Fair Game by Josh Lanyon Read Free Book Online Page A

kind of young man who takes off at the drop of a hat, but his aunt seems to believe that his absence is different this time and we must respect that.”
    “Gordie…?”
    “Lyle. He’s a junior, but this is his first year at PSU. He transferred in from Cornish. He’d had some trouble there.”
    Elliot reached for his cup again. “What kind of trouble?”
    “Brawling with other students.” Charlotte hesitated. “He threatened an instructor. We haven’t had any problems with him so far, and to be honest, if his aunt hadn’t gone to the authorities, I would have preferred to let Gordie return to us in his own time.”
    “Are you aware of any connection between Terry and Gordie?”
    “No. It seems unlikely. They appear to be very different types of young men. They were in completely different fields of study.”
    “You don’t think their disappearances are related?”
    “I don’t, no. Well, to be strictly honest, I don’t know. But it could very easily be a coincidence, don’t you think?”
    “Like you, I don’t know.” Elliot finished his coffee and put the cup on the silver tray covering half the coffee table.
    “But it is possible?”
    “Are you asking my professional opinion? I don’t want to offer it when I don’t know the circumstances of Lyle’s disappearance.”
    Charlotte grimaced. “Since Ms. Lyle has seen fit to drag the police into this, it’s only a matter of time before the media gets wind. Once the news breaks that we’ve had two boys reported missing within a month, it’s going to be all but impossible to keep the university out of it.”
    “I’m afraid you’re right about that.” Elliot recognized her position, but he couldn’t fault concerned family members for going to the police.
    “Given your previous experience with the FBI, I was hoping that you might be able to…shed some insight into what we can expect.”
    “Well…” Elliot’s smile was rueful. “It depends on how seriously the police take the aunt’s story. And whether the FBI concludes the cases are connected.”
    Charlotte physically recoiled. “The FBI? ”
    It was time to come clean. “This is one of those weird coincidences you have in law enforcement,” Elliot told her. “It turns out the Bakers are friends of my dad’s. He recommended they talk to me, and the upshot is, I’ve already agreed to look into Terry’s disappearance. I haven’t done much beyond talk to the special agent in charge of their case at the Bureau, but I can put you in contact with him. In fact, I’d strongly recommend communicating this new information.”
    Charlotte said urgently, “But we don’t want the FBI involved.”
    “They’re already involved.”
    “Oh my God. ” Charlotte gazed unhappily out the window at the sunlit rose garden. “I had no idea the Bakers went to the FBI. We’ve heard nothing.”
    Not good. Another indication that Tucker had basically written Terry off as a runaway. Well, he always had been one for snap judgments.
    Yet, ironically, he heard himself defending the lack of progress. “The Bureau is investigating, but there are contradictory indications. Terry might have left school voluntarily.”
    “Of course he did. Why would anyone assume there has been a crime? There are so many other possibilities.”
    Elliot recognized the inevitable signs of wanting to bargain with bad news. “It’s possible this second boy’s disappearance is a coincidence. I don’t know the circumstances obviously, but instinct tells me a second runaway in such a short time span is kind of unlikely. Still, I’ve seen weirder things. Either way, you can best control the spin by taking the initiative and going to the Bureau rather than waiting for them to come to you.”
    Charlotte reached absently for a ladyfinger cookie. As she nibbled, she brooded. “Did you say you know the agent in charge of Terry Baker’s case?”
    “Special Agent Lance? I’ve worked with him before.”
    “And is