Lisa, angry, said, “Illegal? Mark isn’t involved in anything illegal. He works with computers.”
Nesbit asked, “Why did he come back to town without telling you?”
Lisa turned pale and whispered, “Oh no, he can’t be.”
Panicked, she said, “I have no idea why he came home early. All I know is he’s not involved in anything illegal.”
Her panic grew.
“Mark could be hurt somewhere. You have to find him.”
Detective Nesbit, more gently, said, “We don’t know anything for sure yet, Mrs. Evans. I need to do things right. All of our officers are looking for your husband. Why don’t you make some coffee while we wait for the warrant?”
His sympathetic tone calmed Lisa, and she began to make coffee. However, she tensed again when he said, “While we have coffee, could you tell me how you spent the last forty-eight hours? We need statements from everyone involved.”
Nesbit waited a few minutes before asking for a preliminary statement. They sat at the kitchen table, drinking coffee while he described the condition of Mark’s car, including the bullet hole and blood.
He said the blood suggested a second bullet shot the body, which was lying on firewood next to the car, and that the bullet was being examined. The car was towed for further inspection, and the medical examiner and forensic scientist were still working on the scene.
Detective David Klein, Nesbit’s partner, arrived with the search warrant and two forensic technicians. They began a thorough search of the Evans home, garage, and car.
Nesbit arranged with Lisa to collect Mark’s razor and toothbrush for DNA comparison. Lisa was so distressed that Nesbit asked her to stay on the couch while they finished the search.
After an hour, they decided to take only Mark’s briefcase, laptop, and DNA samples. The laptop was password-protected.
“Mrs. Evans, do you know your husband’s laptop password?”
Lisa, hopeful to help, said, “It used to be his first and last name and his birth year. Try Mark1971. It should work.”
None of the variations worked.
Nesbit reassured her, “Our technicians will find a way around it.”
The items were stored in the forensic van. Nesbit sat with Lisa to get her statement.
“So, Mrs. Evans, I need some basic information about your whereabouts this weekend. Let’s start with Saturday morning.”
Lisa took a deep breath.
“Saturday morning, I did chores around the house. Mark called from Pittsburgh around 1:00 or 1:30, apologizing for not being home. I went shopping until 4:30, then came home. After dinner, around 7:30, I went to a friend’s house and stayed the night. This morning, I got up late, took my time, and got home around 2:00.”
As she explained, she grew more tense, staring at the floor and clenching her fists. Detective Nesbit finished writing, closed his notebook, and said, “We might need more details later, Mrs. Evans. This is enough for now, but be ready to provide more if needed.”
He pocketed his notepad and pen, then stood up to join the others searching the garage and car.
Before leaving, he asked, “Do you have any recent full-length photos of your husband? A good headshot would also help. We only have his driver’s license photo.”
He walked to the fireplace, glancing at wedding photos. Lisa quickly fetched a photo album.
“Here are some recent photos, Detective. Take your pick.”
They sat together, and Nesbit chose a group photo and a headshot of Mark.
“These will be perfect.”
Lisa handed him the photos, and he asked, “Is the man in the photo a relative? If we need a DNA sample, a family member could help if we can’t use the razor or toothbrush.”
Lisa replied, “No, that’s Blake Moore, Mark’s best friend since elementary school. Mark has no nearby relatives.”
Nesbit thanked her and joined the others in the garage. Lisa, looking on the verge of tears, stayed at the kitchen table.
Nesbit felt sympathy for her. Her husband was missing and possibly involved in a serious incident. The fact that she didn’t know he was in town added to the mystery.
The detectives and forensic experts finished searching the garage and car. They found blood stains on the gas and brake pedals of Lisa’s car, prompting them to tow it for further inspection.
As the technicians packed up, the detectives discussed the case. Nesbit, facing the side door, said to his partner, “What’s your opinion of Mrs. Evans? I have my doubts, especially with the blood in her car.”
His partner replied, “She seemed like a worried wife, but it’s hard to tell right now. We shouldn’t jump to conclusions.”
Nesbit decided, “Let’s see her reaction when we tell her about the blood and towing her car.”
They knocked and entered the kitchen, surprising Lisa, who was on her cell phone. She quickly ended the call.
“You’re back. I thought you were done.”
Nesbit said, “We found blood smears on the pedals of your car. We’re towing it for a thorough inspection. I hope you don’t mind.”
Lisa looked shocked.
“Blood in my car? I didn’t see any blood.”
Nesbit replied, “We need to know how it got there. If it’s related to the park incident, we’ll push for answers. Also, we’ll need the shoes you wore today.”
“I haven’t been to the park in weeks. I don’t understand how there could be blood in my car.”
She handed him her shoes and then slumped into a chair, covering her face and sobbing.
Both detectives realized they needed more information and said goodbye, leaving Lisa slumped on the kitchen chair.
“What do you think, Dave? Is she a worried wife or a good actress? Did you notice she was on the phone and hung up quickly?”
David Klein shook his head.
“I don’t know, Pete. She seems sincere, but if the blood in her car is her husband’s, she could be involved. We should talk to their friends and neighbors. Maybe someone knows something. She was likely talking to her best friend.”
“Yeah, digging around might help. I want to know why he came back early. That could be the key.”