Page 43 of Three Girls Gone

Amanda thought of that miserable CSI with her inability to commit to a verdict. Was it a break-in or not? There wasn’t an official ruling, but the unexplained smudges and broken lattice had Amanda leaning toward the former. “It’s a possibility, but we need to explore everything. It was initially assumed that someone targeted Hailey very recently, but the investigation has broadened the timeline. Did you let anyone else into the home or around Hailey in the last six months? Say back to November of last year.”

“Oh.” Mara puffed out a breath, her cheeks ballooning.

“Other boyfriends?” Trent asked.

“Only Nick, who you know about.”

“Then you didn’t date other men before him? Or even after him?” Amanda wasn’t going to limit the timing.

Mara stared into her wineglass and never took a sip.

“If there’s something you should tell us, please do,” Amanda encouraged.

The former nanny bit her bottom lip. “You asked about anyone who was around Hailey…?”

Amanda nodded.

“Well, I saw one other guy back in February, after things ended with Nick, but it was nothing. We had one date, and the guy ghosted me.”

Trent looked up from his tablet. “What was his name?”

“Wilson something. His surname started with an M.”

“Do you have any pictures of him?” Amanda asked.

“No, like I said, we had one date. Just a bite and a drink. He tried to get me to go out with him in January, but I told him I was sort of in a relationship.”

Was his persistence a red flag, or was Amanda looking too hard? “But he tried again the following month?”

Mara shrugged. “He did.”

“What did he look like?” Trent asked.

“Handsome face, cute dimples. Otherwise, just average height and build.”

“Hair color? Eye color?” Amanda asked.

“Brown for both.”

That vanilla description wasn’t going to lead them to an arrest. “Any tattoos or other distinguishing markers?”

“Oh, he has a scar that runs through his top lip. It was obvious but somehow added character.”

“Okay, that’s good,” Amanda said. “Was he ever around Hailey?”

“Once, for sure. I met him at Hailey’s school afterThe Nutcracker. He bumped into me and was all apologetic and charming. Hailey was with me, and he made a tremendous fuss over her, telling her she was a wonderful dancer. He thought I was her mother and told me how she must have gotten her looksfrom me. He asked for my number, and I gave it to him, but then things had started with Nick before I heard from him.” Mara stopped her recollection there. Her mouth gaped open, and her eyes widened. “Did I mess up not saying anything? Honestly, I’d put him out of my mind.”

Amanda’s earlier fears resurfaced. Had this man’s pursuit of Mara been a ruse to get closer to Hailey? She tucked that thought away. “You were asked about more recent events. And we can’t remember everything all the time.”

“I feel so foolish. Was he only flattering me to get closer to Hailey?” Mara said, echoing Amanda’s thoughts. She laid a hand over her stomach and sipped some wine. “If I’d kept my wits about me, would Hailey still be…?”

Amanda shook her head. “There’s no point going down that road. And you just had that one date back in February?”

“Yeah, just the one.”

“It’s no wonder you didn’t mention the guy. He’s no one to you.” Kendra placed a reassuring hand on her sister’s shoulder.

Mara nodded. “And Detective McGee’s questioning was more centered on the last few weeks.”