LUKE AND WOODY arrived back in San Luis Obispo about three in the afternoon. Abby wasn’t at the hotel, and Luke puzzled about where she might be. She didn’t leave a note of any kind. He sent her a text telling her they were at the hotel and did not get an answer right away.
“She might be out of range somewhere,” Woody said.
“By herself? I hope not.” He powered up his laptop and rechecked his e-mail. Nothing. Anxious, he checked his spam folder and found a message there from Abby. She’d sent it Saturday and there was a link attached to a large file, so he guessed that was why it was weeded out to spam. He clicked on the link and saw a copied newspaper article. They had a portable printer with them, so he printed it out.
The article was from a Templeton newspaper and it was dated May 1969, around the time of Alyssa’s high school days. Obviously Abby and Gunther had dug up something.
Local Girl Found Dead
The search for Sheryl Shepherd ended in tragedy yesterday when the 17-year-old high school cheerleader’s body was found in a dry well. She’d left home two weeks ago, telling her mother she was meeting with friends. When she didn’t return home that night, her parents called the sheriff’s office. A search began almost immediately when it was learned that she never met with her friends. High school classmates joined the local search and rescue to no avail.
A local farmer rounding up his cattle checked out the location of the well when he saw buzzards circling. It’s not known why Sheryl was in the vicinity of the well, but it does appear as if this was a tragic accident. There is no sign of foul play. The theory is that Sheryl fell into the well and was not able to climb out.
Police believe that Sheryl most likely succumbed to the elements. Funeral services are pending a routine autopsy. Her parents request in lieu of flowers donations be made to the local Salvation Army.
Abby had not written any explanation for the story, and Luke wondered why she’d sent it.
He checked his phone, but she’d still not responded to his text.
“I’m worried too,” Woody said.
“You can tell I’m worried?”
“Like there’s a neon sign over your head.”
“It just seems like she would have left a note or at least sent a text.” All Luke could see in his head was the maniacal look in Victoria Napier’s eyes. Was Abby becoming so wrapped up with the Triple Seven again that she did something unsafe?
As if on cue his phone chirped with a text.