Theo’s fingers nestle at the base of my neck, gently massaging as he answers. “She never really recovered from losing Jackie.”

  “We have to help her,” I tell them, my eyes burning with tears. “We need to give her—all of you—closure.”

  “I have a wicked good feeling about you,” K.C. says, grinning as she reaches across the table to grip my hands. “Maybe we can finally bring Jackie home.”

  20

  STERLING - 2018

  Monday evening, I’m forced to clock in an extra two hours at the office to process a last-minute emergency placement of an hour-old newborn after the father snuck drugs into the recovery room at the mother’s request. I make it in time to meet Chief Nielsen on a back road of the warehouse district with mere minutes to spare. Theo still wasn’t too pleased when I insisted on proceeding with the meeting on my own, and made me promise I’d call to check in the second it was over.

  I’d half expected the chief wouldn’t agree to the meeting when I’d called, and nearly cheer triumphantly when finding the black and white police cruiser waiting at the designated address. Although I don’t consider him to be any kind of threat, I slip my hand inside my handbag and wrap my fingers around the can of mace I promised Theo I’d bring along. This morning as I was on my way out the door, he vowed he’d take me to a shooting range later in the week. “Just in case someone doesn’t like you looking into things,” he’d said before silencing my protests with a deep kiss.

  Even though the local kids will be returning to school in a few days, the air is still sticky and exceptionally warm, causing my satin blouse to stick to my damp skin. When I slip into the passenger’s seat of the cruiser, I sigh happily with the blast of frigid air.

  “Thank you for agreeing to meet me, Chief Nielsen.”

  He stares straight ahead out the cruiser’s windshield, eyes fixated on the empty loading dock of an abandoned building. “After I spoke with you the other day, I couldn’t shake the memory of seeing Jackie Tanner just hours before she was reported as missing. We were in the process of arresting Becky Myers’s dad when Jackie came upon the scene, asked if we’d found Becky. She looked really scared. I told her to go home. I took an oath to serve and protect, but I was short with that frightened little girl, told her to go home.” He turns to me, gaze strained and shadowed from what I assume to be a lack of sleep. He’s also notably more pale than the last time we met. “Her case has haunted me ever since. I should’ve walked her back to her place. I should’ve ensured she was safe.”

  I respond with a firm shake of my head. “Jackie wouldn’t have stayed home even if you'd locked her inside her room. She was worried about a friend, and determined to check in on him.”

  His keen gaze studies mine. “How do you know that?”

  “I’ve recently befriended Theo Davies and Karrie Schaumberg. They’ve filled me in on every last detail they can remember about that fall.”

  He releases a rough chuckle and adjusts the screen on the laptop mounted between us. “That Schaumberg woman sure is a hellcat. She’s been riding the department for decades. It always made me kind of glad when she refused to back down. She must’ve been close with the Tanner girl.”

  “She was. So was Theo.”

  He rotates in his seat to directly face me. “What did you want to speak to me about, Miss Pruitt?”

  On instinct I brace myself, prepared to be met with resistance. After working alongside the officers out in Los Angeles, some of which had faced countless allegations of neglect and corruption, I’ve become skeptical of the intentions of anyone in uniform.

  “Did your department ever question a Lutheran minister in town by the name of Pastor Babel?”

  “I don’t recall there being any mention of a pastor. Why do you ask?”

  “Jackie went to his church every year to collect donated school supplies. In the days leading up to her disappearance, she had several interactions with him—including one just hours before she went missing in which he claimed he was concerned that she was out too late by herself, and offered her a ride. She refused to get in his vehicle though. I think she sensed he was a little odd. He’d also offered to speak with her about her troubles in confidence, even though she wasn’t one of his parishioners.”

  “The department’s files on Jackie and the other girls have been sealed, but I can still request access to them.” He blinks several times like something is hurting his head. “Hold on. How did you know he’d offered her a ride? I remember many details of her case, but nothing about that.”

