Page 5 of Wild Idol (Tyson Wild Thriller #82)

“ S he said she met this cute guy and would tell me all about it later,” Taylor said.

“Did she give you any names?” I asked.

Taylor shook her head.

“Can I see that text?”

“Sure.” She found it on her device and showed it to me.

It was as she stated.

“That’s the last time you heard anything from her?”

“Yeah.”

“Did Haley ever do drugs?” I asked.

“No. Maybe a little weed here and there, but nothing major. Don’t get me wrong, we both like to drink, but…” She cringed. “I guess I shouldn’t admit that.”

“I don’t have an official cause of death, but I suspect your friend died from an overdose. ”

Taylor’s jaw dropped, and her eyes rounded.

“I think she got a taste of life in the fast lane, and it bit her,” JD said. “You might want to reconsider your position on drugs and alcohol.”

Taylor hesitated a moment. “I don’t do drugs.”

“Was Haley dating anyone?” I asked.

“No, she broke up with her boyfriend after graduation. She didn’t want to be tied down going into college.”

“Does he live here on the island?”

“Yeah, but he’s going off to school in the fall at the University of Texas.”

“What’s his name?”

“Jasper Michaels.”

“Do you have contact information for him?”

“Yeah, his number is in my phone.” She cringed. “Does Haley’s mom know?”

“We’re trying to get in touch with local authorities,” I said.

“I can call her.”

“That’s something we prefer to do in person, if at all possible.”

“What do I tell her if she calls?”

“Just be honest. But be delicate about it.”

“Of course.”

“What about her father? ”

“He died of a heart attack a few years ago.”

An empathetic frown tugged my face. “Sorry to hear that.”

“Was Haley currently enrolled?”

“No. She was supposed to start here in the fall.”

We chatted a bit more, then I dug into my pocket and handed her a card. “Get in touch if you can think of anything else helpful.”

She texted me the photo of Haley with Sable before we left.

JD and I ambled back down the hallway, past the lounge, to the elevator. I pressed the call button.

Jack said, “Haley got mixed up with somebody who fed her a bunch of drugs and didn’t want the public scandal and criminal charges of an underage girl ODing.”

“I think you’re right about that,“ I said. “But that could be just about anybody.”

The bell rang, and the elevator doors slid open.

JD and I made our way down to the lobby. It still bustled with activity.

We walked back across campus to the Founders’ Court, hopped into the Porsche, and set out across the island to see if we could find Jason.

I called Isabella. “Look through Haley’s phone records for a guy named Jason.”

Her fingers clacked against the keyboard. A moment later, she said, “There are a few texts back and forth between Jamison Davies, but no Jason. ”

“Close enough.”

I thanked her for the info and asked her to send his contact information.

Jack and I headed over to the Pearl Room.

It was an upscale bar on Oyster Avenue that served expensive drinks and had a secluded VIP area tucked away from prying eyes.

You could catch live acts as well as guest DJs.

Sometimes it was rock ‘n’ roll, sometimes it was hip-hop, sometimes it was smooth jazz.

It was an eclectic kind of place. The cover charge kept the riff-raff out, and the bouncer was selective—pretty people and celebrities.

The club opened for happy hour, but traffic was pretty thin at this time. The place didn’t get hopping till 10 or 11:00 PM. There was no bouncer at the door at the moment. No cover charge yet.

It was the kind of place where you could have a business meeting over a few cocktails and appetizers while chilling on a comfy couch, doing $1 million deals before it turned into a loud, thumping club.

Cute waitresses in skimpy outfits pranced around in high heels and fishnet stockings. It had that old-school vibe of an exclusive members-only club. Black and white pictures of famous celebrities who had indulged at the Pearl Room lined the wood-paneled walls.

JD and I made our way to the bar and leaned against the counter. I got the bartender’s attention and flashed my badge. “Looking for a guy that works here named Jason or Jamison. ”

The bartender shook his head. “Nobody by that name works here.”

“Are you sure about that?”

He gave me an annoyed look. “Yeah. I’m positive.”

He was in his mid-20s with medium-length wavy brown hair, dark eyes, and a square jaw. He had an athletic frame and stood about 6’2”.

“Was Sable Fox here night before last?”

He shrugged. “A lot of people come and go.”

I pulled out my phone and displayed the picture of Haley with Sable. “Do you recognize this girl?”