by Robin Mahle
A sliver of light penetrated the cracks in the cellar door and cast a dim glow onto the ground. It was barely enough to see by. Katie made her way to the cot and sat down. She no longer cried for her mother; she knew she wasn’t coming. Katie began quietly singing a song she’d learned in school just a few days before. Swaying back and forth, knees tucked up to her chest, Katie sang. Her voice was dry and hoarse. The small cup sitting on a crate next to the cot was empty. Her daily allowance of water was exhausted.
As Katie hummed, she heard a thud on the floor above. It shook the floor and rattled the walls. It wasn’t until that moment Katie spotted a twinkle out of the corner of her eye. This small shiny object sat on a shelf on the other side of the room. She stood up and tiptoed over towards it. The object lay against her small hand. It was a necklace with a heart pendant on the end.
Footsteps could be heard again and Katie quickly ran back to her cot. She sat quietly, waiting for him to come back down the stairs. He didn’t leave her for very long.
A voice in the distance became louder.
“Katie, I’m counting back up again… six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Katie?”
She could hear the doctor, but could not respond.
“Katie? You should be back with me now. Can you hear me?” Dr. Reyes grabbed her arm. “Wake up, Kate.”
That finally brought her back to the present. She opened her eyes and saw a slightly panicked Dr. Reyes leaning over her.
“I’m okay, I’m awake.”
Dr. Reyes sighed with relief. “You had me a little concerned. Do you remember the room you were in?”
“Only a little; it seemed too much like a dream. The other memories seemed to come back with a vengeance, but I felt like I was hovering over myself, watching myself as a little girl. Why was this time so different?”
“I can only speculate that your emotions were detached from that moment. It may have been your mind’s way of protecting you and separating yourself from the situation. I believe it was probably for your own good.”
“It was very strange. I don’t know if I really learned anything more.” Katie rested her head back onto the chair. “I don’t know, doc, maybe you were right; you and Spencer both. If my subconscious could recall my abductor’s face or reveal any physical characteristics, it would have done so by now. That was just so surreal, whereas the other sessions felt like they’d happened yesterday.”
“Some memories are buried too deep, Katie. Those are the ones that aren’t meant to come to light.”
12
SATURDAY MORNING, Katie sat on the balcony of the apartment, drinking her coffee and reading the book from Detective Avery. Spencer had had a late night at work and he was still asleep. The book was filled with case study after case study about how to track down information on cold homicides, disappearances, and serial murders. This was not going to be an easy read.
The type of information that was available was astonishing; software programs that tracked credit card use, national databases, and of course, DNA evidence. And that was only in the first couple of chapters. Her mind was reeling at the volume of information and yet she was completely fascinated by it. So much so, that she didn’t even notice Spencer in the kitchen, banging coffee cups around, still half-asleep. She heard his footsteps approach from behind.
“Good morning,” she said, without her eyes leaving the book’s page.
He grunted and sat down next to her. “How long have you been up?”
“I don’t know. I lost track of time.” She paused to find the clock. “Oh wow, it’s ten? I can’t believe you slept in so late.”
“I know. I got in at midnight. The team was given some last minute evidence by the prosecution. We were supposed to be beyond the discovery period, but they keep handing things over whenever they damn well feel like it.” He took a sip of coffee. “Sorry, hon, I guess I’m still a little tired.” Spencer glanced at her book. “What’s that you’re reading?”
“Oh, this was lent to me by the detective working on the Thompson case. I had expressed some interest in learning more about the field and he shared this with me. Since I’m going to be working for Susan from now on, I thought I’d better get a feel for this stuff.”
Spencer squinted at her remarks as he reached for the cover of the book. “Cold Case Research,” he read. “I didn’t realize you were working on a cold case. I thought the Thompson case was an ongoing investigation.”
“Oh, it is. Detective Avery had this on his bookshelf when I went to the department the other day. I glanced at the back cover while I was waiting for him to sign some docs and he said I could borrow it, if I was interested.” That little lie had come all too easily for her.
Spencer looked out over the balcony. The breeze was verging on being warm, but the sky was still overcast. Their “ocean view” apartment revealed just a sliver of blue water between several buildings that were far off in the distance.
Nevertheless, Katie watched as Spencer looked on. She knew what he was thinking, but didn’t say as much. He was getting tired of the whole thing. She believed he wished it hadn’t happened even more than she had. But there would be no going back now. Katie found something she was truly passionate about in her new job. And if in the course of her employment she might discover the truth about her past, she wasn’t about to let Spencer or anyone sway her otherwise.
Spencer set his mug on the table. “You know what? I think we could use some downtime. Why don’t we catch a movie and maybe go for a walk on the beach? It’s beautiful out today and I could use a break.”
“Absolutely. I’d love that, honey.” Katie gave him a peck on the cheek. “I’ll go jump in the shower.”
