‘Funny you should mention that, Beau, because not only have we thought of that, we happen to think the same thing. It’s where they are that we’d like to know.’

Perspiration beaded on Beau’s lips as his eyes widened. ‘Wait just a second. That was a joke, lady. I was kidding.’

Despite the temper brewing just below the surface, Cord’s next words were posed in a calm manner. ‘See, here’s the thing, Beau; like Detective Wyatt said, witnesses place you at this party. More importantly, they say you were talking to Rachel, who suddenly dropped off the face of the planet after that party. According to these witnesses, you put the moves on Rachel, and she turned you down flat. Now, I’m thinking to myself: a big, handsome guy like you doesn’t like to get rejected, especially in front of a group of people. You get pissed. You decide to do something about it. And then the next day, your girlfriend does the same thing, rejects your kinky fantasy, and now that’s two rejections in a couple days, and you snap. Decide to make Jersey pay…’

Beau jerked upright in his chair, palms out to stop Cord from continuing. ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa. Yes, I admitted to being at the party. I even admit to talking to some girl – whose name I never found out by the way – but when she walked away, that was that. I moved on. I swear to God I didn’t do anything to her. Or Jersey.’ Sweat trickled down the side of his face, and he reached up to wipe it off.

‘You can see why we’re finding it a little bit difficult to see how it’s just coincidental that you happened to have direct contact with two missing girls, both within a day of each other, right?’ Again, Alyssa scooted her chair an inch closer.

His face sheet-white, Beau’s eyes cut to the door and back, and one leg bounced up and down. Alyssa pressed harder. ‘How often do you travel to Santa Fe?’

Blinking rapidly, he said, ‘What?’

‘Were you dating Meghan Jessup from Santa Fe? You know she was only fourteen?’ Before he had time to process that, she dropped another bomb. ‘I think there’s a name for that.’ She peered over at Cord. ‘Statutory rape, right? Punishable by up to eighteen months and a $5000 fine?’

Cord’s eyes remained steady on Beau until the kid looked away, blanching at Cord’s response. ‘Sounds right. Unless it was forced. Then, you know, we’re talking a lot more prison time.’

Beau’s hands dropped to hang at his side as his head swiveled between Cord and Alyssa. Then he pressed his palms onto his knees as if he was attempting to keep them steady. ‘Am I under arrest here? Do I need a lawyer?’

It was Alyssa’s turn to shrug. ‘You’re not under arrest. Yet. And have you done something that would require an attorney?’

Instant red flushed his face as he banged one fist on the table. ‘No. I didn’t do anything! How many times do I have to tell you that? Yeah, sure, I was at the party.’