“Perfectly,” JP said. “Anything else I should know?”
Regina handed him a file. “This is everything I have so far on the case.” She checked her calendar. “I’m meeting with the children tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 at Polinsky. If that’ll work for you we can meet there.” JP nodded his head. “The juris hearing is set for next Friday morning. I’ll need your report by then.”
“Okay.”
“The other case I’d like you to look into is an older one. I represent a teenage girl at World of Hope. It’s a facility for pregnant teenagers. Many girls are placed there through the dependency system, but it’s a private organization so parents can pay to have their children there as well. My client, Mena, has been telling me some very interesting things about the group home. She’s a very bright young lady of German descent, and she speaks both English and German fluently. Mena was born here but her parents immigrated. They came into the juvenile system several months ago on physical abuse allegations. The father used a belt on her. It was a very difficult case—an obstinate teenager and strict parents with strong disciplinary beliefs. We probably would’ve worked it out by providing services to the parents. But when the parents found out she was pregnant, all hell broke loose again and we all agreed this would be the best placement for her.”
“And now you think there’s a problem with the group home?”
“Mena claims there are strange things going on in this home.”
“Like what?”
“She called me up the day before yesterday and said, and I quote, ‘They want me to join their satanic cult.’ She was whispering and I wasn’t sure I heard her correctly. I asked her to repeat it and she said it a little louder. That’s definitely what she said. Then she said, ‘I’ve gotta go.’ And hung up. I went to see her immediately, but they were on lock down so I couldn’t get in.”
“Can they do that?”
“Not for long. And a court order would allow me in to see her, but I didn’t need that. I was able to see her yesterday afternoon and she recanted her earlier statements. So I don’t know if there is something going on or if she’s caught up in the satanic hysteria that has hit this city. There has been so much of it in the news, especially within the juvenile system.” She pointed her pen at JP. “You have a very specific task on this one. Just find out, if you can, if there are any strange events happening in this group home.”
“I’ll get right on it.”
JP stood up. Regina reached out her hand to shake and JP reciprocated. She had a nice firm grip. It seemed to be a trend with female attorneys. He was good with that. JP walked toward the door and Regina followed. “I’ll be in touch,” he said, as he tipped his hat and exited the door.
Before he reached his car his phone rang. “Hello, Sabre. I’ve been hunting for Cole most of the morning and now I’m on my way to try and find Bailey.”
“Please hurry. I’m worried about Bailey. Scott Jamison, her mom’s boyfriend, was found murdered this morning.”
17
Sabre hung up her phone and stuck it in her front pocket on her black slacks. She paced back and forth in front of juvenile court while waiting for Bob to finish his calendar. She removed her phone and dialed the social worker, but she only reached her voice mail. Sabre left a message for her to call if she had any new information on Bailey. She hoped to find Bailey before the police or the department did so she could find out if she was involved in Scott’s murder. But her greatest concern was for her safety. If Bailey saw something or knew something, she could be in danger herself.
Bob walked out of the courthouse with an unlit cigarette in his mouth and his phone to his ear. He stopped when he saw Sabre, lit his cigarette, and then punched some numbers on his phone. “Voice mail,” he mouthed. Sabre waited until he was finished listening. Bob closed the phone, took the cigarette out of his mouth, and blew out some smoke as he said, “They’ve arrested my client, Karen Lecy.”
“For Scott’s murder?”
“Not sure. They have her on a violation of her release, though. She was higher than a kite when they found Scott. Apparently, she was passed out on the bed and his body was found in the living room. That’s about all I know.”
“Are you going to see her?”
“She’s not my problem. Stupid woman. She just can’t stay away from the drugs. I knew she’d been using when she met me last time.” He paused. “I suppose out of professional courtesy I should call Ichabod Crane and let him know.”
Sabre raised her eyebrows at Bob. “His name is Barry Betts, not Ichabod Crane.”
“He’s Ichabod to me. Let’s see … How would JP describe him?” Bob spoke in a Texas accent. “He’s so ugly his mama takes him everywhere so she doesn’t have to kiss him goodbye.”
Sabre laughed. It lightened the load for a second. While Bob called Betts, Sabre called JP. “Any leads on Bailey’s whereabouts?”
“I haven’t found her yet, but I did speak with the detective on the murder investigation and they have several suspects. Not the least of which is Bailey and her boyfriend, Apollo.”
“What?” Sabre said loudly.
“It seems some neighbor identified them running from the house. The police think it was around the time Scott was killed. At least the description the neighbor gave fit them. The neighbor didn’t know her name, but he was sure it was the ‘girl who lived there’ that he saw running away. The boy with her fit Apollo’s description. There’s an APB out on them both.”
“There’s already something out on Bailey. So far they haven’t been very quick to catch her.”
JP responded. “Yeah, but now they’re really looking. She’s not just a runaway any longer. She’s a suspect.”
Bob finished his call, walked over to Sabre, and listened to her side of the conversation. “Do they have other suspects?”
JP said, “They’re questioning Bailey’s mother, Karen Lecy, and they have a number of druggies they’re talking to. But they think it was something more personal because whoever did it beat him up pretty good and bashed his head in. I can think of several people who would want to do that to him, including me, for the way he treated you and for who knows what he has done to Bailey and any number of other young girls.”
Sabre could hear the anger in JP’s voice. “He was a creep, for sure, but he’s a dead creep now and although I don’t wish that on anyone we need to really concentrate on finding Bailey. If you find her before the authorities do, make sure she doesn’t talk to anyone. And call me right away. I’ll try to convince her to go in voluntarily.”
“I know the drill. I’ll call you as soon as I know something.”
Before Sabre could hang up, Bob was asking what happened. “Was that JP?”