* * *
Pacific Beach was crowded; not surprising, considering it was spring break for the schools. That didn’t matter to Katie, though. They had enjoyed a movie and a long lunch, followed by a few drinks at the Green Flash, a local favorite. The sun would be setting soon and it had been far too long since the two of them watched the sunset over the ocean. Spencer was right; they needed a break.
Now, Katie held her flip-flops in her hand as they walked along the shore, digging her toes in the moist sand. The water was still cold as it washed over her feet along the way.
The noticeable silence was broken when Spencer cut his foot on a large broken shell that had been mostly buried.
“Oh no, are you okay? Let’s go sit down and take a look at that.”
Spencer put his arm around Katie’s neck and hobbled slightly as they walked towards the wall along the boardwalk.
“I’m okay. Just let me look.” He pushed her hand away from his foot and began feeling around for any remaining shards of broken shell lodged in his skin.
“Do you want me to get a band aid?”
“No, I’ll be fine. It’s not that bad.” His tone softened.
It was another five minutes before Spencer came out with it. He was never silent for long and Katie sensed he wanted to get something off his chest.
“Do you still want to get married, Katie?”
“What?” She was genuinely taken aback. “Of course I do. Why would you say something like that?”
“I just feel like I’m losing you,” he said, looking out at the ocean.
“You’re not losing me, Spencer, I promise. It’s just that I’m not the same person I was a couple months ago. You have to understand that I discovered something awful about my past; something that affected not only me, but my parents and our life as a family. I’m not sure why you can’t see that. You expect me to just go on with my life as if nothing ever happened.”
“I don’t, Katie. I really don’t. I guess the thing that gets to me is that I can’t help you. I can’t make it go away. I mean, here you are doing a different job, one that seems, quite frankly, a little dangerous. You’re reading up on cold cases. What am I supposed to do? We’re getting married in a few months and it’s like I have to constantly remind you of that fact.”
Katie too
k his hand. “You don’t have to remind me we’re getting married. I want nothing more than to marry you. But, you have to admit, this thing has thrown a wrench into the works. I know I haven’t been very focused. I’m still having the dreams and I don’t sleep well. My sessions with Dr. Reyes aren’t progressing as I had hoped and the one ray of sunshine I see is that I’m really excited about my work.”
“The one ray of sunshine?”
“You know what I mean, Spencer.” Katie turned away towards the setting sun. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is. Katie, what are we going to do?” He sounded almost desperate.
“You’re going to let me resolve this in my own way and in my own time. The wedding will take care of itself. We have a great planner and when she needs us to make decisions, I’ll make sure I take the time to do so. I won’t let you down. We are getting married and things will get back to normal. We will get through this.”
“I hope so.” Spencer stood up to test the pain in his foot. “Come on. I can walk now. Let’s go enjoy this sunset.” He reached for Katie’s hand. She gladly offered it.
* * *
Katie had fifty unread e-mails waiting for her when she arrived Monday morning. What did people do all weekend; send useless e-mails? But, there was one that stood out. It was from Detective Avery. He was confirming that Katie would be available to come along and interview the surrounding neighbors of the Thompson home.
Further down was an e-mail from Susan. She needed to see Katie as soon as she got in.
“Good morning, Susan. You wanted to see me?”
“Good morning, Katie. Yes. Please come in and have a seat.”
Katie sat down, impatiently waiting for Susan to begin.
“I got a call from Detective Avery early this morning. Based on the leads he received late last week, he has asked that you accompany him on interviews in Isabelle’s neighborhood. They’ve already spoken with many of these people, but whatever new information he’s gotten his hands on, requires further inquiries. He didn’t go into much more detail than that. I expect he’ll fill you in when you meet him at the station at 9:00.”
Katie leapt out of her seat. “Okay. I’ll get my things and head out in a few minutes.”
“You’ve got a little time, Kate. Relax. And, don’t worry, you won’t be asking any questions. You’re just there to take notes.”
“Thank you, Susan.” Katie struggled not to break out into a sprint back to her office. She immediately sent a reply to the detective indicating confirmation of her arrival.
Soon after, she gathered her notebook, files, and anything else she thought might be relevant and headed out the door.
* * *
At the station, Katie sat in the row of chairs across from the front desk, waiting for Detective Avery. Next to her sat what appeared to be a homeless man and a woman, or rather, girl who looked like she’d been in a fight. Katie began to feel a little outside of her comfort zone. Her privileged life rarely exposed her to criminals and it would take some getting used to.
“Kate? Are you ready to go?” The detective appeared from around the corner.
“Yes.” She quickly rose from her chair and quick-stepped to catch up with him.
He walked almost as fast as he spoke and was clearly in a hurry. “Okay, we’ve talked to most of these people already, but we’re going to make another visit.”
Katie almost had to jog to keep up as she listened intently.
“I have to warn you, we will be interviewing Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders. These are the most likely to re-offend. Level 2 offenders often abuse the trust of their victims and are in a position of power, or have committed long-term abuse. Level 3 are generally more violent and have more predatory characteristics. They seek out their victims.”
Katie didn’t respond and was wondering if she had gotten in over her head.
