Lena let out a calming breath. “I knew you’d say that. But you’re about to embark on a case out of state. You won’t be around.”
“Lena, it takes less than an hour flight time to get back to Seattle. If anyone messes with Jarod, you call me. I’ll come back to deal with it.”
“Really?”
“Really. That is if Dad doesn’t beat me to it first.”
****
Sitting at two picnic tables in the backyard, they hashed over what was to come.
“What’s the game plan exactly?” Reggie wanted to know. “How will this go down? Travis agreed to let us use the motorhome again. I think Judy and I plan to bunk in that.”
“We’re driving caravan style all the way to Idaho,” Skye maintained.
Leo stopped in mid-bite over his burger and scowled. “Caravan? What happened to flying?”
Josh slapped Leo on the back. “Sorry, man. After sleeping on the issue, taking a jet didn’t make much sense. We’ll all need our vehicles while we’re there. How else are we gonna canvass multiple neighborhoods and talk to as many people as we can as quickly as we can? And besides, blowing into Coeur d’Alene to rent cars is a sure sign we’ll draw attention to ourselves. Imagine how much buzz we’d make if we landed a jet at the airport.”
“But the ruse is we’re on a corporate retreat. Corporations fly jets,” Leo pointed out. “Not to mention tourists fly in there all the time.”
It was Emmadine’s turn to give her cousin a hard time. She bumped his shoulder. “Come on, you were ready to board a bus to get there. This way, we’ll ride together. It’ll be fun, just like when we were kids taking a trip to the Grand Canyon. Remember that?”
“How could I forget the vacation from hell, a hundred and twenty degrees in the middle of summer. We were the only ones there. We couldn’t believe our luck at getting accommodations so easily. Who knew sane people avoided the desert like the plague during August?”
“As usual, he’s exaggerating,” Emmadine corrected. “It was only a hundred and five.”
Deborah elbowed Harry in the ribs. “Sounds like you when I suggested we visit Phoenix and take advantage of discounted hotel rooms this summer. There are really good deals to be had there.”
“I’m not going to Arizona in July even if they give me a free room for a week,” Harry grumbled. “I’m not. No argument about it, either. Because now we’re headed to Idaho for who knows how long, so just get that fancy resort in Scottsdale out of your head.”
Deborah grinned. “Do I know how to push his buttons or what?”
Skye snickered at the byplay but traded doubtful looks with Judy. “You want to tell them, or shall I?”
“Tell us what?” Josh wanted to know as he scooped up potato salad onto his paper plate.
Judy glanced around the table. “Keeping a low profile might be a little tougher than we thought. Felix spoke to Barbara Smith, Laurel’s mom. She’s excited that we’re coming. And anxious to talk to Skye about her daughter. She’s frustrated that no one’s been able to find Laurel after all these months.”
Josh scrubbed his fingers over his chin. “Well, that could change things some. Mrs. Smith has probably told other people by now we’re coming.”
“And why wouldn’t she?” Skye threw out. “We’re bringing hope with us. Hope is something these families haven’t had in a long time. I’m appalled at the lack of movement. I mean so many girls missing, gone without a trace. I know the statistics on Tribal Lands don’t exactly favor women. But these are kids, children, girls who haven’t been seen or heard from in ten years.”
Judy picked up her phone and swiped the screen a few times. “The Indian Law Resource Center says that Native children are exposed to violence at a rate three times higher than the general population.”
Reggie spread pepper over his entire plate of food. “Which has to mean they carry a lot of hurt and anguish around with them, a lot of stress from childhood. My guess is these kids suffer from PTSD at a higher rate as well throughout their lives.”
“You both read the same article,” Skye concluded.”
“Yeah. Several times,” Reggie admitted before taking a bite of his burger.
“Does that mean you aren’t still upset with Reggie anymore?” Judy asked. “For telling Felix that we were coming?”
Skye shook her head and stared over at Lena. “Not after I thought about it from a mother’s perspective. When their kids are in trouble, moms tend to want action. This case clearly needs us to shake things up.”
Travis cleared his throat. “Zoe wants to come with you. Could you use another junior grade detective?”
