Page 130 of Love Me Steadfast
I gaze out the window again. “It was awful, when she went missing.”
“Yeah,” he says, his tone thoughtful. “Did you ever meet Dagney Cole?”
“No.”
He lists off two other names, but they aren’t familiar. “After I started at Cornish, I wasn’t really part of that scene anymore.” I expect this to put an end to his questions, but he plows on.
“What I’m looking for is the connection between these young women. What else do you all have in common besides Creekside and The Limelight?”
His choice of pronoun makes me pause. He’s not includingmein this group, is he? “I mean, we probably had fans in common.”
“Did any of your fans try to get too close to you? Send you fan mail, leave you unwanted gifts, bomb your DMs, etc?”
“Nope. And Morgan never mentioned anything like that.”
“Was there any crossover in staff between The Limelight and Creekside?”
“I don’t think so. The Limelight is a local club. I don’t think Dad’s staff would also work there too. The Midsummer Night’s Jam was set up by Now Live Entertainment. Have you talked to them?”
“How about managers, record execs, producers?”
Answering my question with one of his own twists my unease that much tighter. “Boxcar never signed with a label or anything like that. But I bet looking up Ari and Dagney and the others would be pretty easy.”
He hums in agreement. “How about fellow musicians?”
A cold prickle dances across my skin. “What do you mean?”
“Crosby Taggart played at both venues.”
“Crosby?” I splutter, then try to cover it up with a laugh. “He’dnever hurt anyone. And he was nowhere near Maple Canyon when Ari disappeared. I know because we were together when we heard about it.”
“Can you spell that name for me? I’d like to chat with him.”
I rattle it off. “I can send you his contact?”
Keyboard strokes fill the background. “He’s in Finn River, got it.”
I feel like I should warn Crosby about the surprise phone call he’s about to get from an FBI agent, but he has nothing to hide.
“How about someone from Nic Salazar’s band or crew?” Luke asks.
I open my mouth but no sound comes out. This is why Nic’s fixer wanted me to tamper with the records. To keep this exact moment from happening. “They were at both shows,” is all I can think of.
The ensuing pause makes me feel like a mouse caught in the moonlight beneath the hungry eyes of an owl. “If there’s nothing else, I’m kind of late for an appointment.”
“One more thing before you go,” he says, undeterred. “Do you think Morgan would talk with me? When she’s ready, of course.”
So he knows where she is. It’s unnerving. What else does he already know? “Um, I can ask?”
“Thanks. I really appreciate it.”
We end the call and I tuck my phone back into my purse, then lower to a nearby bench and put my head in my hands.
Chapter Forty
WILLIAM
On my drive to town,the billboard that flashes into view snags my attention.
