Chapter 28
Hadley Dawkins
Hadley stepped onto the porch of the police station, her mind fixed on locating Ty’s friends.
If he had a favorite camping spot at Buffalo River, there was a chance they would have the name of that area.
Engaging with Allen Hobbs could tip their hand.
If he were the one who had abducted those women, he had never been backed into a corner before.
There was no telling how he would react in such a scenario.
Hadley had just reached the bottom step when a familiar truck rumbled past. The vehicle's mud-spattered side panels and worn paint job were unmistakable even from a distance. The flash of blonde hair behind the wheel revealed Brandy Hobbs as the driver, and not her husband.
Hadley stood still, observing the truck as it continued down Main Street toward Maisy's Convenience Store. It dawned on her that there was another way to gain access to the Hobbs’ property.
Today was the last day of rain before the weather front moved on, allowing those attending the festival to enjoy perfect autumn weather. Hadley thought of it as sweater weather. At least until sunset, when a jacket was needed to fend off the cooler temps.
The second she witnessed Brandy pull the truck alongside one of the gas pumps, Hadley quickly retraced her steps and re-entered the station.
The door banged against the wall in her haste as she strode back to Reed's desk. It didn’t take her long to collect the map and fold the paper along its well-worn creases.
She had maybe four minutes before Brandy finished topping off the gas tank.
Hadley made sure the door was secured and locked behind her as she exited the station. She tucked the map under her arm and jogged down the steps, her keys already in hand. She slid behind the steering wheel, glancing to her left to ensure that Brandy was still at the pump.
If Nick had any idea what she was about to do, he'd have words for her about proper procedure. He’d also throw in her face that she was no better than Elijah.
But proper procedure hadn't gotten her anywhere with eight missing women, a brother behind bars, and a dead police chief. She should have been able to call Reed a friend, but she’d left him behind long ago.
“These people are my family. Your family, and you’re acting like you’ve forgotten what that means.”
Elijah’s words came back to haunt her. She muttered a couple of expletives as she switched the gear into reverse. She’d been assigned this case, and she was going to see it through. Coloring outside the lines was fine, as long as she stuck to the grey hues.
Brandy had pulled both sides of her sweater tighter to keep the chill at bay as she stood next to the gas pump, monitoring the monetary numbers change instantly as the fuel filled up the tank. Hadley deliberately parked in one of the three spots in front of the store rather than at a pump.
Brandy’s faded blonde hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail that did nothing to soften the hard angles of her face. Her cardigan and shirt shared the same muddy brown tone, which coincidentally matched the dirt smudges on her jeans.
Hadley opened the door and exited her vehicle, keeping the map tucked between her elbow and side. Rena must have put some hot dogs on the rollers, because the air was heavy with grease.
As Hadley closed the distance from the SUV to the gas pumps, Brandy's posture stiffened. Her shoulders drew back, her chin lifted slightly, and her fingers squeezed the fabric of her cardigan. The modest physical reactions told Hadley everything she needed to know about the woman's wariness.
“Mrs. Hobbs, I’m glad that I spotted you driving through town,” Hadley said with a smile. “I was just about to drive out to the farm to speak with your husband.”
“What for?” Brandy's eyes narrowed as she didn’t mince words. “He already told you that Ty’s camping at Buffalo River.”
The numbers on the gas pump came to a sudden stop, punctuated by the loud sound indicating the tank was full. Hadley was running out of time, but she still maintained a pleasant expression despite the cool reception.
“I was hoping to ask Allen for a favor regarding the investigation.”
“A favor?” Brandy's eyebrow arched, but Hadley had caught the woman’s interest. “What kind of favor?”
“Nothing big,” Hadley assured her with a slight shrug. “I just need access to part of your property. A dirt road that runs along the eastern edge.”
Brandy carefully replaced the nozzle, as if she were buying time to consider her response. When she finally turned to face Hadley, her expression had shifted from wariness to open suspicion.
“Well, maybe you can ask him tomorrow. Allen is out fixing fences on the south side of the property. Won't be back until sundown.”
“That's unfortunate.” Hadley grimaced in disappointment. She waited a heartbeat while Brandy grabbed the printed receipt that had curled against the slot. “I was hoping to get this checked out today. It’s been difficult since Reed’s death.”
Brandy had been about to walk around the truck, but the mention of Reed brought her up short. Her hesitation was visible in the slight tightening of her jaw.
“Do you mind if I show you something?” Hadley asked politely, not waiting for a reply as she opened the map.
Stepping closer to Brandy, Hadley traced an area with her finger to give the woman a clear picture of why their land had captured her interest. “See this thin line? It represents a dirt road that runs through the eastern edge of your property.”
“I wouldn’t call it a road,” Brandy countered as she stepped back and crossed her arms once more. “It’s a dirt path that Allen and Ty use as a shortcut. It’s easier for them to drive the tractors through there than it is to take the county road all the way around.”
“Exactly,” Hadley said, nodding as if Brandy had made an important point. “It's not well-known to people outside the area. But it’s come to our attention that Reed's killer might have used this path as a shortcut to get to the main road without being seen.”
“What kind of evidence?”
Seeing as Hadley had carefully constructed her words to ensure they couldn’t be used against her later, she avoided answering the question. She hadn’t mentioned evidence of any kind.
