Bad Connection (10 page)

“Okay.”

“Just make sure you report back to me afterward.”

“Aha. See, I knew you were interested.”

“Hey, I'm only human.”

Then Olivia starts talking about Alex Fontaine, a guy who just happens to be Conrad's best friend. And suddenly I am putting two and two together.

“You like Alex, don't you?”

“Oh, I don't know…”

“You do, Olivia!” I turn and stare at my best friend. “I know you do!”

“What? Did you just have a vision or something?”

“No, but I can see things with my eyes too. And your cheeks are getting red.”

Her hand flies up to her face. “Are not.”

“Are too!”

And for the rest of the short ride to school, we argue over whether or not Olivia has a crush on Alex. And by the time we get there, I'm pretty sure she does. Now I'm teasing her mercilessly. It's fun to see Olivia squirm.

© “Can you just stop?” she asks as we get out of her car.

I'm laughing now. “Stop what?”

“You know what.”

“Okay.” We're barely inside the school when I spot Alex and Conrad. “There he is,” I whisper to Olivia. “Lover boy.”

She turns around and glares at me.
“Enough.”

“Okay.” I nod. And I can tell'she's had enough. “Sorry,” I say quickly.

“You better be.” Then we walk past Conrad and Alex, but as they say hi, I get the feeling that they were watching us the whole time. And I'm thinking,
Hey, this could be fun.

Still, as I hurry to biology, I remind myself of what happened to Kayla. I think of how complicated her life got when she started dating and dating and dating. And I think of how she fell away from God the more she got involved. And then how she started going with Parker, her true love, and how she and Emma got into that horrible fight over a boy. And finally, as I'm sitting in my seat, staring at Kayla's empty chair in front of me, I think about how she disappeared only a week ago. And how I feel certain that she's in some kind of serious trouble. If that's what having a boyfriend gets you, well, count me out. Maybe I will follow Hannah Thornton's example and kiss dating good-bye myself!

I
t's not until school ends that Olivia informs me that Ebony called for me during sixth period. “I thought I'd find you before seventh, but I was running late. Anyway, she left a message for you to stop by the precinct after school. Want me to drop you off?”

“Do you mind?”

“No. Actually, I'm sort of curious about why she wants to see you.”

“Maybe she got ahold of the artist guy, and we're going to create beautiful pictures together.”

“Well, promise to call me if anything new develops,” Olivia tells me as she drops me in front of the police station. “Or call if you need a ride.”

“Thanks.” As I walk up the steps to the station, I realize that I haven't been here in years. I pause on the top step and just stand there. I have this very strong feeling that my dad is nearby. And okay, it might just be because the only times I was ever here had to do with him. Or maybe he really is.

“Going in, miss?” a uniformed officer holds the front door open for me.

“Thanks,” I tell him as I go inside. Still, I want to hold on to that feeling, that sense that Dad was here, that
maybe he's helping to watch over me. I wish he could give me some clues about Kayla. But maybe God doesn't work like that.

“I'm here to see Detective Hamilton,” I tell the middleaged woman at the front desk.

“Your name?”

“Samantha McGregor.”

She looks up at me. “Cliff's little girl?”

I study her for a moment then nod.

“You don't remember me, do you, honey?”

I shake my head.

“I'm Bernice Waters. I knew your dad for years.”

“Oh yeah. I do remember you. But I never saw you at this desk before.”

“Just sitting in for one of the girls. We gotta help each other out, you know.” Then she tells me how to find Ebony and I wander back past the familiar desks and cubicles. Not much has changed since the last time I was here. I pause by the desk that my dad used to sit at. Relieved that no one is here right now, I run my hand over the top of it and just remember.

“Samantha,” Ebony says as she comes around the corner. “I was hoping I wouldn't miss you. I just got here.” She pauses as she realizes where I'm standing then slowly nods. “Yeah, that's right where your dad sat,” she says in a lowered voice. “Officer Parks uses that desk now. He's a good guy too.” Then she pats me on the back. “Let's head on down to my office. Want a soda or anything?”

We stop by the soda machine, and I'm surprised that it too looks just the same. I feel like I've stepped into a time warp. Ebony gets me a Pepsi and a Diet Pepsi for herself; then we go into her office and sit down.

