“One of my deputies confirmed that Reed was parked near the front of the festival around the time that Nora returned to the station.” Nick offered the information as a peace gesture, supplying the source. “A woman by the name of Lori Hayes, the owner of the boutique here in town, was driving home after closing up her shop.”
“Lori Hayes?”
There was a shift in Hadley’s tone that caused Nick to study her a little more closely. The name clearly meant something to her, but her expression remained neutral.
“Yes.” Nick waited for her to follow up with a question or a statement, but she did neither. “I had a sweep done of the festival grounds, but nothing was found. No blood, no shell casings, and nothing to indicate that Reed was in some type of altercation there.”
“I have an idea about that,” Hadley said as she straightened from the desk. She brushed past him, coming to a stop in front of Reed’s desk. He’d spotted the large topographical map spread out on the hard surface, but he hadn’t paid any attention to it at the time. “The Hobbs property covers nearly two hundred acres.”
The corners of the map were weighted down by a stapler, a pencil holder, a tape dispenser, and a mug. Nick stood beside her, noting the areas she had already marked with red circles—isolated spots in the woods, remote sections of farmland, and pastures not visible from any dirt roads. He immediately recognized that all highlighted spots were places where bodies could be concealed without risk of accidental discovery.
“No judge is going to authorize a search of the entire Hobbs property based on a hunch. You know that.”
“I do,” Hadley admitted before flashing him a smile. “And that’s why finding Ty Hobbs is so important. You see, Allen doesn't own that property. Thomas left everything to his son. Allen and his wife are essentially living there at Ty's discretion, because they’re helping him keep things afloat in exchange for not paying rent.”
“So, if we find Ty, and he gives us permission to search...”
“We won’t need a warrant.”
The strategy was legally sound, but Nick couldn't shake his unease. If Allen was indeed responsible for the disappearances and possibly Reed's murder, then Ty's safety became an immediate concern. The timing of the young man's absence suddenly seemed far more ominous.
“Did Allen mention specifically where Ty was camping?” Nick asked right as the day shift dispatcher came over his radio. He ignored her request while waiting for Hadley to respond. “A campsite? Maybe somewhere that a ranger could locate him?”
“Buffalo River,” Hadley confirmed in general. “But he didn't give an exact location.”
“Buffalo River is a big area. Multiple campgrounds, hiking trails, and access points. Without more specific information, finding him could take days. I could contact the park rangers," Nick suggested after a moment. “A friend of mine works there. I can have him check the campgrounds for Ty's truck. If he's actually there, the rangers will find him faster than we could.”
“Sheriff Turner, do you copy?”
“I copy,” Nick responded after unclipping the radio from his uniform. “Heading out now. ETA twenty minutes. Listen, Hadley, I have to go.”
“I understand,” Hadley said, though her attention had already returned to the map, her focus unwavering. “Please keep me posted on what the rangers find. In the meantime, I'll pinpoint the areas we should explore once Ty gives us permission to search the property.”
Something in her tone made Nick pause. He recognized the determination of someone who wouldn't let go until they'd unraveled the entire fabric—regardless of potential consequences.
“Hadley,” Nick said cautiously, “you know that our hands are tied until we talk to Ty. We need his permission to search the property legally, or evidence solid enough for a warrant. Don't do anything rash."
He was confident that he’d gotten his warning across. Garber and Langley tended to think of the townsfolk as family. Both had tended to bend the laws for the sake of peace among the locals. This situation was nothing like the typical small-town bar fight or family feud.
“I know how to do my job, Sheriff Turner.”
Her use of his formal title indicated that she was offended by his insinuation. However, since she had been the one to searchGleason's property as if warrants were irrelevant, she had no right to take offense.
As Nick turned to leave, he couldn’t shake the certainty that Hadley wouldn’t be waiting for anyone’s permission. He made it to the door, but he couldn’t bring himself to turn the handle.
“Did Hobbs say when his nephew was returning from this camping trip?”
“Next week.”
Nick was familiar with the territory at Buffalo River, and it could literally take that long for a ranger to locate Ty’s truck, let alone the actual camping site. He could hear the words she hadn’t said aloud, either.
Next week.
Afterthe Cane County Harvest Festival this weekend.
28
Hadley Dawkins
