by C. M. Sutter
“Mr. Hughes, we need to speak with the hostess and waitress from last night. Would you mind calling them? We can have a sit-down interview with them as long as we’re here anyway.”
He nodded. “I’ll get right on that. I’ll have the waitress bring you a carafe of coffee or a few soft drinks. Which would you prefer?”
Even though we were in the shade, the day was warming up.
“A glass of iced tea would be great,” I said.
Jack decided on the same.
“How about something to eat? It’s on the house.”
I looked at Jack and shrugged.
“An appetizer would be nice,” Jack said. “We’ll split one. Any type of finger food is fine.”
Mr. Hughes said he’d have the waitress put an order in, then he excused himself to make the calls.
I split the list in half, and we began calling. Our approach would be the same with everyone. We’d introduce ourselves, have them acknowledge that they ate at the café last night, and ask if they noticed anybody or anything that seemed suspicious during their dinner or afterward. We’d also include the parking lot and ask if anyone had noticed a parked white van. We whittled away at the list of names with nothing helpful yet. Mr. Hughes returned forty-five minutes later with the waitress and the hostess from last night. He introduced us to both ladies.
“Sergeant Monroe and Detective Steele, this is Jillian, the hostess, and Tina, the waitress. Ladies, please help the detectives with as much as you can remember. If you need anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact me.”
We thanked Mr. Hughes, and he left. I studied both girls; their demeanor was casual, friendly, and open. Jillian looked to be in her late twenties, tall, slender, and pretty. Her blond hair was in a tight ponytail that fell just past her shoulders. Her makeup was impeccable, and she had flawless golden skin, likely from being a sun worshipper. Tina was cute and short, probably not much taller than five foot two. She appeared to be in her early twenties, at best. Her style was a little edgy, but she was sweet nonetheless. Her hair was spiky and short, and she wore a diamond stud piercing in her right nostril.
Jack motioned for them to take a seat, and the waitress on duty brought each of them a glass of water. We asked the ladies to tell us everything they could remember about Megan and Jenna, even if it seemed insignificant. They both admitted they didn’t have very much contact with them since they ordered only one beer each and nothing more.
“I’m pretty sure they were only here for about a half hour. I do remember they had a lot of shopping bags, so I seated them against the wall,” Jillian said. “Most of the tables were full, and I didn’t want anyone tripping over their bags.”
I wrote that down, even though the quantity of bags was already documented from the trunk contents.
“Which table were they sitting at?” Jack asked.
Jillian pointed at two tables away from where we were seated.
“Do you remember their demeanors?” I took a sip of my iced tea as I waited for a response.
Tina spoke up, “They seemed happy-go-lucky. They were joking around about maxing out their credit cards with shopping and how they could only afford a beer. Of course, they were kidding. I guess they weren’t hungry, or maybe they ate inside at the food court.”
I wrote that down too. “So they left around eight twenty, is that correct?”
Jillian nodded. “Yeah, that sounds about right. We had an eight thirty reservation that sat at the table they had just left.”
“Do you remember them actually leaving?” Jack asked.
“Not really,” Tina said. “The redhead handed me the check folder, said they were all set, and I took it. I thanked them and took the folder inside. The busboy came out and cleaned up the table since we had that new group coming in ten minutes later.”
I tapped the ice cubes in my glass with my straw. “So you don’t recall seeing them walk out to the parking lot?” I looked at both ladies. “Either of you?”
They both said no.
We handed them our cards, thanked them for their time, and watched them walk away.
“Want another iced tea?” Jack asked.
“Yeah, I guess. We still have another hour of calls to make.”
Between the unanswered calls and the people who ate at the café but parked in a different lot, we came up empty. We had six people left to call on our combined lists. I told Jack I’d be right back and got up to use the ladies’ room. He waved me off and dialed another number.
