Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78631 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78631 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
JasperThePrivateDick: Either is possible, but no one has found any bodies. The rate of the abductions and the fact they’re getting more frequent suggests this is likely a burgeoning business model rather than a sick thrill. Of course, serial offenders need their high more and more often, so I won’t take that possibility off the table, but it seems awfully organized for one perpetrator. And correct me if I’m wrong, but the curb just outside those double doors is a no-parking zone.
Haisley had never looked herself, but she opened her scan of the mall’s schematics and verified with the satellite footage available online. It led her to one obvious conclusion.
RedHotSavvySleuth: You’re right. That suggests this guy isn’t working alone. The bricked-off area where the dumpsters are housed protects anyone driving on the street west of the mall from seeing whatever’s going on at the curb. The east side isn’t really visible either since the mall curves around. Even the main drag encircling the mall is probably half a football field away. So unless you’re in that specific area—which almost no one is—or you’re looking at those double doors—which, again, why would anyone do that?—then no one would see a victim being dragged out against their will.
JasperThePrivateDick: Precisely. It almost makes me wonder if the mall was designed with this vulnerability.
Was he suggesting her boss had purposefully designed the building as the perfect place for abductions? She didn’t know Mr. Benedict, and she didn’t like him so far, but being gruff hardly made him evil. It also didn’t make him a saint.
RedHotSavvySleuth: I don’t know. That seems like a big leap. I mean, it would still be hard to take someone from that area without anyone hearing. Victims surely screamed… Did your cop contact say anything about witnesses hearing cries for help?
JasperThePrivateDick: No. But I didn’t ask specifically. Our conversation was cut short since he got an urgent call. I’ll add that to my list for what I hope will be our next conversation. You make a good point, though. My guess is that, with road noise and whatnot, it’s a noisy area in general, so any screaming might get drowned out or ignored. And that assumes the victim isn’t being gagged or drugged as she’s being hauled into the offenders’ vehicle.
RedHotSavvySleuth: True. And if I were doing this, I’d use some sort of industrial vehicle that looks like a delivery van or trash truck—something most people would never question.
JasperThePrivateDick: Yes. That would also explain why some of these abductions have been in broad daylight during very busy times, but no one saw anything.
RedHotSavvySleuth: Exactly. Did the cop say he’d talked to any of the regular food-court employees?
JasperThePrivateDick: It’s not actually his case, but he hears things… I’ll add that to my list. I’m sure they have but who or what was asked, I don’t know.
RedHotSavvySleuth: If we could get our hands on that information, it might be really helpful.
They filled the message screen for another ten minutes before realizing they’d hit something of a dead end with the information they currently shared. Questions had few or no answers, and they could speculate themselves in circles, but that helped no one, least of all those poor women who had been abducted and had now been missing anywhere from eighteen months to ten days.
JasperThePrivateDick: I wish we knew more.
RedHotSavvySleuth: Me, too. I feel helpless. I really want to drive out there and poke around. They don’t close for another couple of hours. Maybe I can find some security guards or restaurant employees to ask our questions.
JasperThePrivateDick: No! It’s too dangerous. For all we know, the assailants are watching and waiting for either another opportunity or anyone who could thwart them. I’ve gathered from your profile that you’re female, and I’m going to guess that you fit into the victims’ age range. Am I right, Red?
RedHotSavvySleuth: Yes, but I can take care of myself.
JasperThePrivateDick: Do you think there’s ever been a victim of such a crime who didn’t feel the same way?
RedHotSavvySleuth: Point taken. You sound a lot like my ex. He forbade me to do anything even slightly dangerous.
JasperThePrivateDick: I don’t know if I like being lumped in with someone stupid enough to let you get away. And before you read that as any sort of flirtation, I promise you my heart is too broken to pursue anyone else. You don’t have to worry about me. I’m here to fill my time, and if I find a friend…I’m happy about that. If we just solve a case, I’ll be happy about that, too. All that said, I think your ex might be onto something. Besides, you may only get one opportunity to interview these people. You want to do it when you have enough facts to ask the right questions. Not on a Monday night when you’ll be rushed and you’re still grappling to understand what’s going on. Not to mention the fact you don’t know whether they’re working today. Or hell, if they’re working there anymore at all.