Page 5 of Girl, Sought

‘Unlike last year's crown incident.’

The memory of that tilted plastic crown made Ella smile. She'd sat in the back row then too, watching it slip over his eyes during ‘We Three Kings.’

Parents began filtering out of the building towards the gate. Amongst them were Elias’ parents. As they passed, Ella fought the urge to make conversation. To tell them everything. About Bristol. About Sarah Morrison bleeding in that basement. About all the strings she'd pulled to make sure their adoption went through smooth as silk.

But what good would that knowledge do? Elias had two parents who loved him. A stable home. A future that didn't include meth lab explosions or prison visiting hours. Sometimes the kindest truth was silence.

So she just held the gate and smiled as they passed. Luca’s phone began to ring. He waved it at Ella and then excused himself.

Once all of the parents had passed by, Mrs. Dhaliwal said, ‘I better get back inside, but if you ever want to give another talk, you’re always welcome.’

'I'd like that.' Ella meant it, too. 'I could come back in a couple of weeks? Just before they finish for Christmas?'

‘Please do. You’ve got my number.’

Ella nodded her goodbye as the headteacher made her way back towards the school. Luca ambled back with his eyes glued to his phone screen. He had that look. The one that said their peaceful Monday on medical leave was about to get shot to hell.

‘You alright there, Hawkins?’

Luca made his way out of the gate. Ella followed him. He was still staring at his phone.

‘Earth to Luca. You got next week’s lottery numbers on that cell?’

‘Director called.’

‘Lucky you.’ Ella checked her phone cell but had no texts or emails from the director. If there was a new case, then the big man had chosen Luca over her to check it out. The knowledge stung a little.

‘Yeah. He wants to talk about something.’

‘Cryptic as ever. You know we’re hours away from the office, right?’

Luca said, ‘He wants to do a video call.’

Ella grabbed a wall for support. ‘Edis? A video call?’

‘Yeah. Why?’

‘He doesn’t know how to turn his out-of-office on. I just can’t imagine him being so tech-aware.’

Luca fished the car keys from his pocket. ‘He’s the FBI director, Ell. He must do a hundred video calls a day. Am I driving?’

'Yes, please.' Ella unlocked her cell and scrolled to the most recent name on her calls list. Julianne Cooper. 'I've got to try and call my old landlord. She's been dodging me for days.'

CHAPTER TWO

Ella's landlord wasn't picking up. Again. The call went straight to voicemail, same as the last four times she'd tried. A grand wasn't exactly chump change, but it wasn't the money that burned. It was the principle. Ella had paid a thousand-dollar deposit when she first moved into that apartment two years ago, with the presumption that it would be repaid when she finally left. But Julianne Cooper, a professional landlord in more ways than one, had suddenly ghosted her.

It was funny, Ella could track down serial killers across state lines but couldn’t get hold of a woman despite knowing her name, face, address and cell number.

‘Still nothing?’ Luca asked from across the living room. He hunched over his laptop, fiddling with video call settings.

‘Nope. Think she blocked me.’

‘Want me to try? Different number might do the trick.’

But that was a lie. She wouldn't swing by anywhere. Julianne Cooper would keep dodging her calls, keep making excuses, keep holding onto that money until Ella got tired of chasing it. Landlord 101.

And where the hell was Jenna, her old roommate? It was a similar story. Radio silence for weeks. No responses to texts. Like they’d both vanished into thin air.

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