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His eyes shot to Lara’s, panicked. “I told her no, of course.” He inhaled a deep breath. “Let me see her. If she knows something, I’ll make her talk.”
Ellie mulled over the suggestion, but as she did so her mind went to another dark place. His job. A construction site would be the perfect place to dispose of a body. And if Autumn had borrowed one of the vans no one would have thought anything about it being at the construction site.
“Mr.Truman,” Ellie said. “You mentioned you worked construction.”
Confusion clouded his face, as if he didn’t understand the change in her line of questioning. “Yes.”
Ellie examined his body language. His shoulders were slumped, his hands clasped, scarred from manual labor he’d said, knee bouncing up and down. “And Autumn knew this?”
“Well, yeah. She met me at the site a couple of times.”
Then she probably knew about the vans being parked there. “I need a list of all the sites where you’re currently working.”
Jasper shifted restlessly. “What does that have to do with finding my daughter?”
Ellie shoved a notepad and pen in front of him. “Just make the list.” She’d verify the names with the construction company to see if he omitted anything. That would tell her more about his innocence or guilt than a conversation.
Her mind raced with the sickening possibility of what she might find.
Lara was rocking herself back and forth, her face void of color. Shondra walked to the kitchen, filled a glass with water and carried it to her. While Truman made the list, Ellie stepped into the kitchen to talk to Derrick.
“Maybe we should let Jasper speak with Autumn,” Ellie said. “We could have him wear a wire.”
Derrick grunted. “Forget the wire. If neither of them knows we’re listening, they’ll be more open.”
True. And Ellie would do anything to get to the truth.
“I’ll call the construction company and confirm his list of sites,” Derrick offered.
Ellie nodded, then they returned to the living room. Ellie snatched the list Jasper had made.
“Are you going to let me see Autumn?” Jasper asked.
Ellie maintained a neutral expression. “I am. If you’re innocent, maybe she’ll tell you if she followed through on her plan.”
Lara pushed to her feet. “I’m going, too. I want to look in her face and confront her.”
That could turn volatile, Ellie thought. But if Autumn was involved, it might be the fastest way to find Ava.
Fifty-One
Crooked Creek Police Station
Thirty minutes later, Ellie, Derrick and Lara settled into the observation room adjoining the interrogation room where Jasper was meeting Autumn.
Jasper was squirming slightly, his leg bouncing up and down again. But when the door opened and Deputy Landrum led Autumn in, he straightened, his eyes turning steely.
“Jasper,” Autumn said in a throaty whisper. “What are you doing here?”
He curled his hands into fists on the table. “We have to talk.”
Heath left the room as planned, giving Autumn the impression the conversation was private. Her gaze darted around the room, the chair rattling as she sank into it. “I can’t believe they brought me in here,” she trilled. “They’re treating me like some kind of criminal.”
She went straight to thinking about herself, Ellie thought in disgust.
Lara fiddled with the end of her messy ponytail. She still wore the same holiday sweatshirt she had on when Ellie had first met her yesterday.
Autumn was the opposite type. Probably ten years younger than Lara, with striking dark hair and alluring eyes that seemed to change between blue and green. But forget the face. The men would zero in on her cleavage. Ellie had always opted not to draw attention to hers. If a man wanted her for her boobs, he was the wrong man.
