Chapter 42

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Dare heaved a sigh. The first forty-eight hours were crucial in missing persons cases. If this was the same person who’d abducted and killed Jayla Simms, they were going to need all the help they could get.

As the volunteers gathered in the town square, Dare addressed them with a steady, commanding voice. “Thank you all for coming. We need every able hand to search the surrounding areas. Lindsey was last seen at her home, but she could be anywhere. Pair up and cover as much ground as possible. Report back here by sundown, and keep an eye out for anything unusual. Every detail matters.”

He assigned groups to different sections of the neighborhood, hoping to find any clue that could lead them to Lindsey. Every minute that passed without finding her felt like a weight on Dare’s chest.

The crowd dispersed, determined and focused, and Dare watched them go, the weight of responsibility resting heavily on his shoulders. He cut across the town square and was intercepted by Cam the moment he stepped inside the station. “Boss, we got the lab results back from the evidence we found at the car. You need to see this.”

He grabbed the report from Cam’s outstretched hand, his gaze already skimming the information. They needed a break in this case, and he hoped this was it.

As they’d suspected, no prints had been found in or around the car. His heart slammed against his ribs as his gaze moved lower, and he froze, a cold wave of fear rolling through him. The cigarette butt found near the road had a positive DNA match.

“Wade Cottrell.”

Cam nodded, his expression grim. “Joel had an alibi for the shooting, but this… It potentially puts Wade at the scene.”

Dare struggled to steady his breathing, the implications of this discovery rattling him to his core. Wade had held a grudge for the past several years, blaming Dare for his brother’s death. Had he been wrong all along? Maybe Wade had been aiming at him that day in the parking lot. Or maybe he had seen Ainsley with Dare, and assumed they were together…

Dare’s lungs constricted. “We need to talk to Wade.”

Cam dipped his chin. “Let’s go.”

The drive to Wade’s house was tense, the silence thick and heavy. They pulled up to the small, rundown house on the outskirts of town, the lawn overgrown and the paint peeling.

Dare knocked on the door, the sound echoing hollowly in the stillness. No answer. He knocked again, louder this time. “Wade, it’s Sheriff Jensen. We need to talk.”

Still nothing. Dare tried the handle, but the door was locked. He exchanged a glance with Cam, who nodded. They circled the house, peering through windows and checking for any signs of life. The house appeared empty.

Fear welled up, causing Dare’s chest to constrict. They needed to find Wade—before he found Ainsley.