Gone Before Goodbye (Love &Mystery in the--6-oh-3 Book 1) (8 page)

A knock interrupted their conversation.

The door opened and a tall, lanky man entered without waiting for an invite. He wore a navy blue blazer and khaki pants. He rubbed a hand over his clean-shaven chin as though checking for a hint of a whisker. Over his shoulder, he’d slung the strap of a leather briefcase.

“I’m Jake Clark.” He shoved up the wire-rimmed glasses sliding down his long, narrow nose. He was good looking in an academic kind of way, which explained Lucy Watson’s attraction to him. Noah pictured the teacher wearing a tweed jacket with patches on the elbows and smoking a pipe before a blazing fire.

Jake glanced from one of them to the other. “Should I be worried that two detectives want to interview me?”

“We’re following procedure. Detective Cassidy is my partner, and I’m Detective Hines. You’re the Latin teacher?”

“I am.” He sent a searching glance over Hines and then seemed to be studying Noah until Hines asked him if he was ready to talk.

“I’m here to do my civic duty,” Jake assured. “You’ve been taking a lot of heat from the public about those missing girls.” His large smile revealed even, white teeth.

Jake thought they were sharing a joke. Noah’s skin prickled with dislike. “You should worry about yourself, not us. We have a few questions about Lisa Grant.”

“I’ve nothing to hide. I’ve been employed by All Saints for five years, and I teach summer school four days a week, Monday through Thursday, until mid-August. Lisa was in my classes during the year and this summer. She needed the practice for Latin II.” The teacher flicked a glimpse at his watch. “Will this take long? I’m hoping to catch the afternoon show of
Midsummer’s Night Dream
at the Indie Theater. It’s in Italian. Thought I’d give my translation skills a workout and skip the subtitles. You know how it is.”

“No, we don’t,” Noah said. Was this guy for real? “We don’t have hours to waste sitting around in a dark building.”

Jake’s smile disappeared at Noah’s rough tone, and his gaze wavered with uncertainty.

“We’ll be done before you can say goodbye in French.” Hines motioned Jake to a seat.

Noah’s partner was definitely playing the good guy, which worked well since the teacher had already gotten on Noah’s nerves. The guy’s Indie Theater talk and acting like his time was more important than a missing girl put him in the scumbag category.

Jake relaxed in a student chair facing Hines. “Will I have to sit under a hot light while you threaten me with your nightstick?”

Noah pinpointed his gaze on Jake. “We don’t carry nightsticks.”

“Of course, not.” The teacher stretched out his legs.

Noah rose and leaned into his face. “We prefer tasers. They’re more painful.”

“You’re joking, right?” The man swallowed and threw a wide-eyed glance at Hines. “Detective humor.” Hines folded his hands on the desk. “Tell us about Lisa Grant.”

Jake tidied his blazer while composing himself. “Before we begin a formal interview, I brought something to share.” He dug a book out of the brief case. “Travis Bodell attends my summer class once in a while.” Jake shook his head. “He always sits in the same place. Today, I looked in the desk and found his Latin text along with this note stuffed inside the pages.” Jake opened the cover and pulled out a ripped page from a notebook.

Noah took it and read the words written in red ink. “I love you. But I cry. Slash slash you cut my heart with your lies. Our fights slice it into little pieces. Soon you will hurt until you cry. But we’ll be free to bleed our love until we die.”

Whoa, what a find. Noah handed the paper to Hines. “Travis wrote this?”

Jake shrugged. “It’s his handwriting and his book. Not very good either. I can’t imagine who else would write it.”

“We’ll need to verify his script,” Noah confirmed. If it was by the kid, the composition showed a little about his state of mind. “We’ll take his book, too. Does Travis always express himself like this?”

Jake let out an exasperated breath as he handed over the tome. “I’ve never held a conversation with him. He barely utters a sound. I know Lisa better.”

Hines bagged the letter and book. “Tell us about Lisa.”

The professor adjusted his glasses. “She’d taken Spanish at her previous schools and received dismal grades.” Out of the corner of his eyes, Jake tracked Noah pacing around the room and angled his body toward the door. He appeared ready to run at any moment.

“So she signed up for your class,” Noah prompted.

“We viewed Lisa’s education differently at All Saints from the public school system. I encouraged her to enroll in Latin to improve her grades and college admission prospects.”