  “We’ve been in touch with Jackie’s sister,” I say, following the plan the three of us had cooked up the night before over pizza and beer. “She’s doing a little better these days—remembers little facts the police weren’t able to extract from her before. The psychiatrists say she immediately went into a state of shock after discovering her sister was gone. She hasn’t been quite right since.” According to K.C. and Theo, the last part was based on 100% truth. It still hurts my heart to think Jackie’s big sister lost her wits because of what happened.

  With an absentminded bob of his head, the chief scratches his clean-shaven chin. “Maybe I need to interview this sister again, now that she’s coherent.”

  “It goes in streaks,” I tell him with a surge of panic. “Some days she’s completely comatose. It depends on how many drugs they’ve pumped her with on any given day. And she doesn’t open up to strangers. Karrie and Theo have been the only ones who’ve been able to get her to talk about her sister.”

  Guess I’m better at lying than I thought.

  “Jackie’s case rattled me more than the others,” he tells me on a tired sigh. “Probably because she’s the only one I’d met in person. For the longest time after her disappearance, I swore I’d never get married and have kids. I didn’t think I could ever have a daughter and not fear for her safety every second of the day. For months on end I used to lie awake at night, trying to imagine what those girls’ parents were going through. Can’t say I was too surprised when Jackie’s mother overdosed. I’ll never understand how a parent survives a thing like that.”

  “Did you change your mind about having kids?” I say, taking note of the silicone band on his left ring finger.

  “Eventually.” He glances past me with a wistful smile. “Had myself three strong boys who’ve since grown up to be good men. Two are in the military, and the third plans to follow in my footsteps. Probably was for the best we never had a girl. God only knows I would’ve driven myself mad with worry.”

  I’m beginning to wonder if half of the city remains rattled in one way or another by the girls’ disappearances, even after three decades have passed. Why didn’t the community stand up to law enforcement back then, and insist more was done to find them? “What about Jackie’s teacher, Mr. Kabe?”

  “I remember the chief sending us out to question Elroy Kabe because he may have known something that could’ve helped us find Jackie. He was never a person of interest, but he offered an alibi all the same, said he was with his wife and kids that night. Two of my boys had Kabe years later. Always had a hard time looking that man in the eye at conferences. He’s a strange character. My boys didn’t care for him all that much. My wife didn’t either.”

  Bile trickles up my throat. I never would’ve imagined the pervert who’d all but drooled over Diane at the drive-in and favored young girls who dressed provocatively would have a family waiting back home. “He’s still teaching?”

  “No, praise the Lord. I saw something in the paper about him retiring a few years back. Maybe in twenty eleven or twelve. In the article it said he and his wife were moving to one of the nearby lakes where they planned to manage a bait shop. I wanna say the lake was Jefferson or Madison.”

  “You don’t think his wife might’ve lied to protect him?”

  “Sure, but it wasn’t my call to make at the time.”

  “Who was your supervisor?”

  “Chief Clifford Braunshausen. He retired a few years after the last disappearance with the onset of Alzheimer’s. He was one of those who pushed to have these cases sealed.”

  “Who else wanted them sealed?”

  “The mayor and one of the presiding judges. They’ve both passed since.”

  All dead ends. Blowing out a hard breath, I swing my focus back to the list of suspects. “The man you told me had been the only person of interest, Darrel Heinrich…did they ever search his shed?”

  “We did, but only after your friends raised a fuss. The Davies kid claimed he’d told his father about some weird noises they’d heard, but there wasn’t anything about the call on record. The shed was neat as a pin. That Heinrich character was the orderly type—had each of his tools outlined on a pegboard so they wouldn’t get misplaced. He was an odd fellow all around…didn’t know how to interact on a social level. Made rudimentary bird houses for friends and coworkers. His father had been a contractor, taught him the basics. But he let us search his property without a warrant. If he’d been guilty of something, I doubt he would’ve been clever enough to properly hide anything. He made a point of showing me his VHS collection, seemed somewhat embarrassed that most of them were cartoons for young boys. The way he reacted, you’d think we were there to arrest him because of those tapes. The chief had me take them in for review to make sure they weren’t anything more sinister, but they were exactly what they appeared to be—innocent shows for young kids.”

