Page 5 of Bring Them Home

Amanda’s first call was to her mother. Jules agreed to come over and stay with Zoe all night if it was necessary. She contacted Malone next, braced for a powerful reaction since he wasn’t a fan of working at night. Her only advantage was Malone was a longtime family friend. He’d gone through the police academy and built his career alongside Amanda’s father. This gave him a soft spot for her, but she still got to the point as soon as he answered.

A few beats after she laid everything out, he said, “Okay, but you realize you’re not on call tonight? Neither am I. Why don’t you just leave this with those who are?”

She considered telling him about the personal link. Though, it was more a byproduct of living in a smaller community. Everyone crossed each other’s path at some point. “Paul Archer is supposed to be Zoe’s teacher this year.”

“Huh. All right, I get why you’d want to be on this. Go ahead, and keep me posted if this balloons into something definitive.”

She could say it already was. There were enough anomalies to flag for her. The abandoned car, purse, and phone, not being able to reach any of the family, neighbors not seeing any of them for days… But she’d let Malone hold on to his reserved optimism. “Will do.”

Soon after hanging up with Malone, her mother arrived. Amanda left and made her third call on the way out the door.

Trent answered during the third ring. “Hey, Amanda? Everything all right?”

Her mother had greeted her the same way. In all fairness, risk was bred into her unpredictable job. “I don’t think so.” She was about to expand on that when Kelsey, Trent’s girlfriend and roommate, spoke up in the background.

“What movie— Oh, sorry, I didn’t know you were on the phone.”

“It’s Amanda,” he told her.

“Oh, hey, Amanda,” Kelsey called out.

“Hi.” They had met at the end of a harrowing investigation six months ago. Kelsey struck her as a kind person, but Amanda didn’t really know her. As long as she treated Trent well and made him happy, that’s what mattered.

“Amanda says hi,” Trent passed along to Kelsey. “I’ll be with you in a few minutes, okay?”

“Sure. It takes what it takes.”

Amanda smiled at Kelsey’s laidback attitude.

“So, what’s going on?” Trent asked Amanda.

“Here’s the thing. I received a call from Officer Cochran. There’s a potential high-risk situation I’m going to check out. It might be something, and it might be nothing.”

“Sounds mysterious. Count me in.”

She hadn’t even asked him outright. He’d just read between the lines, like he so often did with her. “Only if you’re sure. After I grab a department car, I can swing by and pick you up if you’d like.”

“Works for me.”

“Give me about fifteen. I’ll fill you in when I see you.”

“See you soon.” With that, Trent was gone.

She didn’t miss that he hadn’t required details. He was just willing to help her. No questions asked.

Amanda smiled as she pressed the gas harder.

Amanda pulled into the mall’s parking lot at 8:20 PM. The mall closed at eight, though the Cheesecake Factory was open later, along with some other restaurants in the vicinity. All the patrons parked in the same lot, though at this time of day, it was less congested than it would have been earlier.

“I see Cochran.” Trent pointed in the officer’s direction, though Amanda had already spotted her.

It wasn’t hard since she was standing next to a bright-orange vehicle. Whoever this Valerie Archer was, Amanda imagined she had a bold personality.

Amanda parked the car, and she and Trent got out. There was no sign of a tow truck around, and Traci looked relieved to have company.

“Good evening.” Traci swept her gaze over to Trent, and Amanda took in the neon-pink polish on her nails. It was as hard to miss as the car’s paint job.

“I take it you haven’t gotten into the car yet?” Trent nudged his head toward the Charger.