From Darkness (Hearts & Arrows Book 3)(21)

Josie’s thoughts flew into overdrive. She’d known she’d find something, but she was entirely unprepared for the reality.

Mrs. Herold continued, “She was found in the woods by some hunters several days after she went missing. They said she’d been strangled to death, the poor girl.”

“When did this happen?”

“Well, let me think…” The lines at the corners of her eyes deepened as she recollected. “I believe that was in the fall of 1984. Corey was never arrested. The town rallied behind him and his story—that he had dropped her off at the Dairy Queen after they got in a fight. It snowed after she went missing, but half of the town went out looking for Jane.” Her eyes were sad, her brows heavy. “So much promise. She was so young, the head of the cheerleading squad, if I remember right. My own son went to school with them at the time, though he was a few years younger.”

Cold understanding slid down her spine. “Thank you, Mrs. Herold. This is all very helpful.”

“You’re welcome, dear. You just let me know if you have any other questions you can think of. And you should call on Sheriff Jackson. He pressed for that boy to be arrested, but nothing ever came of it. I’m sure he would have some insight, if that’s the type of information you’re looking for.”

“Maybe I’ll head over there after I have a look at the newspapers from that fall. Do you have a photocopier?”

“Yes, back by the office. I’ll show you the way, but first, let me have Troy get those papers for you.”

She slipped off the stool and made her way to the corner but jumped when she almost ran into a lanky man who stood just on the other side.

“Troy!” Her hand flew to her chest. “For goodness’ sake, you about scared the life out of me. Would you be so kind as to pull the newspapers from September to November of 1984 for this young woman?”

He eyed Josie but nodded. “Sure thing, Mrs. H.”

She turned back to Josie and smiled kindly again. “Have a seat, and Troy will be back with those papers for you in a snap.”

Josie spent the rest of the afternoon reading through the old papers and photocopying articles, all while a tall, skinny, middle-aged Troy stared her down from various points around the small building.

Once she gathered her things and thanked Mrs. Herold, she made her way across town to the home of Sheriff Jackson.

She stood on the porch of his craftsman home and knocked, and when the door opened, it was to a man in a cardigan and button-down with salt-and-pepper hair to match his push-broom mustache, which quirked when he smiled.

“Sheriff Jackson?” she asked.

“I haven’t been Sheriff Jackson in fifteen years. Saul’s the name. And you are?”

“Josie Campbell. Nice to meet you, sir. I have some questions for you, if the name Corey Rhodes rings a bell?”

Surprise registered on his face. “It rings more than a bell, more like a firing squad. Are you a reporter?”

“An investigator.”

“Ah,” he said with a smile. “That would have been my next guess. Come on in.” He moved aside and pulled the door open wide.

She stepped into the foyer, and he closed the door behind him.

“Coffee?” he asked over his shoulder as he headed for the kitchen.

“Please. Just sugar.”

“My kinda girl.”

He nodded to a barstool at the island, and Josie took a seat.

“What can I do for you, Josie?”

“I’ve just come from the library, and I read through the newspaper accounts of Jane Bernard’s case.”

“And what had you digging around that old story?” His voice held a hint of challenge as he poured her a cup of coffee.

“A young girl, a cheerleader, went missing a few weeks ago in New Jersey. Her body hasn’t been found, and Rhodes happens to live on her path home from school.”

“That doesn’t sound like much of a reason to fly all the way out here to read some dusty old newspapers.”

He handed her the mug, and she accepted, meeting his eyes that held more knowledge than he was giving up.

“Call it a hunch.”

Saul sat down across from her, amused. “I know the feeling.” He took a sip of his coffee and nodded. “What do you want to know?”

“Do you think Rhodes killed Jane Bernard?”

He looked at her for a long moment before answering, “I do.”

“But you could never prove it.”

Saul shook his head and let out a resigned sigh. “I couldn’t. There was no DNA then. Hell, we’d barely heard of it in ’84, and it wasn’t until almost ten years later that we had resources for DNA testing in Helena. Unfortunately, those hunches that we’re so fond of don’t hold up all too well as evidence in the judicial system, and I didn’t have anything else to go on.”

“From what I know of him, I’m not surprised he didn’t give anything up.”

“Never. The kid was stone cold, and the town wanted to hear none of my babbling about it. You have to understand that Rhodes was a star player on the football team. He seemed normal, whatever that is, but a few of us picked up on there being something more to his story. No one seemed to care though. I had no evidence either way, only his word against my suspicion, and that was enough for the town.”