Zoe narrowed her eyes. “Wait a minute. I’m every bit as good as anyone else at this table. If all you’re gonna do when you get there is ask people a bunch of questions about what they saw or heard, then I can do that as well as Leo. And you’re already a man down with Winston staying behind. You need me.”
“She has a point,” Leo said between bites. “Maybe she could make herself look older, more professional by wearing suitable attire.”
“Ooh, man,” Emmadine uttered. “You stepped in it this time. Big time. Not cool, telling a woman how to dress. It’s a great big no-no.”
Leo let out a sigh. “A guy can’t win these days. I just meant…Zoe will be knocking on doors, she needs to look less like a teenager, less like a college student interning for the summer and more like...”
“We know what you meant,” Skye said in agreement. “And it’s not a bad idea for all of us to look the part of a professional investigative team.”
“Paul Holes doesn’t wear a suit every time he goes out on a case, and he helped catch the Golden State Killer,” Zoe fired back.
Travis rolled his eyes. “In the future, there are certain employers who will definitely require a dress code.”
“I’ll avoid those jobs,” Zoe said with confidence.
“Lots of luck with that,” Skye drawled in a low voice. “As I recall, I had to wear a uniform as Travis’s fry cook.”
Travis held up his beer and aimed his words at Zoe. “My point exactly. Don’t start making demands of anybody here or you might as well stay put and wait tables at Country Kitchen. Your choice.”
“Fine,” Zoe spat out. “I’ll wear a stupid suit if that’s what you want. But it won’t make any difference to the killer.”
Skye sent Josh a concerned look. “Something else to consider. Any door we knock on could belong to our killer. We work in pairs and take meticulous notes, then meet up at the end of the day to go over your gut reactions. Two pairs of eyes to pick up on anything suspicious. That way, we stand a better chance at zeroing in on the guy. Unless…”
“Unless he’s a terrific actor,” Josh finished. “Ten years is a long time to hone his skills.”
Five
Those words kept ringing in Skye’s ears. Yes, the man they were looking for was probably a good actor. Psychopaths and sociopaths usually were skilled at hiding their true selves. Their act of normalcy was part of the show. They liked knowing that each day they were able to pull off a great con on the people they interacted with, some they cared about. It had to be an adrenaline rush even after the kill.
The man they hunted was likely intelligent and cunning. But he wasn’t perfect. That hope carried her through breakfast, and later when she began to pack for the trip.
The team was due any minute for a final walk-thru before loading up the cars and getting on the road.
She heard Reggie and Judy pull up in the motorhome and looked out the upstairs window to see the monster of a vehicle taking up most of the parking at the curb. Two minutes later, Harry pulled up in his SUV. They’d already decided that his vehicle would be used to carry all the luggage and equipment.
Skye was eager to share what Harry had turned up in his background checks. Which was why Emmadine kept Sierra busy while everyone else gathered in the living room. Josh had already packed up the whiteboards and case files and shipped them via
FedEx to the lodge. There was nothing much left to haul in the cars except tech gear and personal stuff.
Skye got right to it. “After some excellent work on Harry’s part, we now know that Sergeant Tanoose’s list of missing girls is inaccurate. Harry was able to not only locate Chyna Eastwood but talk to the woman as well. She’s alive and doing quite well. She’s now twenty-one years old, lives in San Diego, and married to a Navy guy. They have two kids. Chyna confirmed she’s enrolled in a community college and is taking classes to become a nurse. And that’s not all. Harry talked to Denise Littletree and was able to verify it was her. According to the conversation, back in February of 2011, after the dance, Denise got fed up with getting knocked around by her stepfather and took off for Las Vegas. At twenty-four, she now works at one of the major casinos in town dancing onstage in one of their most popular shows.”
“Both Chyna and Denise seem happy as clams,” Harry added. “Both girls just wanted to get out of town and get away from a bad situation at home.”
Leo updated his notes. “I’m surprised someone didn’t see them and report their whereabouts to the authorities.”
