Chapter 11 #2
Glancing at Evie, he offered a reassuring smile. His plan of using Bruno to search the nature preserve had been replaced by a new idea.
Set a trap for the killer, using himself as bait.
Evie wouldn’t like it, but he was done playing defense. It was time to turn the tables on this guy.
Officer Wylie’s radio crackled. “Do you have Walker and Tobin?”
“Yes, sir,” Wylie responded. Cam inwardly groaned when he recognized Detective Rueger’s voice.
“Good. Bring them in. I want to talk to them.”
Cam exchanged a glance with Evie. Might as well get that done now, prior to obtaining a rental car. He didn’t want anyone, not even the Grand Haven police to know what they were driving.
Five minutes later, they were seated in the same interview room as that first night, Bruno stretched out on the floor to nap. Cam wished he could do the same.
“I understand you have key evidence to give me?” Rueger entered the room and got straight to the point.
“Skye Gray’s yellow VW bug is at the bottom of the Grand River.” Cam sat back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. “I found it about two hundred yards downstream from the parking lot.”
Rueger’s jaw dropped. Whatever he’d expected, it hadn’t been this. “Is this a joke?”
Cam narrowed his gaze. “Hardly. I snorkeled along the river until I spotted it. Skye’s yellow VW bug has been submerged down there this entire time.”
It was Rueger’s turn to glare. “And you just happened to run across it.”
“No. He searched for it.” Evie’s harsh tone took Rueger by surprise. “The way you should have fourteen years ago. We theorized that if the killer had buried Skye in the nature preserve, he likely dumped her car nearby. And we were right.”
Rueger turned away, swearing under his breath. For a moment, Cam feared he’d be arrested.
“I suggest you get a recovery dive team down there,” Cam said, breaking the silence. “I don’t know if any evidence has survived this length of time, but they’ll have to try.”
When Rueger turned back to face him, his expression was stern. “Anything else?”
Before Cam could respond, Evie spoke again.
“Did you know Dan Johnson was arrested for domestic abuse and that his wife has a restraining order against him? Oh, and let’s not forget that Rick Thomas lived here back when Skye went missing and works as a security guard at the medical center where Jasmine worked. ”
Cam fought the urge to grin. Evie was pretty much painting the picture of reasonable doubt on his behalf, which was sweet.
Maybe he wouldn’t get arrested. But if he did, he’d ask Evie to work with his criminal defense lawyer.
“I know about Dan Johnson’s prior arrest.” Rueger’s voice was calm. “And I’m well aware of how many people work at the medical center. Anything else?” His tone implied he was hoping for real evidence.
“No, but we plan to use Bruno to search the nature preserve.” Evie gave Rueger a hard stare. “We’ll be sure to call if we find another dead body.”
“You do that,” the detective shot back. Then he turned to Cam. “And you’re sure you found Skye’s car? There could be other vehicles that have been pushed into the river over the past fourteen years.”
“I’m sure.” He rattled off the license plate. “Go ahead and check your records. We’ll wait.”
Rueger scowled, turned, and left. When they were alone, Evie grasped his arm and spoke in a hushed voice. “Do you think they’ll find anything in the car that will clear your name?”
“No. But he’ll have to spend the time and resources to check anyway.” He thought about that for a moment. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he held off on that for a while. It’s more important for him to focus on Jasmine’s murder.”
“I guess you’re right. That poor girl.” Evie frowned. “And her poor parents.”
“Yeah.” He fell silent, as they waited for Rueger to return. When he did, the detective didn’t appear happy.
“How is it that you have the license plate memorized?”
Cam had to fight the urge to snap at him. “Fourteen years ago, Evie and I told you Skye wouldn’t leave without telling us. We searched everywhere for her and her car. Her dad put up those flyers, too, remember?” When Rueger reluctantly nodded, he spread his hands. “That’s how I remembered it.”
“Yeah, so you say.” Rueger sighed and turned to Evie. “Did you remember the number too?”
Evie shot Cam a guilty glance before shaking her head. “No. I mean, I know we drove around looking for her car, but that was a long time ago. I haven’t spent the last fourteen years dwelling on it.”
Cam decided enough was enough. He rose to his feet. “We’ve given you everything we’ve discovered so far. It’s time for us to go. I hope your officers keep an eye out for the black pickup truck.”
“The one that might or might not be a Chevy,” Rueger drawled sarcastically. “Yeah, sure.”
“Don’t forget the tinted windows. That should help narrow your search.” Cam crossed to the door. “I doubt there are many black Chevy trucks with tinted windows owned by Grand Haven residents.”
“This is tourist season,” Rueger said as Cam opened the door to leave. “That truck could belong to anyone.”
“No way. The killer is someone who lives here now or has lived here.” He pinned Rueger with a sharp gaze as he gestured for Evie to precede him out of the room. “You know that as well as I do. There’s no way this is the work of a stranger passing through town.”
For once, Rueger didn’t have a snappy comeback. Cam escorted Evie and Bruno out of the police station, grateful to leave the place behind.
“The more we talk to him, the more I dislike him,” Evie said as they walked back to the road. “I don’t have any confidence in his ability to find the killer.”
“You never know.” Cam tried to give Rueger the benefit of the doubt.
“He’s focused on Jasmine’s murder, which is a good thing.
His comment about the number of staff members at the medical center tells me he’s already gotten a full list of their names and addresses.
Maybe he’ll dig deeper into Rick Thomas or anyone else who works at the medical center.
” For a moment, he wondered what Dan Johnson did for work.
He doubted the guy would pass the background check needed to work in a hospital setting.