Mission: Without a Trace - Nicole Edwards Page 0,57
a quick pass through the recreational areas. Fitness center, pool, club house, media room, community grill, and outdoor congregation area. No signs of her or that she’d been around recently.
“Holy shit, this place makes mine look like the projects,” Reese muttered.
“Your apartment’s nice,” he argued.
“This is nice. Mine’s simply shelter.”
On their way back to the truck, Brantley followed Reese when he stopped at the leasing office, approached the guy reclining at the desk.
“Question for ya,” Reese told the man. “Have you seen Corinne Greenwood around today? She lives in 3810.”
The man sat up straight, smiled. “No, sir. But I saw her yesterday. Stopped in to secure one of the cabanas for later in the week. Something wrong?”
“What time did you see her?”
“I work eight to five,” he mused. “I’d been here a couple of hours, I figure. Maybe ten or eleven. Close to lunch, I think.”
Reese nodded, clearly ignoring the man’s previous question. “Thanks. If you happen to see her, would you have her give her brother a call?”
“That you?” the man inquired.
“No. We’re just friends.”
The guy scribbled down the note. “Of course.”
Leading the way, Brantley exited the building the way they’d come.
“A lot of security cameras in there,” he noted.
“In the lobby, anyway. I only saw a couple on the floors we were on.”
But it was something. Worst case, they’d get the apartment complex to provide the footage.
He was pulling out of the parking garage when his phone rang. He hit the button on the steering wheel to take the call through Bluetooth.
“Tell me you’ve got somethin’, JJ.”
“Unless you consider me freakin’ out a bunch of society princesses, no. Unfortunately. Three of the girls on the list went out with her last night, said she left the Grove in an Uber around one. She was headin’ home, they claim.”
“Any of the others see her recently? Maybe before last night? Mention if she had a boyfriend?”
“One of the girls … Michelle Breeland. She said she saw Cori a week ago. According to her, they get together to have coffee a couple of times a week. Michelle’s been out of town on vacation, but she did mention Cori’d recently started talking about some guy.”
“She say who?”
“Nope. But I’ve got an address for her. I told her you might wanna ask some questions.”
“Great. Shoot it over. We’ll stop by, see if we can get more details.”
“Will do. And Brantley?”
“Hmm?”
“Let me know when you hear somethin’, would ya? Also hit me up if I can help with anything else.”
“Sure thing. Thanks for this, JJ. Appreciate it.”
When the text came in, Reese programed the address in the navigation. Getting a bead on where they were going, Brantley headed west and did his best to ignore the concern roiling in his gut.
***
Michelle Breeland lived in a quaint little neighborhood just west of downtown Austin. Prime location for the young and hip, those who preferred to walk to and from the variety of eclectic shops that dotted the landscape. The street she lived on was quiet, or appeared that way. No cars parked at the curb, each house well-manicured, looking as though they’d been spruced up at least once in the past decade.
Granted, Reese wasn’t much on the Austin scene. He preferred small towns to big cities, hence the reason he’d opted to stay in Coyote Ridge versus follow his parents and siblings up to Dallas.
“There it is,” Reese called out. “Blue house, white shutters.”
Brantley pulled the truck over to the curb, parked, both of them staring up at the house.
“Either she’s got two rides or she’s got company,” he noted before getting out of the truck.
Reese waited for Brantley to join him, wondering exactly how this woman would react to the two of them crowding her front porch. Because of their sizes, they weren’t the unassuming sort. Because he didn’t want to freak out a woman who might live alone, Reese opted to hang back, remaining at the bottom of the steps while Brantley knocked on the door.
It took a minute before he heard the sound of locks disengaging. The door opened and a brunette appeared, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, workout leggings and a sparkly sports bra giving the clue she might’ve come from the gym. Then again, it could’ve been her relaxing-on-the-weekend attire, Reese didn’t know. Didn’t really care, either.
“Michelle Breeland?” Brantley asked, holding up his badge for her to see.
“Yes?”
“You spoke with JJ earlier? She’s a friend of ours.”
“Oh, yes,” Michelle said, eyes widening. “Please. Come in.”