“Or put it up on social media,” Skye suggested. “Which is why we delve into their social security numbers, see if they’ve been used. Obviously, Grayhawk hasn’t done that lately. Anyway, Harry managed to track down Teresa Sokoloff, too. Her attempt at a new life didn’t end up quite as well as the other two girls. Since 2013, Teresa’s been arrested for prostitution at least a dozen times. A couple of years ago, she was sent to prison for credit card fraud after stealing someone’s bank card and withdrawing almost seven grand in the dash to cash. She’s still locked up in Coffee Creek Correctional Facility down in Wilsonville, Oregon, with another eighteen months on her sentence.”
Judy clapped her hands together before pumping her fist in the air. “Yesss! Awesome! So, three of the fifteen are still alive. That’s good news.”
“Uh, yeah,” Zoe cited. “But that still means that twelve are probably dead.”
“Oh. Oh. Sure. Of course. I just…you know…I’m…happy…they all aren’t…dead. It’s good to know that some made it out of town alive. Even if they are runaways, they’re alive. Maybe I could reach out to Teresa once she gets out of jail, see if she needs help adjusting to life on the outside.”
Zoe winked at Judy. “You’re a saint. You know that? If you think it would do any good, I’d like to be a part of that.”
Judy exchanged glances with Skye. “Sure. If it’s okay with your folks.”
“Sounds like a fine idea.” Skye tugged on Zoe’s hair. “Anything to keep you out of trouble.”
Zoe stuck her tongue out at Skye.
“The thing is, thanks to Harry, we now have an opening with Quade Grayhawk,” Josh explained. “Somebody has to tell him his list is all wrong.”
“I’m kinda glad that gets to be us,” Skye admitted. “We walk in there and show him Harry’s report.”
“Maybe we should let Harry do it,” Leo pointed out. “Law enforcement to law enforcement.”
Standing off to the side, Harry shook his head. “Not me. I’ll let Skye and Josh do the honors. If you think Grayhawk will welcome you with open arms, you’re delusional.”
“We have our work cut out there,” Josh conceded. “Happy to see us isn’t practical.”
“Where’s Deborah?” Leo asked as if he’d just realized Jenny’s mom was MIA.
Harry let out a sigh. “Bad news I’m afraid. Jenny had a panic attack this morning, a bad one, and Deborah decided to stay behind to be with her. I didn’t even try to talk her into coming. She wanted to help, wanted to keep her promise that she’d be active with the Foundation after what you guys did for Jenny. But in my book, it’s better if Deborah stays back here. I honestly don’t think she’d be much help, concentration-wise when her mind would be on Jenny.”
“After what Jenny went through, it’s understandable.” Leo looked over at Skye for clarification. “How long will Jenny be troubled by anxiety and these panic attacks?”
“Maybe for the rest of her life. But let’s not forget that Jenny’s alive because of us. We had something to do with getting her away from Elias Pope and back to her mom. And that’s gotta count for something.”
“It counts for a lot,” Harry said from across the room. “Grateful doesn’t cover what they feel.”
Skye nodded. “It might be too soon anyway for her to get involved in what’s likely gonna be another pressure cooker case, toss in local opposition, and we’re looking at an interesting couple of months.”
A downhearted Harry stuck his hands in his khaki pockets, jingled whatever change he had there. “I was skeptical about her tagging along anyway. But you know Deborah. She assured me she could handle it. Now, the issue is irrelevant. I think she’s doing what’s right for her daughter.”
“No argument from us,” Josh tossed out. “This is a voluntary outfit. Only the people who want to be here are here.”
“I know. It’s just that Deborah was so excited to do whatever she could to find the girls, contribute in some way. The thing is like Skye said, Jenny could suffer many of these kinds of attacks in the foreseeable future. Thinking about it always brings me down, always makes me realize there are other Jennys out there who need our help. A vicious circle, for sure.”
“Then let’s get your mind on something else. There’s plenty to do. Grab a bag and load up. You’re welcome to ride with us in the van and forego the driving chore.”
“Nah, I’ll take my SUV.” Harry turned to Leo. “Unless you’re a big fan of toddler sing-alongs, why don’t you ride shotgun with me and the luggage?”
