“How neat! Please sit. Can I get you coffee? Water?”
“I’m good, thanks.” She was starving, because she’d only had an energy bar for lunch, but she didn’t think this would take too long. She sat in a comfortable guest chair in front of Rachel’s desk. Her desk was uncluttered with only her laptop computer in the corner. Regan wouldn’t call herself a slob, but she wasn’t that neat. Her style was more like Henry Clarkson’s organized chaos.
But the atmosphere fit Rachel’s sunny disposition.
“First, thank you for meeting with me,” Rachel said. “I’m sure you’re busy, and I appreciate it.”
“I’m glad you reached out. I had planned to talk to the president of Sigma Rho to see if she wanted to talk about the podcast. It’s my understanding that the sorority is unhappy with it.”
Rachel frowned. “They are, especially the girls who knew Candace. I wouldn’t say unhappy. They’re more upset than anything. I’m sure you can understand.”
“Yes,” Regan said, though she didn’t, not completely. Wouldn’t they want closure? “They went through a traumatic experience having one of their own murdered.”
“Exactly. But not just that, though that was the worst, but they were questioned by police, they were put into the awful position of hearing negative things about their sorority sister, who wasn’t here to defend herself. They feel—and I concur—that the podcast is only serving to victim-shame and to tear down the sorority.”
“I think Lucas has been very respectful of Candace Swain and her life.”
“Talking about Candace having two boyfriends, both of whom, I’ve been told, were cleared by the police, it makes her seem unappealing.”
“Lucas hasn’t implied that Candace was in any way to blame for what happened to her, and there’s no victim-shaming going on. I listened to each episode twice, and heard nothing to suggest it. If anything, he was more than a little respectful. As you probably know, too often when a woman ends up dead, it’s a boyfriend or ex-boyfriend that’s involved. The fact that Candace had two boyfriends, whether or not they knew of the other, is logical for the police to pursue.”
“See? It doesn’t do her reputation any good, and she’s not here to stand up for herself.”
“That’s not what I said, or what I meant.”
“And if she had two boyfriends, who cares?” Rachel continued as if Regan hadn’t spoken. “No one should pass moral judgment on her, but people do, even when they didn’t know her or know how wonderful she was. And the talk about the disagreement at the sorority’s spring party—it makes it sound so much worse than it actually was.”
“Were you there?”
“For a while.”
“You were the sorority advisor when Candace disappeared?”
“Yes, but I don’t live at the sorority. I was a Sigma Rho alumna, so I was thrilled to take on the role. The value of a sorority—the relationships, the support, the future connections—cannot be taken lightly. To help guide these amazing young women through college and on to the next stage of their lives, I feel both blessed and lucky.”
She sounded like she was selling the sorority to Regan, but that was probably par for the course. A lot of clubs had that rah-rah attitude. But there was a lot of truth to what she was saying: any organization that had a common, uniting element—like Greek Life—often helped graduates find jobs down the road, making connections that benefited their members.
“How well did you know Candace?”
“I—well, can I be honest with you?”
Odd question. “Of course.”
“I invited you to talk about the podcast, but I don’t want anything I say to be used on the podcast, out of respect for the young women I advise. What I really want is for you to understand how the podcast is distressing them.”
“So you said. They are upset and feel that Candace and their sorority have been treated unfairly.”
“Not so much unfairly, but bringing up negative stuff hurts the reputation of the sorority, as well as the girls emotionally. Some of them were friends with Candace, and even those who weren’t want to remember Candace in the best possible light. And there was so much good that she did in her life. You know that she regularly volunteered at a homeless shelter downtown. Yet it was that good heart that may have gotten her killed.”
“I’m aware of the situation with Mr. Abernathy.”
“I trust the police to handle the investigation. Candace had so much love and compassion. That’s what I want her to be known for, not that she was murdered and her killer was never found.”
“I understand.”
Rachel smiled. “I knew you would. You sounded both intelligent and experienced on the podcast last night. Now, I know you probably can’t convince Lucas Vega to put an end to this, and I understand that it’s his capstone project. But perhaps you can help steer the show into something less inflammatory, considering the psychological damage that it’s doing to my girls.”
“I was interviewed last night to share my perspective in how law enforcement conducts investigations into missing persons. It’s not my podcast.”
“Of course, but you still have influence over the student.”
Regan didn’t respond to the comment. She said, “Vicky Ryan, the current Sigma Rho president, had been mentored by Candace when she was a freshman. I was hoping to be able to talk to her.”
“Vicky wants nothing to do with the podcast. She already told Lucas that. She was very upset last night. I sat up half the night with her.”
“I’m trying to piece together a few disparate facts, and I thought she might have some information.”
Rachel frowned, leaned back in her chair. “Well, I’ll ask her, but we are both of the opinion that the police are far better equipped to handle a murder investigation than a college student.”
“I generally agree. But three years is a long time. They’re called cold cases for a reason.”
“I’ll talk to Vicky, and if she agrees, I need to be here for her. I’m the one who dries their tears, who tells them it’s going to get better—even when I have my doubts.”