“Yes. That was powerful stuff. The information about the truck—it sounds exactly like Willa March.”

“I didn’t know you knew her.”

“Met her a few times at community events, you know all the things I was forced to do when I was sheriff that I detested.”

“That you secretly enjoyed.”

“We have different recollections. Anyway, yes, I can see her avoiding getting the police involved, and so the story sounds legit to me. She has a solid reputation. But that’s not why I called. I may have found why Lucas is so involved with this case.”

“Oh?”

“His high-school girlfriend’s older sister, you mentioned her at the beginning of the podcast. Adele Overton.”

“Yes. He said she went missing while driving home from NAU, to Phoenix, during winter break six years ago.” She paused, did the math. “That would make her the same age as Candace.”

“Yes, it would. They were in the same class.”

“Do you have something on that case?” Regan had been happy that Lucas had finally come clean about his real motivation. It made sense to her, and having that weight off her mind—that he wasn’t hiding something important—helped her focus on the podcast tonight.

“I have more of the story. Adele was reported missing by her parents to campus police the day after she was supposed to have arrived home for winter break and her parents couldn’t reach her. When it was determined she wasn’t in her dorm, the state troopers put out a statewide alert for her vehicle along with her description, and the next day her car was found in New Mexico, outside Gallup near Red Rock Park. There was a small amount of blood in the trunk matching Adele’s blood type. Her blood was also found on the steering wheel. They believed she was the victim of foul play. There was front-end damage to the car, but no broken glass in the area where her car was found. And there were no prints in the car, no witnesses, no cameras, and her body was never found. Her roommate had already left campus because her finals were early, so no one can say for certain what time she left.”

Gallup was not on the road to Phoenix.

“Do you know why she was in Gallup?”

“No. The troopers made an educated guess that someone intentionally caused an accident for the purpose of hurting her.”

He didn’t have to explain what could have happened to Adele.

“Do you have anything else?” Regan asked.

“Campus police have a report. I only have the troopers’ report. You can read it when you get here. The case was turned over to the FBI as a possible kidnapping across state lines, but New Mexico troopers were taking the lead because her car was found there.”