Flattered, Leo stood up with a huge grin on his face. “Ride with you? Really? That’d be great.” He angled toward Josh. “You guys tell Emmadine, okay?” He began to gather up his belongings. “Are we heading out right now? Cause I’ve got quite a bit of tech equipment here. And there’s a lot more that Winston insisted I bring.”
“Better grab it all then. We’re getting on the road as soon as we can herd everybody in the same direction.” Harry pivoted toward Skye. “Who gets the dogs?”
“Judy offered to take Atka and Bella in the camper.”
“Super. Oh, and before I forget, that woman you wanted me to look up, that Dina Miller, that’s not her real name. She was born Celia Ferndale in Lafayette, Indiana. Has a record for shoplifting as long as your arm that goes all the way back to juvenile court when she was fourteen. She was also a suspect in a murder case in St. Louis about five years back.”
“Wow. Thanks. I’d better let Lena know. Jarod’s supposed to keep an eye on the house when he gets into town.”
“I’ll text her,” Zoe offered. “I knew that Dina woman was trouble as soon as she got her hooks into Jarod. She probably did kill somebody back in St. Louis. I hope they nail her for it.”
“You text Lena, then make sure you’re up to speed on the victims. You can do that on the way.”
Zoe waited a beat before saving the best for last. “Already done…a couple of days ago, after we left the barbeque. I’ll just take the three off the list that Harry found and focus on Sara Grayhawk and Holly Whitmore from 2010, Lucy Silver in 2011, Nina Blackbird, Julia Newburn, and Kamena McToyler in 2012. Julia and Kamena were the only two Black victims.”
“That we know about,” Skye prompted.
“Okay, that we know about. But the guy must’ve been super active in 2012. Then there was Gabby Knight and Katie Acoma in 2013, Sonja Lake in 2014, Lily Redfern in 2015, then Farrow Sandoval, and Laurel Smith in 2018, specifically Laurel last Christmas. Did I miss anyone? Did I get all the names right?”
“Showoff,” Skye muttered and slung an arm over the girl’s shoulders. “You always were a quick study. Come on, let’s go get Sierra and Emmadine and load up.”
“I went over all the case files the other day at the cookout,” Zoe said. “I memorized them in chronological order. I really do want to help.”
Skye h
erded a rambunctious Sierra outside while Emmadine stopped to grab her suitcase. “Good. Just do me a favor. Try not to be a pain in the butt or a smartass during this process. Tensions are riding high anyway. The last thing any of us needs right now is a person with an attitude.”
“Don’t be a smartass,” Sierra echoed as she climbed into the minivan’s backseat and into her car seat.
“Yeah. What she said,” Skye reiterated.
“I get it,” Zoe promised, moving to the rear seat in the back, dragging her backpack. She patted the bag affectionately. “I brought plenty of reading material.”
“Me, too,” Emmadine hollered. After loading her luggage in Harry’s SUV, she hurried over to the van and sat next to Zoe. “You two carry on like siblings.”
“I’m too hard on her,” Zoe said with amusement. “She’s not a bad big sister just annoying, especially when she thinks she’s right. Which is all the time.”
“I heard that,” Skye said.
Josh settled behind the wheel and started the engine. “Please don’t bicker all the way to Coeur d’Alene. If I hear anybody nag, I’m dropping them off at the first truck stop I come to. Got it?”
“Got it,” Zoe said from the back.
“Got it,” Sierra parroted with a bob of her head.
“Oh, me, too,” Emmadine chimed in. “As soon as we hit the highway, I’m burying my head in the romance novel I brought.”
Josh cut his eyes to his wife and waited.
“I don’t nag. But I do have to firm up our reservations, which might prompt me to nag.”
“No nagging, Mama,” Sierra crowed.
“What she said,” Josh asserted and put the van in gear. “Ready or not, Idaho here we come.”
Six
With a few stops and starts for potty breaks for the dogs and one to stretch their legs, the trip took ten grueling hours. Which is why they complained of tight backs from sitting cramped in close quarters. Plus, they’d lost an hour crossing into Mountain Standard Time.
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