“Jade, I think we have something,” Jack said when he saw me heading back to the table. “Grab your purse. We’re leaving. Let’s make a quick stop inside and thank Mr. Hughes.”
“What happened? What did they say?” My adrenaline kicked in—I was ready to go.
“A woman remembers seeing a white van last night. She just lives a few minutes from here.”
“Thank God.” I gave Jack a hopeful sideways glance.
“Don’t plan a party yet. There’s probably more than one white van in the area.”
I scowled at him. “Did you really say that?”
“Sorry, I’m just amped up.”
Natalie led us down the hallway one more time and knocked on Mr. Hughes’s office door. We peeked in to thank him for his help and to say goodbye. Jack handed him our cards, and we left.
“Pull up this address on your GPS,” Jack said as we climbed into the cruiser. He got in behind the wheel and took off out of the parking lot.
Chapter 30
The metallic clinking and rattling sounds woke Liz. In the darkened corner of the room, Jeremy fumbled with her gate. With the flashlight wedged under his arm, he pointed it at the padlock and stuck the key in, giving it a jiggle and a turn.
“Get out here and don’t do anything stupid,” he said as he pulled the gate open. On her scuffed knees, Liz crawled out and stood. Jeremy pushed her toward the bathroom. He handed her a clean outfit and told her she had fifteen minutes to shower and freshen up.
“There’s makeup in the basket on the back of the toilet. Make sure you put plenty on that bruise on your forehead.”
Liz nodded and went inside. Jeremy latched the bathroom door behind her and snapped the padlock closed.
He walked away and gave each caged woman a threatening glance for good measure as he passed by. They were beginning to learn how to keep quiet. Jeremy entered the video room and woke up his computer. He expected several emails to arrive in his inbox. Gina was scheduled to be delivered to her buyer’s representative tomorrow, and Carley was leaving her fine abode on Wednesday. Jeremy sat down and scooted in close to the monitor. With his hand on the mouse, he thumbed the roller wheel and checked each email as he went down the list.
“There we go,” he said and leaned in to read the first one.
The buyer’s rep for Gina was flying into Milwaukee tomorrow evening and would arrive at seven p.m. on a private jet. At seven thirty, Jeremy needed to be at Holler Park Lodge, where the transfer would take place. Jeremy clicked the computer keys and sent off an acknowledgment response and a thank-you. “Easy as pie,” he said and moved on to the email about Carley. Her buyer’s rep was flying into Milwaukee too, by way of JFK. Since Carley’s buyer was in India, they’d have to make several stops along the way for fuel. He also had a private jet. The buyer said to watch for another email on Tuesday with further instructions. Other than driving, a private plane was the only way to transport these women individually.
Jeremy heard Matt coming down the stairs. Matt peeked around the doorway.
“Is it time for Liz?” He had a bottle of water in his hand.
Jeremy checked the bottom right side of the computer screen. “Yeah, she’s been in the bathroom long enough. Get her out. Is that water laced?”
“Definitely. I don’t trust her after that stunt last night.” Matt turned and walked away. He was back with Liz a few minutes later. Jeremy had the video and camera equipment set up and ready to go. He gave Liz a long look.
/> “Turn around slowly so I can check you out.”
She did as she was told.
“Yeah, you look okay. Drink that water, then we’ll get started.” Jeremy had the auction site up on the computer, but the screen was minimized for now. He would log in after they had completed all of the still shots and videos. Liz had fifteen minutes to stand, swirl, and move around before she’d be half looped. Keeping her somewhat sedated was a wise move. Her photos and video, along with her vital statistics, would be uploaded to the site in twenty minutes.
“Ready to go?” Jeremy asked.
“Yep. Liz, get in that photo booth and start smiling, pouting, and looking hot. You better work it for all it’s worth.”
Matt began taking pictures of Liz. The auction site allowed five still shots and a minute-long video. They’d set the reserve, click a button after they gave her information and photos one final review, then the bidding would start. Liz’s auction would last for five hours, like the rest, but her reserve was set lower. She had been on the auction site several times already without hitting that magic number. This time would be the last—she needed to go.
