“Can we get the name of the store?” Mackenzie asked. “If we can link this to Elisa…”
“I asked Anthony to look at it personally.”
With the discovery of the shed, they were able to optimize their search pattern in Woodburn Park. Patrol was due to be dispatched tomorrow, once the weather had cleared. But there was no evidence that Alison and the others were being held elsewhere in the park.
Mackenzie’s phone rang. She picked up in a heartbeat when she saw it was Michelle Gable.
“Detective Price, any news?”
“We’re getting there.” She heard Oliver coo in the background.
“But it’s been weeks.”
“I know.” Mackenzie’s eyes found Alison’s picture pinned to her desk. “Did Alison spend a lot of money on makeup?” She was almost certain that the receipt wasn’t Alison’s, considering the date stamp, but it was worth confirming.
“Makeup?”
“Yes, we found a receipt. We don’t know who it belongs to. I was wondering, considering Alison’s job, did she invest in makeup? And was there a particular store she liked?”
“No. She wasn’t into it at all,” Michelle sighed. “She used Lila’s clothes and makeup. Every penny she made went into taking care of Oliver.”
“I see. Thank you, Michelle. I’ll keep you updated.”
“Please do. And about that TV interview… I only went there to spread the word about Alison. I know Debbie’s kind of obnoxious, but a lot of people watch her show.”
“I know. And I appreciate your faith in us. I promise finding Alison is our priority.”
When Mackenzie hung up, she felt a heavy weight on her chest.
“Nothing?” Nick asked from behind her.
She shook her head. “Alison doesn’t buy makeup. And based on the date, it couldn’t have belonged to Bella.”
The office was empty. This time of year, if people weren’t taking vacation days then they were at least making sure that they went home early. Holiday season was a dampened concept among those in law enforcement—much like doctors and nurses. Mackenzie’s first Christmas after getting married was spent right there, in the chair she was sitting in. She had been determined to have a tradition once she had a family—a husband—but crime didn’t care about Santa. She’d had to deal with a mountain of paperwork, going over incident reports and transcripts. Sterling must have been disappointed, but it didn’t show. Instead, he’d spent Christmas Eve decorating the office Christmas tree, while Mackenzie slogged away at her desk. And he was a gentleman about it, letting Mackenzie take all the credit in front of her co-workers.
“You never told me what Shelly’s boyfriend’s like.”
Nick grunted. “He’s good.”
“But…” she baited him.
“I don’t know. I think Luna’s too young, you know? What if things don’t work out between them? I don’t want her to get confused.”
“Is Shelly in a rush to get married?”
“I haven’t asked.”
“Why not?”
“Detectives?” An officer poked his head inside. “There’s someone wanting to talk to you.”
In the lounge, a man stood watching the game on the television. His hair was white as snow under a baseball cap. He turned around. It was Frank Harris—Katy and Kim’s father.
“Mr. Harris!” Mackenzie blinked in surprise but recovered quickly. “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting you. Is everything okay?”
Frank Harris wasn’t an easy read. Behind the horn-rimmed glasses were ghostly eyes that seemed disenchanted with the world around him. He was passive, while his wife, Charlotte, did the talking. At least that had been Mackenzie’s initial impression. Today, she didn’t miss the fidgeting of his fists in his pockets.
“I-I wanted to know how the investigation is going.” His voice was curt, but his eyelids flickered.
“I’m very sorry about what happened to Katy in that encounter.” Mackenzie gulped and glanced at Nick. The fact that she still couldn’t disclose that the twins had switched places made her feel sick with guilt, and she could tell Nick wasn’t happy about it either. But Rivera was proving unmovable on that point.
Protocol dictated they wait for DNA confirmation as next of kin identification wasn’t reliable. With the FBI sniffing around and Lakemore PD gaining a reputation in town, the brass was being extreme about following the rules. And it was going to take a few more days for the test results to get back.
“Thank you.” His voice broke. “Can you tell me anything about Kim?”
Mackenzie spotted the tears shining in his eyes, despite the light reflecting in his glasses. Her tongue was tied in a knot. She could almost feel Kim’s fingers on her arm, her erratic breathing tickling her ears.
“We’ve been looking into her past. It sounds like she grew up to be a good woman.” The half-truth seemed to placate Frank.
“Did she try looking for us?”
“I don’t know, I’m sorry.”
“You know, I’ve never met Ben Harlan in my life,” Frank sniffled. “Didn’t even know he existed. And yet it seems he killed both my children.”
Mackenzie felt a burst of grief. “We’re still investigating, and we don’t think Ben was involved in the murders. I know we don’t have all the answers now, but we will soon.”
“You’ll be our first call, Frank,” Nick promised.
He turned to leave, but stopped. “I have a request. Please don’t tell Charlotte I was here.”
“Oh?”
“It’s just easier that way. My wife doesn’t care about Kim.” Frank nodded feebly. “Katy was her world, and she’s devastated.”
Mackenzie and Nick watched Frank walk away with his head hung low. Mackenzie rubbed her chest, realizing how much Frank still cared about the little girl he had left in the treatment center. Maybe the guilt of sending her away was weighing heavy on his shoulders. She opened her phone to the messages Charles had sent her.
