Wild Secret

her since school. She called that boyfriend of hers, Marshall. He came over to the house that night, and I remember he and I went driving around looking for Skyler. He took me to all the hangouts the kids frequented in those times. We didn't find hide nor hair of her. We must have gone out looking for her every night for the next couple of weeks."
"What are your thoughts about Marshall Noonan?" I asked.
Paul shrugged. "I think he was an okay kid. He had his issues. He got in a little trouble here and there. But hell, we all did at that age. I didn't ever see their relationship as anything long-term for Skyler.”
"You think he could have had some involvement in her disappearance? Deborah mentioned he was the jealous type and didn't seem to control his anger well."
"I know Deborah never much cared for Marshall. But I spent a lot of time with that kid looking for Skyler. If he was faking it, he was a damn good actor ‘cause he was beside himself. Utterly distraught."
"What about Skyler’s friend Tiffany McKnight?”
His brow lifted, and a grin tugged his lips. “Whew! She was a looker. Let me tell you. I'm surprised she didn't go on to become a model or a beauty queen or something like that. That girl developed fast if you know what I mean. I see her every now and then on the TV commercials. Looks like she’s still got it."
"How long did Skyler live here?"
Paul thought for a moment. "Oh, let me see. I think she was 12 or 13 when her dad died. They came to live here for three years or so until she disappeared. I think her mother stayed around another year before she met Victor. I'm kinda hazy on the timeline. It was a long time ago."
“Did Skyler ever talk to you about anything that was bothering her?”
"What do you mean?"
"Problems she was having with other people. Anybody who might have wanted to hurt her?"
"You think this was somebody she knew?"
I shrugged. “It usually is.”
"I always figured she was picked up by some random serial killer. Or maybe some boys lured her into a trap and killed her. I don't want to think about what could have been done to her."
"How was your relationship with her?”
"I think it was good. I mean, kids can be difficult at that age. They start to rebel. I let her mother discipline her, for the most part. Every now and then, I had to lay down the law. It was my home, after all." He sighed. “But she was a good kid. It’s a damn shame. She had so much potential.”
He wiped his eyes as they misted.
“If there’s anything else you can remember about that time...”
“If you really want to know what was going on with her, talk to Tiffany. I’m sure Skyler told her everything.”
“She’s on our list.”
"I'm sure glad you boys are on top of this. Maybe after all these years, Skyler can get some peace."
"I hope so," I said.
I handed him my card. “If you think of anything else…”
He pushed off the armrests to stand.
“Don’t get up,” I said. “We’ll show ourselves out.”
Paul got up anyway and showed us to the door. We strolled the walkway to the Porsche, and Paul watched from the doorway.
We climbed in, and JD cranked up the engine.
Paul smiled and waved as we drove away.

22
I called Tiffany McKnight. She was showing a house in the Platinum Dunes Estates. She said we could stop by and talk after she finished with her client. She'd heard about it on the news and had already spoken with Deborah Locke.
We drove over to the posh neighborhood that was filled with McMansions, oversize SUVs, and exotic sports cars. Lawn crews attended to the landscaping, and a leaf blower buzzed a few doors down from the house Tiffany was showing.
I don't want to say all the homes in the Platinum Dunes Estates looked the same, but they all had a similar design aesthetic and common themes. For several million dollars, you too could live in the lap of luxury.
We pulled to the curb in front of the sprawling estate. There were two cars in the circular driveway. The white Lexus SUV belonging to Tiffany had a magnetic sign with her company logo stuck to the door. Her client drove a black jaguar convertible.
We hopped out of the Porsche and walked up to the front door. JD pushed it open, and we stepped into the foyer. "Hello? Is anybody home?"
His voice echoed off the high walls and vaulted ceilings.
"Deputy Wild?" a voice called from the living room.
“Yes. I’m with Deputy Donovan.”
"Make yourself at home. Feel free to look around. I'll be with you shortly.”
We took the time to wander around, scoping out the luxury home. It was fully staged with contemporary art on the walls and sleek modern furniture. There was travertine tile on the floor. A spiral staircase led up to the second story.
JD and I climbed the steps and scoped out the bedrooms. There were four upstairs in total, plus a living area with a flatscreen display, couch, and game console—a place the kids could make a racket and not disturb the adults downstairs. There was a terrace that overlooked the patio and the pool. Beyond that, the canal was home to yachts, sport boats, and bluewater sailboats. The walls were painted with the standard-issue light beige, and the upstairs was covered with sand-colored carpeting.
It was a nice home, no doubt about it.
We stayed out of the way until Tiffany finished with her client. Their voices echoed as they stepped into the foyer. The two women said their goodbyes as Tiffany escorted her client to the door. As soon as the client was gone, Tiffany congratulated herself, “Yes!"
I figured that was our cue, and we made our way downstairs.
"I take it things went well?"
"I think it's a done deal. I'll fax over the paperwork when I get back to the office."
Tiffany