“Let’s just step back a minute,” Graves said, standing behind her chair, clasping its back with her hands. “Joshua Brock is the man in both videos?”
“We believe so. Circumstances line up,” Amanda said.
“Except for you told me before you can’t see the man’s face on the plaza video. Is that right?”
“Yes, but—” Amanda stopped there at Graves shaking her head. She had planned to elaborate on the circumstances—the timing of his arrival at the plaza and the unmistakable resemblance to the man outside Dumfries Elementary for starters.
“No. We can’t risk jumping ahead and mucking everything up.”
Amanda bristled. “What we can’t risk is a little girl and her mother getting killed while we’re jumping through bureaucratic hoops.”
“Whether you like it or not, Detective, we have procedures to follow. We get justifiable cause, then we move in. You have a pickup truck going into a plaza at the same time on a Tuesday, but you can’t prove it left with more people than the driver it arrived with. That right?”
“Yes, but we have Jill Archer’s car leaving the lot with a man in the driver’s seat.”
“Who could be anyone.”
Amanda’s anger was reaching the boiling point. “We have enough to question the Brocks. Just let Trent and I get boots on the ground, feel them out, then go from there.”
Graves sighed and dropped into her chair. “I want more before I even agree to that. Get me something.”
“A mother and her daughter are out there, and the longer we take—”
“Detective Steele, I’m well aware of the repercussions.”
Trent nudged Amanda’s forearm, and it had her looking at him. “What?” Spoken with a touch too much attitude, but her nerves were shot.
“Sarge, we just got another lead before here,” Trent stepped in. “It might help us get that justifiable cause you mentioned.”
“By all means…” Graves gestured for Trent to continue.
Trent told her about the toys possibly linking back to the dollar store in Woodbridge.
“Okay, now that might be something we can use. Go there, see if the staff recognize him or his wife. Could get so lucky as to confirm they purchased the stuffed elephant and rabbit.”
“While we’re doing that…” Amanda closed her mouth, abhorred the sergeant was aware of the risks in delaying, but she was still willing to take them. “We’ll go right now.”
“The second you get anything, report back.”
In her mind, Amanda was already behind the wheel of the department car and on the move. Her legs and feet had yet to get her there. When she did, she kicked the front driver’s-side tire.
“Unfreakin’ believable!” She shook her head, raging inside. The more they hemmed and hawed, the more likely they’d be finding corpses than rescuing anyone.
The news reporter lady started over for her, and Amanda hustled to the driver’s door. Trent intercepted.
“Let me drive. You’re impaired by anger.”
“And you’re not?”
“I didn’t kick an innocent tire.”
“Fine. Hurry. We’re about to get railroaded.”
“We already have,” he mumbled.
Amanda rushed around the other side and ducked inside, narrowly escaping the reporter. Diana Wesson would never know how lucky she was dodging this bullet—that being Amanda and her foul mood. “How can she not at least let us go question them? This is ridiculous.”
“I agree, but let’s just get what she’s after as fast as possible. There’s no changing the sarge’s mind once it’s made up.”
“Isn’t that the truth.”
Trent took them out of the lot, bypassing the protesters, and she found watching them scurry out of their path somewhat comical.
“Come on, Trent. Don’t you know each one is a thousand dollars a head?”
He smiled. “Don’t laugh, you’ll cry, huh?”
“Pretty much. But like you said, we get what she wants—hopefully anyway, go from there.” She shoved back into her seat and replayed what they’d uncovered and the conversation with Graves. “Gainesville…”
“What?”
“Gainesville. That’s where you said the Brocks live?”
“That’s right.”
“Well, their daughter would attend Haymarket Elementary out there.”
“All right, so what was he doing outside Dumfries Elementary? We know it was him comparing the video to his driver’s license photo.”
“Right, but we don’t know for absolute certainty he’s who walked off with the Reillys. We can only connect Joshua Brock to a lighthearted conversation outside a school. Maybe Graves had a right to push back like she did. We need more.”
Trent made a right into the parking lot for One Hundred Pennies, joining a couple other vehicles in the lot.
“Not exactly rush hour here,” Trent said.
“And that’s a good thing.”
They left the car and went inside the store.
The two of them beelined to the cashier, and Amanda requested the manager. It was best they speak to them before questioning their employees.
“Yes?” A friendly looking woman came over wearing a half apron, tattooed with sales stickers. Apparently some items were two for a buck.
Amanda held up her badge. “Detectives Steele and Stenson with the Prince William County PD. We need to ask you and your staff if you recognize someone.”
“We’ll do what we can.” The woman glanced at the cashier.
Trent got their names while Amanda pulled up Joshua Brock’s photo. Usually, they’d approach something like this with a spread of photos—their person of interest and others who looked similar. Then when the case went to trial, and assuming it was against Joshua Brock, they wouldn’t be giving a defense attorney ammunition to dismiss based on prejudicing witnesses. Amanda would be sure to let the staff feed her and Trent information—assuming they had any.
“Here. This man. Do either of you recognize him?” She held her screen for them to view.
The cashier and manager leaned in. The latter drew back, shaking her head.
“I’ve seen him in here a few times.” The cashier’s green eyes met Amanda’s. “Don’t know his name, but it was sad about his wife and daughter.”
“Sad?”
“Well, he used to come in here the odd time with them.”
“What happened to them?” Amanda put it out there in a conversational manner.
“He told me they left him, but honestly, I got the feeling something terrible had happened, like they might have died. He never used to be so moody.”
Amanda glanced at Trent. One of their earlier theories—that the killer had lost a wife and daughter. But how and when? And Trent said nothing about her being deceased. And how could a dead woman hold a valid license registration? Goosebumps traced down Amanda’s arms. “When was the last time you saw his family?”
“Several months ago.”
“And him?” Amanda asked.
“Earlier this week.”
“Did he buy anything?”
“Anytime he’s here, he buys the same type of thing. The plush animals.” The cashier pointed to an aisle marked 2.
Trent walked down there and returned with an elephant and rabbit.
“Yep, those are the ones.”
“And he bought one earlier this week?”
“Yeah. An elephant.”
“You never found it odd considering his family left him?” Trent asked.
“Hey, not for me to worry about. Figured it was for his daughter or some other young person he had in his life.”
Amanda turned to the manager. “Does the store have video surveillance?”
“Inside and out,” the manager told her.
“We will probably be back for that. Right now, we’ve got to go. Thanks!” Amanda led the way to the car. She called Graves on speaker, and she answered before the third ring. Amanda ran through what they’d just learned.
“All right. Go over to the house. Feel it out. Maybe ask for the wife, see what sort of read you get from him.”
“Consider it done.”
Trent was already driving them toward the Brock residence in Gainesville.
Graves added, “Do not go into his house without invitation or cross any lines. Call once you have a feel for things, and we’ll go from there.”
“Fine.” Amanda hung up. What Sergeant Graves didn’t know was Amanda’s fingers and toes were crossed.