“No, she isn’t at home.” Jenna glanced at Mrs. Fox. “I’ll explain everything to your mother when I’m able.” Jenna turned her attention back to the girls. “I need all the information you can give me. When did you last see Felicity?”
“Sunday at church but I spoke to her yesterday morning before breakfast.” Aimee met her gaze. “She said she would drop in here before nine. We planned to go into town. Lionel sent all of us a bonus card for one of the new games and I guess she got engrossed in the game because she didn’t show. She is totally addicted to games, so I wasn’t really surprised. We all are and sometimes I get so involved I’d rather play than go out with my boyfriend.” She shrugged. “I did call and leave a message but she didn’t get back to me.” She sighed. “Then Lionel closed the store for almost two hours and we had to cool our heels in Aunt Betty’s.”
This is way over my head. Jenna blinked and wrote down as much of the girls’ ramblings as she could remember. “Okay, so I gather these ‘bonus cards’ are ways to move up levels in the game faster? I’m afraid I’ve never had time to be a gamer.”
“Yes, and they are like gold. They can be awarded as you complete the tasks or missions and you can share or swap doubles of them too.” She let out a long sigh. “I know old people don’t understand but these days most teenagers play games or talk online.”
Jenna flicked a glance at Mrs. Fox, who gave her a non-judgmental stare, then moved her attention back to the girls. “So, where did you go yesterday around nine?”
“I picked up Kate and we went into town.” Aimee chewed on her bottom lip. “We spent most of the day in the computer store with Chad and Lucas but I didn’t give them a ride. They always catch the seven-thirty bus into town. Dad doesn’t like me having boys in the car.”
“May I have their full names please?”
“Yeah, Lucas Summerville and Chadwick Johnson.” Kate twirled a strand of blonde hair around her finger.
“Did you speak to anyone other than them and Lionel or see anyone on the way?”
“We spoke to Mr. Rogers at the stoplight. He crossed the road in front of the car and I called out to him.” Kate smiled in a flash of straight white teeth. “He is one of the new teachers that started this year.”
Jenna flicked over another page of her notebook. “What did you talk about?”
“Not much. We didn’t have much time before the light changed to green. He was coming back from looking for his dog. I guess he’d been running. He was all sweaty and had bits of grass and wildflowers stuck to the Velcro on his sneakers.” Kate giggled. “He ran off in such a hurry with them trailing out behind him.”
The mention of wildflowers prickled the hairs on the back of her neck. The coincidence plus the timeframe was significant. “I take it he lives close by?” She looked at Mrs. Fox.
“Yes, with his wife at the far end of Stanton Road, number 206, I believe.” Mrs. Fox patted her auburn hair and frowned. “Is this about Felicity’s boyfriend, Derick Smith? He is far too old for her, I don’t know how her parents allow her to see a boy over three years her senior.”
Jenna straightened and stared at Aimee. “I heard they’d broken up.”
“That’s because of Lucky Briggs.” Kate giggled. “Felicity thinks he is all that and plans to dance with him on Friday night. Derick got real mad and stormed off. He is such a jerk. As if Lucky Briggs would be interested in Felicity. Everyone knows he prefers blondes.”
“How do you know Lucky?” Jenna moved her gaze from one girl to the other.
“Who doesn’t know Lucky?” Aimee smiled. “He comes from Black Rock Falls and his ranch has been in his family forever. He is a star and everyone loves him.”
“We can’t wait to watch him ride on Saturday.” Kate’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “I wish we could follow him on the circuit. I will the moment I turn eighteen.”
“Me too.” Aimee turned on her cellphone and held it up. “I have his photograph as my wallpaper. He is so hot.”
“I see.”
“You can put that man right out of your mind, young lady.” Mrs. Parker’s cheeks reddened with anger. “She is not usually so forward.”
“Teenagers are a handful, so I’m told.” Jenna took in her horrified expression. “Maybe Aimee will be at college by then and Lucky Briggs will be a distant memory.”
“I live in hope.” Mrs. Fox cleared her throat. “Is that all?”
Jenna smiled. “If you wouldn’t mind, while everything is fresh in their minds, could I get written statements from Aimee and Kate? Then I won’t need you to come down to the office. If you could witness them as well, otherwise this information is hearsay.”
“Yes of course, I have a couple of notepads they can use.” Mrs. Fox stood and left the room, returning with pens and paper. “What do you want them to say?”
“In your own words, what time you saw Mr. Rogers, what he was wearing. Everything you can remember about what you said and how he looked, then sign and print your name on the bottom.”
Jenna waited for the girls to write their statements, collected them, and stood. “Thank you for your cooperation.” She headed for the door and Mrs. Fox followed her outside.
“Has something bad happened to Felicity?” Mrs. Fox searched her face. “From the questions, I gather the situation is serious.”
“I’m afraid I can’t go into details but keep a very close eye on your daughter. Don’t let her go out alone and inform Kate’s mother as well.” Jenna raised both brows. “If you see any strangers hanging around or anything that seems out of place, please call me.” She took a card from her pocket and handed it to her. “I’ll be able to release details to the media in a day or so.”
“I will keep her at home today. Thank you.” Mrs. Fox turned toward the house.
Jenna followed Walters back to her cruiser, slid behind the wheel, and turned to him. “The moment we get back to the office, start the check into the victim’s phone logs. We have her parents’ written permission.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She took out her notepad and read each page of the interview, adding a few comments to make sure she had everything. The talk with the girls had pointed the finger at two new suspects: Rogers and Provine. The cowboys and boyfriend remained on her list. Their eagerness to give up their information might stem from knowing the killer had left no damning evidence. She tapped her pen on her bottom lip, running through the interview again. Her timeline for Felicity’s movements from the time she left home was non-existent.
Somebody must have seen her walking along Stanton Road. She had left home at the time people living in the area would be heading to work. After making a note to find and call a number of local residents, she glanced at her watch and wondered if Kane had discovered anything of interest at the crime scene. Not wanting to disturb him, she huffed out a sigh and headed back to the office. I’ll need to set up my whiteboard again to unravel this mess.
Nineteen
After picking up Wolfe and Rowley from outside the sheriff’s department, Kane drove to the outer edge of Stanton Forest. Rowley’s local knowledge was invaluable. He described the trails throughout the forest and the most likely one a killer would use to access or leave the crime scene undetected. The day had started out cool with a cloudless blue sky but as the group trudged deeper into the forest, humidity surrounded them. Sweat spilled into Kane’s eyes in an annoying, salty stream and insects attacked without mercy. He dodged another patch of poison ivy and kept alert for wildlife. The walk had not depleted his energy and Wolfe met him stride for stride. After so many years in the service of his country, he could survive most of what nature and man threw at him, but Rowley was showing signs of fatigue.
His cellphone rang. It was Alton. “Kane.”
“I’ve just been notified a girl is missing. She fits the killer’s type: sixteen, long hair, pretty. Her name is Joanne Blunt.”