Page 89 of The Bright Lands

“I don’t recall you being the sheriff at this station.” Lopez’s face was darkening.

“And I recall you owing me quite a few favors.” Mayfield motioned Clark out the door. “I’ll just call my wife and have her swing by with my uniform.”

Clark slipped back into the bull pen, too stunned to speak.

She had already reached her desk by the time Mayfield caught up with her. “You deserve the time.” His eyes lingered on something over her shoulder, on something she’d already noticed on the way over: a sheet of paper had materialized on her keyboard since she’d passed it on the way into the office a minute before.

Clark turned to flip the paper over, read three words, stopped. She folded the paper and slid it quickly into her pocket. She stared at Mayfield, her mouth slack.

“Get the fuck out of here.” Mayfield added softly, “Don’t let me down.”

Clark didn’t have to be told twice. A few seconds later she was climbing into her truck.

Joel, his face a map of bruises, was seated in the passenger seat.

Clark passed him the paper. “Let’s go.”

JOEL

ARREST RECORD 82234

7/15/17

OFFICER GRISSOM REPORTING:

...At 2330 yesterday (7/14/17) while acting on existing suspicions (see attached notes 7/2/17) I approached the Little River Marina in an unmarked vehicle. Upon arrival I discovered three young men I recognized by sight: Kyler Thomas (KT) Staler, Garrett Mason and Jason Ovelle. The three men appeared to be in some kind of altercation/argument. As the marina is abandoned and Ovelle is a known distributor of narcotics I considered this probable cause to detain all three suspects while searching their vehicles and possessions.

I discovered in the course of search: approx 1 oz of methamphetamine in trunk of Ovelle’s vehicle (Honda Civic, red) as well as approx 3 oz of marijuana, approx 30 unidentified tablets and 3 small bottles of VHS video head cleaner known for “huffing”/inhalation.

I discovered in searching Garrett Mason’s and KT Staler’s person $500 in mixed bills. I was informed by Ovelle (whom I believed to be intoxicated) that Staler/Mason were attempting to “stiff” him on a prearranged agreement. Staler possessed approx 1/6 oz of methamphetamine in his pocket. Mason possessed approx 20 mixed pills.

I formally arrested all 3 men. After being read his rights Garrett Mason said quote “You will fucking regret this” end quote.

END OF REPORT

Joel read the report aloud to Clark, twice, and choked down some coffee, praying it would start to work. He’d flushed his Adderall that morning, still appalled at how he had treated Luke Evers last night: those amphetamine jitters had made it just a little too easy to listen to whatever force had come calling on him at the park. Had made the thought of homicide just a little too appealing.

“That report was written two weeks before Grissom’s accident,” Clark said.

“I think we just found the trouble KT got himself into over the summer.” Joel regarded the arrest record. “The thing Wesley Mores said Dylan was so concerned about.”

“And it was just like Wesley told you last night—two untouchable footballers get arrested and the record of it disappeared.”

“Then we were right about something,” Joel said. “KTwasworking with drugs.”

“Hold on.” Clark flicked through her notebook with one hand. “If KT was arrested here at the marina the weekend of July thirteenth then he and Dylan must have split up on the weekends they were supposed to be at the coast. Bethany told us that the boys were out of town the twelfth through the fourteenth.”

“Meaning that if Dylan was in the city that weekend and—” he cleared his throat “—occupiedon the night of KT’s arrest, then does this drug shit have anything to do with him at all?”

They reached the highway, waited at the light even though no cars were coming. “There’s a lot of money floating around, isn’t there?” said Clark. “KT arrested with five hundred in mixed bills. Dylan counting two grand in his bedroom.”

“Money that he apparently took out before he died,” Joel said. “The bank told me on Wednesday that his account only had two grand, which I’m guessing was the money my mother’s boyfriend gave him.”

They drank their coffee. The Flats were turning hard and bronze in the sun. “If Dylan wasn’t involved with drugs, why would he be turning tricks in the first place? Can you think of another way a kid could rack up a debt so bad he had to sell his body to pay it off?” Joel added.

“Maybe he needed the money for something other than a debt. Maybe he just liked having cash around.” Clark tapped her thumbnail on her tooth. “If we say Dylan wasn’t connected to the drug business, and if he didn’t owe a large debt to a dangerous person, where does it leave the idea that his death is connected to Troy’s disappearance? What parallels do we still see?”

The light changed. Clark didn’t turn immediately.