Page 49 of Three Girls Gone (Detective Amanda Steele #14)

FORTY-TWO

They returned to Central at eight o’clock and planned on sticking around to see what came back on the vehicle.

Time wasn’t slowing down, and Amanda’s thoughts went from Eloise to her parents.

She couldn’t imagine being in their position, sitting around not knowing if or when they’d ever see their daughter again.

With nothing much to do but wait, Amanda caved and called home. Her mother answered.

“Everything’s fine, before you ask.” This time Amanda beat her mother to the question.

“Glad to hear it. What’s up, then? Zoe and I are eating popcorn and watching a movie.”

“Yeah!” Zoe called out in the background, and the sound of her voice lifted Amanda’s spirits.

“It’s going to be a long night, and I just need to say goodnight to her. ”

“One second. Do you want to talk to Mandy?”

Mere seconds later, a rustling on the other end was followed by an exuberant, “Mom!”

Amanda’s heart swelled. This would never get old, and she’d remind herself of this thought when Zoe was a teenager and saying it with a sarcastic groan and eye roll. “Hey, baby. Having fun with Grandma?”

“You bet. We had pizza for dinner, and now we’re eating popcorn.”

“I heard that, and you’re obviously being a good girl.”

“Always.”

Amanda laughed. Forget waiting for her teenage years. Zoe was probably rolling her eyes now. She spoke with Zoe a bit longer, asking how school went that day and hearing all about how some boy in her class pulled her hair. “You know why he’s doing that right?”

“He’s an idiot.”

Amanda resisted the urge to laugh. Such an honest and understandable assessment. “It’s not nice to talk about people that way, remember.”

“Fine. But I don’t like him. And if he’s not doing it to bug me, why is he?”

“He likes you.”

“Yuck!”

Talking to Zoe was just what she needed to lighten her mood some and ground her emotions.

Trent stood in her cubicle doorway and was waving to get her attention.

“I’ve got to go, sweetie, but enjoy the movie and get to bed on time. School tomorrow.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

And she was gone. Amanda would have to work with Zoe on her telephone etiquette.

“We have a location,” Trent pushed out .

She popped up and grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair. “Where is it?”

“Prince Park.”

“That place is massive. It covers miles of woods and terrain.” The park was also where a killer had buried his victims in a previous investigation.

“It does, and since we don’t expect he’ll just be sitting around in his car, the K-9 unit’s already on the way and so are other officers.”

“Let’s go.” Amanda’s heart was pounding as she headed for the car.

Please, tell me we’re not too late!