Page 39 of Echoes of Sin
“I’d rather speak with Huck this afternoon,” Theo said, having every intention of asking Huck about Allen’s proclivities. As the sister of the man’s fiancé, it was highly doubtful that Erika knew every single detail about the man. “We’ll stop by Huck’s residence after speaking with Allen. We’ll swing back around to speak with Wayne Uriel.”
Theo didn’t give Erika much time to mull over his decision. Instead, he asked the question that had been weighing on his mind after speaking with Dominic about walking sticks. They’d discussed the pros and cons of such a hiking aid, but Theo hadn’t had the chance to ask if any locals were known to usually use one.
“Do you know if Allen uses a trekking pole when he finds the time to hike?”
“Not usually,” Erika answered with a frown. “My sister does, though.”
“What about anyone else who was listed on the monitor this morning?”
“Honestly, I think I’ve seen every single one of those men use a walking stick at one point or another, but it’s not a regular thing.”
Stanley had decided to purchase the boots, and it wasn’t long before Allen was standing behind the cash register. Once payment was made and Stanley had his purchase in hand, the man gave into his own curiosity.
“Why do you need Allen’s security footage?” Stanley asked as he adjusted the bill of his ballcap. “Do you think that son of a bitch was in here? I think you should check the other guests who stay at Hiker’s Haven. All the victim’s stayed there. Makes sense that is where the killer set his sights on them.”
“We’re exploring every avenue, Mr. Schneider.” Theo shook the man’s hand. “We’re working around the clock.”
“Good, good. Will I see you tomorrow morning?”
“Maybe,” Theo replied as he kept his options open. “We are working in collaboration with the sheriff on the disappearance of Darlene Hummel. We don’t want to assume that her missing persons case is connected to Luna Breen just yet.”
“Oh, really?” Stanley asked, his displeasure evident. “I don’t see why not. Brunette. Right age. What am I missing?”
“You aren’t missing anything, Stanley,” Erika reassured the man before patting his arm. It was obvious that Stanley wasn’t buying it. “All agencies involved are keeping in close contact with one another.”
“Erika is right, Mr. Schneider. An investigation this large has several components to it, and we don’t want anything to fall through the cracks.”
“Well, then,” Stanley said with a satisfied nod. “I’ll leave you to it.”
“Thanks, Stanley,” Allen called out good-naturedly. Theo noted that the business owner had chosen not to remain behind the counter. Such a reaction meant that he didn’t feel the need to be defensive. “You want access to the shop’s security feed? It’s not one of those fancy cameras that is monitored by an outside company. I set it up myself, but I keep the footage on my hard drive. I can’t afford those expensive monthly fees.”
“You wouldn’t mind giving us access?” Theo asked, confirming that Allen wasn’t going to make them jump through hoops to obtain a warrant. “My colleague can be here in a few minutes.”
“If searching through the shop’s security footage can prevent another woman from going missing or being killed, then go for it.” Allen ran a hand over his bald head until his palm rested on the back of his neck. “I take it’s true, then? There is a serial killer targeting brunettes on the hiking trails?”
“We’re investigating all leads.” Theo pulled out his phone and accessed his pictures. He then turned it around to show the display to Allen. “Do you recognize this woman?”
“The face looks familiar, but I can’t place her.” Allen frowned before tilting his head slightly to the side. “Wait a second. This woman is on a missing persons flyer that’s hanging up at the police station.”
“You go to the police station often?” Theo asked, ensuring that he’d injected some humor into his question. He noticed that Erika had tensed upon hearing the inquiry, but Allen just laughed it off.
“I do when I need a police report for my insurance company.” Allen gestured to the entrance of his shop. “Some asshole sideswiped my car. I called the sheriff’s office, and one his deputies came out to take the report.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. The woman in this picture is Carissa Norman. She went missing around five years ago, and her financials show that she made a purchase here.” Theo monitored the man’s reaction, but he didn’t seem at all nervous. “You don’t remember waiting on her?”
“That’s like asking if you remember someone you interviewed five years ago,” Allen countered with a slight shrug. “Maybe? Moonshine Valley doesn’t get as many tourists as some of the surrounding towns, but we still get enough that there are just too many names and faces to keep track of.”
“What about this photo?” Theo said as he swiped to the left before holding up his phone once more. “Do you recognize her? Helen Beckham went missing three years ago.”
This time, recognition dawned on Allen’s face.
“I know this woman.” Allen shook his finger at the phone. “I remember her, because she bumped into the sunscreen display and knocked half of them off the shelves. I think she ended up buying something just because she felt bad.”
“Did anything else strike you as odd?” Theo asked as he turned the phone so that he could access another picture. “Do you recall if she was with anyone?”
“She was definitely with a friend, because the woman couldn’t stop laughing,” Allen said with a smile that gradually faded. “Her name is Helen? And she’s missing?”
“I’m afraid so,” Erika said as Theo once more held up his phone. “This is Luna Breen. Her body was discovered last week in an abandoned cabin around an hour and a half from town. Do you remember seeing her in the shop a few weeks ago? It would have been either a Friday night or Saturday morning.”