Page 45 of The Perfect Divorce

“Did we get anything back from the lab yet?” I interject.

“Yes, BCI expedited the DNA tests. The dried blood found on the steering wheel was compared to a strand of Stacy’s hair collected from a hairbrush her roommate turned over. It was a match.”

“What about the background check I asked for?” I meet Nagel’s eyes.

“We just got that back. Stacy was previously convicted of blackmail and extortion of a federal employee.”

Olson and I look to one another, each raising a brow.

“Say more.”

“According to the court documents, Ms. Howard had an affair with a sitting congressman, and she threatened to go public with it unless he supported her financially. The congressman did comply with her demands for a while but eventually went to the feds. She served two years of probation, paid a hefty fine and restitution.”

“Is that Bob guy, the one Stacy told her roommate she was going to meet up with, married?” Deputy Lane asks.

“He is,” I say.

“Well, do we know if Stacy was blackmailing or extorting him?” Lane asks.

“It’s a possibility, but we haven’t confirmed that,” I answer.

“That would definitely be a motive,” another deputy comments. “And what about Bob’s wife? What do we know about her?”

“A lot actually. Bob Miller is married to Sarah Morgan, who you all know was the wife of Adam Morgan, so there’s some overlap between the Howard disappearance and the Summers case,” I explain.

“Sounds like the wife did it,” Sergeant Lantz calls out.

“We’re looking into all possibilities, but we don’t want to jump to any conclusions given the sensitive nature regarding reopening the Summers case.” I look to Nagel. “Please continue with the debrief on the Howard disappearance, Lieutenant.”

“We were able to unlock the cell phone found in Stacy’s abandoned vehicle, and we’re still going through all of it,” Nagel continues. “But there was a text to a phone number saved under the contact labeled ‘Bob Miller’ on the night Stacy disappeared, confirming they were meeting up. However, that phone number is unregistered.”

“So, a burner phone?” one of my greener deputies asks.

There are nods all around.

Deputy Lane raises his hand. “Did that unregistered number text Stacy back?”

Nagel shakes his head.

“What about fingerprints or DNA? Did forensics find anything on the vehicle, Lieutenant?” Olson looks to him.

He continues shaking his head. “Unfortunately, it was wiped clean, save for that bit of Stacy’s blood on the steering wheel.”

“Has Miller been reinterviewed?” Sergeant Lantz calls out.

“Not yet,” I say.

Lantz squints. “Shouldn’t we bring him in again?”

I take a moment to think it over. We don’t have his prints or DNA on or in the vehicle. The number attached to his saved contact in Stacy’s phone isn’t registered to anyone, so we can’t confirm it even belongs to Bob. I know we don’t have enough for a search warrant, and Bob’s a seasoned lawyer, so we won’t be able to rattle the truth out of him like we could with any other Joe Schmo.

“No,” I finally land on. “But, Lieutenant Nagel, I want you to put a surveillance team on Bob Miller. You and three deputies. Teams of two on rotating twelve-hour shifts, starting as soon as you can pull your team together. Be discreet. Bob already knows he’s on our radar, but I don’t want him tipped off that he has a tail.”

“What about bugging his phone or obtaining a search warrant?” Lantz asks.

“I don’t have enough evidence to get a judge to sign off on any of that, Sergeant.” I pull my lips in. “Let’s just hope Bob leads us to Stacy.”

The room nods in agreement.

---