“I spoke to Michael Taylor right after you called at lunchtime.”

“Is he here?”

“No. He can't come until tomorrow morning. Will that work for you?”

I nod.

“Hang on, let me tell Eric to put that call through to Michael and get it all set up.”

So I sit here and sip my soda as she takes care of the details. But the whole time I'm thinking about Dad. I'm thinking that he's glad I'm here. That he's watching over me.

“There,” she says. “That's settled. Now J want to tell you what Michael told me.” She pulls out a notepad. “He faxed me some questions to ask you while the image is still fairly fresh in your head. Do you mind?”

“Not at all.”

“Okay now, let me warn you…Michael is, well, he's a little unconventional. Not exactly what you'd call a psychic, and I know you don't like that word. But he relies more on feelings than facts. Do you understand what I mean?”

“I'm not sure.”

“Well, he wanted you to just close your eyes while I ask you some questions. Are you okay with that?”

“Sure. Whatever.” I lean back into the chair and close my eyes. “But I'll warn you,” I say in a teasing tone. “I'm
feeling kinda sleepy right now; I hope I don't nod off on you.”

“This isn't supposed to be hypnosis. Michael said you're supposed to just breathe and quiet yourself for a minute or so. He said for me to tell you to just empty your head of all distractions and just try to relax.”

“You sure this isn't hypnosis?” I ask with one eye open.

“I know…it probably sounds weird, Samantha. But I'm just following his instructions. To be honest, I've worked with composite artists before, but Michael's technique is new to me too. I'm interested to see if it works.”

Then she proceeds to ask me a lot of questions that seem pretty unrelated to anything. But I try to relax, and I try to answer as best I can.

“Okay,” she tells me. “That's all.”

“Do you think that will really help?”

“I hope so.”

“Me too.”

“Another thing.” She reaches into her desk. “This is for you.” She hands me a cell phone. “It's so we can stay in touch without using all of your friend's minutes.”

“Thanks.” I flip open the phone. “This is nice.”

“It has unlimited minutes. The phone number is written on a sticker on the side. I've already put it into my instant dial. And while it's for official use, no one will mind if you use some of those free minutes for yourself. Just make sure you don't tie it up too much.”

“Don't worry; I'm not much of a phone person, and I really don't have that much of a social life anyway.”

She laughs. “Yeah, tell me another one, Samantha. A pretty girl like you?”

“Seriously, I mostly just hang with Olivia, and we go to youth group and school stuff. I'm not really a social butterfly or anything.”

“No boyfriend?”

I shake my head. “Although J was thinking about it today”

“Thinking
about it?”

“Yeah. There's this guy who might be interested in me.”

“A nice guy?”

I nod. “I think so.”

She smiles. “So, what's the problem then?”

“I'm just not sure I'm ready for that. I mean, yeah, I'm almost seventeen, and I've gone out like twice, and both times were pretty pathetic. But this whole thing with Kayla is kind of unnerving. I sure don't want to end up like her.”

“She was kind of boy crazy, huh?”

“Yeah. But not always. Like before her parents split up, she was just a normal girl. She was a Christian and even went to youth group regularly. But she changed.”

“Too bad.”

“In fact, that reminds me of something. I already told Olivia about it today, and I made some notes in my notebook. It's not like a vision or anything, just something I remembered. Maybe another piece of the puzzle.”

“Hit me.”

So I tell her my memory of the day when Kayla started bragging about the San Diego boyfriend. “But I don't remember her ever mentioning his name that day. And I
recall thinking it was kind of weird. At the time it made me suspect that maybe she was just putting on an act, to sort of show up Emma or maybe just to get her to shut up about Parker.”

Ebony is making note of this. “Have you asked Emma

“No. It just hit me today.”

“Do you mind if I ask Emma how she remembers it?”

“Notatali.”

“As you know, we came up with zip-zero-nothing down in San Diego. Kayla's aunt couldn't confirm anything. And now that we know about this Arizona connection, well, we might've been chasing a wild goose in California all along.”

