“Did I do something?”
Nina gave him a reassuring smile.
“No, sir. We’re involved in an investigation and believe you may be able to help.”
“Oh. In here.”
He let them in the glass door he had originally come through, then directed them immediately to their right and into a spacious office.
Jason and Nina both took the chairs offered to them. Jack Burns shut the door before going around his desk and sitting down.
“Alright, Detectives. How can I help?”
Jason produced a sheet of paper. It was a map with the location where Chelsea Morris’ car was found and where Daylight Donuts was located.
“We need to see if you have any cameras along this route.”
He handed the paper to Burns and, after examining it for a minute, the DOT official punched some numbers into the computer on his desk. He turned the computer monitor towards the two detectives.
“I have one camera on this route. At Huebner.”
Jason couldn’t make sense of the multiple cameras that were displayed.
“Which one is that?”
Burns clicked a couple more keys and the screen changed to just one image.
“Can you call up specific times for these cameras?”
“Sure but they’re not movie cameras. These are ‘still shots’ that refresh about every 5 minutes.”
Jason handed the DOT official another piece of paper.
“This is the time frame and date we need.”
Jack Burns started pushing more keys and spun a roller ball on his mouse until he came to a specific frame on the cameras.
“Okay, what are we looking for?”
Jason took a quick glance at his notes.
“1995 Chevy Cavalier.”
Jack Burns clicked a button and with each click, a new image showed. Nina saw it first.
“There!”
Jason agreed.
“That’s it. Can you blow it up?”
“Some, but I’m limited.”
The picture zoomed in. The vehicle was going away from the camera and at least a hundred feet past the camera when it was taken.
They couldn’t see Chelsea but there was a clear image of a man in the back seat. Nina said what both detectives were thinking.
“She was stalked. He was waiting and ambushed her before the drive home.”
Jason just stared at the image. They now knew that both their missing person’s were likely chosen and hunted. And more importantly, they had no idea why or if he had more targets.
He got up and shook hands with Jack Burns.
“Can you print me a copy of the photo?”
“Sure.” Jack punched some more keys. “Be back in a minute.”
He left the office and Jason turned to Nina.
“The only connection we have between the victims is the phone number from the high school. We need to go there next.”
The DOT official returned with the photo and the detectives headed for their car.
Chapter 11
Suzanne finished folding the load of towels and went to the kitchen. The Red Bull was wearing off and she decided it was time for some TV to relax. She got some ice from the fridge and poured herself a Diet Pepsi. She was just about to sit in the recliner when the door bell rang.
Tizzy raced to the door and started her incessant barking which announced every visitor’s arrival.
“Tizzy! Shush! Tizzy!”
Suzanne opened the door to find the walk-in customer from her shop standing there. She raised her eyebrows in surprise.
“Oh, hi. Can I help you?”
“Hi. I don’t know if you remember me but I was in your shop today.”
“Of course. Donnie, isn’t it? Is there something wrong?”
“Well, in an odd coincidence, I stopped at the Quikstop awhile ago and…”
Tizzy was going nuts, barking and baring her teeth at the stranger.
“Tizzy, shush. That’s enough!”
“…Anyway, I found your address book lying next to the gas pumps. I live just around the corner so I thought I’d walk over and bring it to you.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful. I was looking all over for it.”
Tizzy kept at it, barking and threatening to charge the man, despite her tiny size.
“Tizzy!! Excuse me; I’m going to put her away.”
Suzanne scooped up the dog and walked to the bedroom. She put the dog in the room and shut the door. When she turned around, the man was in the middle of the living room, with a gun pointed at her.
“Don’t scream or I’ll shoot you where you stand.”
****
Jason and Nina took I-35 south to Military Trail, over to Commercial Ave, and then south to Formosa. Even though Jason knew where the school was, Nina was giving him directions.
“Okay, the school’s just a block that way.”
“Detective, I think you’re kinda excited to be going back to your old school.”
Nina saw she was exposed and laughed.
“Yeah, I guess. My years at McCollum High were good ones. And unlike like you, my high school years weren’t two decades ago!”
“Owww! You’re brutal.”
They stopped in front of the sign signifying the office and got out. Nina scanned the collection of buildings.
“Hasn’t changed much.”
“Well, lead the way, ex-alum.”
They walked up the sidewalk to a set of double doors and found them un-locked. School was out for the summer and basic staff plus maintenance would be the only people there.
They came in out of the heat and Jason removed his sunglasses. The office was immediately on the right and through a large glass window, they could see a collection of desks but no one appeared to be there. Jason stuck his head through the office door.
“Hello?!”
From a somewhere in the back, they heard a woman’s voice.
“Be right there!”
While they waited, Nina watched as Jason scanned the photo’s on the wall.
“Looking for something?”
“Yeah. Thought they might have your detention records framed.”
“Hey! I was a good girl.”
Jason rolled his eyes and laughed.
“May I help you?”
A woman dressed in gray slacks, black button blouse and black patent leather shoes, came into the room. Brown hair and hazel eyes, Jason guessed her to be in her fifties. She carried herself with an official bearing.
“Yes. My name is Detective Strong and this is my partner Detective Jefferson. We’re with SAPD.”
They both showed their badges.
“I’m Janice Hayes, the principal’s secretary. Is there a problem?”
“No. We’re involved in an investigation and the phone number of McCollum High has showed up on a couple reports linking the school to that investigation. We’d like to find out who made the calls and why the calls were made.”
“Do you have the numbers that were called?”
Nina took the phone reports out of a manila folder she was carrying and handed them to the secretary.
“I’ve highlighted them.”
Janice Hayes followed the highlighted numbers with her finger, across to the names.
“I made these calls.”
“Chelsea Morris and Ed Garland were both on my list.”
Nina took the reports back and put them in the folder.
“Your list?”
“Yes. I’m helping with notifications of the 10 year class reunion coming up. The class president gave me some of the names. I told her I had some extra time and I’d be glad to help.”
“May we see the list?”
“Sure. I’ll be right back.”
Janice Hayes returned in less than a minute with two sheets of paper.
“I have about fifty names to call. We use email for most of the notifications, but these are the ones that we only have phone numbers for.”