Damned (Shaye Archer Series Book 7)

by DeLeon, Jana

  Grayson nodded as if all this teen angst made sense. “There’s no indication that Hailey was taken from her home, so we’re assuming she left on her own accord. Do you have any idea where she was going?”

  “No. I didn’t know she’d gone anywhere until her mother called me panicked because she wasn’t at home. I thought maybe she went for a run or something, but then it got late and she never came back.”

  “Did she go for a run after school often?” Jackson asked.

  “Yeah. She wasn’t supposed to, but she said she couldn’t stand sitting in that house staring at the walls all the time. She liked to run and she was good at it. She would have done track if her dad would have let her, but he didn’t like anything that wasn’t academic.”

  “Did she take a particular route when she ran?”

  “I don’t know. She never said and I never asked. I wish I would have now.”

  “Is there anywhere else you can think of that she would go besides running?” Grayson asked. “A favorite hangout spot? Or somewhere she went to be alone?”

  “Sometimes we’d sit on the bench under the big oak tree in the park when we were done studying,” Gina said. “But never after dark. We’re not allowed out after dark.”

  “The park a couple blocks from here?” Jackson asked.

  She nodded.

  Jackson had been through the park on a missing persons hunt for a toddler. Fortunately, the child had simply wandered off and had been located asleep under a hedge at a house across the street. It was an open area, about a block in size, and while it had some large trees and some shrubs, there were no heavily wooded sections and it was surrounded by houses. Not typically the kind of park setting that kids disappeared from. But still, it wouldn’t hurt to knock on doors and see if any of the people who lived in the homes that surrounded the park had seen Hailey.

  “What about a boyfriend?” Jackson asked.

  Gina shrugged. “Hailey wasn’t allowed to have a boyfriend. Her parents said she was too young.”

  Jackson glanced at Grayson, who frowned. Her answer was total deflection, which meant she was hiding something that might be important for them to know. Especially if it involved a boy that Hailey had a romantic interest in.

  “Young girls don’t always do what their parents tell them,” Jackson said. “Especially when they think their parents are wrong. Like the running.”

  Gina looked at him and bit her lip, then looked back down at the floor.

  “Gina,” Grayson said gently. “I think there’s something you’re not telling us. And I understand covering for your friend, but she’s missing and might be in danger. She’s not going to get mad at you for trying to help us find her.”

  Gina looked at Jackson, then Grayson, and finally blurted out, “She was seeing a guy.”

  “You’re sure?” Grayson asked. “Because Marcy said Hailey didn’t have a boyfriend.”

  Gina blew out a breath. “That’s because Marcy doesn’t like Hailey and mostly ignores her. If Hailey sprouted wings and flew around the block, Marcy wouldn’t notice.”

  “Do you know who the boy is?” Grayson asked.

  “Sorta. I mean, he’s not a boy really. He’s not in school anymore.”

  Jackson tensed a bit. An adult male and an underage, inexperienced girl was never a good combination. “Can you give us his name?”

  Gina shook her head. “Hailey never said. I…I wasn’t supposed to know. But last week she was being weird after school. We had a chemistry test on Thursday and she always helped me study, but she said she had to go to the doctor. It didn’t sound right.”

  “So you followed her?” Jackson asked.

  Gina looked down at the ground, clearly embarrassed. “Yeah. I hid in the bushes across from her house and followed her to the convenience store two blocks over. I thought maybe she was just mad at me for some reason and was going for a soda or something.”

  “But she met a guy?” Jackson asked.

  She nodded. “He came out of the service station next to the store. He had one of the shirts on like the other guys that work there. They went around the corner between the two buildings and I saw him kiss her. Like, a real kiss, you know?”

  Grayson nodded. “What else did you see?”

  Gina blushed. “Nothing. I turned around and ran home. I was mad. I couldn’t believe she’d kept a secret like that from me. And I couldn’t believe she was kissing some guy that old.”

  “How old do you think he is?” Jackson asked.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “Old. At least twenty.”

  “Can you describe him?” Jackson asked.

