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“Hallie Kent,” Josie said. “Jana’s foster sister.”
Amber added, “On one of the discussion threads she started, there is a friendly argument among three to five people as to whether or not it was an accident. It didn’t go anywhere.”
“The police are keeping a tight lid on the file,” Josie said. “Trinity hasn’t been able to get much out of them.”
Chief Chitwood frowned. “Your sister is doing a show about the case?”
“Not necessarily,” Josie said. “She’s researching it to see if there’s enough there to do an episode.”
“Find out who she talked to—her source,” the Chief said. “You need to talk to them, too. There’s a reason the case is popping up on her radar and ours at the same time.”
“I agree,” Josie said. “She’s going to meet with Hallie Kent on Tuesday. I’ll go with her.”
Mettner steered the conversation back to Sharon Eddy. “The connection between the Jana Melburn case and Sharon Eddy is that Sharon’s mother was one of the last people to see Jana alive.”
Chief Chitwood said, “Then we need to find her mother.”
“Working on it already,” said Noah, pointing at his computer screen. “Carolina Eddy was in county lockup in Bellewood last month for drug offenses. Released on her own recognizance. Don’t know where she’s staying. Her last known address is a shelter in Bradysport. I called there and they haven’t seen her in a week.”
“Keep working at it,” the Chief told him. “Quinn, what do we know about this Mathias Tobin?”
“He doesn’t have a horse in this race,” said Gretchen. “The fact that Dr. Feist ruled Jana Melburn’s death an accident kept him out of prison—for that case, anyway.”
“But his name keeps coming up, Palmer,” the Chief said. “He was the other person to see this Jana Melburn last, from what Quinn said.”
“Which makes him worth talking to,” Noah said. “He did live with Jana at the time of her death. Grew up with her. He probably knew her better than most people.”
Josie said, “I looked him up. Lark Hadlee was right. He was convicted of attempted murder five years ago.”
“Lark Hadlee also said he was out of prison,” Gretchen pointed out. “But attempted murder is an easy twenty-year sentence.”
“I know,” said Josie. “His conviction was vacated. He was released seven months ago—last July.”
“Why was it vacated?” asked Mettner.
“I don’t know. I can only see the dockets, nothing more. I’d have to talk with the prosecutor in Everett County, or his attorney.”
Gretchen said, “That explains why Everett County hasn’t put out a warrant for his arrest for his wife’s murder now that she’s passed from her injuries. If his conviction for attempted murder was vacated, they’d have a hell of a time proving murder.”
“What about Mathias himself?” the Chief said. “Can’t we just go straight to him?”
“Just like Carolina Eddy, we can’t find him,” Josie said. “He doesn’t even have a cell phone. Last known address is a halfway house in Bradysport. I called there and they haven’t seen him in months.”
“For crying out loud,” the Chief said. “This entire thing stinks to high heaven.”
Josie said, “Like I said earlier, Trinity is talking to Hallie Kent Tuesday. She might know something.”
“You all better start finding some people and some answers yesterday!” said the Chief, his voice almost a shout. “This killer came into our city and murdered a girl because she had some tangential and meaningless connection to the Jana Melburn case, and then he left her body branded in a way only our medical examiner would recognize. He left her here the way a damn cat leaves its kills on its owner’s porch. I won’t have it. Not in my city.”
Mettner said, “The good news is that if it’s Vance Hadlee, he’s locked up for now.”
“It won’t last,” said Gretchen. “If his dad had enough sway and money to get him a plea deal for what he did to Anya, and to get him out of being charged with person not in possession of a firearm, he’ll likely be able to get Vance out on bail pretty soon.”
“He won’t have sway here in Alcott County,” Noah said.
“No,” Gretchen agreed. “He won’t, but he’s got money. He’ll be able to hire a good defense attorney. Vance will be out on bail in a day or two, I’m sure.”
Josie’s cell phone buzzed, dancing across her desk. The name “Needle” flashed across the screen. As it always did whenever Larry Ezekiel Fox contacted her, Josie’s stomach filled with dread.
