“No, they said she kept work and her social life separate. She never talked about anyone, not even her classes beyond saying that everything was always good,” Wilson said.
“So, it was a dead end?” Tessman said.
“I’m still not sure,” Rogers said. “The fact that they aren’t worried about Zoe and still speak highly of her really bothers me. Either they know where she is, or she told them something they aren’t sharing that explains her disappearing act. If they really cared about her, they’d care that her parents are worried and that she’s throwing away her education and future security.”
“Did you get their phones paired?” Burke asked.
“Yes. They claim they have no way to reach Zoe, so we’ll see what kind of activity shows up on their phones,” Wilson said. “We may want to get a couple more cars so we can sit on the salon owners and your TA. If any of them do have ties to the prepperor militia group, they may just drive to them rather than call or text.”
“I was thinking the same thing. We got the roommate’s phone paired too, though the number she has to what she thinks is Zoe’s new phone could be anyone’s phone. My guess is it’s a burner, but who’s holding it is anyone’s guess. The roommate hasn’t actually spoken to her, just exchanged a few texts with her since she moved out with only one suitcase and a backpack. She never came back for more of her things,” Burke said.
“And the roommate thinks Oliveira is who picked her up when she left?” Wilson asked.
“Yes, but she didn’t see the car Zoe got into. It could have been anyone. I asked Smith to pull some camera surveillance by the dorm the week she disappeared. She got into someone’s car,” Burke said.
“Okay, we’ll let you know if we acquire Oliveira at his residence,” Wilson said. “If he’s there, we’re going to talk to him. You do the same if you find him on campus.”
“Roger that,” Burke replied. “Are you going to question or accuse?”
“That depends on his answers,” Wilson said. “We’ll shake the tree and see what falls out.”
Burke and Tessman chuckled. “Hopefully one of us acquires him. He’s the best lead we have yet.”
When they arrived at AuSable Hall, they parked in the half-empty parking lot. Burke glanced at the cars in the lot. The file on Oliveira included info on his car, a late-model black Jeep Wrangler hardtop. It wasn’t in the lot. Neither man had hopes of finding Oliveira in the building, but they would see if two of the professors whose classes Zoe was enrolled in were in their offices.
They entered through the front glass doors into an open space that was filled with sunlight from the large floor to ceiling windows on the wall the door was on. They checked the building’s directory and went up the stairs to the second floor where Dr. Joseph Rossi’s office was located. Zoe was registered in two of his classes that semester.
They found Dr. Rossi’s office. Through the small side window that ran beside the door, they could see that the light was off and the room was not occupied by anyone.
“He’s not in until later this afternoon,” a male voice said from behind them.
They turned and came face to face with Francisco Oliveira. “Thank you,” Burke said. “Do you know where we could find his TA?”
Oliveira smiled. “You just did.” He pointed at himself.
“Do you have an office, or is there someplace private we can talk?” Tessman asked.
“That depends. Talk about what?”
“Zoe Reopelle,” Burke said.
Oliveira reached for his belt and unclipped his keys. He unlocked Rossi’s door and motioned the two men inside. He closed the door behind himself after he’d turned the light on. “Who are you and what do you have to do with Zoe?” Oliveira asked.
Burke judged his manner to be guarded. It didn’t appear he was worried about her or even curious to find out what they wanted, just guarded. “We’re private investigators hired by her parents to get a message to her. We’ll pay a finder’s fee to anyone who helps facilitate a conversation between her and her parents. They just want to be sure she’s okay. And if she’s not okay, we can help her, none of her parent’s business if she doesn’t want it to be,” Burke said.
Oliveira looked skeptical. “Sorry, I can’t help you.”
“Can’t or won’t?” Tessman asked.
“I don’t know where she is,” Oliveira said.
“Do you have a way to reach her?”
Oliveira shook his head. “She stopped coming to class in October.”
“You two were seeing each other,” Tessman said as fact.
Oliveira’s lips pulled into a smirk. “Who told you that?”
