Page 36 of Silencing Stolen Whispers (Kinsley Aspen #2)
Kinsley Aspen
July
T he courtyard had emptied, leaving behind a heavy silence layered with dark shadows. Reflections from the fountain’s clear water shimmered across the lush tree branches above, and the light beneath the liquid blue pool looked more vivid in the absence of a crowd.
“Check the wooded areas surrounding the courtyard,” Kinsley instructed after keying her radio.
She kept her gaze on Officer Blake as he led Jade and Courtney through the north exit.
He would ensure they were safely escorted home.
“Bailey is wearing white capris with an orange blouse. Large hoop earrings.”
Acknowledgments traveled back, one by one, through the radio. She switched the radio frequency before pressing the button once again.
“Dispatch, I need a patrol unit sent to an address.” Kinsley rattled off the apartment information, but at this point, she wasn’t sure if Bailey was a suspect or just a person of interest with answers to questions she didn’t know she even had.
“Officers should not engage. I just need confirmation that the individual is on site.”
Kinsley lowered the radio, wondering if Bailey had been too distraught to drive. She had been standing near Melanie Young earlier in the evening. There was a chance the librarian had been concerned about Bailey’s state of mind and had given the young woman a ride home.
Before Kinsley could clip the radio to her belt, Katherine Scriven materialized on the path that led to the east parking lot.
Her gait was clipped, and she met Kinsley's gaze with disdain before scanning the area.
There was no doubt the woman had already placed a call to Captain Thompson regarding certain choices Kinsley had made this evening.
“Mrs. Scriven, is everything alright?”
“No,” Katherine stated forcefully before turning to retrace her steps. She ended up mumbling an apology when she ran into a young man. “Excuse me.”
Kinsley’s cell phone vibrated in her pocket. She retrieved it, but she held off answering the call when she recognized the lean frame walking toward her. It was also evident from the man’s expression that he wanted to speak with her.
“Detective Aspen, do you have a minute?”
“Yes,” Kinsley replied as she gestured toward the path. There was nothing she could do until the officers were able to locate Bailey. Alex’s name had been displayed on her cell phone screen, but she would return his call once she reached the parking lot. “And you are?”
“Clark. Clark Reimer,” he replied, holding out his hand without faltering his steps. “I spoke with your partner last week.”
“I recall you being at the library when I spoke with Jade Patel.” Kinsley waved away another mosquito as they continued forward. “Did you know Hannah well?”
“Not really,” Clark replied as he, too, fought off the blood-sucking insects. “Jade and I sometimes take breaks together, but she’s a year ahead of me. It’s probably not relevant, and I’m making more out of it than I should, but something has been bothering me.”
“Go on,” Kinsley prompted as they exited the courtyard, the brick path turning to pavement. The first thing she noticed was Katherine and William Scriven speaking to campus security. They were standing near Bailey’s vehicle. “I take it this is about Jade and Hannah?”
“Actually, it’s about Mrs. Reeves.”
Kinsley’s interest in the Scrivens intensified, but it was Carl’s statement that brought her to an abrupt stop. She pivoted slightly so she could monitor Carl’s expressions.
“Mrs. Reeves?”
“Well, she introduced herself to Detective Lanen as Melanie Young. I thought that was really odd at the time,” Clark said as he scratched the side of his neck. He glanced in the Scrivens’ direction. “When I asked Mrs. Reeves about it, she said it was simply a mistake.”
“Melanie Young?” Kinsley tensed, needing more confirmation. “Are you saying that Melanie Young is Victor Reeves’ wife?”
“Yes,” Clark replied as he began to scratch the side of his arm.
“She told me that Young was her maiden name. She explained that it was just a slip. You know, reverting back to an automatic response. But she and Dr. Reeves have been married for years, detective. Then I spotted her crying near her car tonight. She practically screamed at me to leave her alone. She lost it. Anyway, I just thought you should know.”
A cold whisper of realization traced its way down Kinsley's spine. If she were right about Bailey being the sister involved with Dr. Victor Reeves, then his wife could have pieced together the truth, as well.
“Clark, thank you very much,” Kinsley said as she reached out to touch his arm. “You were right to come to me. I’m going to need you to stay here, though. Someone is going to take your statement.”
The radio in her hand came to life, Alex's voice cutting through loud and clear.
“Kin, do you copy?”
