Page 137 of Everything She Feared

“I’ll be sitting in on this.”

Benton maintained a poker face. Pierce nodded and smiled.

Sara’s heart flipped when the detectives advised Katie of her Miranda rights—“Just routine, by the book,” Benton said—in the presence of her mother and attorney, and a form was signed by all the required parties. Then Pierce opened her bag to withdraw a portable fingerprint scanner, which resembled a smartphone.

“I need you to touch your fingers one at a time on the square here, Katie.”

Sara’s throat dried watching Katie touching the square. Her little fingers were shaking.

“Don’t be nervous,” Pierce said.

“I’m a little scared.”

“Katie,” Rose said. “Remember what we talked about.”

Benton shot Aranda a glance and Pierce recorded finger after finger.

“Why are you scared, Katie?” Benton asked.

“You all think I made Anna fall,” Katie said.

“Katie, you shouldn’t say anything.”

Benton shot a look to Aranda, to Sara, to Pierce, then Katie.

“Did you make her fall?” Benton asked.

Katie glanced at Rose, who was shaking her head.

Katie remained silent until the detectives left.

62

Seattle, Washington

Grotowski got backto an empty office.

Tilden was in Sparrow Song Park with the North Precinct people; Pierce and Benton were out collecting Katie Harmon’s fingerprints.

With the investigation shifting back to the girl, Grotowski got to work double-checking background on Sara Harmon and Katie. He settled in at his computer and once again searched every local and state system for any reference to Sara or Katie. Beyond being charged or sought for anything criminal. He searched to see if they had filed a complaint, witnessed a crime or been questioned in another case. He checked other databases that were part of the ACCESS network.

Nothing surfaced.

Again, he went to NCIC, the national databank managed by the FBI. He also submitted queries to other national databases, like those holding no-fly lists or terror suspects. He checked others, like ViCAP, running through networks for unsolved homicides, parental abductions and missing persons.

Again, nothing.

Even though he submitted Sara’s name, date of birth and social security number each time, he knew there were exceptions that would not confirm a hit. In rare cases people were protected if their information was sealed by the courts, say in spousal abuse cases, violent custody disputes, or if someone was in a state or national witness protection program.

He also made a call to Ottawa, Canada, where the Royal Canadian Mounted Police managed the Canadian Police Information Centre. Similar to NCIC, it was a database holding information on crimes and criminals. Grotowski was directed to Corporal Rachel Taylor and left her a voice mail.

Then, for good measure, he went to Interpol. He’d just finished requesting a search for any international warrants, wants or notices when Tilden entered the office, holding up a clear evidence bag.

“The divers found Anna Shaw’s phone way downstream in the rocks.”

Grotowski stood to take a closer look at the phone. It was rose gold, and the same color, brand and model as Shaw’s parents had described. But the screen was shattered and the body of it cracked in several places so severely components were exposed.

“It’s in rough shape, Lyle.”

---