CHAPTER 11

 

Alan had just sat down at his computer when the phone rang. The caller ID said that it was the Columbus PD. Mike Draker, no doubt.

“Alan Swansea.”

“Hey, Alan. Just wanted to fill you in on the latest with Henry Sands.”

“Great, let’s hear it.”

“Sands is apparently telling the truth. We grilled him for about an hour or so and he stuck with the same story without slipping up. When we flat out asked him if he had anything to do with Chloe McPherson’s murder the guy didn’t flinch. Said that he couldn’t have done it since he had gone to a birthday party for his nephew shortly after leaving the school the same day he’d seen Chloe get picked up. He told us that we could call his sister to verify this if we didn’t believe him, and so we did. Chloe had indeed died on Sands’ nephew’s fourth birthday according to his sister. So my friend, it looks like Travis McPherson has some explaining to do.”

“Yeah, it looks that way. I’m going to give him a call tomorrow and see what I can get out of him. You know as well as I do that even if it was him who picked up Chloe that day, we’ll have a hell of a time proving it. Especially after a year has passed and our only eyewitness is a sexual deviant. Speaking of which, what are you doing about Sands?”

“Holding him until we can track down his probation officer. He will no doubt end up doing some time for violating his probation but we’ll have to wait and see.”

“No loss there. A couple of things I want to ask you about before I grill McPherson. The report says that he was out to lunch with a colleague—a Rebecca Landry—that afternoon. What can you tell me about her? Also, is it plausible that McPherson could have been at the school at the time of Chloe’s disappearance from the schoolyard? There aren’t too many details about timing in the report.”

“Well, Rebecca Landry apparently worked quite close with McPherson—she was sort of a glorified secretary and did more than just answer the phone and take dictation from what she had told me. At any rate, she said that she and McPherson had done lunch together at one of those obscure restaurants in the Short North—can’t recall the name of it now. They had been there for over an hour because the place had been packed with the downtown lunch crowd. I followed up with the restaurant and they confirmed seeing the two of them there but couldn’t vouch for how long.

“As for timing, there was probably a half hour or so gap between the approximate time of Chloe’s abduction and when Ms. Landry told us that they had left for lunch. Taking into account the driving distance from McPherson’s office to Saint Christopher, it seemed nearly impossible that he could have had enough time to pick his daughter up, make her disappear for a while, and then show back up at work in time to take his secretary to lunch. Which is basically why I eliminated him as a suspect. Of course, now it’s beginning to look like that may have been premature.”

“I’m not so sure about that. Let’s face it, Mike. Neither of us really thinks that McPherson did it when you take into account all of the factors. Yet his name keeps turning up like a bad penny. I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to eliminate him once and for all before I can proceed with this investigation.”

“Now you know how I felt, Alan. This case made me want to pull my hair out on numerous occasions. Travis McPherson was always the default suspect because nobody else ever came up that looked good for it. It’s a real bitch.”

“Well, before I get depressed I’ll give McPherson one more shot and see what I can learn. Nothing else to do, anyway.”

“I hear you. Well, keep me posted. I’m gonna shove out of this place after I do a little paperwork.”

“Thanks for calling, Mike. I’ll talk to you soon.”

Alan put down the phone and grabbed his beer. Taking a slug, he wondered if Rebecca Landry still worked at UrbanGroup. It would be nice to get her side of the story before approaching McPherson. He suddenly thought of a way he could find out.

He found Amanda Linville’s number in his contacts and pressed the call button. Three rings later she picked up.

“How are you doing this evening?” she answered.

“Great, how about yourself?”

“Not bad at all. I’m just sitting here drinking a Skinny Girl and watching Catfish on the tube.”

“Love that show. Scary how some people are so insecure that they have to pose as someone they aren’t just to get a rise, isn’t it?”

“Sure is. But you know what amazes me? Even when the victims meet the real deal after thinking they’ve been chatting online with the man or woman of their dreams, they almost always remain friends.”

“Seriously. I’d be so pissed I would just say screw it and move on.”

“Hmm. You may be surprised how you would react if it were you, Alan. I mean, most of these people who pretend to be somebody they aren’t are pathetic in the first place. Usually emotionally damaged outcasts that nobody cares about. You may find it in your heart to have some compassion for them after all is said and done.”

“Okay, maybe you’re right. I’ll never know because I would never go shopping for somebody online in the first place.”

“Nor I,” she laughed. “So what have you been up to since Mockingjay’s?”

“Just working this case. Actually, that’s one of the reasons I called. I was hoping you could help me out with something.”

“I’ll try if I can. What is it?”

“Is there a Rebecca Landry working at UrbanGroup?”

“Not any more. I think she left a few months before I got hired. Why do you ask?”

“Just curious. Her name came up and she apparently used to be McPherson’s personal secretary.”

“It’s so funny you would ask me this now.”

“Why’s that?”

“McPherson just gave me a promotion today. I’m finally going to crunch some numbers!”

“That’s awesome—congratulations!”

“Thanks. I’m so excited about it that I can hardly stay focused on anything else. I will add that the Skinny Girls are helping some though.”

“How many girls have you had?”

“Ha-ha—tricky! Just a couple. Hey, you wouldn’t want to come over and help me celebrate would you? I’ve got some beer, too.”

“I’d like that. Tell me how to get there.”

Alan jotted down the directions to Amanda’s Northwest side apartment, looking forward to the prospect of relaxing and forgetting about the case for a while.

“I’ll be there in half an hour.”

“See you then!” Amanda said.

Alan drained his beer and got ready to go.