Page 76 of What She Saw

“When are you seeing Mr. Fletcher?”

“Soon. And then I’m tracking down the festival’s security guy.”

“Remind me who that was,” Grant said.

“Kevin Pascal. He worked for Woodward Security. The firm Colton had hired. The firm sent three security guards to the festival.”

“Right. Colton said he hired twenty guys, but the president of Woodward testified that Colton had only hired three.”

“Kevin also dated Debra Jackson. She broke up with Kevin a few months before the festival. According to Debra’s sister, Kevin still had a thing for Debra.” I didn’t mention the picture I’d seen of the couple on Kevin’s mantel.

“Think Kevin could have been involved in her disappearance?”

“Statistically speaking, women are killed by men who know them.” Maybe after this case was done, I’d take a second look at the men who’d been in Sally Winston’s life.

“Debra’s necklace was with the trinkets Taggart found in Colton’s barn.”

There had been four incriminating mementos, including Debra Jackson’s necklace, Laurie Carr’s guitar strap, Tristan Fletcher’s ring, and Patty’s driver’s license. There were also witnesses at the concert who’d seen Colton with the women. Other women testified that Colton could be violent in the bedroom. The evidence was slim, but the will to put a killer behind bars was strong.

I pushed the egg around with my fork. “The partial prints pulled from the buckle on Laurie’s guitar strap and Patty’s driver’s license were never identified.”

“I ran the prints again through the national fingerprint database. They’re still too smudged for a read.”

“Four young, strong women simply vanish.” If whoever had helped the killer was still walking the earth, they’d escaped their punishment.

“Any theories on the second person?”

“Someone these women would trust.”

“Like a security guard?” he asked.

“Maybe.”

“There was no evidence there were two killers. Colton never once hinted that he had help.”

“I’m not letting up on this theory.”

He chuckled. “Dog with a bone.”

“That’s me.”

“What’s next?”

“First, I’m talking to Brian Fletcher. Then I’ll catch up to Kevin.”

“You think you can solve this, don’t you?”

Did no one have faith in me? “I’ll crack this.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

CJ Taggart

Monday, May 23, 1994, 4:00 p.m.

2 Days After

Taggart and Paxton had spent most of their Sunday walking the woods ringing the festival field. They found discarded clothes, shoes, beer cans, a backpack complete with wallet and identification, condoms, and cigarettes. The woods had been their own party site. Close enough to hear the music but private enough to avoid prying eyes.