“Was she competent?” Noah agreed with Lucy Watson’s assessment. The man was all about himself. Noah walked the floor, unable to sit while the Latin teacher spoke in his pretentious manner.

Jake twisted toward him. “She’s intelligent and pulled a B, but she stayed after school for tutoring sessions with me and worked for the grade. Her foster mother, Sophia Raynes, insisted she put in the extra study time, and you don’t go against Sophia. She had a big effect on the girl. Lisa idolized her. Everyone knew and respected Sophia. Lisa thought that was cool. I’m sure she’s the main reason Lisa straightened out.”

“Mr. Clark,” Hines said drawing the man’s attention to him. “Did Lisa ever mention problems or a place she wanted to visit?”

“No. Once in a while, she asked my opinion on curfews or the school’s dress codes. She seemed curious and was often anxious about being popular, which isn’t unusual at her age. She was out of her depth socially at All Saints despite Sophia’s help. Lisa was more likely to frown at someone than smile. Given her history, I understood.”

“You always got along with her?” Noah asked, pausing in the front of Jake.

“We sometimes disagreed. When I mentioned her pink hair didn’t fit the image of an All Saints student she called me prehistoric.”

“Must have made you mad.” Noah glared down at Jake.

“Of course not. Lisa and I could discuss a topic in a civilized manner.”

According to Hines, Jake was the only one of Lisa’s teachers who didn’t have a run-in with her. Yeah, like he believed that.

“Detective Cassidy,” Jake said. “Did you attend parochial schools?”

“Me?” Was Jake about to tell Noah he was less educated because he didn’t go to a private school? He wouldn’t put it past the pompous ass. “Hawick Falls Public. I’m a product of our taxpayers’ generosity.”

“Then you don’t know.” Jake’s voice held a tired note. “I’ve taught for ten years. Students at All Saints aren’t perfect. I’ve been sworn at, had a chair tossed at me, and graffiti sprayed on my car. Lisa’s response was on the mild side.”

“Mild, huh? Where were you on the evening of July fifth?”

“I’m impressed.” Jake sat with his hands linked in his lap. “You operate the same as detectives in the movies. If you need my alibi, I spent the evening at home reading while I listened to Verdi’s Requiem.”

“Cheerful music.”

“You’re familiar with it?”

Jake probably thought a detective in Hawick Falls was too ignorant to enjoy Verdi. “Not my type of music. My old man liked it. Let’s get back to Travis Bodell. He wasn’t a student with potential?”

The teacher’s lips tightened, and his smugness disappeared. “Travis was failing and resisted help. He was supposed to attend summer classes, but blew off at least one or two days each week. I don’t know how Travis made it as far as he did in school. Father Matt tried to intervene last fall, but the kid wouldn’t listen to him either. Teachers often gave him a break because of his home situation, but I doubt he has enough credits to graduate next June.”

“How about his home life?” Noah asked.

“The boy lives with an uncle, Seth Bodell, who’s not involved in his life unless he wants to complain. Seth doesn’t put much value on education. He once told me at a parent conference that he graduated high school and never went further. The man has never impressed me as much of a scholar, but his customers claim he delivers what he promises and works hard.”

“Seth wasn’t much of a role model for a high schooler.”

“He thought the school would take care of Travis for him once Seth got the boy a financial scholarship. Too bad Travis didn’t inherit his uncle’s athletic abilities.”

“Tell us about what he thought of Lisa,” Hines said.

“Seth didn’t approve of Travis going out with Lisa, and Teagan didn’t support Lisa dating Travis. I’m surprised the kids stayed together all year, but I heard they had lots of fights.”

Noah’s radar picked up. “How did you learn this fact?” 

“Teenagers love to gossip even to teachers. A couple of my students witnessed the couple arguing at the food court and reported it to me. I gather it was the day she was last seen.”

“We’ll need your students’ names.”

“They quit the summer session and won’t be around until Labor Day. Their parents took them out of state for the rest of the vacation. I’ve no idea where.”

“We’ll find them,” Noah said. “We’re detectives. Write down their information.”

Hines ripped off a piece of paper from his notebook and passed it to Jake.

“What is your relationship with Teagan Raynes?” Noah leaned a hip on the corner of the principal’s desk and folded his arms. The man didn’t seem like someone who’d be her friend.

