by Charly Cox
Chapter Twenty-Two
Wednesday, May 22
Police are asking residents and businesses in the area to check their security systems and to contact authorities if there is anything that could assist them in safely locating these missing girls. Details are listed on your screen beneath the girls’ images. Again, please…
Holly hit the button on the remote, freezing the pictures of Rachel Otis, Jersey, and Katelyn Phillipson on the television. Beside her, Sophie rested her hands on her knees and leaned forward as if by getting closer to the screen, she’d somehow be closer to her cousin.
‘You know what’s really sad? That complete strangers are more concerned than her own father that something may have happened to her.’
Holly didn’t know what to say because her best friend was right. Just last night, Sophie and her mom had been with her Aunt Natalia when she’d called Jersey’s dad to give him an update, and all he’d had to say was, ‘Listen, I’m sure she’s fine. She’s probably just doing what I’m doing, dropping off the grid and kicking back with some friends. If she’s not back by the time I return in a couple of weeks…’
Jersey’s mom had cut him off. ‘I highly doubt your daughter has flown the coop with her half-her-age girlfriend. You disgust me. This is a new low, even for you. You’d rather get laid in some exotic location than come home and help search for your missing daughter. But that’s fine. At least we know now to stop wasting our energy on keeping you in the loop.’
Enraged, Sophie had climbed into her car and driven straight to Holly’s where she’d ended up sleeping over since her mother had been staying with Aunt Natalia since Monday night. According to Sophie, Natalia was too afraid to leave the house in case Jersey came home or the police came calling. Sophie had planned on staying with her as well but hadn’t been able to deal with Aunt Natalia’s constant pacing up and down the halls or opening and closing Jersey’s door every fifteen minutes as if she expected her daughter had somehow slipped in without her noticing.
This morning, Holly and Sophie sent a text to Leigh Ann asking if she wanted to come over and help them put up more flyers around town. The three of them had already posted them all around the university, including the student union building and all the restaurants and businesses in the area. They’d been discussing where they wanted to focus next when the news had captured their attention.
Just as Holly finished dividing the colorful flyers into stacks of three, the doorbell rang, and all three girls jerked their heads in the direction of the front door. Holly threw a puzzled look at her friends before moving to peer through the peephole in the door. Beau Cambridge, the last person she would’ve expected to be standing on her front porch, twisted the enormous class ring on his finger, his head turned to one side, staring at something only he could see as he waited for someone to answer the door.
‘What the hell is he doing here?’
‘Who is it?’ Sophie asked even as she peeked through the window to find out for herself. ‘What the hell!’ She released the wooden blinds so quickly, they slapped against the window hard, the blast of sound like a small explosion in the room.
Face flushed, Holly disengaged the locks and threw open the door, startling Beau. He swung around, eyes widening the second he spotted Sophie and Leigh Ann behind her. He angled his body away from them and back towards his Jeep, glancing at it before turning back to Holly. ‘Um, this was a bad idea. I probably shouldn’t have come.’
‘No, you definitely shouldn’t have,’ Sophie bit out, shoving her way in front of Holly. ‘So, why did you? Not getting enough sympathy posts from your adoring fan club on Instagram?’
A curtain closed over his expression, but he was saved from answering when Leigh Ann maneuvered in front of both Sophie and Holly, latching onto Beau’s arm so she could tug him inside. ‘If you’re worried about Jersey, then this is where you belong, with her friends.’ She turned her gaze on them, silently begging them to be understanding. ‘Right?’
A fine red haze passed over Holly’s eyes at Leigh Ann’s gall. She didn’t even know how to respond, and then Beau spoke, and the red haze turned into a dark storm.
Standing in the foyer, one hand cupping the back of his neck, he smiled down at Leigh Ann. ‘Thanks. I didn’t know where else to go. A couple of detectives came by the other day, busting my balls, accusing me of knowing where Jersey was, implying I’d done something to her even. Dude, that lady detective needed to get laid; she was a flat-out bitch. And I thought the man was going to punch me when I told them I didn’t know where Jersey was.’
