‘Okay, I get what you’re saying, but as big as Albuquerque is, it’s not that big, and Katelyn Phillipson’s things were discovered nine miles away in the Northeast Heights,’ Joe interjected.

Alyssa sighed. ‘True. Yet, there is still a connection. Rachel Otis, Jersey Andrews, and Katelyn Phillipson all hail from wealthy, financially stable backgrounds. As tenuous a link as it may be, it’s still a link. It could mean nothing, or it could be the one thing that opens this case up.’ She concentrated her focus on Hal. ‘You’re the best at digging up dirt, so I need you to check into financials for all these families. While you’re at it, let’s see if any of them have any common interests, maybe belong to the same church, gym, whatever, anything that might tie them together somehow.’

At the mention of the gym, a thunderous expression flashed across Cord’s face, there and gone in an instant, and she knew Beau Cambridge was the reason why. He was still high on her list of persons of interest but being an asshole didn’t automatically make him guilty. Still, it sure as hell made his actions suspicious. So far, they’d been unable to verify his alibi, and knowing he’d been at Jersey’s house the day she’d disappeared placed him in the same area as Katelyn Phillipson’s house. Maybe he’d seen her out walking with Stephanie, maybe…

‘Cell phone records. Joe, why don’t you check on those? See who each person last called or texted, see if we can ping that location. Of course, with Katelyn Phillipson, we already have this information since we have her phone. The last text she sent was to her friend Stephanie, telling her to meet her in the atrium after school. At three-fifty an incomplete and unsent text to her mother simply read “On my,” so assuming she was letting Mrs. Phillipson know she was on her way home. Every incoming call and text after that is from Stephanie or her parents.’ Alyssa glanced at Cord before once more addressing Joe. ‘Check Beau Cambridge’s records, too. If we have to subpoena them, we will, but let’s see what we can find out first.’

Tony opened his mouth to speak, but Alyssa’s ringing phone cut him off. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and glanced down. ‘It’s Lynn. I’m going to take this.’

‘Dr. Sharp, you’re up early. What’ve you got?’

‘Couldn’t sleep this morning,’ the medical examiner said around a yawn. ‘So, I came in to work on our Jane Doe. And before you ask, no, I don’t have an identification on her. But I wanted to fill you in on a few things in case they can help with what you’ve already got.’

‘Yeah, well, that’s not much, so I’m ready for anything I can get. I’m going to put you on speaker so everyone can hear you.’ She tapped the screen and leaned the phone against the whiteboard. ‘Okay, go ahead.’

‘First off, based on several factors, I’m placing Jane Doe anywhere from fourteen to eighteen years of age. Second, the ligature marks around her wrists and ankles are consistent with both manacles and some type of rope. Based on the markings and scarring, my professional opinion is that those were inflicted during separate incidents.’