They’d given Tatum a ride after he’d walked to Zeffie’s Gas & Grocery for gas. Tatum identified them and described their vehicle as a pickup without a camper. Noble’s team called Tatum after the bird cam video surfaced to confirm that it was a camper-less pickup that had given him a lift after he got gas.

But you can easily mount a camper on and off the bed of a pickup, McDade thought.

What about the stalking video?

She replayed it again.

The conditions that night had hampered extracting a plate number, or confirming a vehicle make and model. The university team’s analysis of the light configuration pointed to a light truck, van, or pickup.

Again, a pickup can accommodate a camper.

It’s possible we missed something.

McDade examined every note they had on Spiker and Gangel. They were alibied, yet something didn’t sit right, she thought.

Noble returned. “Did you deal with our friend from the press?”

“Still working on that.” She tapped her pen on the computer screen. “Rod, we need to reinterview this couple.”

“Cass and Gibby?”

“Their real names are Gangel and Spiker.”

“Right. We located them, interviewed them, and reinterviewed them a month subsequent,” Noble said.

“I suggest we talk to them again.”

“Why?” A county deputy near them had overheard. “We questioned them twice. They were alibied, and they’ve been cleared. They helped Tatum, giving him a lift to the pickup, then continued north. Tatum and Moore turned around, and went south to Spiritsburg and the motel.”

“They are among the last to see Moore. They could’ve followed them,” McDade said.

“Tatum said no one followed them,” Noble said.

“How could he be certain? They could’ve turned their lights off.”

“But they, Spiker and Gangel, continued north to The Empty Well Bar in Newport. We have witnesses,” the deputy said.

“Bar witnesses? Possibly friends?” McDade said. “Look, the timing could’ve been off. They could’ve gone to the motel, taken Moore, tied her up in their truck, kept her there or disposed of her, then gone to the bar. They could’ve used back roads. Moore might have recognized them in the rear parking lot, and talked with them.”

McDade continued to press her case.

“And they had a pickup truck, according to Tatum. But the notes say they do possess a camper, and you can load a camper fairly quickly and easily onto a pickup. Could their pickup match the vehicle in the bird cam footage?”

No one spoke as McDade pulled another file.

“Look at Spiker’s history,” she said. “He has a violent criminal record. He served time in Swanton for beating up a woman and stealing her car. And he’s on parole.”

Silence passed.

“We’re aware,” Noble said.

“Did you interview his parole officer?”

“We did. Twice. No issues. Spiker’s in compliance, and will complete parole in four months.”