Page 76 of Three Girls Gone

The door to the restroom cracked open. A sliver of light from inside gave them a silhouette.

“Itisa man,” Trent said.

“Yep, and that bastard is right there. Watching everything.” She gripped her head as they continued to watch. “Officer Wyatt told us there were two doors. One in the front, and another in back. He could have left through there.”

“Would make sense. But you’re telling me that Susan Butters never saw him?” Trent continued to play the video, but the man must have taken a different path back to his vehicle. He didn’t show up on screen.

“He knew about the camera, all right. And I’m with you. I don’t understand how Susan Butters could have missed this altogether. She told us she didn’t see anyone in the park. I realize the scarf around Hailey’s neck didn’t tie back to Susan, but we need to talk with her immediately.”

They returned to the car, and Trent got Susan’s address from the onboard computer. They were banging on her apartment door ten minutes later.

“Don’t tell me she’s not—” The door opened, interrupting Trent.

“Detectives?” Susan opened the door wider. “What are you doing here?”

The woman’s eyes were red-rimmed, and she had an angry-looking cold sore on her bottom lip. She was wearing a ratty bathrobe at one in the afternoon.

“We have some questions, if we can come in.” Amanda made the slightest move toward the apartment, and Susan stepped back to let them inside and took them to her living room.

The place smelled like burned garlic bread.

Amanda and Trent sat on the couch, while Susan droppedinto a chair. A vacant dog bed, toys, and chews remained as a shrine to her late furry companion.

“Susan, we need you to think back to Monday morning,” Amanda started.

Her eyes filled with tears. “It’s all I think about. And it was Hailey Tanner. That’s what they said in the paper. Her poor parents. That poor girl.” She sobbed, and tears flooded her cheeks.

“I can imagine the last few days have been extremely rough,” Amanda empathized. “Have you reached out to Victim Services?”

Susan nodded. “Speaking with them is the only thing keeping me from losing it altogether.”

“I’m sure it will get better over time, but I need you to try and remember. Was any vehicle in the parking lot when you arrived?” Amanda asked her.

“Yes? No? I don’t know. I’m sorry, but I came by foot through another section of the park.”

“You never saw one then?” Amanda reiterated.

“No.”

“And you never heard anything?” Amanda was pressing harder now. The man was flesh and blood, not a poltergeist.

Susan opened her mouth, closed it. “Actually. I think maybe there was something…”

Amanda inched forward on the couch. Her entire body was rigid, her chest frozen. “Talk to us.” She did her best to sound encouraging while tamping down her roused suspicion.

Susan’s eyes were glazed over as she stared at the floor.

“Susan,” Amanda prompted.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe I forgot about this, but it was right when I found…”

“It’s okay, Susan. Please continue,” Amanda appealed in a soft tone.

“I was fumbling to get my phone out and call nine-one-one,but I vaguely recall the sound of a car starting up and the crunching of gravel.” Susan’s brow furrowed. Conjuring the memory appeared to take effort.

“Did you see the vehicle?” Amanda thought she’d ask again.

“Actually, yes. It was a car. Gray. I still can’t believe I forgot to mention this. It’s just… I was so… I messed everything up, didn’t I? I’m such a self-absorbed loser.”