With Liz, Carley, and Gina gone, they’d have only the new girls left. After they were sold, they’d pack up and head southwest. The joint bank account had hit forty thousand, and it was still climbing. Jeremy never wanted to stay in one place too long anyway. They were perfecting their craft and learning the best abduction methods. Jeremy kept detailed notes, and the blitz attack at the mall was one of the methods high on his list.
“What are you going to set her reserve at?” Matt asked after he returned the stumbling Liz to her cage. He sat down next to Jeremy at the computer as the pictures were being uploaded to the site.
“I’m thinking six thousand.” He needed to get rid of Liz and focus on getting as much as he could for the new girls. “Did Jenna ever say what the other girl’s name was?”
“Yeah, not to me, but I heard them talking to each other. Apparently her name is Megan.”
Jeremy’s white teeth gleamed through his grin. “So she truly is an Irish hothead. I’ll make sure to include that in her listing. Some guys like the fiery, combative type.”
Chapter 31
“The address is right around the next corner on Fairview Street. It should be the third house on the right,” I said as I led the way using the GPS. “What is the person’s name we’re meeting with?”
“I forgot.” Jack leaned forward and pulled the notepad out of his back right pocket. “Here, see what I wrote.”
I paged through his notepad to the last entry. “Here we go. We’re meeting a Diane Evans?”
“Yeah, that’s right. This looks like the place.” Jack slowed, and I double-checked the address.
“Yeah, this is it. Pull in.”
Jack parked, and we exited the cruiser. The neighborhood was nice. The outskirts of town had several newer master-planned communities with clubhouses, pools, tennis courts, and activity directors. This neighborhood fit right in with that description. Most houses were single-story stand-alone or side-by-side condos, and none looked to be more than a few years old.
“I like this area,” I said as we walked up the sidewalk.
Jack rang the bell. We heard a small dog barking on the other side of the door.
I laughed. “Hey, at least this one sounds a little less terrifying than the ones in Terrance King’s neighborhood.”
“You never know,” Jack said. “I’ve always thought it was the ankle biters that were more vicious.”
We heard a female voice telling the dog to hush and to go lie down. The door opened slightly, and the woman stuck her leg in the space to block the pup from making a run for it.
“I’m so sorry, one second.” She closed the door and reopened it with the dog in her arms. “Skippy loves to escape any chance he gets. Please, come on in.”
We already had our badges exposed on the chains around our necks to put her mind at rest. We entered the tiled foyer, and I could see the kitchen and family room just beyond the entryway. Her house looked warm and inviting. We introduced ourselves.
Diane led the way to the kitchen and motioned for us to have a seat at the table next to the bay window. “I just made a fresh pot of coffee. Can I fix you each a cup?” She put the dog on the floor.
“Okay, sure. Thank you,” Jack said. He glanced at me, and I nodded. “Black for both of us.”
Diane set a trivet on the table and placed a thermal carafe on top of it. She brought over three brown ceramic mugs.
“I drink mine black too.” She reached down to pet Skippy, who was sitting at her side. “What can I help you with, detectives?”
Jack started while I pulled out my notepad. “May I call you Diane?”
“Sure, that’s fine.”
“Okay, Diane, I understand you were at the mall last night? Did you go to Chew, the café with the outdoor patio facing the west parking lot?”
She nodded. “I was there with my daughter but only for ice cream. We were shopping prior to that for a birthday present for her best friend. My daughter, Anna, is seven.”
“Okay, do you know what time that was, and how do you remember a white van specifically?”
Diane looked up for a few seconds as if she were thinking. “We didn’t go to the mall until after dinner and the dishes were cleaned up. It was right around when the news came on, so I’d say six o’clock, give or take a few minutes.”
“Great.” I wrote that down. “And the white van?”