  A lack of social skills might explain the way he had openly gaped at the girls while they’d been rollerskating. Only somewhat satisfied, I decide to move on. “Karrie and Theo told me they thought Becky Myers’s dad was molesting her. Was that ever brought into question?”

  “An anonymous tip came in shortly after his arrest, but there wasn’t any way to prosecute him for it without some kind of hard evidence, or a statement from a victim. The county prosecutor made the decision to dismiss the charges against him for possessing a firearm while he was on probation for stealing a car a few years prior—spewed some bullshit about how Myers had gone through enough with his daughter missing.” He clenches his teeth with a seething look. “I heard that mean bastard died of liver failure a handful of years back.”

  While his death wouldn’t rule him out as a suspect, it certainly narrows our search. I drum my fingertips against my knees, debating how much I want to disclose on the final suspect topping our list. “What was your impression of Detective Davies?”

  He throws me a funny look. “I thought you were friendly with his boy.”

  “I am.” A light flush spreads over my cheeks. “But Jackie’s sister said there was something off about his father. Like maybe he was harboring a secret temper. She told me Theo often came to school with unexplained injuries, like a broken arm and a black eye.”

  While I didn’t exactly mention to Theo that I’d bring his father into my conversation with the chief, I doubt he’d protest. Especially since I’m using Diane as a scapegoat so as not to get Theo involved. He hasn’t mentioned if his father is still an active detective, so I feel a need to tread lightly.

  The chief shrugs. “Far as I knew, he was a stand-up guy.”

  The radio clipped to his shoulder crackles with static, then a woman’s voice. “Dispatch to one-oh-one, do you copy?”

  He tilts his head and presses the button on his radio. “One-oh-one, go ahead.”

  “You’re needed at ninety-one Kato View Road for a possible domestic.”

  His eyes briefly close as he blows out his cheeks, then presses the button again. “Ten-four. I’m enroute.” He releases the radio and regards me with regret. “I’m afraid I have to take this. Repeat violent offender…wouldn’t be surprised if this case ends up on your desk by morning.”

  Emotion clogs my throat as I think of Theo as a boy, and how no one came to his rescue. I clear my throat and nod in understanding. “I know you’re taking a risk by meeting with me, Chief. Your time is much appreciated.”

  “I still don’t understand your involvement in this case, but you’ve certainly given me a lot to chew on, Miss Pruitt.”

  When he reaches for the gear shifter, I rest my hand on top of his, waiting until his eyes return to mine. “I think it’s time you consider reopening the investigation. Too many people are still in pain. They need to see these girls finally laid to rest, and their captor found.”

  His Adam’s Apple dips before he nods and chokes out, “I’ll be in touch.”

  On my way home, I park my BMW across from the same Lutheran church of which Jackie and J.R. had walked through all those years ago. It’s a beautiful building situated in the middle of a residential neighborhood with well manicured lawns and a plethora of new construction. The church’s structure hasn’t changed much on the outside, except for a new steeple and updated siding. For a moment I consider going inside to see if the same pastor is still there.

  Then, among the shadows of the oncoming twilight, I catch the bright flash of something metal across the street.

  My heart goes still.

  It’s the same navy blue sedan that I’ve spotted parked in my neighborhood several times.

  Someone is clearly following me.

  Snagging the can of mace from my purse, I curl my other hand around the button on my phone that will summon the “Emergency SOS” slider, and step out into the street. Before I can get close enough to see the figure behind the wheel, the sedan’s tires squeal and it roars past me in a blur.

  21

  STERLING - 2018

  Tuesday night as I’m sliding my aunt’s chef’s famous vegan lasagna into my new commercial-grade oven, praying it comes out edible instead of chewy like last time, Beth calls. “Hey,” I answer after closing the oven door.

