“She’s scared,” Regan said simply when Lucas took a breath.
“I know, but—”
“There are no buts. She’s scared because she has a young child to protect. That little girl was between two and three. Want to bet Alexa was pregnant three years ago when Candace visited her?”
“So?”
Lucas didn’t understand what she was trying to say, maybe because he wasn’t a parent himself.
“She said in the letter that she’d been at the party, and based on that little girl, she was very likely pregnant—maybe very pregnant. She never came forward after Candace’s disappearance or her murder. She wasn’t living in Flagstaff, maybe she didn’t hear immediately, but she would have sooner rather than later.”
“Why didn’t she? Was she involved?”
Good questions, but Regan didn’t think so. Alexa had become more fearful after she’d heard that Taylor James was dead. Concerned, maybe worried, when Lucas was talking about Candace—but absolutely terrified that Taylor was dead.
Maybe she hadn’t been at the party. Maybe she’d known about it, said she was there because Candace told her about the argument and what her plans were. Maybe Alexa knew exactly where Candace had disappeared to. Had Alexa gone with her? Now, Alexa was trying to help them on the podcast without letting on that she was the one who’d helped Candace. Because she didn’t want to put herself or her daughter in harm’s way.
“She knows something, possibly even suspects who killed Candace,” Regan said. “But without evidence, she’s smart enough to know talking might put her in danger. We need to proceed carefully.”
“So what do we do?”
“Maybe we can convince Detective Young to come on the podcast tonight.”
“He won’t. He hates me.”
“Hate is a strong word. Irritated is probably better.”
“Why?”
“Two reasons. First, we can share this information with him about Alexa. I suspect that if Alexa is questioned by authorities, she’ll come clean. She has that civic-minded vibe to her.”
“Second,” she continued, “Nicole told Lizzy that some of the sorority girls wanted to help. That tells me that some of them know more information about Candace but have been bullied into being quiet by Vicky and the council primarily because they believe only the police should be investigating. If we have Detective Young on the podcast, that just might open them up. They may call and tell all. I still think the police know more than they’ve said, publicly or privately. But they are still stuck on Joseph Abernathy. This might get them unstuck.”
Lucas didn’t say anything.
“Okay, what’s wrong?” Regan asked a couple minutes later.
“Can he shut me down? I have four more episodes after tonight. What if he says end it?”
“He can’t. You have the first amendment on your side.”
“I want to solve this.”
“I do, too. I think we will—if we can get those girls to open up. Having the support of the police might make the difference.”
“All right,” he reluctantly agreed.
“If you don’t want to, we won’t, and we can try Alexa again on Monday.”
“No, let’s do it, but I also want to try Alexa again,” he said.
Regan turned south and headed toward the police station. When she pulled into the parking lot, she saw a familiar person exiting the building: Rachel Wagner.
Instead of pulling into the first available parking place, she drove past it, and stopped, looked in her side-view mirror.
Detective Young was right behind Rachel. They crossed the lot together, talking.
Lucas turned in his seat, and Regan hit him. “Don’t draw attention to us.”
“Is that Rachel Wagner?” he asked as he faced forward again.
“Yep.”
As Regan watched, Young kissed Rachel. Then she got into a Jeep and drove off, fortunately in the opposite direction from Regan.
Instead of going back into the building, Young walked around the side to where employees parked. A minute later, he left the lot, heading in the same direction as Rachel.
Well, that was interesting.
Rachel was dating the lead investigator in Candace Swain’s murder. Was that a conflict?
Maybe. Maybe not. Yet, it rubbed Regan the wrong way. It wasn’t that Young should have said he was dating the sorority’s advisor… It just felt like a conflict.
“What does this mean?” Lucas said.
“I don’t know. But I need to think about how we approach Young. Maybe not tonight.”