All the Shiny Things: A Kate Reid Novel (Kate Reid Series Book 1) (13 page)

Katie set the book down and walked into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine. With her wheels spinning, she thought perhaps she did have something. Now that she could recall at least some details, albeit uncertain of what happened and what didn’t. Would that be enough to reopen the case?

What do I have, really? Some random memories about being chased in the woods? That I had a scarf tied around my eyes and I was kept in a dark room?
Frustration grew at the seemingly wasted time spent on her hypnotherapy. Nothing of any significance had been uncovered in recent days.

It was in that moment that the evidence finally presented itself to her.
Oh my God, the necklace. The missing girl from Arcata wore a necklace in her school picture. I remember now. It was a heart pendant; something as ordinary as a little girl’s heart pendant necklace in a school picture. It was the same one I saw in the dark room during my last session. And, the necklace I saw on that woman at the fundraiser. God, my mind has been trying to show me this whole time. How could I have not seen it before? What was it about the necklace? Does this connect our two cases?

8

K
atie vacillated back
and forth for the next few days as she tried to figure out how to handle this newly exposed information. This would be a giant step in getting the case reopened and that would have dramatic consequences on her relationship. Spencer would not be supportive of her flying home and digging up more of her past. And would it be possible to continue to be productive on the Thompson case while her mind was occupied with her own abduction?

Maybe it was time to ask someone who was detached from the situation, someone who could offer realistic advice as to whether she had enough to warrant a new investigation. She trusted Detective Avery and he was who she needed to consult, even if it meant sacrificing the responsibilities of her new position.

Their weekly meeting was about to begin and would provide Katie an opportunity to speak with the detective.

She sat in the conference room, waiting for the rest to arrive as she had before. Punctuality was one of her strong suits. However, Detective Avery was not far behind.

“Good morning, Kate. Nice to see you again.”

“Good morning, Detective Avery.”

“It’s Marshall, remember?”

“Of course, Marshall; can I get you some coffee?” Katie walked to the credenza at the back of the conference room where a coffee bar had been set out for the meeting. “I’m getting one for myself, if you’d like one.”

“Sure, that’d be great. Black, one sugar, please.”

Katie carried two cups and handed one to Marshall. Just as she was about to take her seat again, Susan arrived, followed by the assistant district attorney.

“Good morning, everyone. Why don’t we get started?” Susan opened the meeting and began going through the agenda.

The assistant DA knew the case was heading toward a dead end, with one exception; Detective Avery’s lead on Johansen. “Detective Avery, I understand you and your team have been working diligently on the Johansen lead. According to Captain Hearn, you are still exploring this lead?”

“That’s right. We haven’t ruled him out just yet,” Marshall replied.

“And from your standpoint, Susan, your team is assisting the detective with documenting neighbor interviews? We need to be sure we are letting the public know that the Victim Assistance Coordinating Council is out there to help anyone who feels they might have any information on Isabelle’s location.”

“Yes, we are at the detective’s beck and call and are assisting in any way possible. The public coordinating effort has helped ease the tensions between the community and the Thompson mother. As I’m sure you are aware, the media has swayed the public point of view in such a manner as to condemn the mother, justifiably so or not,” Susan replied.

Detective Avery jumped in. “We haven’t ruled out the mother yet, either. She remains an investigative lead along with the others.”

“We’d like more than just leads at this point, Detective. I’ve got the mayor and the city manager breathing down my neck about the negative press. With tourist season kicking into high gear, they’ve made it clear they do not want this blemish on the city,” The assistant DA replied.

“No, we would not want the disappearance of this eight-year-old child to become a blemish on the city and detract tourists.” Detective Avery’s agitation was becoming apparent to everyone around the table. “You just let me do my job and I’ll let you do yours, agreed?”

“Gentlemen, please,” Susan interrupted. “This is not helping us find Isabelle or the person who took her. If we could please just continue on with the meeting?”

Another hour had passed and it had been decided that the plan was to pull back unless Detective Avery’s team came up with something very soon. Katie cringed at the possibility of never knowing what happened to Isabelle Thompson. She would be just another missing child.

After the meeting ended and everyone left, she and Marshall were the only two in the room.

“So, Kate, you wanted to talk to me?” He still appeared frustrated.

“Yes. Do you think we could run out for a coffee or something? I don’t really want to talk here.”

“Sure. Let’s go. I need some air anyway.”

The coffee shop around the corner from the office was emptying out as the morning rush ended. They sat down at a table in the corner.

“Can I get you a coffee this time?” Marshall asked.

“Yes, thanks. Cream and two sugars please.” Katie couldn’t be gone for too long without going unnoticed, so she had to make this quick.

Marshall set the cups on the table and sat down. “Okay, so what’s this about?” He leaned over on his elbows, his full attention seemingly directed toward her.

“It’s a long story, actually, so I’ll just give you the abridged version,” Katie started. “When I was six, I was abducted. My family and I lived in Rio Dell outside of Eureka. After three days, I was discovered by a family heading north for a Labor Day camping trip. I was found alongside Highway 101, at the edge of the woods. I had no memory of any of this when my parents picked me up at the police station in Trinidad; that’s where the family took me. I was able to tell them my name and that was all they needed. Pretty much everyone knew who I was because I guess it was all over the news in Humboldt County. There had been other abductions in northern California earlier that summer, but I was the only missing girl to have been found.

“But I guess I should preface this by saying that my parents never told me about any of it. Because I had no memory of the incident, they didn’t, or rather, my mother, didn’t see the need to subject me to any further trauma. The doctors told her that I might never remember what happened and she was just fine with that.”

Katie noticed Marshall’s expression had remain unchanged as she revealed this life-altering event. He had to be the most even-tempered man she’d ever come across. Either that, or he’d heard much worse in his time.