‘Oh, you mean Holly’s mom? That bitch detective? Short, auburn hair, tough as nails attitude – or apparently what you would call “bitchy”? Partner is a tall, good-looking guy? That’s who needs to get laid?’ Sophie jabbed her pointer finger toward a family picture on the opposite wall.
Beau followed her finger, his jaw falling open as if someone had dropped a heavy weight inside it. A vein near his temple pulsed in rhythm with his breathing, and for the first time Holly could remember, Jersey’s jerk of a boyfriend was rendered speechless, if only temporarily.
When he swung back in her direction, she crossed her arms, her own expression chiseled from stone in a quiet challenge to say something else about her mom. ‘Wyatt. I didn’t make the conn…’ Whether out of self-preservation or because he actually did have a few intelligent brain cells, he snapped his mouth shut with an audible clack.
‘Speaking of getting laid, maybe if you hadn’t gotten so angry when Jersey declined your suggestion, if you’d respected her wishes, then none of us would even be standing here right now because Jersey wouldn’t have gone off on her own. You ever stop to think this is your fault to begin with?’ Twin red spots bloomed, staining Sophie’s cheeks as she shouted at Beau, standing nearly toe to toe with him.
Rage flushed Beau’s face, and he spoke through gritted teeth as if he’d already forgotten he was playing Charades: Concerned Boyfriend Edition. ‘I wasn’t going to force her to do something she didn’t want to do. Sometimes girls just need to be convinced of what they want.’
Leigh Ann waved her hand between all of them, trying to stop the speeding train wreck in front of her. Neither Holly nor Sophie paid the least bit attention.
‘Yeah, and sometimes girls just mean no when they say no. Ever consider that?’ Holly shoved her clenched fists into the pocket of her jumper, slightly afraid she might actually punch Beau. Would her mom be able to get the charges dropped if she did?
Just as quickly as his temper had blown up, his shoulders sagged, and Beau, looking to Leigh Ann for support, which she gave by stepping in closer to him, lowered his voice to a whisper. ‘Look, I know none of you like me, but Jersey was – is – my girlfriend, and I’m worried about her, too. I guess I thought you, of all people, would get that.’ He turned to leave, but Leigh Ann stopped him by gripping his hand and closing the door behind him, her eyes pleading once more for Holly and Sophie to understand.
‘We’re all worried about her, and we do understand. We’re all scared, so our tempers are a little close to the surface. We know that just because you and Jersey were fighting doesn’t mean you two didn’t love each other.’
Holly’s mouth dropped open in stunned disbelief while Sophie exploded, planting herself in front of Leigh Ann this time. ‘Are you out of your freaking mind? You can speak for yourself, but I, for one, and I know, Holly, for two, don’t want this snake here. Furthermore, I don’t believe for one second he’s sorry about a damn thing.’ She jabbed a finger into Beau’s chest. ‘I don’t know what game you’re playing, and despite what our friend here says – You. Are. Not. Welcome. So, get out.’ And then she shoved herself between Leigh Ann and Beau and pushed open the screen door, her body vibrating in tightly controlled fury.
Holly half expected him to refuse to leave – and half expected Leigh Ann to leave with him so she could console his poor battered ego. So, she was mildly surprised to see him step back outside only to stop an
d turn around, his eyes searching the ground. When he spoke, he mumbled, and she barely caught his words.
‘I don’t know where she is. She’s never been gone this long. She probably doesn’t even care how much I’m worried about her.’ He wiped a finger beneath his eye as if removing evidence of tears, then walked to the street where he’d parked his four-wheel drive.
‘If only he hadn’t just made Jersey’s disappearance about him, he might’ve had a bright future in an acting career,’ Holly bit out.
The second his Jeep was out of sight, Sophie turned her wrath on Leigh Ann. ‘What in God’s name are you thinking? This isn’t your house, so you had no right to invite him in!’ Without waiting for a response, she whirled away and stormed into the kitchen where she jerked open a cupboard, yanked a cup out, filled it with water, and gulped it down without taking a breath. When the cup was drained, she slammed it down on the counter and rested her head in her hands.
Leigh Ann stood in the middle of the kitchen, head swinging back and forth between her friends. ‘Listen, I’m sorry, okay. I just think it’s better if we…’
Whatever she said after that was drowned out by Sophie wrenching open the dishwasher and slamming anything plastic down as hard as she could.
