I tried deep breaths to calm myself as the others strained to listen. "When did it happen? Can we go back and see it?"
"That's a problem. With the spooks watching me, I'm out of the loop. When Brenda went missing, no one filled in the dots. She left work on a Thursday and no one heard word one. Her body was found on the Iowa bank of the Mississippi ten days later. It had been there for days."
"How could he find her?" Betsy held my hand, sensing the fear in my voice as I spoke.
"The guy is smart and does his homework. Basically, it started with a screw up. A radio station did a piece on the tip center and requested an interview with someone who answered the phones. Her boss picked Brenda at random. The conversation was innocuous and she wasn't identified by name. She wouldn't give any real information because of the center's pledge of anonymity. Then the host caught her off guard when the conversation segued to the Psychic Tipster. I guess she stammered a bit. She held firm and didn't reveal anything but she was hesitant to lie directly. Her stammering made it obvious she'd taken at least some of the calls. It was all over the Internet and the million dollar reward people started calling. Our man must have spent some time digging."
"How did the call center respond to the flood of interest?"
"About as you'd guess. They buttoned up and wouldn't reveal beans. Brenda was given a few days off and the dust settled."
"Wasn't her boss suspicious when she went missing?"
"The radio bit was some weeks earlier and he felt the hub-bub had blown over. I'm not sure he was aware the show received such widespread attention."
"Did the press make the connection with her death and her position at the call center?" I asked.
"If they didn't, they will."
"How are the other people who answer the tip lines taking it? I would think if they see the connection they might be leery of taking our calls."
"You hit the nail again. One more problem you don't need. I've put a bee in the right bonnet with a suggestion to set up a separate location to exclusively handle your tips. I won't even know where it is. I know they learned a lesson to refrain from touting their operation."
"Is Brenda Washington's murder being investigated as tied to the death of Rupert Youngblood in California and the deputy sheriff in Alabama?"
"I can't say for sure because I'm on the outside, trying to look in and trying not to get caught, but they've pulled the curtain closed on me. I'd have to believe someone is smart enough to tie those crimes all together. At least I hope they are."