Lucien shifted his weight on the uncomfortable cane chair. “We were originally hired to find out what happened to Sam Heywood. Sam was murdered at the Pelican Pointe Lighthouse. But his sister, Bethany, is still missing. We’re now working for the Heywood family. Were you aware that Bethany had become interested in the Connie Upland case? According to her family, she was obsessed with it. She works for the same guys you work for but in the records department. You can look up her job title and duties. We think she discovered the identity of Connie’s killer.”
Trish’s eyes widened at the mention of Bethany. “That’s news to me.” She leaned back in her chair, deep in thought. “Sam Heywood’s murder and Bethany’s disappearance—there’s been no scuttlebutt within the department about the cases being connected. In fact, there’s a rumor to the contrary, pushing the stale old line that Bethany walked away from her life because she was unhappy at work.”
“That’s a crock, pure and simple,” Lucien insisted. “We talked to the family. Bethany seemed entrenched in the Upland case. Someone was harassing her before she disappeared that Sunday morning.”
Brogan put her hands on the table and leaned forward. “We believe Keith Shepherd is involved in Bethany’s disappearance. We think he killed Sam. Maybe Bethany confided in her brother about what she’d discovered at work. And that’s what got Samkilled as well. The problem is that we can’t find Shepherd anywhere. It’s like he’s disappeared off the grid.”
Trish hesitated before responding, choosing her words carefully. She lowered her voice to a whisper. “That’s because he has. Don’t you think I’ve tried every resource I have at my disposal to locate him by now? Discreetly, of course—I’ve tried everything, only to hit a dead end after dead end—he’s vanished without a trace. My suspicion is that his brother Kenneth knows where he is. But he’s certainly not talking, least of all, to me.”
Lucien interjected, “So Shepherd was always on your radar?”
“Not always. But I knew Jill’s history with him. When I joined the department, I started investigating on my own, and it always came back to him. Always. There wasn’t anyone else. In my mind, Shepherd became the most logical suspect. Jill’s murder wasn’t random.”
“We need your help, Sergeant Vosberg,” Brogan said.
“Call me Trish.”
“Okay, Trish. You know Shepherd better than anyone. With your knowledge and resources, we might finally be able to get justice for all the victims involved.”
“Didn’t you hear what I just said?” Trish snapped. “I’ve exhausted all my resources trying to find him. He’s either living out of the country under another name, or he’s dead.”
Brogan wasn’t having that. “If he’s dead, then who killed Sam? And what has he done with Bethany? Someone took her. Law enforcement hasn’t even located her car. It seems your coworkers aren’t having much luck finding her because they aren’t even looking. They decided she left on her own. How convenient is that?”
“Unless Keith’s dead and Kenneth Shepherd is involved,” Trish offered. “You know those two are half-brothers, same dad, different mother. But they grew up in the same house under anauthoritarian father. They’re both alike, mean-spirited, dodgy as hell, and into all kinds of underhanded projects on the side. They’re the same in other ways. They show very little respect to women.”
“That’s not surprising, considering we think one is a serial killer,” Lucien stated as he waved over Birk and Jade. “Meet our associates. They were instrumental in figuring out Truthseeker22’s identity. Birk is a tech whiz with a talent for uncovering information no one else can. And Jade’s intuition has led us down paths we never would have considered.”
Birk and Jade approached the table, their presence adding an air of intensity to the conversation. Trish studied them, eyeing the newcomers with a mix of caution and curiosity. “It seems you’ve assembled quite the team here. I’m impressed. And I’m never impressed. But even with all the skills and resources in the world, finding Keith Shepherd will be no easy task.”
Brogan leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. “Let’s say they have a knack. If anyone can uncover Shepherd’s whereabouts, it’s this team. And if we can connect Keith or Kenneth to Bethany’s disappearance, you can take the glory.”
Trish nodded thoughtfully, acknowledging the expertise Birk and Jade could offer. She extended her hand to the couple. “All right. But I’m not in this for the glory. I’m not even a detective and certainly not qualified in homicide. But I’m a cop. My sister was murdered. I’ve been looking for justice since 1999. No one seemed to care back then or now. Throw in the other two murders, and it’s been twenty-five years of frustration and wondering what happened. Fast forward to now with another murder, a disappearance to boot, and somebody needs to pay for it. If that leads us to the Shepherd brothers, I’ll finally dance in the streets.”
Brogan’s gaze was unwavering. “Now you’re talking.”
A flicker of determination crossed Trish’s face. “Then let’s put this team to work. If necessary, I’ll take a leave of absence to track down Keith Shepherd and get the goods on his brother on my own time.”
Birk and Jade exchanged glances, silently communicating their readiness to dive into the investigation. Birk reached for his laptop, fingers flying across the keys as he delved into the digital realm to unearth any trace of Keith Shepherd’s whereabouts. “I brought this in case the meeting went well. I might be able to track down if he ever left the country.”
Trish’s eyes widened. “Who are you guys?”
“We’re the ones who plan on solving this case and finding Bethany Heywood,” Brogan claimed.
“Should we find a less public place?” Lucien suggested.
“This isn’t a cop hangout,” Trish pointed out. “You must’ve known that when you proposed using it as a meeting place.”
Jade grinned. “We knew that. We knew that cops have a habit of shunning this place because of its ‘so-called’ weird theater clientele. We figured you wouldn’t want anyone seeing you meeting us here.”
“You were right about that,” Trish said, getting to her feet. “But that’s in the past. Now I’m taking orders all around. What are you guys drinking?”
An hour tickedby as Birk sifted through layers of digital information, following a trail that seemed to grow colder with each passing second. The tension around the tiny table was tangible as everyone waited for a breakthrough or a miracle.
And then, Birk’s fingers stilled on the keyboard, his gaze narrowing at something on the screen. He leaned back slightly, a triumphant smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I thinkI found something,” he announced, his voice filled with quiet enthusiasm.
Trish leaned in even closer, her heart pounding in her chest. “You’re kidding?”
Birk turned the laptop around so she could see the screen, revealing a map with a blinking red dot. “Keith Shepherd never left the country. In fact, he’s been hiding in plain sight not far from here.”