Chapter 43

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

David Collins was like a phantom, slipping through their fingers at every turn. No one had seen or heard from him in weeks.

The warrant had come back, and Cam and Sawyer pored over the data from David's phone records.

"Got something," Sawyer said, his finger tracing a line on the screen. "His phone pinged off a tower about an hour away, just last week."

"So he's in the area. But there's no credit card activity, nothing under his name at all. Let's try checking under Dennis's name," Cam suggested, a hunch forming in his mind.

Sawyer tapped away at the keyboard, pulling up records linked to Dennis Collins. But there was nothing. No transactions, no new addresses, no sign of life.

"Nothing here either," Sawyer said, frustration creeping into his voice. "It's like they he's a ghost."

"We're missing something," Cam muttered, his eyes scanning the pages for the umpteenth time. "There has to be a connection we're not seeing."

Sawyer leaned back, rubbing his eyes. "Maybe we need to take a different approach. What about David's past? Someone from his school days might remember something useful."

Cam nodded slowly. "It's worth a shot. Let's head to the school. It's summer, so the staff will be limited, but maybe someone there can point us in the right direction."

The drive to the school was quiet, both men lost in thought. When they arrived, the parking lot was nearly empty, the building echoing with the silence of summer break. They walked inside and approached the front office, where a lone secretary sat behind the desk.

"Excuse me," Cam said, flashing his badge. "Lieutenant McCoy, this is Detective Reed. We're looking for information on a former student, David Collins."

The secretary looked up, her curiosity piqued. "David Collins? That name sounds familiar. What do you need to know?"

"We're hoping to find someone who might remember him," Sawyer explained. "Anything you can tell us would be helpful."

The secretary thought for a moment, then nodded. "We keep old yearbooks in the back room. Maybe you can find something there."

She led them to a dusty storage room filled with boxes of yearbooks. Cam and Sawyer began flipping through the pages, scanning for any mention of David. After several minutes, they found a picture of the school newspaper staff.

Here he is," Cam said, tapping the photo. "Looks like David worked for the school newspaper. And I believe the editor at the time was a girl named Rachel Thompson."

"Let's see if she's still local." Sawyer pulled up out his phone and made a call to the station, asking one of the deputies to pull Rachel's contact information. A few moments later he hung up and turned to Cam. "She lives about two hours away now, but Landry is sending her number now."

As if on cue, Saweyer's phone dinged with the arrival of the contact information. He dialed the number, then hit the speakerphone function, and after a few rings, Rachel answered.

"Rachel, this is Detective Sawyer Reed with Brookhaven Sheriffs Office. We're investigating a case involving David Collins. We understand you were the editor of the school newspaper when he was here. We were hoping you could help us."

There was a pause on the other end before Rachel replied. "I remember David. Shame what happened to his family. What can I help with?"

"We're trying to locate him," Cam said. "Anything you can tell us about his time at school, his interests, or people he was close to could be helpful."

Rachel sighed. "David was pretty private, but he did spend a lot of time with the journalism teacher, Mr. Harris. They worked on a lot of stories together. If anyone knows more about him, it would be Mr. Harris."

"Is Mr. Harris still at the school?" Sawyer asked.

"No, he retired a few years ago," Rachel replied. "But I think he still lives in town."

Cam thanked Rachel and wrote down the address. "Let's go talk to Mr. Harris."

Cam and Sawyer arrived at the small house where the retired journalism teacher greeted them with a curious expression, leading them to a cozy living room.

"Thank you for seeing us, Mr. Harris," Cam said as they settled into armchairs. "We've reopened Misty Collins's case."

The older man frowned sympathetically. "Horrible what happened to her."

"We're trying to find the person responsible, so we're checking with everyone who may have come into contact with the Collins family that day. We've spoken with Rachel Thompson, the former editor of the school newspaper. She mentioned you might have valuable insights."

Mr. Harris nodded thoughtfully. "I remember David well. What specifically are you looking to know?"

Sawyer leaned forward. "Do you remember if David was acting strangely the day that Misty disappeared?"

Mr. Harris frowned, trying to recall. "David was always a bit… eccentric, for lack of a better word. He loved working for the paper and often got lost in whatever he was working on. But he was excited to be woking on a new story, I remember that."

"Mr. Harris, can you confirm if David went home for lunch?"

Mr. Harris nodded, adjusting his glasses as he thought back. "Hmm… He often did, so I'm almost positive he left for lunch that day."

Sawyer glanced at Cam, making a note. "And when he came back, did he mention anything about what he was doing or working on?"

Mr. Harris shook his head. "No, he didn't say much. He returned after lunch, went straight to the newsroom and used the computer, then he left again rather quickly. I didn't ask, but I figured he was working on his new story. David was the type of student every teacher wants—he got his work done on time and didn't need to be micromanaged. He found a story and followed it until the end."

Cam leaned forward, considering the implications. "So, after lunch, David came back to school, used the computer, and left in a hurry. Did anything about his behavior seem out of the ordinary to you at the time?"

"Not really. David was always deeply involved in his work." Mr. Harris lifted one shoulder. "It wasn't unusual for him to dive right into a story. He was intensely self-conscious of sharing his work with anyone until it was ready, so I left him to it."

Cam and Sawyer exchanged a look. The confirmation that David had left for lunch and returned to use the computer fit the timeline they had been piecing together.

Sawyer jotted down notes, then looked up. "So, you didn't find anything about his behavior that would make you suspect he might be involved in Misty's case?"

Mr. Harris's eyes widened in disbelief. "No, not at all. David was always very dedicated to his journalism. His hasty exit and focused demeanor were just part of his usual routine. I didn't connect it to anything out of the ordinary, especially not something as serious as a murder."

Cam's mind was already piecing together the implications of Mr. Harris's observations. The fact that David's behavior had been so routine made it easier to overlook. But now, with David's actions under scrutiny, it raised questions about what might have been hidden behind the normal fa?ade of his daily work.

"Thank you for clarifying that, Mr. Harris," Cam said as he stood up. "We appreciate your assistance. If you recall any further details or if anything else comes to mind, please reach out to us."

Mr. Harris nodded, a look of concern crossing his face. "I will. I hope you find the answers you're seeking."

As Cam and Sawyer left Mr. Harris's house, the weight of their investigation hung around their shoulders. The search for answers continued, each piece of information bringing them closer to uncovering the full truth behind Misty Collins's disappearance and murder.