Chapter 10 Jake #2
“—I couldn’t find her anywhere. She just disappeared, and we haven’t seen her since.” He took a deep breath. “Liv had nothing with her. No cellphone, no keys, no money. Nothing. I don’t believe she would have left me voluntarily, yet I have no idea what happened or where she went.
“Liv’s mother Tilly, father Burt, sister Charlotte, and myself,” he glanced to his left, “beg any members of the public who may have seen Liv, or have any information as to her whereabouts, to please come forward.”
He looked directly at the bank of cameras.
“Any information you may have, no matter how trivial, could be helpful.” Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Tilly wiping away tears.
Burt put his arm around her, his other about Charlotte’s.
They were all now linked as one unit. Detective Banks nodded approvingly.
“We miss and love Liv so much, and we just want to have her home. Liv and I have known each other all our lives. We’re childhood sweethearts — we were even prom king and queen.
” Jake grimaced self-consciously at that bit, which Sandra had insisted on including.
“We’re each other’s person. We’re due to be married soon and are looking forward to spending our lives together.
Our future together. Please, help Liv return to us.
If you can help in any way, please call the police tipline number at the bottom of the screens. Thank you.”
Jake blew out a breath. Thank Christ. He’d managed to get through it without breaking down. Then he stopped, a final thing occurring to him, and turned back to the cameras. “Liv, if you’re watching. I love you. We all do. Come back to us.”
The room was silent. Detective Banks coughed expertly at the podium, and the cameras shifted back to him. “I will now take any questions from the media.”
A barrage of voices. Jake started in his chair, almost deafened by the sound. Tilly patted his arm. He looked at her, at the tears rimming her immaculately made-up eyelids. Why wasn’t he crying too? Would that look bad? He turned away from Liv’s mom, back to the cameras, ashamed.
“Yes, first question. Fox News,” Detective Banks pointed at a reporter near the front, a short woman in a blue power suit.
“Is it true Olivia Grainger was naked when she disappeared?”
Jake closed his eyes.
“Yes, that is correct,” Detective Banks confirmed in a toneless voice.
“Ms. Grainger had been swimming in the lake immediately before her disappearance, and Mr. Johnson found her clothes and belongings, her purse with her phone, car and house keys, identification and credit card, all still at the picnic site. Next question—”
Another buzz of voices.
“—CBS, go ahead.”
“Is the Wilmington PD suspecting abduction?”
“We’re investigating all and any possibilities at the moment. The fact that Ms. Grainger’s body hasn’t been found at the site or in the lake—” Tilly let out a mewl of distress at this “—suggests she either left of her own accord, or there was another person involved . . . Go ahead, ABC.”
“What about the hiker?” A male reporter checked his notes. “Kirk Evans. He told the media he’d found Mr. Johnson in distress, while looking for Ms. Grainger at the site? Is Mr. Evans under any suspicion in this case?”
“Not at this time,” Detective Banks replied. “That said, we’re pursuing all possible leads, and Mr. Evans has been helpful and co-operative with our investigation. Last question — NBC, please.”
A tall woman with brown hair stepped into the light. Jake’s heart skipped. The reporter was beautiful, effortlessly glamorous, just like Liv. But with a much harder expression. She lifted her puffy mike toward the podium and parted her red-painted lips.
“In the case of missing persons, it has historically tended to be the person closest to the victim who is responsible. Is Jake Johnson a suspect in this case?” The reporter’s eyes flicked directly to Jake and back to the lectern.
Beside him, Tilly gasped and squeezed his arm. A low murmur flitted around the room. The cameras slid back to Jake, staring him down even as Detective Banks spoke.
“No, Mr. Johnson is not a suspect at this time,” the detective replied firmly.
Jake fought hard not to squirm, aware that every eye in the room was now on him.
“Wilmington PD is, of course, pursuing every avenue in this case, but we have had no cause for suspicion about Mr. Johnson or any of Ms. Grainger’s closest friends or family.
That’s all for today, thank you for coming out. ”
Detective Banks ignored the cacophony of voices objecting to this sudden closure of the conference, shuffling some papers, eyes down. He stepped over to Jake, putting a hand on his shoulder, and leaning down, said in a low voice, “Time to go.”
Jake pushed back his chair and shuffled off the stage into a side room, not even checking to see if the Graingers were behind him.
What that last reporter had said — that had always been his fear.
That he might be a suspect. That everyone would think that he could’ve done something to Liv, and be lying about all this.