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“So then howsurprising would it be for Avery Sinclair to have heard about DanielleRobertson from other parents, and maybe even talked to her at some point abouthiring her?”
“Bad news,” Bethsaid. “We already cross-checked every victim’s phone logs for the last threemonths with every suspect, and there’s not one call between Avery Sinclair orher husband and Danielle Robertson.”
Jessie’s grinfaded. She was stumped. Everything in her told her she was headed down theright road, but she kept meeting roadblocks.
“Beth,” Ryan said,a flicker of light in his eyes. “Can you check the call logs of any ofRobertson’s Palisades-area clients, say for the last month, and see if any ofthem had calls with Avery Sinclair?”
“Give me aminute,” Beth said.
Jessie smiled atRyan. “Am I turning you into a believer?” she asked.
“Don’t get aheadof yourself, Hunt,” he replied. “This could be nothing.”
Moments later,Beth contradicted him.
“It’s notnothing,” she said eagerly.
“What do youmean?” Jessie asked.
“One of DanielleRobertson’s clients is a woman named Shane Willoughby, whose son is eight, justlike Avery Sinclair’s. And Willoughby clearly knew Sinclair.”
“Why do you saythat?” Ryan asked.
“Because I countnine calls between them this month alone, some as long as forty-five minutes.I’m guessing that either Sinclair was Willoughby’s real estate agent or the twoof them were friends.”
Jessie looked overat Ryan, doing her best to hide the mix of expectation and anticipation shefelt. But she failed miserably, as another hopeful smile peeked out.
Ryan shook hishead, trying not to give in to her enthusiasm. Still, when he spoke, she couldtell he was starting to buy in.
“Do you want tocall Willoughby or should I?”
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
Jessie decided tomake the phone call.
She figured, andRyan agreed, that it would raise fewer alarm bells if she initiated contactwith Shane Willoughby. She also thought that if they could get theirinformation without bringing up Sinclair’s death, it would simplify things, soshe made no mention of it.
“We’re lookinginto issues related to inappropriate behavior by a local male tutor and wantedyour input,” she explained after introducing herself.
“Oh, that’shorrible,” Willoughby exclaimed. “Who are you investigating?”
“I’m afraid thatI’m not at liberty to reveal that,” Jessie told her.
“I certainlyunderstand but I’m not sure how much help I can offer,” Willoughby said. “Ourtutor is female.”
“Who’s that?”Jessie wondered innocently.
“Her name isDanielle Robertson,” Willoughby replied, “and she’s wonderful.”
“In that case,maybe you could give us the names of her other clients so we can exclude themfrom future calls. I don’t want to upset parents unnecessarily.”
“Sure,” she said,listing off a series of names, all of which Jessie was already familiar with.
“That’s incrediblyhelpful,” she said, before adding nonchalantly. “What about Avery and WillemSinclair? I have them on my call list as well.”
“Oh, you can skipthem too,” Willoughby assured her. “They don’t have a tutor at all, althoughthey might be considering hiring Danielle.”
“What makes yousay that?” Jessie asked, forcing down the rising excitement in her throat.