“Kate, you okay?” he asked.
She nodded her head.
They arrived at his car and he opened the passenger door for her. “Listen, I know this is new for you and you’re probably freaking out a little. But don’t. I’ll be doing the questioning and we won’t be going inside the homes. I just need you to take down the responses. These people are used to it. Every time we get a case like this, we have to question the sex offenders in the area.”
“It sounds like they’re still dangerous. How can they live in normal neighborhoods and communities? Shouldn’t they all live together somewhere else?”
“Well, I suppose most people would prefer that and the law can dictate, to an extent, where someone can live, if they’re a serial offender. However, most can choose where to call home.” He shut her door and walked around to the driver’s side.
He slid into the car and turned over the engine. “Besides, they’ve already paid for their crimes. We just have to hope the treatment programs and rehab worked so we can keep these communities safe.”
They pulled out onto the street and Katie glanced over at Detective Avery, wanting to ask more questions, but she didn’t want to seem amateurish.
“What is it?” he said without looking at her.
“I was just wondering what’s come to light that the police need to question these people again.”
“We have a hotline for anonymous tips and so far, we have received about 300. Now, several of these tips aren’t valid, but we have to exhaust the ones we think might be legitimate. On Friday morning, we received a tip that a neighbor spotted a small, white, older model Chevy pickup parked on the street the day Isabelle went missing. They said it had been there at that same time for the previous two days.”
“Why did this person wait so long to call it in? She’s been missing for more than two weeks.” Katie asked.
“Hard to say; maybe they didn’t think it was relevant or had forgotten about it all together. Who knows; but people sometimes don’t like to get involved.
“Anyway, we cross-referenced everyone within a five-mile radius of Isabelle’s house who owns a similar type of vehicle. We found six; two are registered sex-offenders, the other four are within the search radius. These are the people we’re going to talk to today. We had to go through the proper channels and are trying to get search warrants for the vehicles now. I’m hoping to narrow that down by the responses we get today. It’s not the strongest lead, but it’s something.”
“But there are still volunteers and police out there looking for her, right?”
“Oh yeah; like I said, we’re following up on every lead we can. The problem is, Kate, is that there is a very small window of opportunity to find a missing child unharmed. Generally, it’s only about three hours. A very high percentage of children won’t be recovered alive after that. Not to mention the fact that it can sometimes take a parent a few hours to realize their child is missing in the first place. There goes the window.”
“So, do you believe Isabelle is still alive, Detective?”
“We’re going to exhaust every lead and continue our search to find out.”
They pulled up to the front of an apartment complex. Detective Avery verified the address on the building with his paperwork. “Okay, this is it. When we get to the door, I want you to fall behind me, got it?”
“Yes.” Katie was feeling apprehensive and eager at the same time.
“Let’s go.” Detective Avery hopped out of the car and Katie followed closely behind as they approached the door of the ground-floor apartment. He didn’t tell her who they would be interviewing first. She had her pen and paper at the ready.
The door opened just a crack.
“Mr. Lopez, I’m Detective Avery from the San Diego Police Department. Can I ask you a few questions about Isabelle Thompson?”
“I already talked to you people. I told you I don’t know anything about that missing girl.”
“I understand, Mr. Lopez, and we thank you for your help. But, we just have a couple more for you if that’s all right?”
The man was silent, but open
ed his door a little further.
“Thank you, sir. This is Kate Reid; she’s just here to take some notes for me.”
The man grunted in her direction.
“Do you own a white Chevy pickup, Mr. Lopez?” Detective Avery continued.
“Yeah. What about it? Has it been stolen?”
“No, sir. A white Chevy truck was spotted on San Miguel Drive the day Isabelle went missing. The witness said it had been parked there at the same time for a few days.”
“It wasn’t mine. I use it for work every day.”
“And where do you work, Mr. Lopez?”
“Not that I have to answer your questions, but just so you know I’m cooperating, I work at the JBS body shop on Estrella. That’s pretty far from San Miguel Drive, Detective.”
“Yes it is, Mr. Lopez. I don’t mean to imply you are a suspect. We’re just trying to narrow down our search. We just want to get Isabelle home to her parents. I’m sure you can understand that.”
The man’s face softened. “I understand. I’m a father. I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”
“You’ve been a great help and we thank you for your time. Good day, sir.” Detective Avery turned back towards Katie. “Let’s go.”
Katie waited until they got in the car before speaking. “Wow. That’s it? You just take his word for it? He seemed pretty ticked off by the questioning.”
“Wouldn’t you be? Someone coming to your door and implying you are somehow involved in the disappearance of a child? We have to make them feel like we aren’t accusing them of anything. We don’t accuse unless we have evidence. That’s what we’re looking for today. And as far as ‘taking his word for it,’ I can tell you that I’ve been doing this long enough to tell when someone is hiding something. That man was no more guilty of taking Isabelle than you or me.”
“I’m sorry, Detective Avery. I didn’t mean to imply…”