Midnight Crossing (Josie Gray Mysteries #5)(37)

“Help me out here, Ryan. We’re talking about five women. One of those women is dead, the other is traumatized. We need to find out where those other three women are.”

“I swear, I don’t know. When I left, the five women were all with Josh. He was going to get the van across somehow. I don’t even know how. He wouldn’t tell me. I just hiked out of the city and crossed the river by foot on my own.”

There were several issues they could have pushed with Ryan, but she wanted the leverage for later. No sense showing her hand just yet.

Josie held out her card and Ryan took it, seeming shocked that the meeting was ending.

“You go home and think about all of this. You may decide you want to come talk to us before this gets much further. You might do yourself a big favor in the end.”

They walked away at that point, leaving him standing there with Josie’s card, completely unstrung. When they got into Josie’s jeep, she started it but didn’t move.

“That’s a shocker,” Otto said. “I don’t see Josh as a rapist.”

“That just leaves Ryan.”

“You think we ought to take him in now, while he’s nervous? He may get counsel and freeze up,” Otto said.

Josie watched him climb back up on the Bobcat and turn the machine away from them. “I don’t know. It’s a gamble. I’d like to think he may realize the trouble he’s in and offer up Josh. We can play one against the other before the attorneys take over.”

“Or he’ll talk to his parents and get an attorney tonight and we’ll get nothing. We could go over and ask him to take a ride with us to the station, Mirandize him, and hope he talks because he’s so worried about everything.”

“We don’t have anything concrete to bring him in on. The rape? I think it’s a stretch between knowing the dead female was raped, and attaching that to Ryan. Who knows what else may have happened on that trip?” she said. “Maybe Josh brought someone else in to help after Ryan left.”

“We need a statement from Isabella. Immediately.”

“And we need to find out what happened to those other women.”

*

Josie sent Marta a text asking her to meet them at the PD. She said she was already there typing a case report, working a swing shift. When Josie and Otto entered the office, Marta sat down at the conference table with her notepad. It was obvious from her lack of friendly chatter that she was still angry with Josie over not allowing Isabella to stay at her house.

Josie recapped the conversation they’d had with Ryan Needleman and Josh and Macey Mooney. Marta quickly warmed to the conversation, asking questions about the major break they’d had in the case.

Otto finally said, “Have you talked with Isabella today? Or the doctor?”

“No. I’ve been working another case. But I think the psychiatrist was supposed to work with her again this evening. He was hoping to be at the trauma center by six.”

Josie looked at her watch. “Damn. I have that charity dinner the mayor expects me at for his wife.”

“I can explain the situation to the doctor. Let him know we desperately need her to open up about the trip and her attacker,” Marta said. “I’ll see what he thinks.”

“I appreciate it. It’s five-fifteen now. I’m going to stop by and talk to Manny and see about getting Isabella a room at the motel for the next week. I’ll see what the sheriff can offer, but we just don’t have the manpower to continue dedicating an officer to a room twenty-four hours a day right now.”

Marta nodded.

“If the doctor agrees, can you talk with her tonight? Explain that we’re trying to help make her safe by arresting the men that abused her? But she has to help us locate those other women before this gets even worse. And we have to find out what happened in the pasture when the other woman was shot.”

“I’ll do that. Hopefully with the doctor in the room with me.”

“And will you talk with the doctor about moving her into Manny’s tomorrow morning? At least for a few days, until we can figure out how to relocate her with family?” Josie said.

Marta nodded.

“Otto, can you get online and look for a couple photos of Ryan?”

“Won’t he have a mug shot from the fight at college?”

Josie shook her head. “They kicked him out of school, but no charges were filed. I’m guessing you’ll find some photos of him from playing sports in high school. We’ll have Josh’s mug shot. Put together a photo lineup. Get at least six photos, nine if you can. Get them to Marta so she can take them with her tonight. We’ll see if Isabella can identify Josh and Ryan.”

“Will do,” he said.

“Okay. I have to go change into something other than a uniform. We’re all good?” She glanced at Marta.

“We’re good. I understand,” she said. She frowned and nodded once, indicating the argument was over.

“Once we confirm with Isabella, I’ll brief the prosecutor and bring both men in for questioning,” Josie said.

*

Josie got into her jeep and called Nick to let him know she was headed to the charity event with her mom.

“Hanging out with the rich and famous tonight?” She could hear the smile in his voice.

“Neither. I’m hanging out with the do-gooders.”