  “Taller than Hailey by a good bit,” Gina said. “The top of her head came to his nose. He was thin but had muscles. Longish brown hair in a ponytail, and a tattoo on his arm.”

  “Could you tell what the tattoo was?” Grayson asked.

  She shook her head. “I could just see the ink from where I was, but it was a band that went all the way around.”

  “That’s a big help,” Grayson said. “Thank you. Is there anything else you can think of that might help us?”

  “No,” she said. “Do you think she’s going to be all right? I mean, that guy looked strong. Do you think he hurt her?”

  “We don’t know what happened,” Grayson said. “But we’re going to find out. Does Hailey have a second cell phone—one she keeps secret from her parents?”

  Gina slowly shook her head. “I’ve never seen one, but I guess she might.” Gina sighed. “I’m beginning to think I don’t know Hailey as well as I thought I did.”

  “That’s usually the case.” Grayson handed her his card as they rose. “If you hear from Hailey or think of anything else that can help us, please give me a call.”

  As Grayson pulled away from the curb, Jackson accessed a picture of Hailey on his phone. “She’s a pretty girl,” Jackson said. “But she has only one friend and a secret boyfriend who is likely an unsuitable age.”

  “You mean old?” Grayson grinned.

  Jackson laughed. “I guess if twenty is old that makes you and me ancient.”

  “I might be prehistoric.”

  Jackson smiled, then sobered. “A pretty girl but fairly new to the school, brainy and probably an introvert. So she meets Gina, who is nice to her and is safe, but she comes with Marcy, who probably spent most of her time poking at Hailey.”

  Grayson nodded. “Because Hailey is as pretty as Marcy. She didn’t like sharing the spotlight.”

  “So Hailey meets this mechanic at some point, and he gives her attention and says the right things, and she’s taken with him.”

  “Don’t forget the bad-boy thing. Her parents wouldn’t approve of the relationship. That makes it all the more exciting.”

  Jackson blew out a breath. “I hope to God that guy has just been foolish enough to let her stay at his place. Otherwise…”

  Jackson didn’t finish his statement. He didn’t have to.

  7

  “Well, let’s go find out just how smart this mechanic is,” Grayson said and pulled into the parking lot for the auto shop. “Be on the lookout for the tattoo. If this guy likes to play with fire, he’ll probably be able to spot cops a mile away.”

  “I hope he doesn’t run,” Jackson said as he exited the car. “These are new shoes. They’re not broken in.”

  “They might be by the end of shift.”

  As they approached the shop, an older man stepped out of one of the bays and greeted them.

  “Afternoon,” he said. “Name’s Silas. Can I help you with something?”

  “You have an employee,” Grayson said. “Young guy, around twenty, brown hair, tall, a band tattoo on one arm?”

  Silas nodded. “That would be my sister’s boy, Hudson. What’s he done now?”

  “What makes you think he’s done something?” Grayson asked.

  “You’re cops, right?” Silas asked. “Boy has been a bit of trouble since his father died. Not serious trouble, but the gen
eral sort. He needs to grow up. I’m trying to help that process along. So what did he do?”

  “We’re not sure he did anything,” Grayson said. “But we think he was involved with a young woman who is missing. She’s sixteen, so there’s some urgency in finding her. We’re hoping she’s having a young adult moment and is hiding out with your nephew.”

  Silas frowned. “Don’t see as how that’s possible since the boy’s been living with me for the last two years. You said this girl is sixteen?”

  Grayson nodded.

  Silas sighed. “Damn it to hell. He’s back here doing an oil change. We best figure this out.”

  Silas headed into the shop for the back corner, where the guy Gina had described was checking the oil in a sedan. He looked up as Silas approached and his eyes widened when he spotted Grayson and Jackson behind his uncle.

  Yep, Jackson thought. He knows cops.

  “Hudson,” Silas said as they stepped up. “These men are police and they want to ask you some questions about that young girl you’ve been messing around with. The operative word being ‘young.’”

