“You’re right. Never mind. I shouldn’t have bothered you,” Hadley said as she folded the map. “I’m getting ahead of myself. I was hoping to find some tire tracks that maybe don't match farm equipment or some litter that was discarded. Sometimes killers get careless when they think they're in the clear. I guess I’m falling into the habits of Elijah and Reed. You know how folks around here tend to take offense to such formal measures, but submitting for a warrant is the proper way to handle this.”
Hadley lifted one side of her lips to suggest she understood Brandy’s hesitation. Although the way the conversation was unfolding wasn't exactly commendable, there were no legal boundaries being crossed. Since Brandy resided on the premises, she could give her consent for Hadley to conduct a search. All actions taken after remained within the constructs of the law.
“Allen wouldn’t like you getting all legal on us,” Brandy admitted after a brief silence. “He preferred the way Chief Garber ran things. Reed, too, although there were times he caved to that sheriff’s way of doing things. Anyway, go ahead. Feel free to drive out there today.”
“Really? That would help me out so much. I appreciate your cooperation, Mrs. Hobbs.” Hadley capped the spike of adrenaline that shot through her system. “I’ll head out that way now before driving home for the evening. Take care.”
Hadley didn’t give Brandy a chance to change her mind. Walking back to her own vehicle, movement inside the convenience store caught her attention. Rena Williams stood behind the large display window, her focus fixed on Hadley with unmistakable interest. Her posture suggested she had been watching the entire exchange.
Given that Rena was an unofficial information hub, it would be around town within a few hours that Hadley had spoken toBrandy. Whether there would be details attached all depended on whether Allen’s wife walked into the convenience store.
Maintaining her composure, Hadley lifted her hand in a casual greeting toward Rena. She returned the gesture, seemingly disappointed when she noticed that Brandy had decided she didn’t need anything from inside the store.Relief washed through Hadley as Brandy pulled onto the main road. Settling in the driver’s seat of her SUV, Hadley allowed herself a moment of reflection.
She couldn’t contact Nick. He would disapprove of her methods, and she wasn’t going to waste time sitting through another lecture. She realized that she was being hypocritical, but she’d managed to secure legitimate access to the Hobbs property without needing a warrant. It was a technicality that could not only be easily explained in court if need be, but also one she could live with.
With that thought in mind, she also wouldn’t jeopardize her safety by keeping her plans to herself. After she set the map on the passenger seat and started the engine, she scrolled through her contacts and pressed Ramos’ name. Reed had made a fatal mistake by not sharing his location with her or Nick, and she wouldn’t follow in his footsteps.
“Talk to me, Dawkins.”
“Good afternoon to you, too,” Hadley replied wryly as she backed out of the parking spot. “Hey, I just want you to know that I’ve been given permission to access the Hobbs’ property. I’m driving out that way now.”
“Need backup? You’ll want to call the sheriff. It might take me a while to get there.”
“Not yet,” Hadley replied as she turned onto Main Street. She pulled down her visor to keep the afternoon sun at bay. “I just wanted someone to know my location. I’ll drop you a pin. Let’s just say I finagled an invite to look around instead of puttingin for a warrant, so I’m just going to explore the areas where I believe there might be some bodies buried.”
“Copy. Hourly check-ins?”
“I can do that,” Hadley agreed, peering into the parking lot of Gus’ Watering Hole as she drove past. Sam’s truck was in its usual spot. “If I don’t reach out on the hour, give Turner a call.”
“Hey, while I have you on the phone, I’ve been thinking about the Claymont case,” Ramos said after a brief moment. It was obvious that he was wolfing down some food. “You said yesterday in our call that you think this Hobbs guy started abducting women back in 1978.”
“That’s right,” Hadley replied as she turned down the heat. The afternoon sun was directly on her. Between the natural warmth and her blazer, she didn’t need the additional heat from the vent. “There have been some other missing persons investigations, but they don’t fit the profile of the victims. Young woman, yearning for something more than Whistlerun could provide them.”
“Then why was Claymont’s cell phone found?”
Hadley pondered his question long enough for him to finish his thought.
“If you are looking for one perp, he would have honed his skills with each abduction. Premeditation is evident, from patiently waiting in the woods for a victim to his escape route. If we believe your brother—and I know you don’t want to bring him into this conversation—then this hunter sets his own personal traps. He’s been at this too long to leave behind evidence, let alone a cell phone.”
Hadley hadn’t viewed the cases like that, but she couldn’t argue with Ramos’ assessment. She shifted in her seat with unease.
“You said this Ty Hobbs kid lost his dad last year? A couple of weeks before the Claymont girl went missing?”
“Yeah,” Hadley responded softly, not liking the direction the crosshairs were aiming. She summed up what he hadn’t said aloud. “You think it’s possible that Thomas Hobbs abducted the first seven girls, while Ty followed in his father’s footsteps and kidnapped Missy.”
“I think it’s awfully coincidental that this Ty Hobbs picked up and left town to go camping right after the sheriff’s funeral. You said yourself that all the curtains were closed in the main house.” Ramos paused to take another bite of whatever he’d picked up at one of the fast-food chains. A mouthful of food didn’t stop him from finishing his train of thought, though. “What if this kid didn’t leave town? What if the Claymont girl is still alive?”
29
Hadley Dawkins
October 2025
Tuesday – 4:48pm
Hadley slowed the SUV to a crawl as the paved road gave way to packed dirt. Her tires crunched over loose gravel, the sound amplified in the stillness of the late afternoon. She had never bothered to turn on the radio after ending her call with Ramos.
The dirt path narrowed as she continued forward, branches from overgrown trees scraping against the vehicle's sides as if wanting to stop her from advancing. After half a mile, she pulled to the side where the trail widened slightly, allowing her to turn around if needed. She left the engine running, the steady hum providing a comforting backdrop to her disordered thoughts.