“You’re right. Never mind. I shouldn’t have bothered you,” Hadley said as she folded the map.
“I’m getting ahead of myself. I was hoping to find some tire tracks that maybe don't match farm equipment or some litter that was discarded. Sometimes killers get careless when they think they're in the clear. I guess I’m falling into the habits of Elijah and Reed. You know how folks around here tend to take offense to such formal measures, but submitting for a warrant is the proper way to handle this.”
Hadley lifted one side of her lips to suggest she understood Brandy’s hesitation.
Although the way the conversation was unfolding wasn't exactly commendable, there were no legal boundaries being crossed.
Since Brandy resided on the premises, she could give her consent for Hadley to conduct a search.
All actions taken after remained within the constructs of the law.
“Allen wouldn’t like you getting all legal on us,” Brandy admitted after a brief silence. “He preferred the way Chief Garber ran things. Reed, too, although there were times he caved to that sheriff’s way of doing things. Anyway, go ahead. Feel free to drive out there today.”
“Really? That would help me out so much. I appreciate your cooperation, Mrs. Hobbs.” Hadley capped the spike of adrenaline that shot through her system. “I’ll head out that way now before driving home for the evening. Take care.”
Hadley didn’t give Brandy a chance to change her mind.
Walking back to her own vehicle, movement inside the convenience store caught her attention.
Rena Williams stood behind the large display window, her focus fixed on Hadley with unmistakable interest. Her posture suggested she had been watching the entire exchange.
Given that Rena was an unofficial information hub, it would be around town within a few hours that Hadley had spoken to Brandy. Whether there would be details attached all depended on whether Allen’s wife walked into the convenience store.
Maintaining her composure, Hadley lifted her hand in a casual greeting toward Rena.
She returned the gesture, seemingly disappointed when she noticed that Brandy had decided she didn’t need anything from inside the store.
Relief washed through Hadley as Brandy pulled onto the main road.
Settling in the driver’s seat of her SUV, Hadley allowed herself a moment of reflection.
She couldn’t contact Nick. He would disapprove of her methods, and she wasn’t going to waste time sitting through another lecture.
She realized that she was being hypocritical, but she’d managed to secure legitimate access to the Hobbs property without needing a warrant.
It was a technicality that could not only be easily explained in court if need be, but also one she could live with.
With that thought in mind, she also wouldn’t jeopardize her safety by keeping her plans to herself.
After she set the map on the passenger seat and started the engine, she scrolled through her contacts and pressed Ramos’ name.
Reed had made a fatal mistake by not sharing his location with her or Nick, and she wouldn’t follow in his footsteps.
“Talk to me, Dawkins.”
“Good afternoon to you, too,” Hadley replied wryly as she backed out of the parking spot. “Hey, I just want you to know that I’ve been given permission to access the Hobbs’ property. I’m driving out that way now.”
“Need backup? You’ll want to call the sheriff. It might take me a while to get there.”
“Not yet,” Hadley replied as she turned onto Main Street.
She pulled down her visor to keep the afternoon sun at bay.
“I just wanted someone to know my location. I’ll drop you a pin.
Let’s just say I finagled an invite to look around instead of putting in for a warrant, so I’m just going to explore the areas where I believe there might be some bodies buried. ”
“Copy. Hourly check-ins?”
“I can do that,” Hadley agreed, peering into the parking lot of Gus’ Watering Hole as she drove past. Sam’s truck was in its usual spot. “If I don’t reach out on the hour, give Turner a call.”
“Hey, while I have you on the phone, I’ve been thinking about the Claymont case,” Ramos said after a brief moment. It was obvious that he was wolfing down some food. “You said yesterday in our call that you think this Hobbs guy started abducting women back in 1978.”
“That’s right,” Hadley replied as she turned down the heat.
The afternoon sun was directly on her. Between the natural warmth and her blazer, she didn’t need the additional heat from the vent.
“There have been some other missing persons investigations, but they don’t fit the profile of the victims. Young woman, yearning for something more than Whistlerun could provide them. ”
“Then why was Claymont’s cell phone found?”
Hadley pondered his question long enough for him to finish his thought.
“If you are looking for one perp, he would have honed his skills with each abduction. Premeditation is evident, from patiently waiting in the woods for a victim to his escape route. If we believe your brother—and I know you don’t want to bring him into this conversation—then this hunter sets his own personal traps.
He’s been at this too long to leave behind evidence, let alone a cell phone. ”
Hadley hadn’t viewed the cases like that, but she couldn’t argue with Ramos’ assessment. She shifted in her seat with unease.
“You said this Ty Hobbs kid lost his dad last year? A couple of weeks before the Claymont girl went missing?”
“Yeah,” Hadley responded softly, not liking the direction the crosshairs were aiming. She summed up what he hadn’t said aloud. “You think it’s possible that Thomas Hobbs abducted the first seven girls, while Ty followed in his father’s footsteps and kidnapped Missy.”
“I think it’s awfully coincidental that this Ty Hobbs picked up and left town to go camping right after the sheriff’s funeral.
You said yourself that all the curtains were closed in the main house.
” Ramos paused to take another bite of whatever he’d picked up at one of the fast-food chains.
A mouthful of food didn’t stop him from finishing his train of thought, though.
“What if this kid didn’t leave town? What if the Claymont girl is still alive? ”