“Dennis Arnett.”
“Cecilia’s brother?”
“The very same.”
“And you think he had something to do with William’s disappearance?”
“Seems pretty likely.”
Leaning back against the closed office door, arms folded across his chest, Scott hated to bring up the rest.
“He’s thick with Carl Nevil,” he said softly.
“Oh, God.”
“I guess Carl saved Arnett from some bad stuff when Arnett was first sent up.”
“You said that was more than ten years ago.”
“Right.”
“They’ve been friends for a long time.”
“And you know how guys can bond in prison.”
“Oh, God.”
“Don’t panic yet,” Scott reassured Maureen. “This really could be a coincidence.”
“And how many times have you seen that happen since you’ve been on the force, Detective?” Maureen asked, her shoulders straight as she looked Scott in the eye.
“Not many.” He paused. “But there were some.”
They all just had to hope like hell that this was one of those times.
Either that or the situation was even more grim than he’d feared. If the Nevils were involved and this was all some nefarious plot to wreak revenge on Maureen Maguire, not only were at least three of Scott’s four missing persons likely to end up dead, but the Coopers’ futures didn’t look good, either.
* * *
IT WAS ANOTHER long day. Laurel called the station, extending her vacation. Because she hadn’t taken much time off since she’d started there, they didn’t give her a hard time about the change of plans. At that point, she wouldn’t have cared if they had. As much as she loved her job, this time with Scott was a lifeline, and finding William Byrd had become a need far greater than earning money. Besides, her boss was eager for her to continue with her investigation, since it was looking more and more like she was going to have one hell of a story.
She just wasn’t sure if it was going to be human interest or a murder story.
* * *
BY DINNERTIME, HAVING exhausted every idea they had for follow-up in Cooper’s Corner, Scott and Laurel decided to head back to Worcester. At least there they could keep a watch on both Dennis’s and Leslie’s deserted homes and be close by in case Dennis contacted Officer Murphy.
“Two people just can’t vanish into thin air,” Laurel said, frustrated, hot and tired as they pulled into a motel in Worcester later that night.
“No, though they could hide out for a long time....”
“Or be hidden.”
“It’s beginning to look more like that’s what’s happening,” Scott said.
It was what she’d been thinking, but it still scared her to hear him put her fears into words. The only other alternative was far worse.
That they were dead.