“That doesn’t mean Webb-WLHS murdered Skye and kidnapped Justine.”
“It’s a solid lead.” LeVar glanced over his shoulder at the A-Frame and groaned. Thomas wouldn’t be happy LeVar had investigated the state park case with Scout. “I have to tell him.”
Scout chewed her lip.
“If you say so. Do what you have to do.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Saturday, August 14th
9:35 a.m.
Thomas opened his contact list. His finger hovered over Chelsey’s name. She’d fallen off the face of the earth over the last month, and Raven always became quiet when Thomas brought Chelsey’s name into the conversation. Something was happening to Chelsey. Thomas feared the depression was back, that he’d lose her forever if the sickness dug its claws into Chelsey and refused to let go.
He couldn’t decide. Calling her uninvited seemed like a violation. She didn’t want his company and made it clear. Even if he mustered the courage to click the send icon, she’d recognize his number. No chance she’d answer.
Thomas placed the call and reached Chelsey’s voice-mail after several rings. He waited for her playfully sarcastic message to finish. When the tone rang in his ear, he swallowed.
“Chelsey, it’s Sheriff…Thomas. Haven’t spoken to you in a long time and wondered if everything was okay. Call me or stop by the office. Would love to get your thoughts on the skeleton we found below the falls.” He didn’t know what else to say. “Anyhow, if we put our heads together—”
His time expired. Thomas pushed the phone across the table, feeling like an idiot. Jack lay at his feet with his snout resting on his paws, the dog sensing Thomas’s discomfort. He leaned down and stroked the dog’s fur, cursing his inability to find the right words whenever he spoke to Chelsey.
A knock pulled his eyes to the deck door. LeVar waited outside with the plate he’d borrowed. Thomas waved him in.
“Wolfed down those donuts pretty fast, I see.”
LeVar’s gaze flew to Jack at the mention of wolfing. The teenager set the plate on the counter and took a composing breath.
“I gotta be straight with you about something.”
Thomas stood from his chair and circled the dining room table.
“What’s going on?”
“I didn’t eat both donuts. One was for Scout.”
Thomas snorted, expecting a punchline. LeVar just stood there, examining his shoelaces.
“I don’t get it.”
“Thomas, we’re investigating the Skye Feron disappearance.”
Resting his back against the wall, Thomas opened his mouth and stopped. LeVar’s admission caught him off guard.
“That’s potentially a murder investigation, LeVar. I support Scout’s interests as much as anyone. But her mother won’t approve of Scout researching a homicide. Not after what happened in the Jeremy Hyde case. How long has this been going on?”
“Since yesterday morning.”
LeVar glanced out the window.
“Something else you want to tell me?”
“Raven and Darren are involved too.”
Thomas jiggled his head in surprise.
“The four of you are investigating the Skye Feron disappearance?”
“For real, for real. And the Justine Adkins case. We believe they’re related.”
Thomas wandered back to the table and fell into a chair.
“This isn’t a game, LeVar. We might be dealing with two murders.”
“We understand. That’s why I’m coming to you now. Scout and I found something you need to see.”
* * *
“Tell me about this person again,” Thomas said, leaning over Scout’s shoulder as she typed at the keyboard.
“We haven’t determined the person’s identity. He, or she, hides behind a fake user name and keeps attacking Paige Sutton and Justine Adkins on the Wolf Lake High alumni forum.”
“I can’t speak to Justine Adkins’s personality. But I’ve met Paige Sutton, and I’m sure she ruffled a few feathers during her high school days. That doesn’t make this poster a kidnapper or murderer.”
“No,” LeVar said, seated at the card table. “But trolling a forum under a fake name is sketchy.”
“You’re positive the name is fake?”
“We went through the high school yearbook, and there isn’t anyone named Webb.”
Thomas squinted his eyes at the screen.
“It’s worth looking into. We don’t have any leads yet. This Dawn the poster refers to…Dawn…why does that name ring a bell?”
“That’s another mystery we haven’t solved,” said Scout, turning her chair to face Thomas. “We can’t find anybody named Dawn in the yearbooks.”
“Heck, I can’t believe there’s a secret Wolf Lake High alumni forum. I hadn’t heard about this.”
“That’s why it’s called a secret forum,” LeVar grinned.
“But I attended that school.”
“You became a cop. Maybe your old buddies don’t want law enforcement snooping around, checking up on people.”
Thomas waved the idea away and stared over the water. Dawn. Where had he encountered that name before?
“You copied the address?”
LeVar ripped the note off the memo pad and handed it to Thomas.
“County Line Road is right outside Wolf Lake.”
“I’m familiar with the location.” Thomas folded the note and slid it inside his pocket. “I’ll swing past the house and tell you what I find.”
Scout and LeVar shared a glance.
“Does that mean you’re not angry with us?” Scout asked.
“I’m not angry. But I have to speak with your mother about this.” Scout lowered her eyes. “As far as I can tell, all you did was sift through forum messages and fool someone into believing you want to buy a snowblower.” Thomas smiled at LeVar. “By the way, if you ever use an undercover name like Benton Brickfield again, I’ll purge you from the law enforcement database. You sound like a country club flunky.”
“Told you it was weak,” Scout said.
Thomas leaned toward Scout.
“Your mother still hasn’t forgiven me for the Jeremy Hyde fiasco. Let me smooth things over. As long as you aren’t investigating alone, and you have LeVar, Raven, and Darren monitoring your activity, it should be all right.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
Thomas patted his pocket.
“Thank you for the lead. Something tells me the two of you have long careers in law enforcement ahead of you. Just keep me in the loop from now on. Okay?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Saturday, August 14th
10:20 a.m.
Raven twisted the key in the lock. The converted house seemed to inhale as she stepped