“I’m here,” Kinsley replied as she kept walking toward the Scrivens. She recognized Alex’s tone and guessed he had reached the same conclusion after his visit with Dr. Victor Reeves. “Switch to a private channel.”
Kinsley made sure she was far enough from the Scrivens, who were now observing her closely, to prevent them from overhearing her side of the conversation. She spoke softly, updating Alex on her theory and sharing what she had found out from Carl Reimer.
“It’s not a theory, Kin,” Alex replied as his car engine hummed through the radio. “Reeves confirmed that he had an affair with Bailey. He was with her the entire night last Wednesday into Thursday morning. I’m guessing he used the back entrance. I’m headed your way now.”
There were many moving parts in the investigation.
Kinsley and Alex had even blocked out a few hours of their day tomorrow to focus on the grunt work.
They needed to follow up on alibis, examine security footage, and review the background checks of everyone involved in the case.
Rescheduling the vigil had come first, given the timing of it all.
“Bailey’s VW is still in the east parking lot.
” Kinsley released the transmission button.
She scanned the surrounding buildings, but the only movement on campus now was that of the officers assisting in tonight’s surveillance.
She lifted the radio to her lips. “Alex, I saw Bailey and Melanie together this evening. Now they're both gone.”
The implication lingered in the air, unspoken but clear. If Melanie had killed Hannah, thinking she was Bailey, and now had the real Bailey…there was a very good chance that she was trying to correct her mistake.
“I'm pulling in now,” Alex advised, his voice tight with tension.
“Copy that.”
Kinsley clipped the radio to her belt and cut across the sidewalk toward the Scrivens. They were clearly upset, and Katherine was mid-sentence, her voice raw.
“...can’t get a hold of her. She wouldn’t just leave her vehicle here,” Katherine said in frustration.
She then turned toward Kinsley with a raised hand and fury radiating from her body.
“And don’t you dare stand there and accuse my daughter of having an affair with a married man.
Bailey might be spontaneous, but she would never?—”
“Dr. Victor Reeves has confirmed his relationship with Bailey,” Kinsley stated matter-of-factly.
She understood that their lives had been turned upside down, but there was a real risk they could lose another daughter in the next few hours.
“Mr. and Mrs. Scriven, I fear that Bailey could be in trouble. I’m going to request that an officer stay with you until we find her. The two of you should?—”
“We’re not leaving this campus without our daughter,” Katherine said, her voice barely above a whisper. She swiped at a tear. “I…I apologize for my earlier behavior. Whatever Bailey has done or hasn’t done…well, it doesn’t matter. I just need for her to be okay.”
“Do you think that this Dr. Reeves is the one?—”
“Detective Aspen, I’ll remain with them,” the campus security guard said, interrupting William so that Kinsley wasn’t put on the spot. “I’ll see to it that they’re comfortable inside the campus security building.”
“Thank you,” Kinsley responded as she spotted headlights pulling into the east parking lot. “Mr. and Mrs. Scriven, you’ll be the first to know when we locate Bailey.”
The night air felt somewhat cool against Kinsley’s face as she sprinted toward Alex’s car. She hadn’t realized just how much adrenaline had spiked in her system. Her partner already had his door open by the time she reached him.
“I have the officers on site searching everywhere for Bailey,” Kinsley said as she caught sight of Officer Blake returning from escorting Jade and Courtney to their apartment building across the street. “Melanie Reeves’ vehicle is still here. They have to be somewhere on this campus, Alex.”
Alex shut his car door and pocketed his keys.
“Hendricks remained behind at the Reeves’ residence,” Alex informed her as he surveyed the campus grounds. “We need to call in for additional backup. There’s too much ground to cover, and you and I both know we’ve just been put on the clock.”
“Melanie must have figured out that she killed the wrong sister,” Kinsley murmured as she focused on the library.
They were too far away to distinguish any interior lights or movement.
“I already called for backup, and the officers on hand are already searching the grounds east to west. But where would you go if you wanted answers? Maybe even to appease your conscience?”
Alex followed her gaze to the library as he began to remove his suit jacket. He then reopened his door and laid his coat across his seat.
“Familiar territory,” Alex responded as he slammed his door shut. “She’d feel safe there.”
“That’s right,” Kinsley said in agreement as she started in that direction. She held up a hand to signal Blake, who was maybe thirty feet away. “The library has two entrances. One in the front, and one in the back. We’ll need to cover both.”