Page 6 of Everything She Feared

Deputy Rob Hiranoclimbed up from the river.

Moving along the trail with other deputies, he reviewed a mental checklist of what he needed to do.

Keep it by the book.

It was far too early to classify this as an accident, suicide or something else. He’d protected the death scene by sealing it at the river and the clifftop, posting deputies and troopers there.

According to Jackson Jones and Adam Patel, no other people had been hurt. To be safe, Hirano had asked the paramedics to look at the two men, then later he’d have them assess Katie Harmon and others in the group as well.

And we may need them when we notify Anna Shaw’s family, because her family will come here. No matter what we say, they will come.

Hirano took a long breath, relieved that they had covered the girl’s body because by the time he’d finished talking with the adult supervisors on scene and reached the Sunny Days group, the first Seattle TV news helicopter passed overhead. Hirano knew press people monitored police radio transmissions and moved fast.

At the day camp, children were sitting on the grass in small circles. Some were crying and hugging each other. Three boys were off to one side, their expressions grim while tossing a football. Others in the group were at the picnic tables, talking on their phones or texting.

The crackling of police radios signaled the arrival of the deputies. Some of the older kids went to them, their faces taut, intent.

“Is Anna dead?” one boy asked.

“Can we go look?” said another. “Can we ride in a helicopter?”

“What’s going on?” one of the girls asked.

Hirano raised his palms.

“I’m Deputy Rob Hirano. What’s happened is serious and we need your help,” he said. “We’ll talk to each of you. Please be patient, this is important. My friends here are going to get started.”

As the deputies began gathering statements, Hirano looked at his notebook, then at the group.

“Is Connie Atkinson here?”

She was nearly out of sight, sitting alone with Katie under a tree. Connie heard him, got up and brushed herself off as she walked to Hirano. He took notes as Connie recounted the morning’s events.

“Anna and Katie were last getting off the bus. They sort of took their time behind us while we walked the trail here.” Connie ignored her vibrating phone. “Then Katie came screaming for help.” Raking her fingers through her hair, Connie nodded toward a canvas bag. “We got tent ropes, ran to help but... Oh, God!” Connie covered her face with her hands, sobbing. “It was too late.” Connie gasped. “Anna had volunteered to help us for the day. Oh, God!”

Out of earshot, Katie watched them from the tree, never taking her eyes from them.

When Hirano finished talking to Connie, he asked for Anna Shaw’s consent form. Her fingers shaking, Connie withdrew a copy from a binder in her backpack.

“I’ll need Katie Harmon’s, too, before I speak to her.”

Connie’s phone vibrated again; this time, she pulled it from her back pocket and looked at it.

“Parents are hearing from kids and have been calling nonstop with questions.” Connie sniffed. “My God, what do I tell them?”

“Tell them there’s been a serious incident, that you don’t have all the information,” Hirano said. “That help is here and you’ll know more later.”

Nodding and reading messages, Connie said: “They want to know if they can drive out here and get their kids?”

“Yes, but they must stay in the parking lot until we’re done,” he said. “We’ll bring the kids out when we’re done talking to everyone.”

Hirano was aware of the challenges, but he knew that under the circumstances, deputies could question the children alone without a parent or lawyer present. He radioed for deputies and troopers to get tape up and post someone at the trailhead.

“Nobody gets in,” Hirano said into his walkie-talkie.

Taking a deep breath, Connie got Katie’s form for him. And while she sent messages, he went over to the tree and sat alone with Katie.

Her tear-filled eyes took a walk all over him in his patrol uniform. In his black shirt and armor vest, with his body camera, holstered gun and other gear, he realized his appearance might be a concern for a nine-year-old girl amid the horror and chaos.

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