The corners of Leigh Ann’s mouth turned down. ‘I guess that’s my cue to leave.’
‘What’s Sophie doing? And who’s the beefsteak dude that just squealed away from the house?’ Isaac’s voice startled Holly, and she shrieked, her hand raised to her heart as she tried to calm the galloping muscle.
‘I didn’t hear you come in.’ Holly watched Isaac’s gaze switch from Leigh Ann to Sophie who’d swung around, a spatula raised in the air like a weapon she was about to wield.
Leigh Ann forced a smile to her face. ‘Hey, Isaac. Are you excited for your eighth-grade promotion tomorrow?’
He shrugged. ‘Not going. It would’ve been stupid and boring anyway.’
Holly was taken aback not so much by his words but by the heat in them when he addressed Leigh Ann. But if her friend noticed, she didn’t let on.
Leigh Ann turned towards Sophie and gave her a half-smile. ‘I’ll talk to you later, okay. And I’m sorry. Again.’ Then she turned to Isaac. ‘It’s nice to see you. You’re looking good.’
‘Yeah, thanks.’ Isaac’s response was lukewarm, at best.
As soon as the front door clicked, Holly tilted her head to the side. ‘Why the attitude toward Leigh Ann?’
For a minute, Isaac didn’t answer. Instead he grabbed an apple out of the bowl, chomped into it, and around a mouthful of food, mumbled, ‘I don’t know. I’ve just never liked her. Why are you acting surprised? It’s not like you didn’t already know that.’
‘Yeah, but you’ve never been quite so rude before, either.’
Isaac shrugged. ‘I don’t know. She just bugs.’
At this, Sophie joined the conversation. ‘You’re not wrong, bro. I’m right there with you, Zic.’ She used the nickname she’d given him ages ago, mostly to annoy him, but over the years, it had kind of stuck.
‘You guys need help putting up flyers today?’
With her foot, Sophie closed the dishwasher, and then moved over to Isaac, draping an arm around his shoulder. ‘We would, but um, quick question, why are you home at noon, huh?’
Holly hadn’t even thought of that, and she watched her brother’s face pinken as he turned to her. ‘Don’t tell Mom or Dad, okay? Our teachers told us they’re not even taking attendance, so if we’re not there, no one will know. All we’re doing is watching lame movies, helping them clean their rooms, or returning textbooks to the library. I thought my time was better spent helping you guys.’
‘You didn’t even know we were here,’ Holly countered.
‘Please, sis.’
She relented because he was right; the last few days of school were nothing more than teachers babysitting bored teenagers. Plus, now that Leigh Ann had abandoned ship, she and Sophie really could use the help. ‘Go grab the flyers; they’re on the coffee table. But just so you know, if you get busted, I’m not lying for you.’
‘The only way I’ll get busted is if you cop out and snitch.’
A few minutes later, the three of them were out the door, a plan in place.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Wednesday, May 22
It was almost noon when Sergeant Boudreaux finally called.
‘Detective Wyatt speaking.’
‘Detective, this is Sergeant Boudreaux. We, or rather Mr. and Mrs. Jessup, ran into a problem when a city worker parked his construction truck in front of their drive, blocking them in. It took us longer than it should’ve to track the guy down after he left with a co-worker for another site. Claims he couldn’t tell it was a private road; thought it was an old trail no one used anymore. I was heading to pick them up myself when the city got ahold of him to move it. Anyway, we’re in Albuquerque now. We’ll be at the morgue in about fifteen minutes. Still care to meet us there?’
‘Absolutely. I’ll see you in a few minutes.’
Twelve minutes later, she pulled into the parking lot of the County Morgue, having phoned ahead to alert Lynn Sharp that the possible family of their Jane Doe had arrived. She waited in her car until she saw an SUV emblazoned with Santa Fe PD on the side before she climbed out.
Sergeant Boudreaux unfolded his long form from the driver’s seat and opened the back door. Mrs. Jessup stepped out of the vehicle, leaning against it as she waited for her husband to come around. Her hair was unkempt, as if she’d been running her fingers through it, and her face was pale. Mr. Jessup was slightly taller than his wife, and his eyes bounced continuously from Sergeant Boudreaux’s SUV to the front doors of the morgue. Even from across the parking lot, Alyssa could see they stood on wobbly legs.
