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“Hello?” Albert said. “Are you there?”
“I’m here,” Hardy said slowly. “When did this happen?”
“Just now. Like, ten minutes ago. We’re in the parking lot. We saw her, this woman, and rushed down, but by the time we got here she was gone. I mean, maybe it was someone who looked like her, but when she saw us in the window, she waved. It was like she recognized us.”
“That’s … interesting,” the detective said.
Isabel snatched the phone from her brother’s hand. “Detective Hardy? It’s Isabel.”
“Hello, Isabel.” Hardy’s voice suddenly sounded wearier.
“What do you mean, interesting?”
Another pause from the detective. “There was another … possible sighting of your sister this morning.”
“What? Where? Where was this? Why didn’t you call?”
“I don’t want anyone jumping to conclusions, but it was at her last known address, on Mulberry. The neighbor said a woman pulled into the driveway and seemed stunned that the house that was there several years ago was no longer standing.”
“He said it was Brie?”
“He said she looked something like your sister, but the identification was far from conclusive. Look, Ms. McBain, give me some time to look into this.”
“Do you think it’s even possible? Could Brie be—”
Hardy cut her off. “I said I’ll look into it. If you see whoever this was again, call me. Anytime, day or night. Goodbye.”
Isabel was ready with another question, but the detective had ended the call. Isabel, visibly annoyed, handed the phone back to her brother.
“She says she’ll look into it.”
“Do you believe her?” Albert asked.
Isabel shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Norman spoke up. “My guess is she’s just shining you on. It’s crazy. She’s not going to do anything about it. If I were her, I wouldn’t take this seriously. I mean, come on.”
Albert was shaking his head. “If she says she’s going to look into it, I think she will. I’ve never known her to bullshit anyone.”
Isabel sighed, then slowly looked back up to the window of her mother’s hospital room.
“Oh God,” she said quietly.
Albert followed her gaze and guessed what she was thinking.
“What do we tell Mom?” Isabel asked.
Seventeen
Statement of Natalie Simmons, June 11, 2016, 11:04 a.m., interviewed by Detective Marissa Hardy.
Detective Hardy: Took us a little while to track you down, Ms. Simmons. Thank you for coming in.
Natalie: I’m sorry, I’ve been out of town.
Detective Hardy: Where were you?
Natalie: I was visiting an aunt in Nova Scotia. In Halifax.
