“Because of the tribute?”
“Because of the Mellin story itself.”
“What’s the matter with it?”
“Vital aspects of it are just plain untrue.”
“How do you know?”
Just in time, she stopped herself from naming John as her source. “The misrepresentations of the truth about that case that I’d come to suspect have been corroborated by individuals close to it. Trust me when I tell you that the story we produced is far from factual, and if it’s broadcast as is, Brady will never work again in this industry. He wanted top billing in the credits. Well, he’s got it. But he’ll rue the day. First, he’ll be a laughingstock, and then he’ll be a leper.”
Richard didn’t respond. Today of all days, she didn’t have the patience to deal with one of his sullen spells. “What, Richard? Talk to me.”
He cleared his throat. “I’ve, uh, heard through the grapevine that not only is Brady dedicating that episode to Mr. Longren, he’s giving him credit as executive producer. He had done the heavy lifting on it and would have signed off on it if he hadn’t suffered that medical emergency. Brady thought it only fair to give him top billing.”
“Oh my God,” she groaned. “This is a disaster. That episode is a falsehood. If it’s credited to Max, his reputation will be shredded. Posthumously, yes, but his legacy will be permanently tarnished.”
Unseeing, she stared at the Christmas cards dangling from the string tacked to the opposite wall, tapping her forehead with her thumb knuckle in the hope of dislodging from her mind a way to prevent this catastrophe. There was only one.
“Richard, I can’t let this happen. You have got to convince Brady to talk to me.”
“Me?” he screeched. “I hold no sway over Winston Brady. He probably doesn’t even know I exist.”
“Tell him it’s an emergency.”
“I—”
“Better yet, tell him his career is on the line. That should get his attention.”
“Beth—”
“Swear that I’m doing him an enormous favor for which he’ll thank me later.”
“Beth!”
“Plead, bargain, lie, whatever it takes. And don’t tarry. Go to his office right now.”
“Beth!”
“What?”
“Something that hasn’t occurred to you is that… that if the episode airs, and if it’s as untrue as you say, your reputation will be shredded, too. Brady generously added your name to the credits as associate producer.”
“Are you free?” John asked as soon as Gayle Morris answered.
“Not for long.”
He’d saved her for last after having spoken with Roberts and Cougar. The result of those conversations was mixed. From the start, Cougar had been lukewarm at best on the moon having anything to do with their young woman’s disappearance.
The new information John gave him on numerology and his speculation about a secret society on the dark web had made the other investigator even more leery. But he’d grudgingly agreed to look back through his files and see if they might have overlooked a weirdo who had a thing going with a moon goddess.
John really couldn’t blame the guy for his sarcasm.
Roberts in Jackson was a bit more receptive. After listening to John’s spiel, he told him he remembered a guy they’d questioned because he’d been acquainted with their victim and had a prior arrest for exposing himself. “During questioning, he admitted to routinely visiting porn sites on the dark web. ‘Routinely’ turned out to be three times a day.”
“You cleared him?”
“His wife provided him with an alibi for the night Anna was taken. But in light of what you’ve told me, I’ll follow up on him and get back to you when and if I have something.”
“Might be wise to have someone watching him tomorrow night.”
“For sure.”
John had thanked him and, now, he was lucky enough to find Gayle Morris with a few free minutes. “I’m short on time, too, but I wanted to bounce this off of you. It comes with a warning. It’s going to sound crazy and like I’m losing it, or am already around the bend.”
“I wish I still smoked,” she sighed. “Go ahead.”
“Numerology.”
“Oh, hell, that’s dense.”
“Very, and I’m skimming the surface.” He told her about Victor Wallace and gave her a rudimentary lesson on how the system worked. “All four girls have double letters in their names. The professor said that would arouse a numerologist’s interest.”
“You think that’s the common thread we’ve been looking for?”
“I don’t rule it out. Neither does Beth.”