I’m really sorry, Micky. Can we please talk?
Maybe we moved too fast. Can we start again?
If you need time, then I understand. I’m not leaving this time. I’ll wait as long as it takes, Micky.
No time in the world was enough for Mackenzie to accept the lies she’d been told. But she swore that Frank, Charlotte, and Michelle would get the closure Mackenzie had been denied.
“How do we get to Elisa?” Nick muttered. “Crime lab might take weeks processing the results.”
Mackenzie looked at him. “Robbie.”
Fifty-Six
December 12
Robbie Elfman was being detained at the Thurston County Corrections Facility in Olympia. As Mackenzie walked the dingy hallway, a cold caress spread across her skin. The cameras were following them.
It was a new building—better fluorescent lighting and yellow walls that hadn’t become grimy yet. But some things about prison were always consistent regardless of the infrastructure: the hard-edged faces of the deputies and the stale air.
The deputy led them to round tables with chairs. A steel staircase ran up the corner to a floor with closed doors. Mackenzie shifted uncomfortably at the hollowness of her surroundings.
“Relax, Mack. They’ll protect us if we’re attacked.” Nick gestured to the armed prison guard.
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not scared.”
“Then what?”
“I don’t like prison. Reminds me of a cemetery. Except everyone’s alive.”
Nick looked around. “It could use some color, I guess.”
A clang. A squeak.
Robbie appeared at the top of the staircase in an orange jumpsuit. His hands were cuffed in front of him. A deputy nudged him down the stairs. Mackenzie followed Robbie’s heavy tread. His head was shaven clean, and his round belly looked smaller.
“Sit down, Robbie,” Mackenzie said.
Robbie eyed them with suspicion. “What do you want now?”
“Heard your bail got rejected.”
&nb
sp; He growled under his breath. “I did nothing wrong. I didn’t lie to Bella or lure her into a trap.”
“We’re actually here to talk about your ex-girlfriend, Elisa James.”
Robbie blushed. His eyes twinkled, like hearing that name flipped a switch. “How is she? Is she worried about me?”
Mackenzie glanced at Nick. It was obvious Robbie still harbored feelings for her. “Still holding a candle?”
“N-no. I… She’s special.”
“When was the last time you talked to her?” Nick asked.
“I don’t recall. A long time ago.”
“Five years, by her estimate.”
“So you talked to her?” Robbie leaned forward. “Does she know where I am?”
“No.” Mackenzie frowned. “Do you want her to know?”
He didn’t answer. Instead he looked around, frustrated, rubbing his hands together.
Nick showed him Alison’s picture on his phone. “Recognize her?”
Robbie looked reluctantly and shook his head. “Am I supposed to?”
“I’ll be straight with you, Robbie,” Mackenzie said firmly. “It will be in your best interests to help us. You have a serious charge leveled against you. If you cooperate with us, we can put in a good word for you at the DA’s office. Maybe even get you a deal. Because otherwise you’re going away for a very long time.”
The first ad they could find on the website went back to 2014, a year after Elisa ended her relationship with Robbie. Her decision to date Robbie was nothing short of strange. Robbie was an unstable man with a history of harassment who couldn’t even hold down a job, the polar opposite to the outgoing and driven Elisa. But perhaps that had been the point.
Mackenzie imagined how her mind might have worked. How she might have identified Robbie as someone she could easily exploit. She established an emotional bond, then recruited him in her mission. In her words, he was a sheep—a follower.
“I don’t know this woman,” Robbie repeated. “What do you want from me?”
“We want to know more about Elisa.” Nick’s voice was gentle. Mackenzie knew he was playing the good cop, adopting a different approach. “She’s important to you.”
“Yes.” Robbie’s eyebrows dipped. “Is she in trouble?”
“Do you think she did something that could get her in trouble?”
“No… She was…” He sighed. “Elisa’s great. She had a rough upbringing. In and out of foster homes. I’m sure whatever it is, it’s a misunderstanding. She wouldn’t hurt anyone. She just wants to help people. Like my Katy.”
“Help people? How?” Mackenzie pressed, running out of patience.
“She’s a nurse.”
“Robbie, did Elisa ask you to find women for her? Like Bella?”
“No, she didn’t,” he scowled. “I told you. I just responded to an ad.”
“If you’re lying—”
“Why would I?”
“Because you’re protecting her. You still have feelings for her,” Nick said. “I get it. But you’re in deep water, man. You have to look out for yourself. Now, tell us. Did she get in touch with you to find someone who looked like Katy?”
“No. I haven’t spoken to her in years.”
“We can help you if you cooperate—”
“Want me to lie?”
Mackenzie released a frustrated breath. Nick spent a few more minutes trying to tempt Robbie into a confession, but he didn’t budge from his story. When the deputy took him away, they were on their way out.
“Think Elisa is actually innocent?” Nick asked. “Why wouldn’t he cut a deal?”
“He isn’t what you’d call mentally stable. I don’t expect him to do the sensible thing. Remember how he said my Katy?”
