Page 16 of All He Takes
Paris had been missing for eight months--that was why she'd ended up on the top ten list. And Francine, she had been missing for two months before the photo turned up.
Why was his timeline so stretched out?
When were the photos taken--and why did the killer wait so long to plant them?
All these questions racked Nicky's mind. She went back to Paris's file. Other than their similar appearance, and the fact that they both came from wealthy families, the girls didn't have much in common.
"I've seen the car in a few different spots," Ken said, "but we can't make out his face in any of the footage. He's a ghost."
"Damn," Nicky said. No luck there. But not all hope was lost. "We have two victims now," she said, "so maybe there's a connection. Maybe one of them knew who had a Hana Kuma sedan."
"Sounds like a job for Grace," Ken said.
He was absolutely right. Nicky took out her phone and called Grace. A young, but experienced tech, Nicky could always rely on Grace Taylor to find out hidden information fast.
"Agent Lyons," Grace said.
"It's me, Grace," Nicky said. "Got a job for you."
"Sure thing, boss. What can I do for you?"
"I'm looking for a 1998 Hana Kuma that's in bad shape. It might belong to the killer. Can you see if anyone has one in their name with any connection to either Paris Conner or Francine Gibbons?"
"Oh, I'm on it, boss," Grace said. On the other end, Nicky could hear keys clacking. Ken sat across from Nicky, watching with interest, as they both waited for Grace to work her magic.
After a few moments--she did.
"You're not gonna believe this," Grace said. "Francine Gibbons's ex-boyfriend, Jimmy Drake, has that exact car registered to his name."
Nicky's mouth went dry. This could be him.
"Tell me everything about him."
"Well, he's not exactly a squeak- clean guy," Grace said. "Twenty-eight years old, long list of petty crimes under his belt, most of them petty theft, a few credit card frauds, and he's been under investigation for a while now for something a bit more serious."
"What's that?"
"Jimmy was suspected of dealing drugs, but the police never had concrete evidence against him," Grace said. "His family was never very well off, and he lives alone now."
"So, what's the story with him and Francine?" Nicky asked. "How does a girl like her end up with a guy like him?"
"Well, from what I can see, she was pretty serious about him," Grace said. "She broke up with him about a month before she was reported missing, but she was really torn up about it. She was really in love with him. I can tell by the things she posted about him--and their breakup--on social media."
"So, she was the one to break it off," Nicky noted. "Interesting."
What would make a guy like that suddenly turn, and decide to kill his ex-girlfriend--and a random girl who looked like her, months prior?
Nicky's stomach sank. "Can you check and see if he has any ties to Paris Conner?"
"On it," Grace said.
Nicky chewed on her lip as she waited for Grace to come back. The anticipation was killing her. They felt close--really close--but they needed just a bit more.
Moments later, Grace was back on the line. "I'm not seeing anything. But Jimmy lives twenty minutes from Francine's community, in another small town, pretty close to Pine Grove. I don't have any proof he was ever in Miami, not yet."
Miami, of course, was where Paris had been from--and where she'd gone missing. It was a long way from here, but it was entirely possible the killer had been there on business and happened upon Paris, or even was just visiting. Maybe he even went there to choose a wealthy Miami girl, for whatever sick reason. Either way, the car was more than enough to look into him.
"Thanks, Grace," Nicky said.
