” Noelle had a few of her own photos for reference, but she wanted to study the tech’s images.
“Not yet.”
“How’d you do with the student-partier names I got from Emma?”
“I figured out addresses for three,” said Evan. “Came up empty for the fourth, but maybe one of the others can tell us.” He checked the time on the computer screen. “The high school got out an hour ago. Want to knock on some doors?”
“Absolutely.”
Noelle frequently partnered with Evan. Together they’d been through some harrowing moments, one of which had nearly cost Evan his life.
Noelle was thrilled he’d found happiness with SAR dog handler Rowan Wolff.
The two were made for each other. Evan was smart and dedicated, and Noelle admired how his brain put together pieces of their investigative puzzles.
It took a half hour to reach the town of Eagle’s Nest, a small, tight-knit community where everyone knew everyone’s business.
Emma Chambers had given her four names. Noelle suspected that once she and Evan started asking questions, word would spread like wildfire that the sheriff’s department was in town investigating the murder.
Evan stopped his vehicle in front of the home of RJ Hampton, the first student on Emma’s list. It was a small ranch-style home on a long street of nearly identical structures that all had large lawns and tall trees.
This one was older, but the yellow-paint trim looked fresh, and someone had sculpted the front yard’s shrubbery into shapes.
A teacup, a cat, and a cross. And another that Noelle could only guess was a book.
RJ Hampton was a senior at the high school, and according to what Evan had found online, he was an important part of the football and baseball teams. Noelle and Evan sat in the SUV for a few minutes, scanning local articles on RJ’s sports success.
“Ready?” asked Evan.
“I’ll send a quick text to the chief to let him know we’re in his town talking to some kids.”
Noelle sent the text, stepped out of the vehicle, and had barely closed her door when her phone vibrated.
She read the text and laughed out loud. “Truman already knew we were in town. Someone texted him our license plate, stating we were suspiciously parked on their street. He’d just figured out it was a sheriff’s vehicle a second before he got my text. ”
“Small towns,” muttered Evan.
“I think it’s great,” said Noelle.
“Probably not great from a teenager’s point of view,” said Evan. “They can’t get into any mischief without a dozen people telling their parents.”
“Sounds like a good thing.” Noelle grinned. “Also explains that hidden party spot that teenagers frequent.”
“I’m sure there’s more than one,” said Evan. “And I doubt it’s just teenagers that use it.”
He followed Noelle up the stepstones to the concrete porch. She rang the doorbell and fought the urge to make a weird face for its camera. A woman in faded jeans and a thick green sweater answered the door and eyed them suspiciously from behind her long bangs.
“Chief Daly says you’re with the sheriff’s office,” said the woman before they could say a word. She looked Noelle up and down with a frown. Evan got a faster study, and her gaze returned to Noelle. She narrowed her eyes, her distrust apparent.
“That’s correct,” said Noelle. “He told me someone was concerned with our unfamiliar—”
“You sat there for four minutes,” said the woman, pointing at Evan’s SUV. “Doing nothing. It didn’t make sense. And I don’t know why you’re at my door.”
A guardian at the threshold.
Noelle quickly introduced herself and Evan and asked, “Are you Mrs. Hampton?”
“I am.” She raised a brow at Noelle. “Why?”
“We’d like to talk to RJ,” said Evan. “Is he here?”
Evan sees that she doesn’t like me.
Noelle was used to that. She struggled to connect with some women.
She’d blamed her height for many years, but Savannah had a different opinion.
“Besides your stunning looks, you’ve got loads of confidence.
It oozes from you,” her best friend had told her bluntly.
“Women are defensive because they instinctively know they can’t compete. ”
“I’m not competing with anyone!” Noelle had argued. “I’m just me!”
“And that’s why I love you,” Savannah had told her. “Wouldn’t take you any other way.”
“You’re not intimidated by me.”
“Hell no. I’m way more confident than you.”
It was true. Nothing sparkled and filled a room like Savannah’s confidence and personality.
Noelle silently sighed, resigning herself to taking a step back from the interview. Evan knew to pick up the reins.
“Why do you want to talk to RJ?” Mrs. Hampton’s mother bear emerged. She seemed to grow two inches as she stared at Evan.
“We have some questions for him,” Evan said politely.
“Why.” It wasn’t a question this time.
“I assume you’ve heard about the body discovered—”
“Yes,” she cut him off. “Everyone knows about it, and RJ has nothing to do with it. That happened miles from here.”
“We’re talking to people who’ve been in that area in the past.”
“RJ doesn’t go there! He’s not involved!”
“Mom?”
RJ walked up and looked over his mother’s shoulder, his shaggy red hair confirming his identity. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing. Go back to the kitchen,” she ordered.
“You were yelling. And I heard my name.” RJ looked from Evan to Noelle.
“We’re with the sheriff’s department and would like to talk to you for a minute,” Noelle said quickly before his mother tried to send him away again. “We’re hoping you can shine some light on a situation. We’ll ask some quick questions and then be on our way.”
“Mom, ask them in. It’s freezing out there.”
Guilt flashed on Mrs. Hampton’s face, and she reluctantly stepped back. “Just for a minute,” she said grudgingly.
“We appreciate that,” said Evan.
Noelle stepped past the mother and felt the woman’s gaze centered on her back.
The inside of the home was neat and clean, but Noelle caught a subtle hint of cat box.
On her left was a large living room with an uncomfortable-looking orange sofa and matching chairs.
Two cats eyed her from their cushy resting places on a cat tree in front of the large window. One was black, one tabby.
“Have a seat,” said RJ’s mother. “Can I get you some coffee?”
Noelle started to decline, but Evan spoke first. “That’d be great. Black works for both of us.”
Surprise and then annoyance flashed on the woman’s face. She glanced at her son and back at the two detectives and then gave a small huff and went to make the coffee.
If you offer coffee, be prepared to deliver.
Evan pointed at one of the chairs and looked at RJ. “Let’s talk.” Noelle sat on the sofa and Evan joined her. The teenager stiffly sat on the edge of the chair. He wore navy sweatpants and mismatched socks along with an oversize sweatshirt with the high school’s mascot on the front.
“What’s going on?” RJ asked.
“What can you tell us about that party spot a few hundred yards off the Old Mill Highway?” asked Noelle.
RJ looked from Noelle to Evan. “I heard they found a body there this morning. It was all over school. Is it true?”
“Yes,” said Noelle. “When were you last there?”
The teen leaned back as shock filled his face. “You think I killed someone?” His voice was high, and it cracked on the last word.