Chapter 35
THIRTY-FIVE
Amanda and Trent left Caffeine Café with a copy of the video footage in hand. Trent had also snapped a closeup shot of the woman from the screen. They headed back to Central and were having the parents of Brooke’s friends bring the girls in so they could talk to both of them at once.
When the girls arrived, they took them into the soft interview room that was set up like a living room.
It was often where family members were brought in to question.
The teens convinced both sets of parents to let them go in alone.
The teens weren’t as nervous as the last time they spoke, and their eyes scanned Amanda and Trent.
It was as if they were holding their breath waiting to hear what they were there to say.
“We haven’t found Brooke or her mother yet.” Amanda wanted to get that out upfront. “But we are doing all that we can. When Detective Stenson and I spoke to you last time, you mentioned that a woman had been following Brooke.”
Trent got out his phone and took it over to the girls, who were seated on the couch. “Does this woman look familiar to you?”
“Oh my God, that’s her.” Sadie’s eyes widened.
“Did she take Brooke?” Charlotte’s voice was soft and timid. While she was asking, it was like she wasn’t sure if she wanted the answer.
“We don’t know if or how she is involved,” Amanda told them.
“Where did you get that photo?” Sadie met Amanda’s gaze.
“We came across it while following a lead.” Amanda rose to her feet while Trent pocketed his phone and waited for her to join him near the door.
“Just try to stay positive, okay, and take care of yourselves. Also, let others help you, like Ms. Horne at your school.” Even better than talking to their parents was availing themselves of the school counselor who would have the necessary training to help with such situations.
After the girls left with their parents, Amanda and Trent returned to their desks.
“I think we need to talk about it,” Trent said.
“About…?”
“What we haven’t given much consideration to until now, but I think it’s time we do.”
“Abigail McGee,” they said simultaneously.
Amanda let out a deep breath. “Bring Abigail up in the DMV database.”
Trent went into his cubicle, and she followed. He logged on to his computer and brought up Abigail’s last license photo, along with her physical descriptors. Trent read these off. “Five-foot-nine, brown hair, brown eyes.”
“Exactly what the girls estimated for height. Hair is easily changed.”
“Or covered up. The blond locks are clearly a wig.” Trent focused on the screen. “I don’t know about you, but I’d say the shape of the jaw and mouth are the same.”
“It’s her.” Chills spread through her. Had they overlooked a connection between Abigail and the Archers’ abductions?
“And now we know Abigail was behind at least one burner phone. Though I’d say she was on the other end of all of them. But why would she start reaching out to Valerie a year ago? Seven years had already passed. Why put herself at risk?”
“She got tired of the isolation, wanted her old life back?”
“Still, communication is one thing, but coming out of hiding is another. What would make her do it?”
Amanda might have an answer. “Her nephew. He needs a bone marrow transplant.”
“Right, so Valerie is desperate and reaches out to ask Abigail if she’ll get tested. It could explain why Abigail looked so upset reading Valerie’s message on that napkin.”
“Do you think whoever Abigail is hiding from is behind the family’s abduction?” She dared to voice the possibility, feeling the weight of it on her shoulders if they’d missed something.
Trent let out a deep breath. “Presumably whatever landed Abigail in WITSEC involved a violent criminal. And let’s say they know her identity. They’ve likely been keeping tabs on her family for the past eight years to see if she turns up.”
“Which she did, but why didn’t they just grab Abigail from the coffee shop?”
“She must have given them the slip.”
“But the damage was done. This person learned that Valerie Archer was in contact with Abigail.”
“And they could assume the entire family was and knew how to reach her,” Trent inserted. “So they kidnap them to get them to hand that information over.”
“But first they tossed the house in search of a clue for where to find Abigail. Then when that failed, it was on to plan B.”
“Sounds completely plausible to me.”
“We both got the feeling that the US Marshals lost Abigail. If they did, does this person have her now, along with Valerie and Brooke?”
“Hate to say it, but if they do, are any of them still alive?”
“I have to think they are. But who holds a grudge for eight years?”
“Someone with strong motivation to silence Abigail for good.”
Tingles laced through Amanda. “First thing we need to do is find out what landed Abigail McGee in witness protection.” She pulled the card Russell Holden had given her and tapped his number into her phone.
“You think he’s going to tell us that? He wasn’t exactly talkative before.”
“Let’s hope we can change that this time around.”