Page 34 of Three Girls Gone

“They’re not ready yet.”

“We’re grabbing a bite to eat. Say in an hour?”

“Yeah, sure. Why not?”

“Thanks.” With that Trent hung up and looked over at her. “He sounds thrilled.”

“Doesn’t he though? I’m not sure how to read the guy. One minute he’s indifferent, the next some emotionshows through…”

“Who knows what his story is.”

“True enough. Everyone has one.” This sentiment daisy-chained to another thought. “I sure hope Katherine gets cleared to help. It would mean a lot to her.”

“Me too. She needs this.”

Amanda nodded, as her mind tripped down the rabbit hole. She couldn’t imagine how Katherine would feel knowing she was inching in on her daughter’s killer, but on the ugly flip side of that it had taken another young girl’s life to bring it to her attention.

Trent pulled into Libby’s driveway, and the front door swung open. Zoe came running out and down the steps.

Amanda’s heart lifted, and she couldn’t get her seatbelt undone fast enough. Only instead of going to the passenger side, Zoe went straight to Trent.

I’ll pretend that doesn’t sting…Amanda walked around the front of the Jeep. Zoe didn’t pass her a glance.

Trent put his window down and leaned out.

“Hey, Trent.” Zoe was grinning up at him, not self-conscious about her missing front teeth. One up, one down. The Tooth Fairy gave her ten dollars each for them, and Amanda encouraged her to save one of those bills. It was tucked into a piggy bank in the girl’s room. When its belly was stuffed, Zoe would empty it and take a fourth of the money to buy whatever she wanted and open a savings account with the rest.

“Hey, Zoe,” Trent mimicked the girl.

“What are you doing here?”

“Going out for dinner with you and your mom.”

Zoe’s smile faded, and she faced Amanda but didn’t close the distance.

Amanda could see her mind working and feared it might be stuck on themombit. Trent was looking at Amanda, clearly feeling he’d misspoken, but Amanda shook her head. He didn’t need to feel bad for what he’d said.

“Hey, Zoe,” Amanda chimed in to take some of the pressure off the girl. Even though she had adopted Zoe almost four years ago, she never expected to be calledMom.Amanda appreciated it might be a title reserved for Zoe’s late mother, and respected that was Zoe’s decision to make.

“Mandy!” Zoe pumped some enthusiasm into seeing her.

Finally…Amanda was close to getting a complex. “So I’m not here to pick you up for the night, but like Trent said, we’re taking you out for dinner. Where do you want to go?” With that carte blanche offering, she hoped it wasn’t going to be the Waffle House. That girl could eat pancakes for any meal of the day.

“Petey’s!”

Amanda could live with that choice. Petey’s Patties was a burger joint with checkered floors and vinyl booths. Their menu only consisted of comfort food. “Sounds good to me. Trent?”

“Delicious!”

Zoe laughed.

“Let me just check in with Libby.” Amanda hadn’t missed that Libby was standing in the doorway still.

Amanda went to her. “Thank you for taking her tonight and letting me pop by like this. I hope it’s not too much of an inconvenience.”

“Never a problem where you or Zoe are concerned.”

Whenever Libby talked about Zoe, Amanda could feel her love for the girl. “Just know you’re appreciated.”