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Authors: Rayven T. Hill
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dropping her eyes. “I’m afraid he’s guilty.” She paused a moment, then looked up and added quickly, earnestly, her voice shaking, “But he didn’t do it on purpose. Never. Never.”
Annie spoke softly. “Do you know where Adam is, Mrs. Thorburn?”
She shook her head. “I have no idea.”
“Does he go away often?”
“No. But after last night …” Her voice trailed off and she took an uneasy breath. “If he remembers what he did, he might not come back.”
“Could he be at a friend’s house?” Jake asked.
She shook her head slowly. “He has no friends.”
Annie leaned in and touched the woman’s trembling hand. “Any relatives?”
“Not in this part of the country. Maybe out East. I don’t know. My husband never mentioned any family.”
“Where’s your husband?” Annie asked.
Mrs. Thorburn’s mascara ran as a few tears escaped her downcast eyes. “Died. Almost a year ago. Left me with this place and Adam.”
“I’m sorry.”
Mrs. Thorburn plucked a tissue from a box on the table and dabbed at the tears, smearing her makeup. She took a shaky breath and looked away. “He wasn’t much good anyway.”
Jake studied the distraught woman. She looked like she’d lived a rough life. She’d lost her husband and would soon lose her son. And with no family to turn to, things could only get worse.
Mrs. Thorburn looked back and forth between Jake and Annie. “Adam’s an honest boy. If he’s convinced he’s guilty, he might turn himself in eventually. The only thing is …” Her voice trailed off, her lower lip quivering.
Annie spoke soothingly. “Yes?”
The woman pulled her hand back and dropped it into her lap, clasping her hands together. “I might never see him again. He’s actually quite timid, and he would be afraid to go to prison.”
Jake leaned forward. “Then we have to find him as soon as possible.”
Mrs. Thorburn lit another cigarette and took a couple of long drags. It seemed to calm her and she leaned in. “It might be best to leave him be. Let him make up his own mind what to do.” She dabbed at her eyes. “I’m sure he’ll do the right thing. I only want him to be safe.”
“So do we, Mrs. Thorburn,” Annie said. “So do we.”
Chapter 14
Tuesday, 3:44 p.m.
HANK RECEIVED a call from lead crime scene investigator Rod Jameson. The final report on the murder of Nina White was ready and waiting on Hank’s desk.
He had been interviewing neighbors of the Thorburns at the time of the call—necessary and tedious work that had to be done. Often it turned up a lead, but today he’d received little information about Adam Thorburn. Few in the neighborhood knew him all that well. He was described as a quiet boy, and seemed to be a loner.
In addition to issuing the BOLO on Thorburn, Hank had officers canvassing the entire neighborhood. Houses in all directions were being visited in the hopes someone either had seen Adam Thorburn or could supply information as to his whereabouts. To this point, no one could furnish a lead, and many didn’t know the boy or the Thorburns.
It didn’t look promising.
He returned to the precinct, went to his desk and sat, pulling in his chair. He picked up the forensics report and browsed the paperwork. After thoroughly examining the evidence and accompanying photographs, Hank saw no surprises in the conclusions drawn by the investigators. Their work served to confirm Hank’s assumptions about what had gone on in the parking lot late last evening.
The impounded vehicle had been inspected, and the report concluded the tire track found at the scene of the murder was from the same car. Furthermore, the lab ascertained the blood found between the treads of the tire was of the same group as Nina White’s blood.
The paint from the vehicle was also compared to chips found on Nina White’s car, and along with photos, they concluded the damage was caused by the vehicle in question. A search of
Annie spoke softly. “Do you know where Adam is, Mrs. Thorburn?”
She shook her head. “I have no idea.”
“Does he go away often?”
“No. But after last night …” Her voice trailed off and she took an uneasy breath. “If he remembers what he did, he might not come back.”
“Could he be at a friend’s house?” Jake asked.
She shook her head slowly. “He has no friends.”
Annie leaned in and touched the woman’s trembling hand. “Any relatives?”
“Not in this part of the country. Maybe out East. I don’t know. My husband never mentioned any family.”
“Where’s your husband?” Annie asked.
Mrs. Thorburn’s mascara ran as a few tears escaped her downcast eyes. “Died. Almost a year ago. Left me with this place and Adam.”
“I’m sorry.”
Mrs. Thorburn plucked a tissue from a box on the table and dabbed at the tears, smearing her makeup. She took a shaky breath and looked away. “He wasn’t much good anyway.”
Jake studied the distraught woman. She looked like she’d lived a rough life. She’d lost her husband and would soon lose her son. And with no family to turn to, things could only get worse.
Mrs. Thorburn looked back and forth between Jake and Annie. “Adam’s an honest boy. If he’s convinced he’s guilty, he might turn himself in eventually. The only thing is …” Her voice trailed off, her lower lip quivering.
Annie spoke soothingly. “Yes?”
The woman pulled her hand back and dropped it into her lap, clasping her hands together. “I might never see him again. He’s actually quite timid, and he would be afraid to go to prison.”
Jake leaned forward. “Then we have to find him as soon as possible.”
Mrs. Thorburn lit another cigarette and took a couple of long drags. It seemed to calm her and she leaned in. “It might be best to leave him be. Let him make up his own mind what to do.” She dabbed at her eyes. “I’m sure he’ll do the right thing. I only want him to be safe.”
“So do we, Mrs. Thorburn,” Annie said. “So do we.”
Chapter 14
Tuesday, 3:44 p.m.
HANK RECEIVED a call from lead crime scene investigator Rod Jameson. The final report on the murder of Nina White was ready and waiting on Hank’s desk.
He had been interviewing neighbors of the Thorburns at the time of the call—necessary and tedious work that had to be done. Often it turned up a lead, but today he’d received little information about Adam Thorburn. Few in the neighborhood knew him all that well. He was described as a quiet boy, and seemed to be a loner.
In addition to issuing the BOLO on Thorburn, Hank had officers canvassing the entire neighborhood. Houses in all directions were being visited in the hopes someone either had seen Adam Thorburn or could supply information as to his whereabouts. To this point, no one could furnish a lead, and many didn’t know the boy or the Thorburns.
It didn’t look promising.
He returned to the precinct, went to his desk and sat, pulling in his chair. He picked up the forensics report and browsed the paperwork. After thoroughly examining the evidence and accompanying photographs, Hank saw no surprises in the conclusions drawn by the investigators. Their work served to confirm Hank’s assumptions about what had gone on in the parking lot late last evening.
The impounded vehicle had been inspected, and the report concluded the tire track found at the scene of the murder was from the same car. Furthermore, the lab ascertained the blood found between the treads of the tire was of the same group as Nina White’s blood.
The paint from the vehicle was also compared to chips found on Nina White’s car, and along with photos, they concluded the damage was caused by the vehicle in question. A search of
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