  Silas’s frustration was so evident in his voice that Hudson looked a bit ashamed. That was a good sign. Defiant was a much harder nut to crack.

  “You’ve been seeing a young woman named Hailey Pitre,” Grayson said.

  Hudson glanced at his uncle, and it was clear that he wanted to lie but was trying to gauge if he could get away with it. Given how horrible he was at hiding what he was thinking, Jackson was going with no, he couldn’t get away with it.

  “Don’t even think about lying,” Silas said. “This is serious business.”

  Hudson shuffled his feet and stared down at the ground. “Yeah. I see her sometimes. What of it?”

  “Do you know where she is now?” Grayson asked.

  Hudson looked up at him, his expression uneasy. “No. I haven’t talked to her since yesterday morning.”

  “You’re sure about that?” Grayson asked.

  “Yeah,” Hudson said. “Usually she sends me a text or calls after school, but I haven’t heard anything.”

  “Have you tried calling her?” Grayson asked.

  He nodded, looking guilty. “I’m not supposed to. You know, in case her parents are around, but when I didn’t hear from her yesterday afternoon, I called then and today when she would have been at school. It went straight to voice mail.”

  “You didn’t go to her house?” Grayson asked.

  “No!” Hudson said. “She’d be in serious trouble with her parents if they found out about us.”

  “And rightfully so,” Silas interrupted. “She’s a girl. You’re a man. If I caught you seeing my sixteen-year-old daughter, I’d be loading my shotgun.”

  “It’s not like that,” Hudson said. “Hailey is different. Grown-up. She doesn’t act like a kid, and she’s really smart.”

  “Ha,” Silas said. “If she was smart, she wouldn’t be wasting time with you.”

  “Hailey is missing,” Grayson said before things could get off on too much of a tangent.

  Hudson’s eyes widened. “Missing? You mean like disappeared?”

  “Yes,” Grayson said. “Since yesterday afternoon. That’s why we’re here.”

  Hudson ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t know. I thought maybe her parents found out and took her phone. Or maybe she’d ditched me. But I never thought…”

  “Do you have any idea where Hailey might be?” Grayson asked.

  “She has some friends,” Hudson said.

  “We’ve already spoken to them,” Grayson said. “One of them gave us you.”

  Hudson scowled. “Marcy, right?”

  Jackson glanced at Grayson. “You know Marcy?” he asked.

  “I know her all right,” Hudson said. “She’s been coming by here for months, trying to get my attention. I told her I ain’t interested.”

  “Why not?” Jackson asked. “She’s a pretty girl.”

  “She’s a bitch,” Hudson said.

  Silas popped his nephew on the back of the head.

  “Well, she is,” Hudson said. “And I ain’t apologizing for saying so. She was always nasty to Hailey.”

  “How long have you been seeing Hailey?” Jackson asked.

  “Two months,” Hudson replied.

  “And how long has Marcy been coming around?” Jackson asked.

  Hudson shrugged. “I don’t know. Since January, maybe. I did the oil change on her mom’s car and she was with her for the pickup. She’s been hanging around ever since.”

  “So Marcy knew you were seeing Hailey?” Jackson said.

  Hudson frowned. “I don’t know. I didn’t think so, but who else would have told you about me? I figure she must have seen something.”

  “And you have no idea where Hailey might be?” Grayson said. “No other friends that you are aware of? Anyone who might let her crash for a few days?”

  “She didn’t have nobody else,” Hudson said. “Her parents were crazy strict, and Hailey said Gina was nice, but she wouldn’t tell her about us because she didn’t think Gina would keep it secret. Hailey said Gina’s sorta afraid of everything, especially getting into trouble.”

  “Did Hailey have any money?” Grayson asked.

  “Yeah, a little probably,” Hudson said. “She would babysit sometimes and her aunt in Seattle sent her money for her birthday. I know she helped kids study some. But I doubt she had a lot. Her parents didn’t give her any.”

  “What phone number did Hailey call you from?” Grayson asked.

  Hudson recited the number and Jackson took it down. It wasn’t the same as the cell phone her parents provided her with.