  “Hey yourself,” she says with a smile in her voice. “K.C. has been filling me in on your little Scooby-gang shenanigans, and mentioned you were questioning whether or not Jackie Tanner’s teacher might’ve done something to the missing girls.”

  “There’s something odd about him,” I confirm. Then I remember how the last time I’d exchanged texts with Beth, she was annoyed that her boss had scheduled her to bartend every night this week and had threatened to quit. “Why are you calling about that? Aren’t you at work?”

  “That’s the exact reason I’m calling,” she says, all at once lowering her voice. “That dude is having dinner at the 500 as we speak. I’m pretty sure he’s here with his wife or a girlfriend. They’re awfully…cozy. And equally weird.”

  I draw in a sharp breath. “Are you sure it’s him?”

  “I’ve never met the guy, but one of the other girls commented he’d been her pervy teacher in sixth grade. She said she sucked at English but only had to wear short skirts and she’d ace every exam.”

  That’s definitely him, I think to myself with a sickly shiver.

  There’s a muffled sound as Beth covers her phone to reply to someone calling her name. Then, “Sterling, I gotta go. But I wanted to let you know before they’d left. They’ve only been here a half hour or so and don’t have their food yet.”

  I untie the apron I’d used to protect my white romper from my poor culinary skills. “I’ll be right there.”

  As I set the apron on my newly installed quartz counter top, Theo emerges from my bedroom in a fresh Human League t-shirt and cargo shorts, rubbing his wet hair with a towel and flashing one of his delightful grins. “That smells delicious.” His gaze darkens on the corded belt braided around my cotton romper. “You tryin’ to kill me with that sweet little outfit? How the hell do you even remove it?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know,” I tease.

  “Matter of fact, sweetheart, I do.” He hooks a finger through the belt and drags me in closer. “How much time do I have before dinner’s ready?”

  A hot flush runs through me as I try to imagine exactly what’s on his mind. Sometimes he’s so slow and considerate with my body that I’m driven mad with yearning. Other times he’s like a totally different person—rough and impatient as if he doesn’t have the willpower to wait any longer. Either way, he always leaves me more than satisfied.

  “I’m sorry, babe, but I have to run,” I tell him, reaching for my handbag on the new island. “Check on the lasagna in forty-five minutes. Hopefully I’ll be back in time to eat while it’s still warm.”

  “Whoa.” He tugs on my arm and drags his warm lips across my jaw. “Where you goin’?”

  “Beth just called. Elroy Kabe is having dinner at the 500.”

  He draws back with a confused look. “What are you gonna do about it, Sterling? Follow him?”

  It would seem an ideal time to tell him that I’m being followed, but I can’t make myself say the words out loud, knowing he’ll only worry for my safety. Even if rightfully so.

  I’ll tell Chief Nielsen about the navy sedan the next time we meet. Maybe he can run through the list of suspects to see if any of them have a similar vehicle registered in their name.

  “I don’t have a plan,” I admit, softening against the muscular planes of his firm chest. “But I’ll be smart about it.” Sighing, I reach back to stroke my fingertips over the cupped curve of his lower back beneath his t-shirt. Searching the depths of his soulful brown eyes, I wonder if there will ever be a time I’ll be able to keep my hands to myself when he’s near. “I only know he made Jackie uneasy too may times. Maybe I want to finally get a look at him myself. See if he’s still just as weird.”

  Theo’s body omits a vibration that echoes through mine. “I don’t want you anywhere near that man on your own. Even if he’s not a killer, he’s still a royal jerk. I’m coming along.”

  I let out a tired sigh. “Beth is there along with probably a dozen coworkers, and who knows how many customers. It’s dinnertime, so I’m sure the restaurant will be packed. There’s nothing for you to worry about. Besides, I would be really bummed if my lasagna burned. I haven’t made it in forever.” I rise on my tiptoes to silence his doubts with a deep, intense kiss.