I am thumbing through the list of the board of directors and senior executives, searching for anyone else of relevance, or this time, someone I could see Cassie messing around with, but then I get another thought. They mentioned only someone with connections could arrange a swift execution of someone in a holding cell. Should we look for government connections? Should I look at who these men donate money to? Their political affiliations? I lift my pen to the whiteboard when a tap at the door stops me from unloading my rambling thoughts.

A young man with thick dark hair and deep brown eyes enters. He’s wearing black jeans, dress shoes, a gray button down shirt and a black blazer.

“Professor Rolfe?”

“Yes, hi.” He glances over my shoulder at the bulletin board. He blinks rapidly, and I interpret his reaction as recognition to at least one of the photographs. I haven’t been closely watching the news, but based on his response, I assume news coverage has expanded to include Larry Reyes. “May I help you?”

“Oh, yes. Hi. I’m a grad student in the foreign language department. But I heard you were doing some consulting with the FBI. I thought I’d stop by and introduce myself. I know you have a TA, but if you find yourself needing any additional resources, I want to volunteer.”

“Oh. Do you have an interest in criminal justice?”

“Absolutely.” He looks away, and his hand partially covers his mouth. Interesting.

“You’re back,” Timothy says, entering the small office behind the grad student.

“I am. Timothy is my TA,” I say to the young man. “And this is…” I gesture to him, letting the movement of my hand ask for his name.

“Raphael Hendrickson.” He shoves his hands into his front pockets and backs out of my office. “I’ll let you two get to it. I know it’s not your office time right now. I just wanted to introduce myself.”

“Thanks, Raphael. If you send me an email, I’ll keep you in mind.”

He disappears down the hallway. His dress shoes click on the linoleum floor at a rapid pace.

“I thought the case was closed.” Timothy steps closer to the whiteboard to study the photos.

“It’s my understanding the FBI isn’t considering the case closed.”

“So, are you still working on it?”

“I’m assessing it. I can’t shake the feeling we missed something.”

“But Sophia’s safe, right?”

“She is. And K&R cases are generally considered closed when the abductee is rescued. But that’s the case in countries where K&R is an industry. Here in the US, there is a desire to catch the people responsible. So, the case will remain open. And I’m going to write a review of the case.”

“The work you are doing is amazing.” Timothy’s pupils increase in size. He stands before me, his right foot pointed directly at me, and then he adjusts himself.

I have to be reading those signals wrong. I raise my shoulder, rotating to the board, showing him my back.