The Hunted Girls by Jenna Kernan (best book club books for discussion txt) 📕

grab their lunch.” She scanned ahead and then read. “‘Search and rescue teams struck out in the forest. Called it after thirty-six hours. Bodies were discovered Friday, March 26th, by a member of the parks’ maintenance crew.’” She closed her laptop.

“Skogen didn’t clear Betters,” said Demko.

“But he’s not in custody.”

“I’d be checking his timeline. No arrest until I had solid evidence.”

“Well, I look forward to our chat,” said Nadine. “I’m particularly interested in why it took him three hours to call for help.”

“Ditto. You buy his story that he left Rita on a hiking trail to go retrieve their lunch?”

“Doesn’t quite fit, does it? And he reported that, when he returned, she had vanished. Why not pack the lunch in the first place? Or go back for the lunch together?”

“Why were they on a trail?” he asked.

She found that detail on the statement. “He reported that Rita wanted to take a nature walk after their kayak trip. Her remains were recovered miles from where she had been reported missing.”

“They get a sample from him?” asked Demko.

“Yes. Voluntary. Comparing it to the semen found on Rita. Juliette expects results in another day or two.”

“I could get used to that turnover.”

“They also requested a sample from the man who found her.”

“The maintenance guy? That’s a good call.”

“But he declined the request.”

That got Demko’s attention. “We should talk to him, too.”

“Skogen has an interview scheduled for tomorrow.”

“Get him a bottle of water. He leaves without it and you got your sample.”

“I’ll mention it to Skogen.”

“Man won’t give a sample, he’s got a reason.”

Hugo Betters was an electrician. They found him on the same job he had been subcontracting on before his girlfriend’s disappearance. The site was easy to find just by following the sound of hammering. The framing of a new housing development was up on several concrete slabs. Other units already had plywood walls and roofing under way.

One of the contractors directed them. After introductions, Hugo agreed to speak to them. They moved through the empty house, currently just a shell and studs, to what would be the kitchen—it was farthest from the roofers and their hydraulic staple guns.

Despite the distance, the pounding was incessant.

Betters took one look at Demko and asked, “You cops?”

Nadine held her smile. “Yes. We are. This is Detective Demko and I’m FBI Special Agent Finch.”

Inside, she started, realizing this was the very first time she had used her new title.

Betters gave her a once-over and said, “FBI told me about Rita yesterday.”

“We’re here to follow up on a few details.”

She started with the easy questions and Betters seemed to relax. Only when she began asking for specifics did his outward cool begin to crack.

“Why did it take so long to get to your vehicle?”

“It was over a mile back.”

“And you deemed it safe to leave Rita alone in the forest for the time it took to make that round trip?”

“She asked me to go.” His face was red.

“And you complied?”

“Listen, what do you want me to say?”

Demko took that one. “We want you to explain why you didn’t bring the lunch to begin with.”

“Because we weren’t going to eat there. We were supposed to eat at a park with picnic tables on the way home. But she insisted on this stupid trail. She’s always doing that. Changing the plan, insisting on getting her…”

“Her… what?” asked Nadine.

“She can be childish.”

“And it took you three hours to realize she was missing?”

“No.”

“A one-mile hike round trip, to the car and back, should take…” Nadine turned to Demko.

“Thirty minutes. Forty tops.”

“Let’s say thirty minutes. Even if you searched for an hour, which would be doubtful,” said Nadine, “what did you do with the other half hour?”

“I walked the entire trail. Listen, I told that other agent this.”

“Where did you really go?” asked Nadine.

Betters clamped his mouth shut.

“You two argued. Rita was uncooperative. You left. Is that right?” Demko asked.

“No. I left to get lunch.”

“I see. Wait here and don’t leave until we give you the all-clear,” said Demko and motioned to Nadine.

She followed him outside the construction site and stopped. “You are not seriously going to leave him in there. His story stinks.”

“Got holes in it,” he agreed.

“Then why did you leave him?”

“Give him a chance to do the right thing. Or not.”

Demko motioned for her to follow him to the side of the house.

“You think he’ll run?”

“Or make a phone call, try and get someone to back up his alibi. What he won’t do is wait.”

“You think he did this to Rita?”

“I think he’s lied to you about his whereabouts. That’s enough for now. Call Skogen. Tell him to pick him up.”

She did and explained the exchange while Demko watched the house.

“Why didn’t you call? I could have sent one of my agents,” said Skogen.

She ignored the question, having learned long ago that just because someone asks does not mean you have to answer.

“Would you like us to wait until one of the team comes to get him?”

“Yes.”

Predictably, Betters rounded the outside of the structure and headed for his vehicle. Spotting them, he began to run.

Demko shot away from her like a hound after a hare, ordering Betters to halt—which he did not until he reached the door to his truck and saw Demko aiming his service pistol at him. Then he complied and Demko neatly handcuffed him.

He allowed Betters to sit up while they waited for the FBI.

“I was just getting a wire stripper,” said Betters.

“Yeah, sure,” said Demko.

An hour later, Hugo Betters was in custody and the forensics team was processing his truck. Meanwhile, she had rescheduled the meeting with the Millers so that she could sit in on an interview at the county sheriff’s headquarters with Betters, who was amending his initial story.

For the interview, Demko waited outside, watching through the observation window. Inside, she sat in the corner, letting Skogen and one of his team handle the questioning.

“Tell us about the morning of the disappearance.”

“What, again?”

“Yes, please.”

Betters made a sound of frustration before launching