“Well, like I said, it’s a long story, but a few months ago, some of these memories began to surface, mostly through my dreams. It took a while, but about a month or so ago, I confronted my parents, and they told me everything. My mother still had the newspaper clippings.”

Marshall took pause and eyed her closely. “I can’t imagine what that must have done to you, Kate.”

“Well, it hasn’t been easy. But I feel as though I need to know who took me and what happened. That’s the reason I asked you about cold cases. That’s also the reason why I wanted to work in this department. I had hoped to learn something from you that might help me find resolution.”

He glanced down at his cup, swirling around what remained of his coffee. “Before you go any further, I have to tell you something.” He caught her gaze this time. “There’s a reason why I gave you that book and there’s a reason why I asked Susan to send you along with me on the Thompson investigation.”

Katie was growing concerned about what was coming next, although she suspected she knew what it was.

“After our first meeting, I was curious why someone with a degree in Social Sciences wanted to learn about cold cases. So, I ran your name and found the file on your abduction case.

“Please. Don’t be upset with me. I just wanted to help. That’s why I sent you the book. That’s all I wanted to do, was just to give you a leg up. And I figured if you wanted any more help, you’d come to me. I promise you, I didn’t pry any further than that.”

Katie remained silent as she processed this distressing news that her secret was no longer a secret.

“Then, when we got the lead on the white truck, I thought asking you along would help you see the real world of investigating. I could see where you were headed with the cold case questions. I wanted you to know that it’s not like what you see on TV. Cases aren’t solved in an hour; sometimes they aren’t solved at all. I’m sure you can see that now with Isabelle.

“Look, I know you’re probably pissed off and I’m sorry. I should have said something the other day in the car. But I thought you’d tell me if and when you wanted to.”

Finally, she was ready to speak. “You’re right; I am pissed. I guess I understand to a point, but you should have just asked me.”

Marshall nodded, swirling the stir stick in his coffee.

For the first time, she saw a vulnerability in him that he had so far been able to keep well hidden. “The reason I wanted to talk with you today was because I think I may have enough evidence to reopen the case. But I’m not sure if I should.” She proceeded to tell him how she came about the information regarding the necklace and how she had seen it in one of her therapy sessions.

“I don’t know, Kate. You were under hypnosis and had a repressed memory surface about being locked in a dark room and that you saw the same necklace the other victim wore in a picture. It’s tough to say. They’ll probably want to interview you and request your doctor’s notes on the sessions. They’re going to want to verify that at least some of the memories you had surface correlate in some way with what they already know of the case. But I suppose it’s not unheard of to open a case based on a victim’s recollections, however they were brought forth.”

“So you think I should go back and talk to the police in Rio Dell?” His comments were encouraging and she felt a small glimmer of hope igniting.

“That’s up to you, Kate. You could be opening up Pandora’s Box and you won’t be able to close it again. Are you sure you’re ready to relive what happened? Not to mention that it could take you away from your job here, and didn’t you say you were getting married soon?”

“In seven months.”

“Just be aware, that once it’s open, it’s open.” Marshall threw back his final swig.

“You’re right. Thank you.” Katie walked over to the garbage and tossed her cup. “You ready to go?”

Marshall got out of his chair and followed her toward the door. “So what are you going to do?”

“I have no idea.”

» » »

Katie poked at her dinner, not really eating as Spencer sat across from her. She had spent the day trying to figure out what to do and wasn’t the least bit hungry.

“You okay, Katie?”

She looked at him and set her fork down. “I think I need to go back home. I want to talk to the police about reopening my case.”

“What? What are you talking about? Why?”

She knew this would be a shock for him, having said nothing of the fact that she’d remembered the necklace or talked with the detective. Katie took a deep breath. “I know this isn’t what you wanted. I know you thought I’d just get better and forget about all this. But I can’t, Spencer. I really need your support right now. I’m scared to death.”

“Then why put yourself through this? Are you even sure they’ll reopen it? They’ll need some kind of new evidence. Do you
have
new evidence, Katie?” He was starting to sound like a lawyer.

“As a matter of fact, I believe I do. Look, I don’t want this to turn into a fight. I just need you to be on my side. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I know if you’re with me, then I’ll be okay.”

He was quiet and stared at his plate of food for longer than she’d expected. She didn’t know if he was about to break off the engagement or if he would stand behind her.

He finally looked up at her with glossy eyes. “Okay. I don’t think this is the right thing to do, but I will support you. I always have, Katie. I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

» » »

Saturday afternoon was the soonest she could catch a flight into the Eureka/Arcata airport. She would have to fly into Sacramento and then into Arcata. But there was no time to waste. Katie needed to be sure to get back home by Sunday night.

“Spencer, I’m leaving.”

He came out of the bedroom with a bag over his shoulder. “Not without me, you’re not.”

Katie’s eyes swelled with tears. “You’re coming with me? Oh, honey. Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

“I know I was an ass last night. But I got to thinking and if this is what you need to do, then I’ll be damned if I let you do it alone.”

She wrapped her arms around him in relief. Any fear she had about her decision to come forward had all but disappeared. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Katie, I swear I do. Come on now; we don’t want to miss the flight.”

The afternoon had turned to evening when they arrived in Eureka. Rio Dell was south of the airport by about forty miles. Katie didn’t tell her parents they were coming home because she knew they wouldn’t want her to have the case reopened. It would be painful for them, probably more so than for her. She, after all, didn’t have much memory of it.

They checked in at the hotel and arrived at their fifth floor room. The old building left an odor in the room that mixed with the already muggy air. There were only a few hotels in Rio Dell and this one was probably the nicest.

“Do you want to do this now? There may not be anyone there who can help,” Spencer said. “It’s a small town.”

“I know, but I’d like to try. I can at least find out who to speak with.”