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Sharp got up and walked down the hall to the war room He stood in front of the whiteboard “If it wasn’t Voss, then who killed Tessa?”

“The only other suspects are Jacob Emerson and Kevin Murdoch”

“I respect your instincts You and Morgan both have enough experience to knohen you’re being lied to, but we have no evidence to support a case against Kevin except the ti act”

“You’re right” Lance stepped up next to him and pointed to Jacob’s photo “We know he sexually assaulted Tessa back in July It doesn’t seeain When she resisted, he got angry”

“His father says he was home, and the GPS on his cell phone confirms that”

“Either Phillip E or Jacob slipped out of the house without his father knowing Kids do it all the time”

Sharp scanned the board froht Rape shapes the whole dyna he wants and takes it”

“Voss’s violence came from his fear, his paranoia, his delusions”

“He hit his wife,” Sharp said

“Yes But even she said he was moral, that he would never have hurt one of his students Rape is about power It’s aggressive Voss acted defensively, like a cornered animal”

“A rapist has no regard for women Jacob is an entitled little prick who already demonstrated his lack of respect for Tessa when he assaulted her unconscious body” Sharp took Jacob’s photo and moved it to the center of the board “We have no hard evidence that he killed Tessa Yet we both believe that he’s the most likely suspect”

“He was laughing in those pictures He enjoyed hu her”

“Your assessment of his expression is not evidence,” Sharp said “Let’s backtrack Jacob saw Tessa at the party She ith Nick This angered him What if she refused to sleep with him when they dated? The only way he was able to have sex with her was to drug her Yet she was obviously having sex with Nick, giving him what she’d denied Jacob”

Lance picked up the thread of the theory “He snuck out of his house He brought a condoive him but he was entitled to”

“How did he know she would still be at the lake?” Sharp asked

“That I don’t know When he left the party, she was sitting in her car, crying Maybe he just hoped she’d still be there”

“She called his house that night,” Sharp reminded him “Either it was Jacob who took the call or he overheard her conversation with his father We don’t knoas said We only have Phillip Eed to protect his son What about the knife? Do you think he brought it with him to kill her?”

“I don’t know Maybe he brought it to facilitate the rape, then she ry Jacob doesn’t have the best self-control”

Sharp and Lance exchanged a glance

“We can’t prove any of this,” Sharp said

“Nope”

“There’s one person as at that party and not interviewed by the police” Sharp hurried from the room He returned with Janet “No one has seen Jaht, not even her best friend I spent allplaces on Tony’s list I called all her friends, and I’ht Jan of her What if Jamie saw the murder and it scared her so much she left town?”

“It’s a possibility” Lance rubbed the ache at the base of his skull “I’an at the hospital I would love an opportunity to talk to the maid without the family around”

“Watch yourself Phillip E harassment”

Lance shrugged “He’s filed suit against the township We’re private”

“You knohat I mean”

“I do” Lance went to his office to retrieve his keys “What are you doing next?”

“I’ places I’ a few of my retired friends for help They know this town inside and out If Ja to find her”

“I’ll check in when I know so” Lance headed for the door