  “What’s your last name?” Grayson asked.

  “Landry,” Hudson said.

  “You have any trouble with the law?” Grayson asked.

  Hudson shuffled his feet. “A little. Just stupid kid stuff—joyriding, stealing some beer.”

  “Okay,” Grayson said and handed Hudson and Silas each a card. “If you hear from Hailey, call me. Don’t even think about keeping it a secret. Not even if she asks. This is a police matter now and she’s a minor. You could be in all sorts of trouble if her parents find out about your relationship. Don’t give them even more reason to make it an issue.”

  “He won’t,” Silas said. “I’ll make sure of it.”

  Hudson nodded and went back to the car engine, but Jackson could tell he was nervous and worried. The question was, about what? Did he know something about Hailey that he wasn’t telling? Was he involved in her disappearance somehow? Or was he simply worried that the girl he was dating with was missing?

  Jackson dialed the second cell phone as soon as they got into the car, but like the other phone, it went straight to voice mail. He called Matt and gave him the new number.

  “The ole secret cell phone wins again,” Matt said. “Give me a few minutes for a trace. I’ll get the warrant for the records moving as well.”

  “Thanks,” Jackson said. “And I need a background check on Hudson Landry and his uncle who owns the repair shop.” Jackson gave him the name of the shop.

  “I’m on it,” Matt said.

  Jackson disconnected. He looked over at Grayson. “So? What do you think of ‘old man’ Hudson?”

  Grayson shook his head. “I’m not sure. He was nervous and worried, but that could swing a lot of different ways.”

  “Yeah. What do you think about the uncle?”

  “Seems like a straight shooter and frustrated with Hudson. But there’s clearly a lot he doesn’t know about his nephew, especially since Hudson’s managed to keep a two-month relationship hidden from him.”

  “He’s not going to make much of an alibi, either,” Jackson said. “We have no idea when Hailey dropped off the map or where, and even if Silas said Hudson was at home all night, I don’t think we can buy it. I’m not saying Silas would lie for him. I just think a lot of people have no idea what goes on after they’re asleep.”

  “Th
at’s true enough. Besides, Hudson could have met Hailey after work and either stashed her somewhere or worse and still been home for dinner.”

  “It’s interesting,” Jackson said. “Hudson thinks Marcy is the one who tipped us off but Marcy was adamant that Hailey didn’t have a boyfriend. You think she was lying?”

  “It didn’t seem like it, but now I’m not sure of anything.”

  “If Marcy saw Hailey and Hudson together, and she’s been pursuing Hudson for a while now, that’s a really bad combination.”

  “I know. Shit. If this is another case of one teen killing another over a boy, I’m taking all of my vacation when this is over.”

  Jackson nodded. “Where are you going? I might go with you.”

  Shaye climbed into her SUV and sent a text to Nicolas.

  Please call me tomorrow when you can. Need more information. Nothing urgent.

  She added the last bit so Nicolas wouldn’t panic thinking she’d discovered something when that was not the case at all. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. She’d gotten a list of potential suspects, such as it was. But in order for it to matter, she needed to figure out the names that went with the descriptions. The electric company would probably be the easiest to identify.

  She checked the time on her dash and frowned. Late for dinner with her mother again. It was becoming a habit, as Corrine had pointed out the last time she showed up twenty minutes late. Corrine wasn’t necessarily upset at her tardiness but more that her carefully prepared dinner had gotten cold. She’d decided that from then on, she’d wait for Shaye to arrive before she started cooking, but Eleonore, Corrine’s best friend and Shaye’s therapist, had argued that she was old and had a bedtime. Corrine had finally relented and agreed that she and Eleonore would eat on time and if Shaye was late, she’d have to eat reheated food.

  Given that the majority of Shaye’s personally prepared meals were things she popped in the microwave, it wasn’t exactly a scary proposition. Corrine’s cooking was exceptional, even reheated. But still, Shaye regretted that she’d lost track of time again and was behind schedule. She enjoyed her dinners with Corrine and Eleonore and hated missing part of them.