Page 51 of See You Again

“Even if a stranger saw the party invite, the psychology doesn’t bear out. A crime like this—kidnapping and murder—that isn’t simply a crime of opportunity? The killer would have to have known the area well enough to know how to access the timberland.”

“I agree. The road out by the farm isn't heavily trafficked. Particularly late at night. It’s extremely dark.”

“The most likely suspects would be Janelle and Todd,” Cami mused. “Is it possible Amy was drunk and started walking home? They see her and stop? Another fight starts, but this time it gets out of hand?”

Mark rubbed his jaw. “That was the line the first investigators took. They left the party shortly after Amy, but they alibi each other. Janelle is married now, and Todd is a pharmacist near Augusta. When we questioned them after Amy’s remains were found, I’d hoped to break their story. Get one of them to flip, but their stories were consistent with what they originally told investigators.”

“How long did they stay together? After Amy.”

The detective tapped his pen on his desk. “They broke up a few days after Amy went missing. There was a theory at one point that guilt over what they’d done drove them apart, but I don’t buy it.”

“If they were accomplices, it’s more likely they would have stayed together for a while. That kind of trauma bond, combined with fear, would have cemented their view of themselves as a team.”

The detective’s lips lifted in a smile. “I was going to say it was so that they could keep an eye on each other, but maybe psychology is a better answer.” His smile warmed. “You’re really good at this. Maybe you should have been a detective.”

“I am a detective, in a sense.”

Mark grinned at her.

“Okay, so then it's not likely Janelle and Todd are lying for each other. What about the other people at the party? One of the other guests could have picked her up.”

“No one admits to it, and we have no one unaccounted for. Unless someone is lying. If that’s the case, hopefully your show will trigger someone’s guilty conscience.” The detective looked at his watch and pushed to his feet, offering his hand to help her rise as well. “I’ve got to get going. The paperwork to approve sending you our interview tapes and evidence reports is almost ready—maybe by tomorrow. I’m just waiting for the sheriff to sign off on them. We interviewed over fifty college students but couldn’t come up with one who left the party alone. It’s a lot of footage to go through. You might see something we missed.”

He held the glass door for her and waited for her to exit. “A fresh set of eyes can’t hurt.”

“One more thing. Amy’s friends said she had an unpleasant date with an older guy a couple of days before she disappeared. Am I correct in assuming that’s the phone call you mentioned?”

“It was, but it was a dead end.”

“Because he had an alibi.”

“Yep, and a rich and powerful family. Lawyers were on the original investigators immediately, threatening a harassment suit. When we tried to get in contact last year, they stonewalled us again.”

Cami pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Do you think it’s because they don’t want their name involved, or because this guy has something to hide?”

Mark put his hands on his hips. “I honestly don’t know. The family is known for playing dirty, but nothing overtly criminal and nothing tied to this particular member. He is related by marriage.”

Cami gave him an innocent smile. “Any chance you don’t want to make me wait for the public records request, and you want to give me his name?”

The detective barked a laugh. “Does being so pretty help with your investigations?”

She flushed, and he chuckled again. “Okay, but keep it off your show until you get the paperwork.”

Cami nodded eagerly.

“The man’s name is Matt Crawford. He was in town with his mother to pack up and move his younger brother Trey home.”

Cami typed the name into the notes section on her phone. “Crawford?” She racked her brain but couldn’t think of a famous family by that name. “Where is the family based out of? That will help me find him.”

The detective’s face sobered. “Be careful with this one. They have an army of lawyers and more money than god. I’d hate to see you sued.”

“I’ll be careful,” she promised.

“He lives in Atlanta now. The head of Peachtree Pictures movie studios. At the time, he was working at his stepfather’s media company, but after the man died and Crawford’s mother inherited, he became the CEO.”

Cami’s brows knit. “But now he owns a movie studio? You said he was related by marriage to the money. That was the stepfather then. Not a Crawford?”

“No. His mother was married to David Bloom. I’m sure you’ve heard of him. He owned the media conglomerate, Bloom Communications.”