Jake sat forward in his chair and used the desk to scribble the names of his pupils and their parents while he talked. “Teagan and I had a few disagreements when she inserted her views into my personal life.”

“What does that mean?” Hines asked.

“Teagan sided with my ex when she and I had a difference of opinions, but I’m over it.”

“Over it?” Hines persisted.

“My former girlfriend, Lucy Watson, and I had a discussion and worked out our issues before she left Hawick Falls. I’ve moved beyond our relationship. It’s embarrassing to admit, but I use the Internet for dating, and I’ve learned a lot of younger women are interested in mature men like myself.”

He liked younger women. Why was he volunteering this information?

Jake handed over the paper. “The secretary can give you their home addresses and phone numbers. As for my dates, nothing serious so far, but I’m willing to give the new experience a few more chances.”

“Lucy and Teagan were good friends?” Noah hovered over the man, forcing him to tilt his head back to speak to him.

“They attended meetings together, and afterward, they’d shoot over to the coffee shop where they discussed how much or how little attention I paid Lucy.”

The two women only talked about Jake. Was the guy an egotist or was he omitting key parts?

The teacher continued with his discourse. “Teagan preached my relationship ideas were passé because I expected Lucy to cook and clean for me, but we simply believed in a division of duties. On my part, I shopped for our food and paid half the costs.”

“Hold on, what meetings?” Noah glanced at Hines, who shrugged.

“I’m surprised you don’t know.” Jake’s eyes gleamed with a gotcha.

Hines sat forward at the desk. “Get to the point, Mr. Clark.”

Jake let out a breath. “Excuse my bluntness, but it’s the best way to describe their pasts, and I do emphasize pasts. Teagan and Lucy were drunks. They belong to AA.”

Drunks? Was he calling them names to get back at them? “We better find proof you’re telling us the truth,” Noah said in his deadly voice. “We’ll be checking your alibi for the night of Lisa’s disappearance and following up with AA. One thing about me, Jake, I don’t like people who lie.”

A short nap cured Teagan’s headache. After an hour, she created and posted the Bring Lisa Home page and used a picture of the maple tree with the purple bow for her cover photo. When she finished, she settled upstairs in her bedroom and began her list of places to search for Lisa. The coolness of the night was refreshing. She sank onto the pillows propped against the headboard. She’d removed her bracelets that jingle-jangled with each movement. Maybe when her days were calmer, she’d wear them again.

Thoughts of her conversation with Stacey kept pulling her from her task. How bad was Noah Cassidy’s temper? Had he really gone gunning like a cowboy in a western?

She shook her head. If Aunt Sophia were alive, she’d lecture her on listening to gossip. Noah probably had another woman in his life by now, and even if he didn’t, she wasn’t into rough, testosterone-filled men.

Across the room, her bulletin board came into her direct line of vision. Keepsakes and memories cluttered the cork. Her friends had moved to places with more opportunities and variety than Hawick Falls. The bright lights of the big cities had lured them away, but the memories of her former days were tacked on the board. Dance recital programs and the menu at the waitress job she worked during college were just a few reminders of her past.

The picture of her first boyfriend still hung on the display. His wide mouth smiled from his tanned, round face. Aunt Sophia had lectured her to throw away the photo, but she’d resisted. She’d been unable to let go of that initial excitement. At the time, she’d thought he was the world’s cutest boy. They dated for three months of her junior year at All Saints.

Her past dating life followed a similar pattern. She’d fall for someone and then feel he wasn’t right for her. Her counselor told her that relationships were affected by her past insecurities, but knowing her history hadn’t solved or changed her problems. She bet Taylor Swift wouldn’t catch up to her in the breakup arena.

The last guy Teagan dated had lasted a record twelve months. When they broke up, he’d warned she’d never have a permanent relationship because she didn’t think she deserved love.

“Amateur shrink,” she muttered. What did he know? If only Lucy was around for a late night talk. If only she hadn’t moved. Her friend had been forced to take an evening job in a chain hotel when she didn’t find other work in Manchester. Lucy slept during the day. Sometimes, she texted Teagan when work slowed, but nothing this evening.

It was after midnight when she wiped perspiration off her forehead and shifted her attention to the noise coming from the ceiling. What was causing that scraping sound? She scanned beyond the pumpkin-colored walls to the spot overhead—Lisa’s bedroom.