“No, listen, Regan Marie. You’re a grown woman, and you can make your own decisions. I understand not wanting to go back to the Marshals Service. And I like having you around. We’re both adults, and I know you don’t want to live under my roof forever. I want you to consider Granddad’s apartment, above the barn. It’s structurally sound and wouldn’t take too much money to remodel the space, put in new appliances, paint it, do whatever you want. If you live there for a few months or for years, I don’t care, but you’d have your own space. For you—not so much for me. Like I said, I like having you here.”

That was the last thing she’d expected from him. She thought he was going to push the security job with his friend, or encourage her to apply for the sheriff’s department or something...but the apartment?

“I like being here,” she admitted. “Can I think about it?”

“Of course. No rush. Just wanted you to know that it’s there if you want it.”

She finished cleaning up and put the last two pieces of pizza in a baggie for breakfast.

Then she sat back down and said, “I think Lucas has a personal reason for pursuing this podcast. I just can’t figure out what it is. It was just an odd comment he made the other day that I’ve been twisting around in my mind.”

“Have you looked at his background? Didn’t you say his brother was in the police academy?”

“Phoenix. I know a bit about his family. He hasn’t lost anyone to violence. Two sisters in high school, older brother, single mom. I had the sense that the father just left or they divorced and he doesn’t see his dad. Mom is a nurse, which might be a psychological reason for Lucas’s obsession with the Candace Swain murder.” She paused, considered maybe a friend...extended family...neighbors. She asked her dad, “Do you remember any other murders on campus?”

“NAU is pretty safe,” said the retired sheriff. “There was a tragic shooting—alcohol-related—that ended up with a plea deal and manslaughter charge. It started off campus. Rape is the number-one violent crime, and my guess is that the majority of those cases involve alcohol.”

“That doesn’t make it justified.”

“No,” he said, “but it makes it a lot harder to get a clean prosecution.”

“Missing persons?” she asked her dad. “An off-campus, unsolved homicide?”

“I’m sure there must be some,” he answered. “I don’t know off the top of my head. I’ll look them up for you tomorrow, give me something to do.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“I may be retired, but I still have a sharp mind.”