Page 81 of Three Girls Gone

“We’re always harder on ourselves.”

“But hold up, you saidhe. Do you know that for sure now?”

Amanda thought back to the size of the silhouette in the park’s restroom. “We do.”

“Well, I left the lists of names behind. I put them in the top drawer of your desk. The ones connected with the pageant and the NYC venue. They are clearly marked.”

“Okay, thanks. Did you hear any more from Briggs about the sender of the online form?”

“He was able to track it back to New York, but that’s it.”

“Which doesn’t come as a surprise.”

“Nope, but I just can’t seem to get anything to click. I’m out of touch or too close. Maybe in too deep.”

Amanda sympathized with her friend, and she didn’t say as much but stepping back might be the best thing. “Just take care of you.”

“Thanks. Talk soon, and please let me know when you find Eloise.”

“Will do.”

During her conversation with Katherine, Trent had already parked in the lot at the apartment building. It was midafternoon, so there was a chance that Kendra wasn’t around to hover and play protector of her sister.

Mara Bennett answered the door and let them in. “Kendra’s at work. It’s just us, but I’ve said everything I can think of. I don’t know who took Hailey.”

“There’s another little girl who has been taken,” Amanda said, laying it right out there.

Mara lowered onto the couch. Amanda and Trent sat in other chairs in the living room.

“I never heard about that on the news.”

“It probably hasn’t hit yet. She was taken from her home last night,” Trent said.

“That’s horrible, but I don’t know what I’m supposed to do about it.”

“To start, does the name Eloise Maynard sound familiar to you?” Amanda asked.

“No. Is that the girl’s name?”

“It is. As I’m sure you can appreciate, we are doing everything possible to save her. You said that you had a single date with a man you met at Hailey’s school, the night of theNutcrackerperformance.”

“Just the one. I told you everything I know.” Her voice trembled.

“I don’t mean to upset you, Mara, and even if this man isbehind all of this, none of it’s on you. You understand that, right?”

Mara nodded.

“Good. Now, you said his name was Wilson and his last name started with M. Do you remember what that is now?”

“No. I’m sorry.”

“That’s fine. Would you know the date when you went out with him?” Trent asked.

“Actually, yes. I keep everything in my Google calendar.” She picked up her phone from the side table and worked her finger across the screen. “It was sometime near the end of February. One second…” Mara tapped away on her phone. “Here it is. February twenty-second. Right, I should have remembered. He said that’s a lucky number. Two, two, two. I thought it was strange, but I know some people are into numerology. I wrote it off as him being quirky and charming.”

Having this snapshot of the dating world, Amanda wasn’t in any hurry to go back in. So many people were into playing games, and she had enough drama with the job. “Where did you go on this date?”

“Out for dinner at Flanigan’s. It’s an Irish pub with traditional Irish fare.”