Her Silent Cry

Twenty

Josie tracked down the building manager and took a look at all the video footage inside and outside of the building. The exterior camera at the front entrance showed Jaclyn arriving almost two hours earlier, dragging her suitcase with her. The foyer camera captured her as well. Only one other person entered after her before the FBI arrived and the building manager identified her as a tenant on the second floor. The rear exterior camera didn’t show anyone entering or exiting. Josie asked the manager for a copy of the footage even though all it showed was that the kidnapper-killer was smart enough and had done enough reconnaissance to enter and exit through the sliding glass doors, where he wouldn’t be caught on camera.

She met Oaks outside, gave him the footage and briefed him on what she had found, which was nothing of substance.

“I talked to the agent who spoke with Ms. Underwood on the phone,” he said. “He asked her if she had had any visitors in the past few weeks and she said no. I’ve already dispatched a couple of agents to question her friends and neighbors about anyone who might have been staying with her going back at least six months. We’ll print the compact and see if we can get any DNA from it—the pillow, too. Just in case. You think this person had something to do with Lucy’s disappearance?”

“I think that this kidnapping was planned for a long time,” Josie answered. “I think Lucy was well prepared. I don’t know how or by whom or when it took place. By all accounts the only adults she has been around on any regular basis are her parents, nanny and teacher and they all check out.”

“Except Amy,” Oaks said. “She failed her polygraph.”

“You said yourself that doesn’t necessarily mean anything,” Josie pointed out.

Oaks nodded. “I know, I know. I’m not entirely sold on the mother being behind this. But you agree the kidnapper had help?”

Josie nodded. “Yes. I do, and what better way to subtly find out the intimate details of a family’s life and routine than to get close to the nanny?”

“Well, we’ll see if it leads to anything once all the evidence is processed and analyzed,” Oaks said. He looked toward the street where Dr. Anya Feist, Denton’s medical examiner emerged from her truck, striding toward the front of the building with a grimace on her face. Josie waved to her and she stopped walking. She raised a brow, pointed to Josie and mouthed, what happened to your face? Josie waved back and mouthed, don’t worry about it, before watching Dr. Feist disappear into the building.

“I’ll get back to the Ross house,” Josie said even though the task ahead of her weighed heavily on her shoulders.