GJ absorbed the expressions on their faces as the three other agents finally saw what she had seen when she first watched the video. It was stunning, and they would need a minute to absorb it.
Leaning back, she hit the button and replayed the final segment.
“Shit,” Noah said, drawing the word out. “You can see him making stabbing motions about three yards away from where she appears to be getting stabbed.”
GJ merely nodded along. She wasn't sure if she'd been more anxious to see Eleri and Donovan's reactions or Noah’s.
“Looks like psychokinesis.” The Miami agent stood and crossed his arms with the proclamation.
All three heads swiveled to face him. Noah’s eyes darted among the three faces. “I'm not saying that's what it is. I'm saying that's what it looks like.”
They must have continued to stare at him, because he explained, “Psychokinesis is considered a psychic act. Moving objects at a distance without touching them.”
“I know,” Eleri said deadpan, but continued to look at him through slightly narrowed eyes.
GJ was working hard to keep her own expression neutral. It seemed she was often getting paired up with Noah, though whether that was because Donovan needed “personal time” for his “family issues” or because Eleri was trying to get rid of her, GJ didn't know.
“Well?” Noah asked the other three when they still hadn't commented on what they'd seen on the video. “What do you think it is?”
“I have no idea,” Donovan replied, and he sold it as though he truly didn't. GJ was impressed.
She finally jumped into the conversation. “We've watched it seven times—this section of the video at least. Do you want to watch it again?”
It was Eleri who shrugged, rolled her eyes, and said, “I'm not sure what good it will do. Noah is right about what it looks like.”
As GJ watched, Noah visibly relaxed. Apparently, that had been a big leap for him, throwing out “psychokinesis” as an option. GJ desperately wanted to turn to Eleri and Donovan and ask if they'd seen this before. But she knew they couldn't answer honestly—not with Noah Kimball standing by.
Eleri heaved a breath, pushed back from the table, and said, “I think the next thing we need to do is get our hands on the evidence and get that dive vest. Let's see if there's anything there indicating that she was stabbed.”
When no one around the table objected, she added, “Previously, Donovan thought the autopsy pictures showed marks that looked like stab wounds. But we didn't follow through with that.”
GJ nodded along as Eleri was talking. She shouldn't be beating herself up, she thought. But what she said was, “Of course, we didn't check. There hasn't been any time. While trying to figure out what happened to Allison, we discovered we’ve got one murder on our hands and two missing persons. The dive vest has been low priority.”
“True,” Eleri said with a pause, then stood, stretched, and eventually put her hands on her hips. Looking at the other three, Eleri doled out assignments. “Noah, I'd like you to head out to find the evidence. Find out if it's at the local PD or the ME’s office, or if the local Marine Services has taken over this investigation. I truly have no idea where that vest is.” She turned next to GJ.
Shit, GJ thought. She was getting an assignment, too. She would be sent on her way just like Noah Kimball was, but she looked up expectantly. She was going to be a team player if it killed her.
“Can you go back to Hannah and Allison's home? Contact Hannah first. See if she can hand over any other information. If she, maybe, has things that Allison was wearing or other things they had with them on the boat that day.” With that decree, Eleri next announced, “Donovan and I are going to get this video to an analyst and then we're going to work a little harder to track down Blake Langley. Once the analysts weigh in, we can all think a little more about what we’ve seen on this video.”
“Aye, Captain.” Noah jumped up, grabbed his bag, and was out the door with GJ hot on his heels.
She followed him out of the building and hopped into the car. She trailed him a few blocks and then took a left where he took a right. As she was pulling up her information to get Hannah Raisman’s address, her phone rang. Eleri.
“Hi.” She almost added I'm on my way, as if to tell her teacher she was trying her hardest to do a good job.
“GJ, turn around and come back.”
“What?”
“I sent you on a false flag mission. I needed to get Noah out of here. Just turn around and come right back. And seriously, I hope to God he doesn't come back for anything. Do not run into him.”
“Yes, ma'am.” GJ felt her heart lift. She had not been kicked out of the room along with Noah. She was getting invited back to play with the big kids. She didn't even mind going through security again.
As she practically crashed through the conference room door, she found Eleri and Donovan waiting for her.
“Thank God you're here,” Eleri breathed out her relief. “We've been trying not to discuss this without you and it's really hard.”
Sweet, GJ thought as Eleri looked at her.
“Did you agree with Noah about that dive video?”
“Absolutely. I noticed that the first time I went through. Diver B absolutely looks like he's stabbing. He's got a knife. He's making the motions.” But she stopped and countered herself. “I'm not a video analyst. I don't have that kind of tech skill. I know what it looks like, but it's grainy and at a distance. And it's filmed by someone that I think had their camera upside down and dangling from their wrist—given the way the camera frame moves and sways.”
“Yes, I thought the same thing.” Eleri’s lips twisted. “I hate to admit it, but I've made some similar videos.” Then she backed that up with, “Not with murder in them, of course, but definitely where I left my camera on underwater and wasn't paying attention. Lots of video of my fins and occasionally my butt.”
GJ laughed, but then Eleri turned serious again. “You’ve thought there was more to Noah for a while. Tell Donovan what you told me the other night.”
Yes, GJ thought, maybe she’d been right.