"Oh, is that so?" May asked.
"Yes. Jenna was supposed to be on the plane with him, but she got caught in traffic and couldn't make the flight. He told me she received an insurance payout and compensation from the airline, and she was taking a break from work and studying online classes through the Tamarack County College, but he wasn’t sure what they were."
"I can fill in that gap," May said. "She was studying environmental science. She seems to have known about plants, companion planting, and gardening in general, so that's definitely what she was passionate about."
Owen tapped his fingers on the dash thoughtfully.
"Wasn't Hayley also passionate about the environment? I remember Tim saying she'd recently become very aware and interested in it, and that she was doing some kind of a course. It sounded more like a short course, but she was definitely studying something. That was why she and Tim ended up having problems. So would that be a common thread, May?"
"Yes. It feels like it might be.” May felt a flare of excitement that they might just have found what they needed. “Hayley’s ideas already caused a break-up with her boyfriend. Perhaps there were more problems, and the new ideas created other issues with people. Perhaps they both came into contact with the same person, someone who opposed their stance on the environment.”
“I guess in a traditional community like this, unconventional views on the environment might not go down well," Owen theorized.
"Maybe we should start at the college. If it offers a degree in environmental science, they might offer shorter courses as well and have dealt with both women. And they might know more about people in the community who had a problem with their teachings."
May was sure that if the classes had made waves within the community, the people in charge would know. If they had received complaints, threats, or negative feedback, surely the course organizers would know where these originated from.
"Yes. Speaking to that lecturer or professor would give us a starting point, and maybe even also a lead," Owen said.
May nodded. The decision was made, then. Their next stop would be the Tamarack County College, where they would learn if the environmental science degree had caused any waves within the community, or made Jenna and Hayley any enemies among the locals.
CHAPTER NINE
Owen was surprised to see the improvements in the Tamarack County College, as he and May arrived there. He hoped that at this college, they would get the lead they needed to connect the two murdered women.
Since both had been involved in environmental issues, which could have been controversial or even unacceptable to someone in the community, there was a good chance of this.
The college had undergone a gradual expansion over the last few years, and now it was a community hub, offering a range of courses and subjects, including engineering, art and design, and environmental science. The campus was a peaceful place, small compared to the major universities, with tall trees and well-groomed grounds and gardens, although there were now a few more buildings than Owen remembered.
It had been more than ten years since he'd last attended some classes here to prepare for his accounting degree which he'd done at the University of Minnesota.
He'd then worked in the accounting field for close to a decade, before deciding that he needed a change and was going to follow his heart to become a community police officer. Now, at the age of thirty-one, he didn't regret that decision at all.
Working for the police was exciting. It was an adventure. Owen had a strong feeling that he could make a difference to society on every one of his working days.
And of course, there was the fact that he was falling head over heels for May Moore, his investigation partner. He remembered that date, his heart beating faster as he thought of the kiss at the end of it.
But then, he quickly stopped the direction his thoughts were heading in. They were on a murder investigation and had farmore serious issues to confront. It was time to find out whether their passion for the environment was the reason why these two women had been killed.
He felt his pulse quicken as he walked through the glass doors and into the college.There, he followed May to the reception desk, where a young woman with red hair and a smart blue top was in attendance.
"Good afternoon," she said brightly. "How can I help you?"
"We're here looking for some information in connection with the recent murders," May said politely. Owen watched the woman's face change. People always changed their expression when they realized that police business had landed on their doorstep.
"Murder? Sure, I — er — what can I do for you?" the woman stammered out.
"We are looking to speak to the person who heads up the Environmental Science Department," May said. "We understand that Jenna Brand, who was recently murdered, had signed up for online classes here. And we were wondering if Hayley Meakin might also have studied a course recently?"
"Oh, yes. So you need course information, or what?" Owen could see that this information had thrown the poor receptionist into a tailspin.
“We need to speak to the department head,” May told her kindly.
But then, the receptionist’s next words showed Owen that the murder was not the only reason why she was so worried.
"I don't know what to tell you, because we — er — we don't have a department head at this time. Not for that topic."
"Who would be the lecturer?" Owen asked.