Page 113 of Lion’s Den

“Connections,” Dario said. “Start from the beginning and look for connections.”

“And locations,” Cam murmured. “What locations connect them all?”

“Start talking out loud. We’ll think through everything together. You said we missed something. Let’s find it and go get your woman. She’s counting on us to find her.”

Cam took a moment to pull his thoughts together, then described meeting Julio and the horrible bus ride to the zoo. He stopped, frowning.

“What?” Dario glanced at him. “Don’t keep it to yourself. No matter how crazy the idea is, let’s hear it.”

“During one of our conversations, Julio told me that his brother was trying to help their mother with the bills.”

“That’s good. He’s old enough to get a job.”

“Yeah, that’s the thing. He’s not working at any job that I can find.”

“An illegal one, then.”

“Maybe.”

Dario snorted. “Come on. How else is a teenager with attitude going to get a job? I can’t see him washing dishes at some hole-in-the-wall restaurant. Can you?”

“No,” he said, drawing the word out as he tried to piece together what he’d heard and what he observed about Eddie. “His mother is working at a diner.” Cam paused for a couple of beats, then said, “I need to check a few things.”

“Go for it. I’ll be fine.”

Taking his teammate at his word, Cam grabbed his laptop from his Go bag, booted up, and started investigating. He compared his list of things and people in common between Sedona, and the Ramirez family.

For a few minutes, he scoured social media, adding an item now and again. Twenty minutes later, he tilted his head back and growled, frustration getting the best of him. “I’ve got zip. There should be something here, Dario. I know there is, but I can’t find it.”

“Read me what you have.”

Cam rattled off the few things the four people on his list had in common. “See?” He motioned to the computer. “Nothing.”

“You forgot one.”

“Help a guy out and tell me, for goodness’ sake.”

“Did Simpson make a try for Emily, Julio and Eddie’s sister?”

Cam stared at his friend, stunned at missing something so obvious. “No.” He frowned. “Why not? He could have targeted her either going to school or coming home, but he didn’t. Sedona doesn’t have Emily in her class. There might not be a connection since she’s not in Sedona’s class.”

Dario shook his head. “That’s thin. Let’s go back to Julio for a minute. Is he in different school clubs than his sister? Perhaps this connection is more about their interests than their classes.”

“Maybe. Sedona told David that Julio loves to stay after school with her and do things to help her out.”

“Like?”

“Picking up trash around the room that students didn’t bother to take to the garbage can, erasing the board, straightening desks, and putting upside-down chairs on the desks. Once he’s finished with what he can do to help her, Julio walks home if it’s still light out. If not, he calls Eddie for a ride.” His hand fisted.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t like Julio walking home alone.”

“Even in daylight?”

“We’re heavily patrolling that area of Maple Valley. There’s been a serious uptick in drug overdoses, burglaries, and assaults in the last six months.”

“Do you know who’s behind them?”