Chapter 4

“What have we got on the vic?” asked the Sheriff.
 Linda had returned to the small frame building which housed the Sheriffʼs department, an outer office with desks for Sheila, Brad and Nikki, a cramped private office to one side for Linda, which she seldom used, and two jail cells.

“I checked both the high school and vocational school and there were only four girls absent today, but none match the description of the victim,” volunteered the young and enthusiastic twenty-four year old deputy, looking up from bright, glistening chocolate colored eyes. Nikki Sanchez, possessed of short coal black hair and dark complected skin characteristic of her Mexican heritage was considered by many to be the cutest girl in the small town of Lawton, Montana. Her face, soft with pert upturned nose and slightly pouty lips, reminded one of the proverbial cheerleader that every boy in school wished to ask out. A trim figure and bubbly personality made her a real catch, but while she had done her share of dating she remained firmly unattached and never progressed beyond a good night kiss.