Alex Kava Bundle - Alex Kava [534]
Tully sat back and stared at the computer screen, the last e-mail that SonnyBoy had sent Joan Begley still open on the screen. Just how paranoid and delusional was good ole SonnyBoy? Tully was tempted to find out.
He probably should check out his theory with O’Dell. Probably shouldn’t do anything silly or reckless. And yet, what did he really have to lose? Maybe O’Dell was rubbing off on him. Maybe she was a bad influence on him, tempting him to stray from his by-the-book approach.
He scooted the chair closer to the table. His fingers hovered over the keyboard. What the hell. He hit the reply icon, which brought up Joan Begley’s response screen. Before he could change his mind he typed in the message and hit the send icon. What if SonnyBoy did have Joan Begley, bound and gagged? Or what if he had already killed her? Then wouldn’t he be surprised to receive an e-mail from her, even if it was just one word:
“Why?”
CHAPTER 43
Maggie left Bonzado’s lab. It had been another warm day, but crispness filled the air as the sun began setting. She walked across campus, trying to enjoy the sights and smells of fall despite her mind flipping over the puzzle pieces Bonzado had added. She pulled out her cell phone as she checked the directions she had scrawled in her notebook. The building had to be close by. As she dialed, she looked around, wondering if perhaps it was on the other side of campus.
“Dr. Gwen Patterson.”
“Gwen, it’s Maggie. A quick question. Does Joan have anything wrong with her, like a physical handicap of any kind?”
“A handicap? No, not at all. Why?”
“I’m still trying to figure out if there’s a connection between her disappearance and this rock quarry killer.”
“But you said none of the victims matched Joan’s description.”
“Okay, now is not the time to worry,” she said, hearing the panic in her friend’s voice. “I’m just wondering if it’s possible he may have taken her. You have to be upfront with me, Gwen. This is no time for secrets.”
“Secrets? You think I’ve been keeping secrets about her?”
“Maybe not secrets, but something she may have told you in confidence.”
“I’ve told you everything that could possibly help find her.”
“Are you sure?”
“What’s this about, Maggie?”
“The rock quarry killer has been taking…pieces from his victims. Imperfections. Deformities.”
“Like what?”
“One woman’s breast implants were missing. There’s what looks to be a crippled leg bone missing from another. And a man’s brain with an inoperable tumor was also taken. But if Joan didn’t have any physical deformities or any disease, I don’t think we need to worry that she was taken by this killer.”
She pulled the envelope from her notebook, fumbled with the index card and double-checked the address. How could she not find this place? Gwen still hadn’t responded.
“Gwen?”
“There may be something, Maggie. Joan’s lost a lot of weight in the last two years, but when she talks about it she sometimes tells people her weight problems were due to a hormone deficiency.”
“What do you mean, a hormone deficiency? You mean a problem with her thyroid?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, it may be time to worry. I’ll call Sheriff Watermeier as soon as I get back to Meriden.”
“Where are you now?”
“I’m sort of taking care of some personal business.”
“You’re finally going to see him?”
“No, I’m not in Boston, Gwen. I’m not seeing Nick Morrelli. I’m not sure I’ll be seeing him ever again.”
“Actually, I didn’t mean Boston. I meant West Haven.”
Maggie almost tripped over the curb. She had never told Gwen about her brother. “How did you know?