“So, I was thinking…” I say. “If Kayla made up that whole story about the San Diego boyfriend, Mr. Perfect, but there was a guy in her e-mail named Colby, maybe she just wanted us to think it was the same guy. I mean, the made-up guy suddenly becomes her e-mail boyfriend. And then we all just assumed he lived in San Diego.”

Ebony nods. “I was sort of thinking along those lines too, Samantha, especially after your vision of the guy in the apron with the name Colby on the front. Still, it's going to be like finding a needle in a haystack with the few facts we have so far. Phoenix is a huge pjace. I think it's closing in on 1.5 million now. But what makes it even worse is that it's one of the fastest growing cities in the country. In other words, it's a great place to hide.”

“Oh…”

Ebony smiles as she stands, and I get the impression that she has someplace else to be about now. “But don't let that discourage you. We're making really good progress, And I can't wait to see what you and Michael come up with tomorrow. Do you need a ride home or anything?”

“Olivia told me to call her.”

“Does she know about all this?”

I nod. “Yeah, I kinda need someone to talk to.”

“Do you talk to your mom much? I mean, about things like this?”

“Not about this.” I pull my jacket back on and pick up my pack. “It'd just freak her.”

“So she doesn't know about your involvement in this case yet?”

I shake my head.

“She needs to know, Samantha. In fact, because you're a juvenile, she'll have to sign off in order for you to give evidence tomorrow.”

“Oh…”

“Do you mind if I call her and have a little chat?”

“I guess not.”

“I'll try not to freak her out.”

Thanks.”

“Is it okay to call her at work?”

“Sure.”

“She's still with the park district?”

“Yeah. Like about sixty hours a week.”

We're walking down the hall now. “We'll need you here around nine tomorrow. Do you need a ride?”

“I'll ask Olivia if she can bring me.”

“Olivia sounds like a good friend.”

I nod. “She is.”

Then I tell Ebony good-bye and use my new cell phone to call Olivia. I wait for her outside, but I'm surprised at how cold it's suddenly getting. I dig my wool scarf out of my backpack and wrap it around my neck. It almost feels like snow is in the air. I wonder what the temperature is in Phoenix. I'm guessing hot. Really hot.

Then I think about the fact that Ebony is going to call my mom, maybe even right now. I can't imagine how my mom will react to this. But I have a feeling that, although she'll probably be cool as can be with Ebony, she will be freaking underneath it all. And so while I wait, I pray.

Dear God, please help to smooth this out with my mom. I know she's got a lot of stress right now, and I don't want to add to her pile. Please, help her to understand this
—
and not to freak

O
kay, maybe I'm just a big chicken, but when, Olivia invites me to spend the night at her house, I jump at the chance. Not that it's so unusual. I spend the night at her house at least a couple of times a month. And the fact that Mom might be in a huff after Ebony calls he, well, that's probably somewhat motivating too. Who can blame me?

“Let me pick up some things at my house,” I tell Olivia. “And leave Mom a note. She probably won't get off work until late anyway. She said they're working to put something together for the Christmas parade tomorrow.”

“I'm surprised she didn't rope you into it this year.”

“After last year?”

Olivia laughs. “You made a cute Mrs. Santa.”

“Yeah, right. Half the kids thought I was just an overgrown female elf.”

“So she let you off easy this year?”

“Yeah, we cut a deal,” I admit as she pulls into my driveway. “I get to do all her Christmas cards this year.”

I'm relieved that nobody's home. And hopefully this means Zach actually went to work today. Friday is a busy day at the video store, and I'm guessing if Zach does
another no-show, he'll probably lose his job. Then Mom -c will be furious.

I gather up some of my things and write Mom a quick note, just like I usually do on nights like this. No big deal. Yet for some reason, I feel kind of guilty. Like I'm trying to escape something, which I suppose is partially true.

Then I remind myself that I'm not really doing anything wrong. Mom has always been perfectly fine with me staying at Olivia's. In fact; I think she enjoys having our house to herself sometimes. It's just that I'm sure she'll want to talk to me after Ebony tells her about how I'm helping on the case. So I take the time to explain in my note about my new cell phone and why Ebony gave it to me. And I even write down the number so Mom can call me if she wants. Although I'm hoping she won't. What more can I do?