Page 87 of Three Girls Gone

“Sounds like a plan. We also have the school video to watch.”

Malone called her phone, just as Trent was pulling away from the curb, and she answered on hands-free.

“Where are you guys right now?” he asked, getting right to the point.

“Heading back to Central.”

“Good. Time to talk. Chief Buchanan’s called a meeting.”

That statement felt like a looming thundercloud. “Trent and I just got a huge lead. We’ll be there in under ten.” She ended the call and looked at Trent with pressed lips.

“Wonder what he wants.”

“I don’t know what his agenda is, but at least we’re going in with something to offer him.” She hoped it would make him happy because she didn’t have the bandwidth to defend herself and Trent to the police chief.

THIRTY-FIVE

Amanda and Trent walked through the side door at Central and headed straight to the conference room. They found Malone, the chief, and Katherine waiting on them. Seeing her was an unexpected, but welcome surprise.

Amanda sat beside her friend, and Trent next to Amanda. Malone was across the table from the three of them, and the chief was at the head of the table.

“After speaking with Sergeant Malone again, I’ve brought Katherine back in to help.” Buchanan looked at Amanda. “While I am still concerned with her safety and the department’s reputation, she is in a unique position to aid this investigation.” Buchanan turned to Katherine. “Have you made any progress linking our killer to the Gilbert party?”

“I’ve made some calls, but haven’t unearthed anything yet,” Katherine said.

The chief nodded. “Stay on it. Now I called this meeting to let you know the PWCPD is preparing to go public with Eloise Maynard’s abduction. As part of this, we are going to make an appeal encouraging anyone to come forward who has any information on Eloise or Hailey Tanner.”

“I’m not sure such a public appeal is wise,” Amanda said. “It might spook this person into taking rash action.”And Eloise will pay the price…

“Detective, the PWCPD is charged with keeping order and protecting its citizens. We need to show we’re proactive, not just sitting back while some deviant wreaks havoc in Prince William County. Enough is enough.”

It was hard not to take offense at his implication. “I assure you that Detective Stenson and I have been tirelessly working this case from the moment we were called in. We’ve followed every lead, and we believe the perp targeted Eloise Maynard at her birthday party. It was held at the Scoop, an ice cream parlor, the night before her abduction. We also believe that same man ingratiated himself to the Tanners’ nanny, Mara Bennett, to get close to Hailey.”

“All right. Good, good,” the chief said. “Some of which I’ve heard from Sergeant Malone.”

“Well, here’s something that’s new,” Amanda began. “Detective Stenson and I just came into possession of some video footage that could give us his face.”

“You have his face?” Katherine muttered.

Amanda turned to her. “We could have. Trent and I were coming back here to watch the video footage.”

“So you haven’t seen it yet?” Buchanan asked.

“Not all of it, but enough to see a dark-clad figure enter the Maynards’ backyard and hustle down the sidewalk about thirty minutes later with Eloise in his arms,” she told everyone.

The energy in the room intensified.

“I want to see this video. Now,” Buchanan demanded.

“There are twenty videos, for a total of thirty minutes.” Amanda didn’t think the chief would have that sort of time to dispense.

“Play them, Detective.”

“Ah, sure.” Amanda looked at Trent, who was a bit more tech savvy.

“Here, hand me your phone,” he said. “You turn the TV on.”

It was possible to project her phone to the large flatscreen mounted to the wall, but she couldn’t always remember how to do it.