Page 145 of After Anna

Madison frowned, buckling her smooth forehead. “No. What class was she in?”

“She was a junior last year.”

“Oh, I wasn’t here then. I transferred in this year.”

“Do you know anybody who can help us? I just want to ask a question or two. We’re trying to find her.”

“I would have told you that Kurt and his wife can help you. He’s our Housemaster. But he and his wife went away for Thanksgiving. I’m taking care of their cat.”

Kathy interjected, “We’re working with Morris Whitaker on this, so it’s okay.”

Madison nodded. “Right, I know what you’re talking about. They were here today, talking to Sofia about Anna. Sofia lived upstairs, next door to Anna. I know about it because I heard them talking. My room is on the first floor, right over there.” She pointed. “I hear everything. That’s how I heard you knocking.”

“Oh.” Maggie realized that Sofia must have been the student who told Whitaker that the imposter had posed as a paralegal. “Is Sofia around? Maybe we can talk to her.”

“No, she left for the holiday.”

Maggie wanted to pick Madison’s brain, too, just in case. “If you’re new, you didn’t know Jamie Covington, did you?”

“No, that name doesn’t sound familiar.”

“Do you know if a girl named PG lives here? Or Connie? These were friends of my daughter’s.”

“No, I never heard of them.”

“Do you know who else we can speak to? Anybody who might know Anna, Jamie, PG, or Connie?”

“Sure, hold on.” Madison took a phone from her sweatpants pocket and thumbed in a text. “I’m asking Genevieve, she’s a senior. She’ll be right down. She knows everybody.”

“Great, thanks.” Maggie turned to the staircase, and in a few moments, a short African-American student in a red sweater and jeans descended and approached them.

“Hey, I’m Genevieve,” she said, with a sweet smile. She wore her hair pulled back, and silver bracelets jangled on her forearm. “How can I help you?”

Maggie smiled back. “I’m looking for my daughter, Anna Desroches. Did you know her?”

“Yes, but not well. You’re her mom?”

“Yes.” Maggie realized that until this very moment, she hadn’t met another student who knew Anna, the real Anna. She didn’t want to get emotional now, so she suppressed the thought.

“I heard she went to live home with you, didn’t she?”

“Yes, she did, but to make a long story short, she’s gone missing.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.” Genevieve frowned. “She’s a nice girl.”

“Thank you,” Maggie said, touched. “This is going to sound strange, but did you happen to know a student who looked like her? A lot like her?”

“No.”

“We’re also trying to find somebody who knew her friends Jamie Covington, PG, and Connie.”

“I knew Jamie. She left school last year.”

“Right. Have you heard from her since then?”

“No, but we weren’t that friendly.”

“Do you know a PG or Connie?”