“I know about Jeffries. The state police interviewed me.”
“Ellie is pretty sick.” Wes explained the situation. He felt comfortable saying Hartung was one of the good guys. Zach’s division in New York used traditional and untraditional methods to check Hartung’s background.
“I’m sorry, Wes.”
“What are you up to?”
“I started my own study of the Knolls’ property, as well as yours. Both were part of the underground railroad. According to old records, there were a bunch of tunnels dotting the whole area. If I were you, I’d get some ground-penetrating radar and start a search.”
“It’s underway as covertly as possible. So far, we’ve found a lot of animal bones and a couple of underground streams. Our engineers say that some tunnels may be part of current foundations.”
“The state police also briefed me on who Jeffries was. They won’t let us near the investigation. But you told me you had someone get into a bidding war over the forty acres you bought. Did you ever find out who wanted the property?”
“No, it’s shell company after shell company,” Wes said.
“Your folks spend too much time using technology. My wife is a hairdresser in town—a damn good one too. She worked in a salon on Long Island. Her hands are great with scissors, and her ears are always working. Hell, I swear she’s the real detective in the family. I was telling her what all these maps were for, and she said I should interview Lenore Williams and Christina Jackson. They are partners in a local real estate firm. Last names familiar?”
“The kids we interviewed who had laser pointers: Biff Williams and our favorite teen girl, the sweet Rebecca Jackson.” Wes’s lip curled in a snarl.
“No such things as coincidences. My wife said they both came in this week for their regular hair dye appointment. She said Christina Jackson seemed worried. All she could talk about were the terrible things happening at the Chase Center for Training.”
“I’m sure the whole town is wagging their tongues. I can’t say I blame them,” Wes sighed.
“I may have a big mess going on in my brain, but I’m pretty sure you haven’t disclosed that some of the skeletal remains were the result of fetal demise?” Hartung’s eyes widened.
“How did you find out?” Wes asked.
“Here.” Keith handed him the ME report. “My sergeant brought the report to me last night.”
“Time for me to put Mrs. Jackson and Mrs. Williams on my list.” Wes sat with Hartung a few more minutes before he headed to his meeting with the nursing supervisor who used to work with Belinda West.