“Yeah… I guess he could just be protecting Elisa. But isn’t he ‘in love’ with Katy now?”
Mackenzie brushed his comment aside. “He’s in love with all of them. If he can’t help us, then the only thing to do now is wait for the crime lab.”
Impatience punched her in the gut. She felt like they were only an inch away from catching the culprit.
“Anthony has that makeup receipt. If we have the store information…” She unlocked her car and climbed inside. “By the way, why do you always get to play good cop?”
Nick shot her a look of disbelief. “Have you met yourself?”
“Shut up.”
Hours merged together. After a fruitless early visit to Robbie, Nick spent some time going over the evidence logs and forensic reports and collecting all the information a prosecutor would need if they ever made an arrest. Mackenzie was spending the last of the morning sifting through Alison’s belongings, hoping that she had left some clue as to who she was meeting and where. But all she found was evidence of a woman who loved her family and wanted a better life.
A Post-it reminding her to buy Oliver an activity table. She wanted him to gain more dexterity.
A pamphlet giving information on finance courses at the community college.
A relief cream she intended to give Michelle for arthritis.
But Alison had been hounded by her poor choices. Lila had admitted that they’d had some rough clients and their dealer was a dangerous man, with even more dangerous friends.
It was understandable that Alison would want a fresh start for her child. If only she had known what horrors that would entail.
“You look more like you.” Nick’s voice distracted her.
Mackenzie caught her reflection in the computer screen. She was mildly surprised—her skin glowed almost translucent, but her cheeks were a rosy color. If she didn’t know what was going on inside her brain, she’d believe that the woman staring back at her was calm and content.
“Trust me, I’m less composed on the inside. Maybe we should talk to Anthony again?” She bobbed her knee up and down impatiently.
Nick shot her a look, half amused, half incredulous. “Curb that enthusiasm. I’m sure Anthony’s on it.”
She tossed a pen across her desk and clenched her jaw. “What about Elisa?”
“Jenna has been keeping an eye on her, but nothing yet.” Nick rubbed the back of his neck.
His phone rang. He showed her the screen. It was the crime lab. Mackenzie’s body stilled in anticipation. Nick put the phone on speaker.
“Hey, Anthony. You got something?”
“You owe me big time, Nick,” Anthony droned. “Despite my backlog, I got a chance to look at that receipt.”
“Any prints?” Mackenzie jumped in.
“Now, now, Mad Mack. Don’t get greedy. The Latent Print Unit will take time, but I was able to clear up that receipt using the basic vinegar method, since it was a water-based stain. The store’s name is Aphrodite.”
“Aphrodite?” Nick repeated.
“Yes. The Greek goddess of beauty.”
“I know who she is. I’ve never heard of this store before.”
Mackenzie was already on her computer. “Found it. It’s an old store, been around since the 1950s. Looks like we’re going to find our link.”
Fifty-Seven
The car went over another bump. The radio was turned on. Spokane’s Jefferson Frogs were the new favorites to win the Olympic Championship. The Riverview Ravens had also advanced to the next round. The entire dynamic had been altered, making the results unpredictable for the first time in years. All the towns but Lakemore were giddy about it.
Nick turned off the radio with a long sigh and chewed on a cigarette to relieve his stress.
Mackenzie stared at the arching motion of the wiper blades. They made a squealing sound against the glass and briefly gave her a clear glimpse of the empty road ahead.
Nick picked up his coffee cup. Realizing it was empty, he spat his cigarette into it and tossed it in the backseat. “I’ll clean it later. Don’t judge.”
“I wasn’t,” she lied smoothly.
“Speaking of Sterling—”
“We actually weren’t speaking of Sterling at all.”
“Heard something interesting from a friend in the courthouse. He’s subletting his apartment to Sterling.”
Mackenzie braced herself. “Yes, we’re getting a divorce.”
The car swerved sharply. “What?”
“Are you surprised?”
“No. But I thought you’d say something.”
“I was embarrassed.”
“Half of America is divorced, Mack. Nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“I’m embarrassed it took me so long. I kept wondering if I could get over it,” she whispered, almost horrified with herself. She never imagined she’d be one of those women. The ones who took their cheating husbands back. The ones who forgave infidelity. “Trust me, I know how pathetic it sounds.”
“It’s different when you’re the one it happens to, Mack. Easy to judge from the outside.”
“Is it?” Her voice raised an octave, frustration bubbling out. “I just kept thinking, what if I regret leaving him? What if this is something I can live with? There are people who properly start fresh. It’s rare, but it happens.”
“It’s not a switch. Like someone cheats and you can just turn it off. It never really goes away. That’s why it sucks. And you don’t have to explain to me. I get where you’re coming from.”
Mackenzie struggled for the right words, as the car came to a halt at a traffic light. “Here’s a scenario for you. If you were in a situation where you knew you were going to die, and you could call one person, who would you call?”
“I’d call Luna.” He didn’t hesitate.
“I… I don’t know who I would call.” Saying it aloud gutted her—that she had no one except for Sterling. And now she didn’t have that either.
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