by Maria Pease
Just as I was looking for something to eat, I heard a knock on my door. I padded across the floor and opened it, finding Frank standing there, arms crossed, trying not to look irritated with me.
“I was just going to call you,” I lied. “Come on in.”
“You don’t think I’m falling for that, do you?”
“I was hoping you might.”
Frank glanced around. “I may have been born at night, Sam but…”
“I know. Not last night. What are you looking for?”
“Where’s the kid?”
“Working late.”
“Have you eaten? I’m starving, and I’d like to know what you’ve been up to all day. Feel like grabbing a bite?”
“Sure.” I hoisted my bag over my shoulder. “Your treat?”
“Is that the only way I’m going to find out what you’ve been doing? You didn’t even answer your phone.”
“I was busy.”
Inside Killarney’s Pub, we headed to a table in the back and ordered cheeseburgers and a couple of beers.
“Okay, Sam. Talk to me.”
“Frank, I think I may have stumbled onto something.”
“Go on.”
“Wally had the Backpage in his recycling bin, and a note was written on a page advertising escorts. There has to be a reason, right? So, I went to their website and went through the ads. I created an Excel sheet with the contact information for each ad, then went to the section advertising male escorts and added that information as well. I put an asterisk next to any of the ads that looked like they were targeting teenagers.”
“Did you find anything?”
“Not yet. I still need to cross reference the information for any connections. There are a lot of those ads.”
“You went through all of them?”
“Uh huh. And I’ll tell you, most of them are disgusting. There’s a whole sex-focused underworld.”
When our burgers arrived, we dug right in. When we finished, we ordered two more beers and nibbled on the remainder of our fries.
“Sam, you’ve been doing this job for a while. You’ve seen some ugly shit.”
“I know. But this time we’re dealing with kids. I hate to think they’d be desperate enough to get involved in that kind of life.”
“Remember, just because you found the Backpage in Wally’s recycling bin doesn’t mean any of it’s related to these kids. He could be looking for some action for himself.”
“I guess,” I said.
“You look disappointed.”
“Frank, I don’t know. I just have a sick feeling about this.”
“Sam, don’t start steering this case. You know the drill; we follow the evidence. That’s it. End of story.”
“I am following the evidence. I want to know where Michael Carson is. I want to know who took Melody from the hospital and where they stashed her. I want to know who killed Eva and dumped her body in the ravine behind Wolf Store Road, and I want to know why she had to die!” I said, heated.
Frank stood. “Let’s go.”
I took a deep breath, wondering what I’d said that had made this departure so abrupt. He paid the bill, led me to the bar and pulled out a stool.
“Have a seat, Sam.”
“What are we doing? I thought–”
“You’re pretty wound up. I think you need another drink.”
We sat down, and Frank ordered two shots of Fireball.
“Frank, I know I get a little excited. I just want to make sure I don’t drop the ball. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I don’t follow every lead… every instinct.”
“I know how important this is to you. I trust you because of your passion and those crazy gut feelings of yours.” He smiled.
I took another deep breath. “Did you have a chance to check out that plate number?”
“I did. It’s registered to a local girl. Heather Newman. She’s twenty-two, attends Mount San Jacinto College and is studying to be a sonographer.”
“Are you sure?”
“About what?”
“The car. It’s registered to a girl?”
“That’s what the records say. Oh, and she’s missing.”
“Are you kidding? How do you know?”
“I was doing a background check and saw she was reported missing by her father ten days ago. The report said that she was last seen by a classmate after a night class. Apparently, they normally walked together, but that night, the classmate had stayed after class to discuss a grade with the professor and Heather didn’t want to wait. She never arrived home. That was the last time she was seen.”
I’d been convinced the car belonged to the guy who’d been driving it. If it was registered to this young woman, I was no closer to finding out who was behind those text messages.
“Sam?” Are you with me?”
“Uh, yeah. Just trying to wrap my head around this. So, why do you think some guy is driving her car when she’s missing? Is it a brother? A friend? Was it even reported stolen?”
“I don’t know, but I think you should take a look at the report and see if there’s any information about the car. You may want to follow-up on the girl’s case to see if there could be a connection. It’s doubtful, but you never know.”
Chapter 20
I tossed and turned all night and finally decided to get up. I looked at the clock. It was 5:25 AM. It was overcast and gloomy, so I put on my sweats and headed down for coffee. I stared at the empty coffee pot, recalling that I had gone right up to bed and hadn’t set it up. As the coffee brewed, I gazed out my back window thinking about my cases and wondering why I put myself through the emotional ups and downs that came with this job. All at once, a bolt of lightning lit up the sky sending down a torrent of rain. I hoped it wasn’t a sign.
I sipped coffee and listened to the rain while I jotted down a few things to look into. I couldn’t help but wonder how the text message guy ended up with Heather Newman’s car. I’d check to see if it was reported stolen and go from there.
After another cup of coffee, I packed up my files and headed up for a shower. I decided on jeans and a red V-neck sweater, and although the rain was now just a light drizzle, I made sure to grab my raincoat, just in case.
