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fourteen years, I checked the note against the others my predecessor had saved. They matched.”
    “Did you call the inspectors to help?” Owen asked.
    “No. I set up a smaller search party. By nightfall, I sent everyone home with the intent to go back the next day. Which we did, only I knew we weren’t going to find the kid.”
    “How?” Rachel asked.
    The sheriff withdrew a file folder from his desk, then handed Rachel a photo. Her eyes grew wide, then she handed the four by six glossy to Owen. He stared at the decomposing body of a Caucasian male, who had likely been in his late teens, or early twenties, then looked to Jake.  
    “I found that in my mailbox the night we did the initial search. Except the two inspectors I worked with on the prank, I’ve never shown anyone that photo,” the sheriff said, and gave a yellowing piece of paper to Rachel. “Or the note that came with it.”  
    Rachel read the note out loud. “Quit wasting tax dollars. The pledge didn’t survive Hell Week.” She handed the paper back to the sheriff. “Do you know if the killer contacted the previous sheriff?”
    “Not that I’m aware, and I’ve never been contacted since.”
    “What did the inspectors say about this?” she asked.
    “That it could be another hoax, and the picture photoshopped. That’s why they didn’t want me showing the photo to the victim’s parents. Plus, there wasn’t one shred of evidence the kid hadn’t disappeared on his own. I couldn’t find his wallet, passport, cell phone, or laptop. And, according to his roommate, the kid’s gym bag and some of his clothes were missing. I did call the phone company and asked them to see if they could “ping” his cell phone. They didn’t find anything.” The sheriff placed the note and photo back in the folder. “I did the same thing three years ago when another kid went missing. Set up a search party, looked through the missing boy’s dorm room, contacted the phone company.” He released a deep sigh. “I informed the State Police, but the inspector I spoke with told me to call him when I either have a body, or some evidence to work with…apparently the Hell Week note and all the other missing kids wasn’t evidence enough.”
    “Except now you have a witness,” Rachel said.
    “Sean’s doctor called me when your brother woke up, but that was about an hour before you were scheduled to arrive. I was at the university and the doctor said Sean wasn’t lucid at that point,” Jake said. “I apologize. I should have asked how he was doing.”
    “He’s better than I expected.”
    “Were you able to talk to him?”
    “Yes, but he doesn’t remember anything. Owen and I are thinking that Sean and Josh may have been drugged. Sean’s doctor is having his blood screened for Rohypnol. My brother said the last thing he remembers is eating pizza and drinking Mountain Dew. He also remembered leaving the dorms, then from there, everything’s black.”
    “I’ve been in their dorm room,” Jake began. “I did find a pizza box, but no bottles of any kind of soda. Empty or full.”
    “We’re still going to want to check my brother’s room. I’d also like to have a list of everyone you’ve interviewed.”
    Used to taking the lead during an investigation, but impressed with how Rachel handled the sheriff, Owen leaned into the metal chair and kept his mouth shut. For now. He’d sworn he had seen a flash of disappointment in her eyes when Ian had informed her that he would be helping her in Bola. Her desire to work in the field was no secret. While he honestly believed her talents lay with her computer skills, he didn’t want to see her fail. There might come a time when he, or any member of the CORE team, might need her in the field, and she needed the experience.  
    Jake gave her another manila envelope. “This is everything I have regarding the Josh Conway investigation. I’ve talked with the RA, campus security, other kids from the dorms, kids from