Page 32 of Bring Them Home

Amanda found the contact card and held the screen toward Trent. He’d already pulled out his notepad and pen. He wrote down the number and nodded. “We’ll call her,” she told Phillip.

“Can I have my phone back? I really need to get back to work. My boss is a… Well, he’s got a temper too, and he’ll fire me if I’m not back soon. I’ll be lucky if he doesn’t just make up his own mind about me and fire me because police showed an iota of interest in me.”

Amanda could argue it was more than an iota. He was still the foremost person of interest. “We’ll need time to check your alibi. Right now, you’re not going anywhere. As I told you from the start, you are suspected of abduction and murder. An officer will escort you to holding.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m innocent here.”

“And if that’s the case, you’ll be released soon enough.” She collected the photos from the table and put them back in her folder.

“Yeah, well, if you’re playing like this, I’ll take a lawyer before I speak with you again.”

“Do what you need to do.” Amanda left the room with Trent and asked an officer to escort Phillip Daily to holding before heading to their cubicles. She also handed over his cell phone, but they had no legal right to look at it. If his alibi blew up, they’d have grounds to pursue a warrant. “So what’s your read on the guy?”

“I’m holding off for now. The guy has no morals, so that might be messing with my gut instinct. Let me call this Noelle lady.” Trent walked around to his desk with his cell phone to his ear.

Amanda dropped into her chair and checked her email. Nothing from the mall security guard. As for Phillip Daily, she wasn’t releasing him of suspicion yet. He told them his relationship with Valerie Archer was casual, and the existence of another woman supported that claim. But time would tell if his story was the truth. Her phone rang, and caller ID told her it was Emma Blair. Amanda answered before the second ring.

“The Wildlife Resources conservation officer has been and gone. He found some more bones from Paul’s body scattered nearby, which we’ve collected and will be bringing to Rideout. But I thought you’d like to know the officer estimated the body was exposed to the birds for at least three days.”

It was Wednesday today, so Paul’s remains were out there since Sunday or earlier. At least three days. “Thanks for calling to let me know.”

“Don’t mention it.” With that, Emma was gone.

Trent lifted his head over the partition. “You might have overheard, but I had to leave a message for Noelle.”

“I didn’t. I received a call of my own.” She filled him in on CSI Blair’s call.

“He was killed not long after he was presumably taken,” Trent said. “Which we thought before.”

“It’s heartbreaking. So senseless.” If she didn’t rein in her emotions, she’d be no good to the case. “We can’t wait around for Noelle to call back. Not when she could be Daily’s accomplice.” Amanda typed the woman’s name into the system, and it came back clean. There was always a first time though. Another report told her that Noelle had a silver Toyota Camry registered to her but no Ford Transit. But there was another niggling point. If Noelle was in on this with Phillip Daily, what could be her motive? And why would Phillip point them in her direction? But it was a lead they needed to follow regardless. “We’ll try Noelle at home first, then—” Her phone pinged with a text message, and she pulled out her phone. “It’s Liam. Rideout’s doing the autopsy tonight at five thirty.” As she relayed the message, her stomach sank. Another night not being with Zoe, and Amanda needed to talk with her. She keyed back, I’ll be there. “You don’t have to go if you have plans with Kelsey. I can handle this.”

“No way. I’m invested in this case just as much as you are. We’re a team.”

She smiled at his summary because she felt the same way. If she had her wish, they’d be a team in more ways than one. Could she allow herself to think that Trent felt the same way? Liam texted back, breaking the spell.

See you then.

She pocketed her phone. “Okay, let’s move.”

SIXTEEN

Amanda and Trent walked up the driveway to the house registered to Mack and Noelle Fisher. They would have preferred to track her down elsewhere, just in case her husband was around, but time was of the essence. They had discussed swinging past the motel but already knew the answer they’d receive from the desk clerk. Without a warrant, they were under no obligation to disclose anything about their guests.

Noelle’s silver Toyota Camry was in the driveway, so she should be home.

Amanda reached for the doorbell but stopped at the sound of raised voices inside.

“How in the world can I believe a word you tell me?” a man yelled.

“I have no reason to lie to you,” a woman responded.

Amanda looked over at Trent, rang the bell, and followed it up with a quick knock.

The voices became silent, and footsteps soon padded toward the door. It swung open, and a man was standing there. His face was flushed, and his hair was spiked up at the front.

“We’re looking to speak with Noelle Fisher,” Amanda said.

The man flailed his arms and yelled back into the house, “Noelle!” Then he turned and left them standing there, the door left wide open in his wake.