“We know the details, for Christ’s sake,” Amy said. “Why aren’t you out there looking for this monster?”
“We are,” Nikki replied. “The neighbors were interviewed, but is there any chance they might have stopped at someone’s house prior to the Hansons’?”
“Every house near the trail has either retired people or young families,” Amy said. “Madison didn’t know any of them. I highly doubt Kaylee did, either.” Amy glared out the window, shaking her head. She clearly blamed Kaylee for her daughter’s death, but something else brewed beneath the surface. Nikki needed to get to the bottom of it sooner rather than later.
Nikki glanced at Miller, who nodded and said, “We found the pepper spray in her room. Probably figured she didn’t need it during the day.”
“Both girls were athletic, both were capable of fighting and it’s unlikely that someone was able to take them by force. My notes say that officers found no evidence of a struggle along the trail,” Nikki added. “We’re looking for someone the girls knew. Someone they may have left the trail with willingly.”
“Sergeant Miller said the same thing when they first went missing,” Amy said. “You aren’t telling us anything new.”
“Jesus, Amy,” John said. “Let her talk.”
Amy’s pallid face turned red. “Excuse me?”
Nikki cleared her throat. “I’ve gone through all of the witness statements, including Miles Hanson’s and Madison’s other friends. Miles said that the girls texted to say they were headed over—and phone records show that’s true. But when Sergeant Miller spoke to the rest of the friends, they seemed surprised that the girls would hang out with Miles outside of school.”
“They’re wrong,” John said flatly. “Maddie had gone to the Hansons’ more than once.”
Nikki nodded. “We’re headed to speak with Miles next. Maybe they did intend to go to his house and then changed their minds.”
“They were seen on the trail—” Amy began.
“Before the halfway point,” Nikki said. “They could have exited it at any time after that. There were other people on the trail, and no one reported seeing them or hearing any sort of a struggle. There’s little chance they went into someone’s house, especially since they were all canvassed, and most had security footage. I think we have to consider someone with a car was waiting for them, and the girls got into the car willingly.”
“So, what now?” John asked.
“Every kid keeps secrets from their parents. We need to know what Madison and Kaylee kept to themselves.”
John’s sad eyes met hers. He knew exactly what she meant. “You think there’s a boy involved?”
“We don’t know, which is why we need access.”
“What sort of access?” Amy said. “The police already went through Madison’s social media accounts and her computer when they first went missing. They didn’t find anything.”
“Teenagers are smarter than us when it comes to technology. They know how to hide things,” Miller suggested. “My people went through everything, but the FBI has better resources. I’m hoping they will find something we couldn’t.”
“In the meantime, we’ll talk to friends, the school, any known acquaintances. My hope is that someone in their social circle has information—and chances are, they don’t even realize it can help. I’d like to take a look at Madison’s room.”
“Sergeant Miller already did.” Amy glared at her.
“Mrs. Banks, fresh eyes and a new perspective can make a big difference,” Miller replied.
Amy sighed. “Fine, but I’m going with you. I don’t want anything changed from the way she left it.”
It wasn’t the ideal situation, but Nikki could tell it was the only way the woman was going to cooperate. When her parents were murdered, Nikki hadn’t let anyone else go through her mother’s collection of Precious Moments figurines or set foot in their bedroom. “I’ll let you lead the way, then.”
The big staircase opened into a large common area with a flat-screen television and toys scattered around overstuffed chairs. Various artwork decorated the walls, ranging from finger-paint blobs to an impressive sketch of one of the big Victorian houses in the historic district. Madison’s name was scribbled on the bottom right.
“She was a talented artist.”
“Yes, she was. Maddie’s room is over here.” Amy turned left at the far end of the hall. Her fingers trembled as she reached for the doorknob. “Please don’t move things around.”
“I won’t.” Nikki opened the door, and a flicker of envy swept through her. Her own room in the big farmhouse had been painted in bright yellow, and she’d covered one wall with various posters. Her vanity and bedside table had been her parents’ castoffs, and they didn’t match her dresser. Nikki had delighted in making Lacey’s room pretty, but Madison’s room made it look drab in comparison.
A mural of a beach with white sand and a sparkling ocean covered the largest wall. Various quotes covered the adjacent wall, along with dozens of doodles. Nikki was sure Madison had decorated her own room.
“A dry-erase wall,” Nikki said. “That’s very cool.”
A large art table sat beneath the big window that overlooked the neighborhood. All the supplies were organized and labeled, stored in containers under the desk.
“She liked things neat. She was a very good organizer.” Sadness laced Amy’s tone.
“It’s a lovely room. May I look in the dresser drawers?”
Amy nodded, and Nikki worked her way through the dresser, searching for anything hidden. It was just as organized as the rest of the room, and she made sure to leave it that way. Madison’s nightstand had several books, and a large jewelry box sat on top.
Amy hovered over Nikki’s shoulder as she examined the walk-in closet. “What exactly are you looking for? If she did have any big secrets, they would have been hidden on her phone.”
“Most likely,” Nikki said. “Honestly, I’m not just looking for something tangible. I want to get a feel for the type of person Madison was. Now I see that she was very methodical, am I right?”
“Yes, and she was driven. She was in the top five percent of her class. She excelled at everything she tried.”
And probably knotted up with tension and anxiety. Feeling the need to be the best and have things exactly as a person wished was exhausting.
“Madison didn’t make snap decisions,” Nikki said.
“No, at least not until she met that girl. Kaylee was always telling her to loosen up and live a little. Look where that got her.” Amy rubbed her temples. “John says I have to get it together. Put on a good front for Bailey. I’ll be strong for our son, but John just wants to make sure we don’t embarrass ourselves with public outbursts and displays. We should grieve in private.”
John had been the same way when she dated him. Their relationship was volatile at times, and he’d always been more concerned with his image than her feelings. Still, Nikki saw her opening. “Is that why you’re so angry at him?”