“It’s funny how you can live right next door to someone for so long and know nothing about them. I used to comment to Jennifer all the time that something wasn’t right with that woman. Honestly, I’m not surprised by what happened,” he said. “Being so secretive and all. But one of those Morgans. Wow! That floored us.”

“Did she get much company?” Jack asked.

Jennifer immediately shook her head but her husband hesitated in his reaction. “No.” It took him a second to say it.

Val chimed in. “Gabrielle might have had a couple of friends stop by… two blonde-haired women?” Val thought of Bethany and Melinda.

Both Ballards heads shook in unison this time.

“Mrs. Ballard, do you work?” Jack asked. Val’s ears perked up. The reason she and Jack were here tonight was to find out about Jennifer Ballard’s work schedule. The neighbor across the street commented that the nights Jennifer worked late, Gabrielle’s lights tended to stay on longer than usual.

“Yes, part-time. Tuesday and Thursday nights from 4pm until 11pm at Route 5. I bartend. Then every other Saturday 10pm to close at the Old Pink in Allentown.”

“Close is 4am,” Val said. She had been to the Old Pink enough times in her early twenties to have had the distinction of being a regular. Jesus, the mention of the name brought memories flooding back. Dark bar, pounding alternative music, bottled beer, tequila shots, people dressed in black, questionable bathroom, and the overall sense that you were beyond cool for hanging out there. “That must be tough.”

“Yeah, but the money is great,” Jennifer said.

“Do you have a babysitter for Toby on the weekdays?” Jack asked.

“No, Ron’s home by three on those days and Toby’s with him.”

Jack gave Ron a nod. “My nephew used to have fits the nights his mother worked late. I still remember my brother saying that getting the boy to sleep was nearly impossible.”

“We don’t have a problem at bedtime,” Ron responded plainly. “Dinner, a few cartoons and he’s just about out by eight.”

“Any secrets I can pass on to my brother? My niece is starting to do the same thing.” Jack smiled.

Ron shrugged. “We’ve never had an issue getting our son to go to sleep. We set rules and he follows them.”

Val had to admit that this was a very well-behaved little boy. He’d been sitting quietly watching his cartoons since she and Jack arrived, only momentarily being a little defiant when Ron came home. But then he immediately did as his father told him.

“Children tend to grow out of those kind of things,” Jennifer chimed in.