The office door was locked, so I found my key and let myself in. I powered up my computer and put on a pot of coffee. With a day like this, I knew it would be appreciated. I took out my file and logged on to our research database, searching for anything I could find on Heather Newman. The report didn’t provide any new information, and there was no mention of the car.
Frank came in and hung up his jacket. “Hey! You’re here early.” He went straight to the coffee pot. “Can I get you a cup?”
“No, thanks.”
“What are you working on?”
“I was checking to see if Heather Newman’s car was reported stolen. The report doesn’t mention anything about a car. Can I get her dad’s phone number and address? I think I’ll go talk to him. Maybe he has some information that’s not in the report.”
Frank grabbed a file and handed me the contact information for Clay Newman, residing on Piute Street in Temecula. He was the father of Heather Newman, twenty-two years old, reported missing. Mother deceased.
“Remember, the man’s daughter is missing.”
“I know. I’ll just see if he has any additional information that didn’t get into the report.”
“Is there any progress on Michael Carson’s case? I’ve got a call scheduled with his mom this afternoon.”
“I have a couple things to check on. I’ll let you know what I find.” I made a note to try to find out who the woman was in that photo.
As I waited for Alana, I checked my email to see if there were any updates on any of my cases, then checked our Facebook page. As I read the messages, a chill moved through me, and my stomach began doing flip-flops.
“Frank…”
“Yeah.” He didn’t look up.
“We have a prob
lem.”
The tone of my voice must have sounded serious because, within seconds, Frank was looking over my shoulder. I pointed to the message and grabbed my phone. I send a text message to Alana in all caps, DO NOT GO!
Together, we stared at several messages between Wally and Katy, starting at 2:00 AM and continuing for several hours. In the last message, Wally asked our alias, Katy Smith, to meet him in the food court at the mall at 10:00 AM. Katy had responded she’d be there. Since Alana was the only one posting for us, I knew it was her. I checked the time, it was 8:55 AM.
“What the hell is she thinking?” The stress in Frank’s voice was unmistakable.
“I don’t know. I’m heading over to her house. I’ll call you when I’ve got her.”
I ran to my Jeep, raced down Calle Ventura, and pulled into Alana’s driveway. I didn’t see her car but ran up and anxiously knocked on the door. A pretty woman wearing a navy-blue suit and white silk blouse answered.
“Hi, I’m Sam Parker. Is Alana here?”
“Oh! You’re the investigator she’s working with. I have to tell you, she absolutely loves it. She speaks so highly of you. I’m her mother, Connie. Would you like to come in? I just made a fresh pot of coffee.”
“Is she here?” I asked, trying to stay calm.
“No. She said she had a meeting before heading to the office. She left about ten minutes ago.”
“Okay. Thank you.” I ran to the Jeep, leaving her puzzled mother standing in the doorway.
I jetted back to Ynez Road and headed to the mall. I parked in the lot by Lucille’s Smokehouse and ran to the courtyard and searched the area. It looked like an event was scheduled because the mall hadn’t even opened yet and there was already a crowd. I stood up on the small stage and carefully scanned the faces. Standing behind a kiosk that sold sunglasses, I spotted Alana, wearing jeans and a black hoodie, looking nervous, to say the least. I jumped down, went around the back, and grabbed her arm.
“Hey!” she yelled.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“I was…”
“We need to get out of here.” I pulled her back to the Jeep.
Once we were inside, I dialed Frank. “I’ve got her. We’re heading back.”
I was shaking, my adrenaline in overdrive. Alana opened her mouth to speak, but I cut her off with a look.
“Don’t say a word.”
“But, I…”
“No!”
Tension filled the air on the silent drive. When I pulled into the lot, I took a minute to calm down, sucking in a few deep breaths. Once I felt like I could stay calm, I opened the door and got out.
Alana hesitated and then followed me up to the office.
I put my hand on the doorknob and turned to look at Alana. “This is going to be ugly. To make it easier, you should listen and then just apologize and say you’ll never do it again.”
She nodded, and we walked inside.
Frank was just hanging up the phone. “Conference room. Now!”
Alana looked terrified. I sent her a nod, and she walked into the conference room.
“Go easy on her Frank,” I said, quietly.
“What the hell was she doing?”
“I couldn’t talk to her. I was a little upset,” I told him.
“Maybe you should join us. I don’t want to make her cry, but she needs to know she can’t just go off on her own.”
“Yeah. Okay.” I sat down across from Alana.
Frank stood at the head of the table as Alana fidgeted nervously. He stared at her, shaking his head. “Can I ask you something?” He started pacing.
She nodded slowly.
“What the hell were you doing? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to go off without having one of us with you? You do know that while you are working with us, I am responsible for your safety, right? How could you put yourself in danger like that?”
“I…”
“Well?” He leaned forward with his hands on the table.
“I– I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. I swear.”
He took a deep breath. “Alana, this is a dangerous job. It’s not like what you see on television. We deal with some really bad people. If you don’t respect that, and the fact that I am responsible if anything were to happen to you, I’m going to have to cut your internship short. Understood?”
