Page 49 of Three Girls Gone

A woman in her twenties came through the door and was smiling broadly until she saw their badges. “Ms.Blackwell said I’m not supposed to talk to the police. I’ll go get her.”

“Thank you,” Amanda told her. Candace Blackwell was the studio owner and who they wanted to talk with anyway.

The twenty-something retreated through the door, and moments later, it opened again. This time a trim woman in her fifties with gray hair emerged. Before she or Trent could say a word, she spoke.

“I have nothing more to say to the police.”

“That may be, but we’re Detectives Steele, and Stenson andthere are questions we need to ask you about Hailey Tanner,” Amanda said.

Candace let out a heaving breath. “You’re new to me. Major Crimes or Homicide?”

“Homicide,” Trent confirmed.

“I saw the news, but I still can’t believe it. Such a horrible shame. I’m not sure what else I can do. I answered all of Detective McGee’s questions when Hailey went missing. I never saw anyone suspicious hanging around that day, and neither did any of my staff.”

“That’s the thing,” Amanda began. “Recent evidence has led us to suspect the person who took Hailey may have been stalking her for months. So we’re interested in more than just last Friday when she was taken.”

Candace gripped the fabric of her shirt over her heart. “My answer doesn’t change. No one suspicious stood out to me.”

Before Amanda or Trent could say anything else, the front door opened and a woman in her thirties came inside.

Candace smiled at her and held the door. “Emily, please come through.”

The woman accepted the invitation, and Candace closed the door behind her. She leveled her gaze at Amanda and Trent. “Now is not a good time.”

“It hasn’t been agoodtime for Hailey’s family either,” Amanda said in a level tone, while fighting against anger and the unfairness of what happened to Hailey.

Candace’s face softened. “I can give you five minutes, but that’s all.”

“Thank you.” Amanda followed the woman, with Trent behind her, to the second floor. On the way, they passed three dance studios. One door was shut, but an upbeat tempo filtered into the hall.

“Please, sit. Make yourselves comfortable.” Candacestood at the door of a small meeting room and gestured for them to go inside first.

The three of them sat down, and Amanda got started. “So from our understanding, Hailey attended your five o’clock session this past Friday.”

“That’s right.”

“And class ended at what time?” Trent asked, pulling out his tablet.

“It was six. By the time Hailey changed into other clothes to leave, you could add twenty minutes to that. Little girls don’t move that fast unless they’re going for ice cream.” The tiniest of smiles twitched her lips before fading into oblivion.

“I can agree with that,” Amanda said. Lindsey and Zoe were the same way. “Did you help Hailey change and lock up her outfit at the end of class on Friday?”

“I did.”

Amanda nodded. “So you waited around, locked her locker, and saw her out?”

“Yes, to the first part. She walked downstairs and outside on her own.”

She was only six…Amanda kept the thought to herself. “We understand there are no security cameras inside or outside the building?”

“That’s correct, but it’s a safe neighborhood, a safe building.”

“That’s why you were comfortable letting Hailey wait for her ride home on the sidewalk? Even though she’s six years old?” Amanda couldn’t hold back any longer, and the enclosed accusation tumbled out.

“It’s not like we just tossed her out the door,” Candace rushed to defend herself. “Her nanny always picked her up at six thirty. We could see Hailey through the front window.”

“Then you saw who picked her up?” Trent asked.