‘Sergeant Boudreaux?’ Alyssa asked as she approached.
The Santa Fe officer extended his hand. ‘Detective Wyatt? Thanks for meeting us here. This is Mr. and Mrs. Jessup.’
‘Hello. I’m sorry we have to meet like this. Tell me when you’re ready, and we’ll head inside.’
Mr. and Mrs. Jessup glanced at each other before turning back to her. In a strangled voice, Mr. Jessup answered for both of them. ‘Is anyone ever ready for something like this?’
‘No, I suppose not.’ Alyssa inhaled deeply and then led the way inside.
Lynn Sharp greeted them in the entrance, leading them into her office before taking them to see Jane Doe’s body.
‘Sergeant Boudreaux, Mr. and Mrs. Jessup, thank you for coming. Before I take you back, I want to prepare you, even if it turns out not to be your daughter.’ Her words were solemn and full of compassion, and Alyssa saw how much it pained the woman to do this part of her job.
As Lynn continued to explain what they should expect, Alyssa tempered her impatience for answers by perusing the office and the numerous degrees and accolades framed on the walls. They were impressive. Finally, Lynn rose and escorted the four of them down a series of hallways before stopping at a set of double doors. ‘Please wait here. I’ll come get you in a minute.’
They watched through the window as Lynn rolled Jane Doe out on a cart into the middle of a gray, sterile, depressing room, and then, as promised, she invited them inside. ‘Take your time, and tell me when you’re ready,’ she said softly, speaking to the parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Jessup stepped closer to the table on the opposite side to Lynn, while Sergeant Boudreaux and Alyssa positioned themselves near the head and foot of the medical slab, respectively. Mr. Jessup tightened his hold around his wife’s shoulder, and then gave a curt nod. ‘We’re ready,’ he whispered, his words coming out as a croak.
Alyssa found herself holding her breath and watching their expressions as Lynn gently pulled down the sheet covering Jane Doe’s face, careful to keep the rest of her body hidden in an effort to shield the Jessups as much as possible from having to see the extent to which their daughter – if that’s who she turned out to be – had
been abused.
A wail escaped Mrs. Jessup as her knees gave way, and she collapsed toward the floor, held from crashing all the way down by Mr. Jessup’s grip and the fast reaction of Sergeant Boudreaux who’d jumped over to assist as soon as he’d seen the tormented expression on her face.
‘Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, Nooooo… Meghan, please God, No, don’t let it be. Noooo.’ Her moans echoed throughout the room, bouncing off the walls and shooting like arrows straight into Alyssa’s heart. She fought the temptation to close her eyes and ears against the anguish permeating every inch of this suddenly very tiny space.
Lynn gently pulled the sheet back over Meghan Jessup’s face, and as Mrs. Jessup sobbed into her husband’s chest, clutching at his arms as if he were the only lifeline holding her to shore, she stepped to the side of the room, where she would be as unobtrusive as possible. And only when the hysterical sobs subsided into tormented, strangled cries did she offer to give them a few minutes of privacy in her office, if they needed it.
Eyes red, wet, and already swelling, Mr. Jessup peered first at Lynn, then Sergeant Boudreaux, before finally settling on Alyssa. ‘Do you know—?’ His words were choked off with an anguished howl, and he had to start over as his wife began to screech again with the pain erupting inside her. ‘What happened to her?’
Alyssa deferred to Lynn in this case, and the medical examiner explained only what she knew, offering the words as plainly as possible while omitting some of the more painful details because there was simply no way of softening the blow. And with every word out of Lynn’s mouth, more of Mrs. Jessup’s soul fell from her eyes. In that moment, all Alyssa could see was her own mother and father as they discovered that their son had been murdered. If only they’d known the truth.
After Lynn finished, she tried guiding the Jessups out, but Mrs. Jessup refused to leave her daughter’s body. It took several minutes before Mr. Jessup was able to convince her to go. Alyssa’s heart fractured as she watched Reed Jessup guide his wife out the door, even as her arms stretched back as if she could take her daughter with her.