Free Delusions With Murder: A Rilynne Evans Mystery by Jenn Vakey Page A

the original owners, or homes that have been passed down through family members.”
    “Well, keep looking.  It’s a long shot, but we don’t really have any other leads right now.  Let me know if you come up with anything,” he said solemnly.  “How long until the background checks are in on the two homes that refuse voluntary inspection?”
    “Matthews is working on them now.  My gut says they aren’t involved, though.  The first one has renters in their early twenties, and judging on the faint smell when they opened the door, I would say it’s more likely that marijuana plants rather than our missing victim occupy the basement.  The other was a very lonely looking man who seemed to be a bit of a conspiracy nut.  He asked if we were planning to bug his phones if he let us in.”  Rilynne almost laughed at the look Detective Wilcome shot her.  It was the first time she had seen him crack a smile since her arrival.
    “Every city has their weirdos,” he said under his breath as he threw his head back and closed his eyes.  “Call and check in on the family interviews and see if they are getting anywhere.”
    Although they were on their second day of in depth interviews with the family and friends of the victims, they had made little progress.  There was still nothing all the victims seemed to have in common.  “We are missing something,” Rilynne said and she dropped the phone back onto the receiver.  “Something has been nagging me for weeks, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.” 
    She dragged her fingers through her hair and closed her eyes.  It was right there; she knew the link between the victims was just within reach.  It wasn’t a location they frequented, as the fifth victim had only been in town two days.  The few places he did manage to visit before his abduction had no ties to any other victim.  What was she missing?
    “Evans.”  She did not realize until she opened her eyes to find the sun no longer pouring in through the open window, that she had actually dozed off in her seat.  “Run down to lab and see if there are any other tests they can run on the fiber found on the first victim.  Then go home.  Be back at seven tomorrow to start going through the lists of houses in the woods.”
    *     *     *
    “Busy day?” Rilynne leaned against the doorframe, taking in the site ahead of her.  Ben was leaning over the table across the room with his eyes pressed against a large microscope.  Judging by his failure to turn around, or stop shaking his hips from side to side, he had not heard her.  Perhaps it was his general hesitant demeanor, but she would not have been able to picture him dancing to music in a lab by himself if she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes.  It was an interesting sight, and she couldn’t help but allow her eyes to wonder.  She didn’t know how, in all the time they had spent together lately, she had not noticed that Ben had a very nice body.
    It was a couple minutes before he spun around and saw Rilynne watching him.  He dropped the file that was in his hand, and his ears looked like they were on fire. 
    “How long have you been standing there?” he asked as he stooped down to pick up the file.
    “Long enough.  So, where did you learn this move?” she chortled as she imitated the spin he had just performed.  The embarrassment on Ben’s face only made her chuckle more.
    “What can I help you with, detective?” he quickly changed the subject.
    He reached back to place the file on the table behind him, but dropped it on the floor again.  Rilynne crossed the room to help him pick it up this time.
    “Detective Wilcome wants to know if there are any other tests that can be run on the carpet fiber found on the first victim.”
    He placed the file on the table and walked over to the computer.  “Let’s see,” he said, pulling up the reports on the fiber.  “It’s a gray automotive carpet fiber.  Unfortunately, we cannot limit