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TWENTY-ONE
Sandra stepped into her building, and Earl was behind the concierge desk. He dipped his head when he saw her.
“Still no sign of Olivia?” she asked.
“No, ma’am. Dare I ask, is everything all right? You look shaken.” Earl wasn’t one to miss a thing. He could have been law enforcement for his canny ability to see and recall detail.
“I’m afraid that something might have happened to her.” She downplayed it to prevent her emotions from flaring up and seizing control.
“Ma’am, I’m so sorry. If there’s anything I can do to help…?” Earl let his gaze pass over to Eric and gave him a sorrowful look.
“You’re doing it. Just call me if she does turn up,” Sandra told him.
“You got it.”
She turned and walked away with Eric, feeling hopeless.
“She went missing somewhere between DiversaBlend and Penelope’s,” Eric recapped. “Want to walk the area again?”
“We can.” That’s what she said, though it wasn’t necessary. Olivia likely would have taken the direct route down M Street NW to 30th Street NW. Was she entertaining wasting time because she was afraid and hurt? And for priding herself onbeing self-possessed, she took some offense at what Eric had said. “She’s not missing, Eric. We need to say it how it is. She wastaken. That mantookher.”
Eric met her gaze. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I shouldn’t have made it sound like she ran off on her own.”
“Thank you.”
“I can’t even imagine what you’re going through.” He took her hand in his.
“I’m struggling. I think going into mission mode is the only thing that can help me.”
“We’ll get her back.”
“Or die trying. But you can’t know that we will. What we need is access to the CCTV footage along this stretch.” Her phone rang, and it was Nigel.
“You should have that warrant in your inbox.”
“One sec.” Sandra checked and was relieved to see it was there. “Yep, it’s here. Thanks for making this happen so quickly.”
“Don’t even mention it. This is Olivia we’re talking about. If you need anything, I’m just a phone call away.”
“Thank you.” She hung up and filled Eric in on who she was calling. Lakisha Hester answered on the second ring. When Sandra heard the tech’s voice, she hated that she’d have to run through everything again. Just as she was about to, Lakisha spoke.
“Sandra. My God, are you okay? I heard about your daughter.”
That was fast…“Assistant Director Rowe?” she asked, taking a stab at who had told the tech.
“That’s right. He told me that she was last seen at DiversaBlend on M Street Northwest and asked me to bring up the CCTV for that area.”
She let out a breath of relief at the news that it was already underway. “Have you?”
“I’m getting to it and will let you know the second everything comes through.”
“I’m not sure all that Rowe told you but extend the camera footage to cover this area as well.” She told Lakisha the route Olivia would have likely taken to Penelope’s address.
“Will do. I’m sorry, Sandra. I don’t know what else to say.”
“There isn’t much that can be said, but thank you. Just do whatever you can.”
“You know I will. I’ll call the second I have something to share.”