“Yes.” Sabre’s shoulders dropped. “He says Bailey and Apollo are the prime suspects in Scott’s murder. Someone saw them running from the house last night.”
Bob put his arm around Sabre’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, Sobs. Anything I can do?”
“No, but I think I’ll skip lunch. I want to go back to my office and read through the reports. Maybe I can find something that will lead me to Bailey and/or Cole.” She looked up at Bob. “Do you mind?”
“Of course not. I don’t have a trial this afternoon so I think I might leave a little early and pick my son up from school, maybe hang out with him a little.”
“I’m sure Marilee would appreciate it as well,” Sabre said.
“Yeah, she’s been after me to spend more time with him. Always nagging about how fast they grow up. But she’s right. Today’s the day.”
Sabre returned to her office and rifled through the Lecy file trying to find anything that might help find Bailey. She found nothing that JP hadn’t already followed up on. Sabre knew full well JP would call her as soon as he had anything to report, but she called him anyway. “Anything new?”
“I just hung up with Shellie Ingraham, Bailey’s best friend, again. Shellie swears she hasn’t seen her, but she did give me the name of one of Apollo’s friends whom she met once. His name is Josiah. It’s only a first name but I’m going to Apollo’s school right now to see if it leads me anywhere. Oh, and by the way, after I left the other day Shellie told her stepdad, Jim Boller, about Scott hitting on her. I hope he didn’t decide to hit back.”
“Do you think he might have killed him?”
“He didn’t strike me as the kind to go bash someone’s head in
—a
lthough Shellie told me she didn’t tell Jim before because she was afraid he would kill Scott. I just assumed it was a figure of speech.”
“It’s good information if we ever need it. Thanks. And, JP, please call me if you learn anything from Apollo’s friend.”
JP drove to Kearny High School and parked in the only spot he could find. It was located at the far end of the parking lot. When he walked through the big wrought iron gates and saw the locks and chains, he wondered when schools had started to feel more like prisons than schools. It was so different thirty years ago. There were a lot fewer students crowded into the hallways, not nearly as many gangs, and drugs were available but only to those who really knew where to look. Now it seemed that you could almost buy them from the vending machines.
JP walked into the office. He wore his best smile and his Stetson as he approached a young woman who appeared to still be in her teens sitting in front of a computer. “Howdy, ma’am,” he said accentuating his Texas drawl.
She smiled and said, “Howdy.”
He continued to speak in a heavy accent. “My name is JP Torn.” He reached his hand out to shake hers.
She blushed as she reciprocated. “I’m Helen.”
“I’m hoping you can provide me with a little information. You see, we’re looking for a missing girl.” He took her photo out of the file he was carrying and showed it to the clerk. “She’s been gone from foster care for nearly a week and we’re real concerned for her safety.”
“I don’t recognize her. Is she a student here?”
“No, but we have reason to believe a student here might be privy to her whereabouts. I would like to speak to that gentleman, if at all possible.”
The clerk stared at JP, almost mesmerized by his charm. “Do you have a name?”
“That’s a bit of a problem. I only have a first name, but it’s a little unusual, if that helps. His name is Josiah.”
“Let me check the computer and see what we have.” She typed something on the keyboard that pulled up a list on the screen. “We have three Josiahs in this school—one freshman and two juniors.”
“That’s amazing. I’ve never even met a Josiah and you have three of them here in this school.” JP shook his head. “Hmm … well it’s most likely not the freshman. And he has a good friend named Apollo Servantes. Do you happen to have any classes that have both Josiah and Apollo in them?”
“Let me check.” She smiled up at JP. “Here you go. There’s only one Apollo in this school and he and Josiah Little have three classes together. But Apollo appears to have been absent for some time now.”
“Where could I find this Josiah Little?”
She looked back at her computer, entered more information, and said, “He’ll be leaving Mr. Huddleston’s class in just a few minutes. Room 204.”
“Helen,” a tall, heavyset woman in a suit spoke loudly as she approached the desk. “I need you to take these files to Room 812.” She turned to JP. “Is there something I can help you with?”
Helen reached for the files and scrambled to get up and around the counter. JP spoke as he stepped toward the door, glancing back at Helen with a wink. “I’m here to meet with Mr. Huddleston about my son and I forgot the room number. I’m good now.”
“It’s down the hall to your right. Second row of rooms.”
“Thanks.”
JP reached the room just as the class was letting out. He looked into the group of students and yelled, “Josiah.” A young, black man whose head already towered above the rest turned his head toward him. JP nodded to him. He walked out of the classroom and up to JP.
“Yes?”
“Hi, Josiah. I’m JP. You got a minute?”
“For what?” He responded politely, but his body language said he was skeptical.
“I’d like to ask you a few questions about Apollo.”
“You the police?”
“No. I’m a private investigator. We’re looking for a girl named Bailey Lecy. I work for her attorney.” He looked up at Josiah, who stood at least two inches taller than him. “Do you know her?”
“I’ve seen her a couple of times.” He paused. “But not lately,” he added quickly. “It’s probably been a month or more since I saw her.”
“When did you last see or talk with Apollo?”
“He called me last Saturday and wanted me to let him and his girlfriend, Bailey, crash at my house.”
“Did you let him stay?”
“No, my parents would’ve been furious.”
“And you haven’t had any communication with him since?”
“Nope.”
“I understand you and Apollo are pretty good friends. Is that right?”
“We used to be. We took a film class together. That’s where we met. Apollo was new in town. He came here from Nebraska or New Hampshire or someplace like that. He believes he’s going to be a big-time movie director some day. He’s always filming stuff, and he’s real good at it. But a few months ago he became real serious about some secret project he was working on. He started spending all his time either on the project or with Bailey. I didn’t see much of him after that.”