Page 33 of Sangre
Wexler glanced at Carmody, who sat open-mouthed, then back at Jeffers.Where the hell did that come from?“It sounds like you didn’t like Sharla Davidson, Lizbeth Kelly, or Taylor Prentice.”
“I wouldn’t say that exactly. In high school I wasn’t crazy about them, but then, I didn’t like most of the kids in my school. I actually hated high school, and after graduation, none of them ever really crossed my mind again. I never thought about or spoke to Sharla, Taylor, or Lizbeth. I had no reason to. Sometimes I’d see them in the store, but I run into a lot of people I went to school with. Alina’s not that big. It’s no big deal when you bump into people around here.”
“Did anyone else feel the same way you did about the three women when they were in high school?”
“I dunno. I suppose there were kids who did. I know some of the girls were pretty pissed off that all the leads in the musicals, plays, and concert performances kept going to the same five.”
Wexler’s heart pounded. “And who were the ‘same five’?”
“Sharla, Lizbeth, Taylor, Carrie, and Jordan. They kept getting the main parts all through high school. Jordan’s the only one who left, and it seems that she’s the only one who made it sorta big. She’s in Iris Blue. I heard she’s back in town.”
Wexler jotted down everything Jeffers said, underlining the words “Isla Rose” and “Iris Blue.” “What’s Carrie’s last name?”
“I can’t remember, but she still lives in town.”
“Do you know where?”
“I think at one of the music venues. She’s a talent buyer. I bet she’s even more insufferable now than she was in high school.”
The sheriff closed his notebook. “Try and think of other people, men and women alike, who didn’t care for these five ladies back in high school. I need your help.”
A grin spread over the deputy’s face as he stood up. “I’ll get on it.” With his chest thrust out, he hooked his thumbs into his belt loops.
“Go on and write up the report about the teens and the graffiti. I have to go over Carmody’s cases now.”
“Sure thing.” He swaggered out and closed the door behind him.
Carmody cleared his throat. “What the hell just happened?”
“We got our first lead: Jefferson High, entertainment department, and our two victims both in the same class. Let’s start with that. Also, find out who this Carrie is. Call all the music venues in the county, but start with Alina. I’ll find”—Wexler looked down at his notes—“Jordan Burnside, a.k.a Isla Rose. I want to see if either woman can tell us anything that can help us. I also want to warn them because my instincts are telling me they’re on this crazed person’s hit list.”
“I’m on top of it. I think we should also look at Jeffers. I mean the guy went loony when you asked if he knew the victims. Besides, why the helldidn’the mention that he knew them?”
Hating to think that anyone in law enforcement, let alone one ofhisdeputies, could do something like that, he shook his head. “I admit the guy’s odd, but I can’t see him involved in this. We’ll check his whereabouts and such, but let’s not home in on him exclusively. If he felt that way about the victims back in the day, you can be pretty damn sure others did too. See if the theater, art, and music teachers are still at the school. If not, then find them. We’ve been looking in a totally different direction.”
An adrenaline rush swept through Wexler’s body as he watched Carmody rise to his feet and leave the office. For the first time since Sharla Davidson’s murder, he felt that they had a bona fide lead in the investigation. Lightness spread through his chest as he swiveled in his chair. Facing the computer, he typed inIris Blueand smiled broadly when the first link he saw read “Isla Rose Escapes to Hometown After Meltdown.”
He clicked on it and began reading.
