“We’d like to see the principal, please,” Eli requested.
“Do you have an appointment?” the secretary asked from her desk, not even coming to the counter where they stood.
“No, I’m sorry. We don’t.”
“But it is most important,” Delanie tacked on.
Mrs. Simmons—as her name placard identified her—gawked at them over her bifocals. “Mr. McNally is a busy man.” She refocused on her computer, typed a few keystrokes, and informed them, “He can see you a week from Friday.”
Delanie glanced at Eli. He gave her an almost imperceptible nod. A thrill surged through her; she realized they’d made their first connection as partners. Simultaneously they both pulled out their badges.
“I think now is better,” Eli told the staunch, follow-the-rules woman.
Her eyes grew large. “Yes, sir.” She disappeared behind a door but returned quickly to summon them in.
Eli made the introductions, and they both shook the balding Mr. McNally’s hand. “What can I do for you today?”
Delanie pulled out the sketch.
“We wondered if you could identify this young girl,” Eli said. “A witness believes she attended school here a couple of years ago.”
The principal took the sketch, studied it, and hit the button on the intercom perched on his desk.
“Yes, sir?” The voice of Mrs. Simmons echoed into the room.
“Hilda, could you come in here a moment?”
“Certainly, sir.” In a matter of seconds, the school secretary entered the office.
Mr. McNally held up the sketch. “Isn’t this that. . . ?” He snapped his fingers, searching for a name. “Anderson, Alden—”
“I think it might be Brandi Alexander, sir. She’s in high school now.”
“Thank you, Hilda.” He dismissed her with a wave of his hand.
“One moment.” Delanie guessed the woman might be more likely to know the answer to her next question. She pulled out the second pencil drawing. “Is this her father?” She held it up so they could see.
They both moved in closer to study the picture. The principal shook his head. “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen this man before.” He glanced to Mrs. Simmons. “You?”
“No, and I don’t think Brandi had a dad that was around. So many of the kids don’t. I can’t be sure, but I don’t recall one.”
Mr. McNally placed a call to the high school Brandi would have transferred to. He covered the mouthpiece with his hand and whispered, “She’s enrolled there. Would you like me to let them know you’re on the way?”
“Sure.” Eli held the door open for Delanie. “And thank you.”
They rushed to the car, Delanie’s heart pounding with the anticipation of making headway in the case. This was when she loved being a cop the most, when the pieces of the puzzle started coming together. Would the case end today, and would Eli be out of her life so soon?
Chapter 6
Well, so far this afternoon is a bust,” Delanie said as they drove away from Brandi’s neighborhood.
“Not completely,” Eli corrected.
“Excuse me. Are you being optimistic?” She couldn’t resist the jab.
“Never,” he assured her. “But even though Brandi wasn’t in school today, we know she’s enrolled.”
“Yeah, but she hasn’t been there for the past two weeks.”
“True, but we’ve got her address, and even though no one was home, we know where she lives,” Eli reminded Delanie. “Plus the school secretary slipped us the address without forcing us to take the extra time to obtain a warrant.”
“You’re right.” Delanie shifted in her seat, not missing her round belly one bit. “I just was so ready to solve the case today.”
Eli chuckled. “You thought we’d go to the high school, interview her, she’d spill the beans, and we’d go make the arrest?”
Delanie rolled her eyes. “Not quite that cut-and-dried, but, yes, I’d hoped we’d be well on our way to closing this case.” She stretched her neck, loosening a kink. “Where are we going now?” she asked when Eli
“Do you have an appointment?” the secretary asked from her desk, not even coming to the counter where they stood.
“No, I’m sorry. We don’t.”
“But it is most important,” Delanie tacked on.
Mrs. Simmons—as her name placard identified her—gawked at them over her bifocals. “Mr. McNally is a busy man.” She refocused on her computer, typed a few keystrokes, and informed them, “He can see you a week from Friday.”
Delanie glanced at Eli. He gave her an almost imperceptible nod. A thrill surged through her; she realized they’d made their first connection as partners. Simultaneously they both pulled out their badges.
“I think now is better,” Eli told the staunch, follow-the-rules woman.
Her eyes grew large. “Yes, sir.” She disappeared behind a door but returned quickly to summon them in.
Eli made the introductions, and they both shook the balding Mr. McNally’s hand. “What can I do for you today?”
Delanie pulled out the sketch.
“We wondered if you could identify this young girl,” Eli said. “A witness believes she attended school here a couple of years ago.”
The principal took the sketch, studied it, and hit the button on the intercom perched on his desk.
“Yes, sir?” The voice of Mrs. Simmons echoed into the room.
“Hilda, could you come in here a moment?”
“Certainly, sir.” In a matter of seconds, the school secretary entered the office.
Mr. McNally held up the sketch. “Isn’t this that. . . ?” He snapped his fingers, searching for a name. “Anderson, Alden—”
“I think it might be Brandi Alexander, sir. She’s in high school now.”
“Thank you, Hilda.” He dismissed her with a wave of his hand.
“One moment.” Delanie guessed the woman might be more likely to know the answer to her next question. She pulled out the second pencil drawing. “Is this her father?” She held it up so they could see.
They both moved in closer to study the picture. The principal shook his head. “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen this man before.” He glanced to Mrs. Simmons. “You?”
“No, and I don’t think Brandi had a dad that was around. So many of the kids don’t. I can’t be sure, but I don’t recall one.”
Mr. McNally placed a call to the high school Brandi would have transferred to. He covered the mouthpiece with his hand and whispered, “She’s enrolled there. Would you like me to let them know you’re on the way?”
“Sure.” Eli held the door open for Delanie. “And thank you.”
They rushed to the car, Delanie’s heart pounding with the anticipation of making headway in the case. This was when she loved being a cop the most, when the pieces of the puzzle started coming together. Would the case end today, and would Eli be out of her life so soon?
Chapter 6
Well, so far this afternoon is a bust,” Delanie said as they drove away from Brandi’s neighborhood.
“Not completely,” Eli corrected.
“Excuse me. Are you being optimistic?” She couldn’t resist the jab.
“Never,” he assured her. “But even though Brandi wasn’t in school today, we know she’s enrolled.”
“Yeah, but she hasn’t been there for the past two weeks.”
“True, but we’ve got her address, and even though no one was home, we know where she lives,” Eli reminded Delanie. “Plus the school secretary slipped us the address without forcing us to take the extra time to obtain a warrant.”
“You’re right.” Delanie shifted in her seat, not missing her round belly one bit. “I just was so ready to solve the case today.”
Eli chuckled. “You thought we’d go to the high school, interview her, she’d spill the beans, and we’d go make the arrest?”
Delanie rolled her eyes. “Not quite that cut-and-dried, but, yes, I’d hoped we’d be well on our way to closing this case.” She stretched her neck, loosening a kink. “Where are we going now?” she asked when Eli
Similar Books
