Alone (Bone Secrets, #4)(40)

Mason followed his gaze. Dr. Peres’s face was perfectly blank. Her previous frustration about the break-in carefully shielded along with her feelings about her ex-husband.

“Why were you here today?” Mason asked.

“I wanted to talk to Victoria.”

Mason waited again, watching the college professor adjust his balance and clench his fingers together. He judged Rory Gibbs to be the type of man who didn’t like silence and would fill in the holes.

“I wanted to know more about those girls who died. When I saw their names on the news, I realized two of them had been previous students of mine.”

Mason’s gut started to buzz. The prof knew two victims? “These girls were all in high school. You teach at the community college, right?”

Rory nodded. “English. All levels. We get lots of high-school students taking lower-level classes during the summer sessions. Gets it out of the way. Cheaper for the parents and one less class for their load during freshman year.”

“Were the girls in the same class?” Lusco spoke up.

Rory shook his head. “I already looked at my records. I wanted to be certain that I was right when I saw their names. They both took a one-hundred-level English class last summer, but on different days.”

“Did you check for the other girls’ names?”

“I only looked at last summer’s classes, but I didn’t see any other names from the news.”

“Who’d you teach?”

“Brooke Sheardon and Glory McCarthy.”

“Why’d you remember them?” Mason asked. “I’d think that the names and faces would blur together after a while.”

Rory moved his feet. “That’s true. But Glory’s name stuck in my head. It’s an odd one. And I had her in a summer session. We’d joked about her plans for the Fourth of July.”

“And Brooke?”

“I didn’t remember her until I looked at the class roster.”

“Were the girls friends?” Lusco had his pencil speeding along his notepad.

“I have no idea. I don’t remember anything about them except for the Fourth of July conversation.”

“They’re attractive girls,” Mason prodded.

Rory stared at him. “What’s your point?”

“Usually men remember pretty girls.” He held the college professor’s gaze, infusing his comment with a hint of slime.

“What the hell?” Dr. Peres spit the words. “What are you saying, Callahan?”

“I’m just trying to prod his memory a bit. If the girls hung out together through the college, that’d be the first connection we’ve managed to establish. Actually you’re the first connection we’ve found, Professor Gibbs. We haven’t been able to tie them together at all.”

“If they’d been in the same class, I’d say that’s a connection,” Rory argued. “But being in different classes on different days is pretty weak.”

“No, not the class. You. You’re the common denominator.” Mason showed the professor his teeth. “I’m glad we ran into you today.”

Mason swore Gibbs’s face paled two shades.

He knew he shouldn’t poke at people like that, but the professor rubbed him the wrong way.

“Is Brooke improving?” Dr. Peres spoke up.

“She gave everyone a bad scare yesterday,” Lusco answered. “Put her parents and the hospital staff into a panic, but she pulled through. Still not conscious.”

“Any change in her prognosis?” Dr. Rutledge asked.

“No change. Touch and go.”

“The first funeral is later today,” stated Dr. Peres softly. “I’d planned to go until the break-in happened. Lacey is going.”

Mason nodded. “We’ll have police there. In uniform and in plainclothes.”

“Why plainclothes? I’d think the parents would appreciate a blue turnout that’s as big as possible.” The professor’s skin color was back to normal.

“These men will be working. Filming the attendees.”

“Oh. I’ve heard killers will attend their victims’ funerals. Is that what you’re looking for?” Rory tilted his head as he spoke, his gaze intent on Mason.

“The service today is more for the public,” Mason stated, ignoring his question. “It’s not an actual funeral. It’s so the people who didn’t know the girls can give their respects to the family. Actual interment will be private.”

“This case has struck a huge chord with the community. The church will be packed. You’re probably looking at thousands of people,” Dr. Rutledge added. “That’s a lot of faces to look through.”

“I’m kinda hoping the rain keeps some people away,” said Mason.

Victoria gave a half smile. “If Oregonians stayed home when it rained, we’d never get out.”

“Three of the smaller rivers have already spilled over their banks,” Lusco spoke. “I drove through a foot of water not far from my neighborhood. They’ve got roads closed in some of the areas and people are already picking up sandbags.”

“Tired of the rain,” Mason added. He turned back to Dr. Peres. “Will you be able to get an inventory of what’s missing by this evening?”