Jason took one sheet and Nina the other. Jason found one of the names immediately.
“Ed Garland, fifth name down on this sheet.”
Nina’s sheet had the other.
“Chelsea Morris, near the bottom.”
Jason gave his sheet back to the secretary.
“Can we get a copy of these?”
The secretary took Nina’s, as well.
“Sure. Give me a couple minutes.”
When she was gone, Jason started thinking out loud.
“Okay. Both victims were called about their reunion along with about fifty others on these lists. In addition, there’s the list the class president is calling. Assuming it’s roughly the same size, that’s somewhere around a hundred names.”
“That’s just the call list. There’s apparently an email list also.”
Jason nodded.
“I’m thinking we start with the call list. Nothing has showed on the email list that we know of. Until there’s a connection to that list, we need to limit our search as much as possible.”
“So, you think the connection between victims is their class year and the reunion?”
“It’s about all we’ve got for right now.”
Nina was skeptical.
“Okay, following that logic, our killers name should also be on that list.”
“Maybe, but not necessarily. If he’s targeting this group or some of the group, it very well could be because he’s not on the list. When we get back, we need to run all the names from the phone list, find out if they have records.”
Janice Hayes returned with four pages.
“I copied both my list and the class president’s.”
She handed them to Nina who put them in the folder.
“Who is the class president, anyway?”
“Cindy Butler. Her name’s at the top of each sheet, along with her phone number.”
“And when is the reunion?”
“The fifth of next month, here in the gym.”
“Thank you. We’ll be in touch if we need anything else.”
The secretary looked at Jason.
“Can I ask why Ed Garland and Chelsea Morris are of particular interest?”
“They’re missing.”
“Missing! Both of them?”
“Yes, Maam. Both of them.”
Chapter 12
Donnie turned the corner and pulled in behind the small strip plaza. Tied in the backseat of her own car was Suzanne Cooper. The van was waiting for him and he transferred his captive to it, putting a hood on her when she was inside.
The plaza was about a mile from Suzanne’s house and Donnie had walked to get her. He would leave her car here and take her to the farm. The hood over his captive’s head was to protect him after he completed his mission, just in case anyone survived. He didn’t want them to know where they had been.
He started the van and drove out from behind the plaza. Home was just twenty minutes away.
****
Suzanne lay as still as she could. She was trying to trace in her mind where they were going. She knew they had gone to the plaza near her house but it only took a few minutes before she realized it was hopeless. She didn’t even know what direction they were headed.
There was no way for her to grasp what was happening, it just wasn’t real. Time had ceased to exist and her mind reeled with possibilities of what might happen when the van stopped. She wanted out of the hood and the darkness it brought but at the same time she was terrified of what she might see.
She didn’t know how long they had been going but she felt the van slow and make a hard turn onto a gravel road. She could hear the dirt and rock kicking up beneath her. After just a moment or two, the van ceased moving and the engine went silent.
She heard the driver’s door open and then the van’s side door slide open. Her captor grabbed her by the feet and tried to drag her out but she kicked wildly. He let go. Next to her ear came the distinct sound of a gun being cocked.
Click!
Her heart stopped.
“No, no. I’m sorry. I’ll get out.”
Again, she felt the tug on her feet but this time she didn’t resist. When her knees were past the edge of the door, he took her by the shoulder and stood her up.
“Walk slowly, I’ll guide you. Don’t do anything stupid and I won’t be forced to hurt you.”
It took all the strength she could muster just to say nod her head up and down once.
They walked a short distance and then up a couple steps. She heard a door open and she sensed they had moved indoors. The hood came off.
She blinked at the brightness, trying to focus, and found the man staring at her.
“Please don’t hurt me. What did I do? Why are you doing this?”
He ignored her and pointed the gun towards the basement steps. She walked slowly to them and down into the basement. What greeted her there was shocking.
A small prison with four doors, two of which were locked. She could smell urine and it made her gag. She began to cry.
“In there.”
She turned towards him.
“Please don’t do this.”
He got behind her and grabbed the cuffs around her wrist, forcing her to follow him into the cell. Pushing her to the floor, he looped and padlocked a chain around her leg before removing her restraints. The door shut and she heard the lock snap. His steps retreated up the stairs, then nothing, just quiet.
“Who are you?”
A female voice from the next cell broke the silence. Suzanne leaned as close to the wall as she could.
“Suzanne. Who are you?”
“Chelsea. The man next to me is Ed. Do you know why he brought you here?”
“No. I was at home and next thing I know, I’m in a van with a hood on my head. Do you?”
Suzanne could hear Chelsea start to sob.
“No. He won’t tell us.”
“How long have you been here?”
“A couple days, Ed’s been here four.”
“Has he hurt either of you?”
“No. Not yet.”
Suzanne heard a man’s voice from the far cell.
“What did you say you’re name is?”
“Suzanne.”
“Suzanne what?”
“Suzanne Cooper.”
“Is that your maiden name?”
“Yes, why?”
Ed ignored the question.
“Chelsea, you said your last name was Morris. Is that your maiden name?”
Chelsea tried to stop crying.
“No. Burt…my maiden name is Burt.”
Silence fell over the three of them as the girls waited to find out what Ed was driving at.
“Shit!”
“What?!” Both girls asked at the same time.
“Does the name ‘Billy Jarvis’ mean anything to either of you?”
****
It was near closing at the Dollar Store and Curt needed to take out the trash.
“Wendy, taking trash out. Back in a minute.”
“Okay.”
He unlocked the back door and carried the two bags to the dumpster behind the plaza. After throwing them in, he turned to go back and noticed a teal colored car parked at an odd angle. The dome light was on and the back door open. He didn’t recognize the car and everyone that worked at the plaza knew to park in the outer lot up front.
Curt walked down towards the vehicle and looked in. The keys were still in the ignition but the car wasn’t running. Standing up, he looked around. He was alone in the back alley. He pulled out his cell phone.
****
Two uniformed officers responded to Curt’s call. One was calling in the license plate and the other was getting the final details of how Curt found the car.