“Yes. I understand. I am so sorry.”
Frank looked at me. “Anything you’d like to say?”
You bet there are some things I’d like to say. “I think you covered it,” I said, clenching my jaw.
“Okay. Now, get to work.” Frank stomped out of the room.
I stayed with Alana while she pulled herself together. She was shaken up, and although I felt bad for her, it had been nothing compared to the verbal beating I took when I screwed up.
“You okay?” I asked.
“Uh, huh.”
“You want to tell me what you were thinking?”
“I just wanted to help.” Her voice was barely audible.
“You are helping. Posting on that Facebook account is crucial for us, and you’re doing a great job. We just don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I know. I’m sorry, I didn’t think…”
“You realize he would’ve been expecting Katy. You don’t look like the photo we used for her, and he would’ve gotten suspicious. You would’ve been in danger and most likely blown our case.”
“I forgot about that. I’m so sorry.”
I took in a deep breath. I knew how she felt, wanting to help. I still never felt like I was doing enough. It was just the nature of the job.
“Look, we have a lot to do. Are you up for it or would you rather go home?”
“No. I’m ready.”
I grabbed the file on Heather Newman and glanced at her address. My heart stopped for a minute. Regaining my composure, I headed for the door. “Let’s go.”
As I drove, I had a horrible feeling. Heather’s house was just around the corner from Wally’s. I knew I shouldn’t jump to conclusions, but a thought crossed my mind. Could she have been targeted?
We parked on the opposite side of the street and turned off the engine.
“I need you to stay here. Keep your eyes open and see if Wally drives by. Get down if you see him and watch what he does.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
“His place is just around the corner, and we have another missing girl.”
Clay Newman was a large man at six-foot-two. He had big arms, big hands, and a military-style haircut. He was dressed in khakis and a light blue button-down shirt.
“Hello, Mr. Newman. My name is Sam Parker. I’m a private investigator and am looking into your daughter’s disappearance. If you have a minute, I’d like to get some more information.”
He stepped back and invited me in. We went into his kitchen, and he poured some coffee. “What can I do for you, Miss Parker?”
“Mr. Newman, does Heather have a car?” I asked.
“Yes, of course. If you live in Temecula, you need a car.”
“Can you tell me what kind of car she drives?”
“A few months ago, she bought an old grey Mustang for next to nothing. It looks terrible but has a brand-new rebuilt engine. She plans to paint it fire-engine red as soon as she has enough money.”
“And where’s her car now?”
“I don’t know. She has a boyfriend who’s been working on it. I guess he’s pretty handy with cars. I hadn’t really thought about it, but he’s probably got it.”
I took out my notebook. “What’s his name?”
“Honestly, I’m not sure. I haven’t met him yet. Heather said it was too soon. She likes him and doesn’t want to scare him off.”
“Does she have any photos of him?”
“If she does, they’d be on her phone, I’d imagine.”
“Is her phone here?” I asked.
“No. She’s never without that thing. I suspect she has it.”
He took a deep breath. “I saw her the morning she disappeared. She grabbed a doughnut and was running out to her car. She said she was late and would see me later. Love you, Dad! she’d called while driving away.”
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Newman. I’m going to do my very best to find Heather. If you think of anything else, please call me.” I handed him my card. He nodded slowly and tried to look hopeful, but I could see the sadness in his eyes.
Chapter 21
“Who are the cops on this case and why doesn’t it say anything in Heather Newman’s file about a boyfriend?”
“I don’t know, Sam. This isn’t our case.”
“I know, but really? A missing girl and there’s no information on the boyfriend?”
“How do you know there’s a boyfriend?” he asked.
“Heather’s dad told me.”
“Listen, Sam. If there’s a boyfriend, they know about it. Let’s focus on our cases and let them do the same.”
“I am focusing on my cases. I have some guy sending text messages about getting rid of a dead body, and if it’s the same guy, he’s driving a missing girl’s car. So technically, it is my case.”
“Sam, the thing is, we don’t know if it’s the same guy. For all we know, it could be a hoax. I know how passionate you get, but you need to tread carefully with this one. Focus on finding Michael Carson. Got it?”
“Fine,” I said.
“Now, fill me in on what you’ve got.”
Alana arrived just as I took out my notes. As Frank looked through them, I explained everything that showed signs of Michael being in Temecula, starting with the book from his backpack. That, along with the confirmation from Melody that she’d seen him, was enough to keep the case open.
What I was still trying to figure out was why Wally Mason, a twenty-nine-year-old man, was hanging out with teenagers. I’d seen him and another guy with the girl who’d been killed and tossed into the ravine. Did they kill her? I didn’t know. Then, there was Melody. She’d given me the name “Montgomery” who, even with a photo, I still couldn’t identify. And who was that woman? She seemed so familiar to me, but I couldn’t place her. Was she even part of this mess? I had no idea. Melody hadn’t said anything about a woman and to be honest, I think she would have had she been involved.