I checked with the office. The clerk told me when Harper checked in, she was alone. They didn’t have any surveillance footage of the parking lot—however, there was footage of the main entrance. The clerk invited me behind the counter,pulled up the footage on the computer screen, and scrubbed through the timeline.
We found the point when Harper checked in. From the video, it appeared she was alone.
Harper had been a cute girl. 5’3”, wavy chocolate hair, azure eyes, and a trim figure. The killer definitely had a type. Most do.
The clerk exported the footage and sent me a download link.
I returned to the room and talked to Paris. The camera lens focused in, and she asked me all the standard questions. I didn't have many answers.
"You think this killing is related to Abigail Jordan?”
I hesitated to say anything. "It could be, but we are still processing the scene. If anyone has any information about the assailant or witnessed anyone coming or going from room #109 at the Sea Drift, please contact the Coconut County Sheriff's Department.”
Brenda and her crew wrapped up, bagged the body, and transferred it to a gurney. They wheeled the remains out to the medical examiner's van.
Forensic investigators dusted hard surfaces for prints.
I hopped on the bike, returned to the station, and filled out a report. Afterward, I had Isabella track down Frank’s partner, Larry. Turns out he was still alive and living in Texas. Isabella gave me his number and told me a few interesting things about Dana.
I called Larry.
His wife picked up after a few rings, and I made introductions.
"Larry's not feeling well at the moment. He's currently in home hospice.”
"I'm sorry to hear that," I said.
“Is there a good time for him to call you back?”
"I know this is a difficult time. I'm in the middle of a homicide investigation, and I think his expertise could help. It will only take a moment.”
She sighed. "Hang on just a second. I'll see if he feels like talking.”
I hated to be pushy, but given Larry's condition, I wasn't sure if there would be alater.
Larry got on the phone after a few minutes and grumbled, “Hello?"
A wet, raspy cough filled my ear.
I introduced myself and got down to business. "I know this is going back a long time, but when you worked the Bay Strangler case, was there ever another person of interest besides Ray Corbin?”
Larry thought about it for a moment. "Ray Corbin. That name sounds familiar.”
I stifled a groan, then gave him details about the serial murderers, hoping to refresh his memory.
"Okay. Now I've got you,” Larry said. “Ray died in a car crash. That was the end of the case. I don't think there was anotherperson of interest. I mean, no one serious. We had a survivor ID Ray, that was all we needed."
"There must have been somebody else you considered at the time.”
Larry thought about it for a moment. "You know, we did talk to this other fellow. Can't remember his name offhand."
"I didn't see anything in the case file.”
"It wouldn't be in the case file.”
"Why is that?”
“Because it went nowhere, and he had an alibi. A solid one, as I remember. Didn’t think it was worth the trouble of noting." Larry took a breath. "What the hell was his name?” he muttered to himself. "Earl. Earl Vernon Maddox. That was the guy’s name. Real scumbag. He had priors. But his story checked out.”