“Well, Anna and I have always played road games. Yesterday we were looking for out-of-state license plates. I told her if she found one, I’d buy her an ice cream cone for dessert. Wouldn’t you know it, when we pulled into the parking lot, I was right behind a white van that had his left-turn blinker on. He was waiting for the traffic to pass.” She grinned. “Anyway, Anna noticed the van’s plates and yelled out. She was so excited knowing she’d get an ice cream cone out of it.”
I smiled. “Where were the plates from?”
“Montana. They were really cool plates too, with a ghost-town scene.”
“Would you happen to remember any of the numbers or letters on the plates?” I looked at her hopefully.
Diane rubbed her forehead as if that would spark her memory. “Um… um… oh yeah, there was an AE on it because Anna mentioned it was her initials.”
“That’s a big help. Do you remember anything about the van itself, like bumper stickers, rust, dents, or even the people in it?”
“I didn’t see the people in the van, and as far as dents, rust, or bumper stickers, no, I don’t think so.”
“No, there wasn’t anything like that, or no, you don’t remember if there was?” Jack asked.
“Sorry, I don’t remember if there was. We commented on the plates, the van turned left, and we went right.”
“Were there back windows that you can recall?”
“I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure the back was solid.”
“You didn’t see the van again while you were there, did you?”
“Nope. We parked, shopped, and had ice cream. We left for home around seven forty-five.”
“Okay, you’ve been very helpful, Diane,” Jack said.
We handed Diane our cards and asked her to please call if she remembered anything else, then we left.
I got into the passenger seat and called the lieutenant as Jack drove. He picked up on the third ring.
“Hey, boss. We may have a lead.”
“Good, because we really need one.”
“We just interviewed someone that was at the mall last night. She remembered a white van with a Montana plate that had a ghost town on it, and the letters A and E were in the plate number. That’s all she remembers. Oh, and there weren’t any windows on the back doors.”
“That’s something. I’ll get Todd and Billy on it right away and add that information for the news anchor to mention on the broadcast. Anything else?”
“Not so f
ar. Do you want us back or should we interview the security guard again from last night?”
“Yeah, do that for sure. The head of security is Bob Shilling. He’ll have the address and phone number of the guard that patrolled the parking lot last night.”
“Got it, boss. I’ll update you after we talk to him.” I hung up, and Jack drove us back to the mall.
Inside, we headed to the security office and knocked on the glass door. The man behind the first desk looked up and motioned for us to enter when we flashed our badges. Jack pushed the door open, and we entered the room.
A bank of computer monitors lined the back wall. Split screens on each one showed the mall from the inside, in each corridor, and outside, along the building and the numerous parking lots. A long counter facing the monitors was equipped with computers and six roller chairs. Four individual desks took up the rest of the room.
“Officers, how can I help you?”
The portly man pushed back his chair and stood. He turned down the volume on the radio next to him on a short filing cabinet, then he extended his hand and gave ours a strong shake. A thin ring of graying hair was all that remained on his head, and he had a gray mustache. He wore thick black bifocals, and a god-awful lime-green tie adorned his short-sleeved white shirt.
“Are you Bob Shilling?” I asked.
“Yes, ma’am, that’s me.”
“Nice to meet you, Bob. We’re here because we need the name, phone number, and address of the parking lot security patrol from last night. I guess you spoke with him after that car was left in the parking lot overnight, but none of our officers have talked to him yet.”
“That’s correct. Once your guys arrived earlier, I called the patrol officer and did a phone recap with him. He said he was just going by protocol.”
“Which is?” I asked, even though I already knew what he was about to say.
“Ticketing the car after twenty-four hours. Cars are left overnight often. It’s never raised a red flag before.”
“I understand. We’ll still need to speak with that security guard.”
“Sure. Give me a second, please.” Bob opened the file cabinet behind his desk and pulled out a folder. “Here we go.”