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“I’ll admit that the chances are low,” Finn replied, his tone grim. “But we do have a few pieces of evidence. Sarah’s clothes and purse. The coroner is still working on cause of death so that’s forthcoming. But I have no idea what was going on in Sarah’s life before she disappeared. One of the usual action items for an investigator is to piece together her last day. Unless people talk to me, there’s no way I can do that.”
“What about her mom?” Lucy suggested. “Will she talk to you?”
“She will, but she only knows so much. I’m also trying to find Sarah’s ex-stepfather but no one seems to know where he is. I’m not sure how much help they’ll be, to be honest. I remember being a teenager and I didn’t tell my mom hardly anything about my real life. She would have grounded me for years if she’d known half the shit I got up to in high school. I still haven’t told her because I don’t want her to have a heart attack because of me.”
Finn had a valid point here. Lucy hadn’t told her parents everything either, and most of the “stuff” she’d been doing hadn’t been all that bad. Typical teenage behavior for the most part.
“Listen, all we’re asking is that you keep your ears and eyes open,” Finn said. “If anyone says anything to you just let me know. This is already going to be a difficult case to solve, but the fact that everyone is being so closed-mouthed isn’t making it any easier. I need every shred of information that I can get.”
Lucy watched the play of emotions on Zack’s face, each one coming and going so quickly she could barely recognize them. One of them she did, however.
Doubt.
Finn and Blake thanked them and went back to the reception, leaving Lucy and Zack in the hallway alone.
“You want to tell me what you’re thinking? Because I noticed you didn’t jump to tell Finn that you would help him. Don’t you want this solved?”
“I do,” Zack replied slowly, rubbing at his smooth-shaven chin. “It’s just—”
“It’s just,” she prompted. “That you won’t be here much longer?”
He was frowning at her statement.
“What makes you think I’m leaving right away?”
“Because you never come here, and when you do, you’re gone as soon as possible.”
There wasn’t any point in beating around the bush. She’d just say what she felt.
“I guess that’s true,” he admitted. “But this time…this time I’m not so sure. I’ve been thinking about it, and I might stick around for a bit. To see how the investigation goes. And as for Finn and Blake, I guess I’m just surprised that they can’t get anyone to talk. This town loves to talk.”
“They just might need some friendly encouragement. I’m sure they’re as shocked as we are. When you see them, just tell them that you’re cooperating with Finn and maybe they will, too.”
“That sounds like a good idea,” Zack approved. “Sarah’s disappearance deserves to be solved, and her mom deserves answers.”
The unspoken part was that Zack and his family deserved answers, too. It didn’t look like they were going to get them. Not this time. But maybe in the future.
“Is there something else bothering you?”
Because Zack was still frowning, his forehead furrowed with some sort of worry.
“I keep thinking…about Sarah’s disappearance and then my mom’s. What if they’re connected? What if the same person is responsible?”
It had crossed Lucy’s mind as well although she hadn’t dwelled on it. Other people had to have wondered also. Sarah and Lily were the only ones that Lucy could think of that had disappeared in the last twenty years.
“I can understand why you might think about that. But, they vanished eight years apart. That’s a long time for a criminal to just hang around and do nothing in between. If the disappearances were related, it would also indicate that Sarah and your mom were in some way connected. Did they even know one another?”
Lucy had read enough crime and mystery novels to know that the detective would try to find things the victims might have in common. Did they all go to the same hair salon? Did they shop in the same store? Did they have the same friends? What did Sarah and Lily have in common?
Zack. And Lucy didn’t think he was responsible.
“I know you’re right, but…”
“But you can’t stop thinking about it.”
“I can’t. It’s been bugging me since Mom disappeared. If they found Sarah, maybe Mom is out there, too.”
“I would imagine that Finn has thought about this. You could ask him if they’re going to continue to search that location.”
