Hadley would fill in temporarily for whoever Brosmer sent out this morning. Given what had just transpired, she would no doubt be pulled from the assignment.
“Clay is in the process of setting up a perimeter. We’ll wait until dawn to canvass the area more thoroughly, but I’m sure you’ll want to be a part of?—”
Nick’s sentence was cut off by the arrival of a state patrol unit. Hadley recognized the female trooper, but not the male recruit. She was saved from having to speak with either when her phone vibrated for the third time in the past ten minutes.
“I need to take this,” Hadley murmured, not giving Nick a chance to reply. “Tell them what you need, and they’ll get it done.”
Again, she didn't wait for his response before turning away, her phone still buzzing insistently in her hand. As she retraced her steps to her SUV, she caught sight of Donovan settling Nora into the passenger seat of his truck. No doubt he had already spoken to Rena, who was probably busy lighting up every damn phone in the county.
“I’m at the scene,” Hadley said instead of her usual greeting. She’d answered Brosmer’s call just before it would have gone to voicemail. She managed to keep her voice steady so that he didn’t offer up any type of platitude. “A unit just rolled up, but I’m going to need to know who you’re sending out for this.”
The silence on the other end of the line stretched for several seconds.
Long enough for Hadley to figure out his answer.
“No. If my being here wasn’t a conflict of interest before, it is now. Not even the lieutenant would want me here, Sarge.”
“I just spoke with Lieutenant Holden, and he’s fine with my decision. It’s no different than Langley investigating a local. Hehad a relationship with them, but that didn’t stop him from doing his job.”
“Thisisdifferent, and you know it.”
“Before we go down that road, I have one question. Do you think Langley’s death has anything to do with the Claymont case?”
Hadley tamped down her anger as she turned and faced the scene. Nick was speaking with the two troopers, and the fire crew was almost done packing up their gear. Donovan was settling in behind his steering wheel to presumably take Nora home. Hadley wasn’t sure whether it was the upstairs apartment above the police station or some other residence. She’d never asked Reed if they lived together.
“Send Ramos. He can take over.”
“Answer the question, Hadley.”
“Yes. Alright? From my understanding, Reed was reading over Sarah Cox’s journals when his fiancée left for the store. When she got back, he wasn’t there.” Hadley now wished she hadn’t taken the time to stop by the station. She’d located the floral box with Sarah’s journals inside, only the eight important ones were missing. “I think his death connects directly to Missy Claymont’s disappearance and possibly seven other missing women from this area. I’ll fill you in tomorrow.”
Hadley had been keeping up with her paperwork, so Brosmer was aware of her theory regarding the abductions.
“Then you know what my response is going to be, Hadley. Lieutenant Holden agrees with me on the dynamics of this situation. You’re the one who made these connections, and sending in a stranger will only complicate matters. No one is going to talk to Ramos.”
“No one is going to talk to me, either.”
“You seem to be doing just fine so far. And if you're right about there being a pattern of abductions over the years, thenwhoever is responsible just escalated to murder. They're getting desperate, which means you're getting close. I will, however, send Ramos out to help you.”
Hadley leaned against her vehicle, the cool metal a stark contrast to the heat still radiating from the direction of Reed's burnt truck. Her headache that had been threatening since she first spotted the incinerated vehicle now blossomed into a pounding pressure behind her right eye. She removed her hair clip, and the release of pressure offered momentary relief as she attached the clip to her blazer lapel.
“No,” Hadley responded in defeat. While Julian Ramos was thorough, experienced, and utterly without connection to Whistlerun, Brosmer was right. An outsider would face resistance at every turn, especially with emotions running high after Reed's death. She had no choice but to accept her fate. “I’ll let you know if I need him, but right now, Sheriff Turner knows the residents and area enough to be of assistance.”
The line went quiet, save for the sound of Brosmer's breathing and his wife's muffled voice. Considering it was the middle of the night, it was no wonder she was asking him if everything was okay.
“I should go, Sarge. I’ll talk to you first thing in the morning.”
“Hadley?” Brosmer’s tone was uncharacteristically gentle. “I'm truly sorry about Langley. I know you two had history.”
“That was a long time ago, Sarge,” Hadley replied, proud of herself when she was able to continue without having her voice break. “Goodnight.”
Hadley ended the call just as a red Cadillac pulled up behind Nick's cruiser. Its headlights remained bright even as the driver turned off the engine. Mayor Warren Caldwell emerged from the driver's side. He glanced her way, but neither of them granted the other an acknowledgment. She’d never been a fan of his, and the feeling appeared mutual.
Caldwell approached Nick, whose body immediately tensed at the confrontation. The mayor's gestures became increasingly animated while Nick maintained a rigid posture, only occasionally shifting his weight or shaking his head. Whatever Caldwell was saying, Nick clearly disagreed.
Movement to her right signaled that Donovan was turning the truck around to head back to town. Nora was visible through the window, her head bowed with both hands covering her face. Donovan gave a single wave to Hadley as he slowly passed her location. Even though Nick had already taken Donovan’s statement, she would make time to speak to the man herself. She had her own list of questions.
Had he passed any vehicles on his way out of town?
