Page 94 of Everything She Feared

“I needed a car, so I went to True Ocean, checked the invoices, then just drove off in that pickup, figuring I’d have it back before anyone knew.

“I followed the school bus from Seattle to the park. The whole drive out I’m thinking about what I want to say to her. I need her to believe me, that I never cheated. And to make her see that we belong together.

“But when I got there and watched all those people getting off the bus, it’s like my brain’s sizzling. There’s so many people in the group, I’ll never get her alone and she’ll freak out. It feels like I’m stalking her when I should just talk to her later.”

Tanner stopped, his eyes going around the room as if the walls were closing in on him.

“It’s like I snapped out of a spell or something, like the whole thing’s a stupid idea. I mean, I even stole a truck. So, I pull out and drive back to the city to put the truck back and ride my bike home. And that’s when—”

Tanner raked his hands through his hair.

“Rumors start flying, texts and stuff, on social media from Sunny Days kids that something bad happened to Anna, then they say she’s dead. And I’m like what the hell? I don’t believe it. I mean, I just saw her get off the bus. Then I see the news reports, the police and helicopter, and I get texts from friends who know, and it’s true. They say Anna’s dead, she’s freaking dead!”

Tanner’s eyes widened. His breathing heavy, his composure slipping.

“I got to the bathroom and puked—my whole body went numb.” Choking with emotion, gasping, Tanner struggled to continue. “The whole time I’m thinking that maybe if I had gone to her, I somehow could’ve saved her, and that, that, that Anna died hating me.”

A full minute passed with the detectives watching Tanner until he gained a measure of composure.

“Alright,” Pierce said. “To start, we’ll proceed with charges for stealing the truck. You’ll be processed, held, then go before a judge to see if you can bail out and if your attorney can help you.”

Opening her file folder, Benton passed formal documents to Tanner’s lawyer.

“These are warrants allowing us to seize all of Tanner’s phones and devices, to search the Bishop residence and other areas.”

“You’re going to take my phone and laptop?” Tanner turned to his lawyer. “Can they do that?”

“Yes, they can,” she said.

“That’s right,” Benton said. “And don’t worry, Tanner, if you deleted anything. Our people can find anything that has ever been there.”

42

Redmond, Washington

The espresso machines grinded, banged, hummed and gurgled; the milk steamer reached a high pitch; and the coffee machines sizzled, cracked and dripped.

The aromas of dark chocolate and cinnamon floated over the bustle behind the counter at the Chiming Bells Café.

Waiting in line to place his order, Ryan scanned the employees. Each was wearing a name tag. A tip from one of his sources held that the woman he was looking for was named Avis Brook, and she worked here as a barista.

As he’d done with the diner in Seattle, and the drugstore in Tacoma, Ryan studied the café, off and on, subtly stalking it, asking a harmless question or two of customers or staff, as he zeroed in on his subject.

He needed a close look at Avis Brook.

The fact employees wore name tags helped, but what really helped was that names and schedules were posted on the in/out staff board, near the back but visible to customers.

Standing in line, Ryan read it to be sure he had the correct day. His eyes ran down the list: Sandy, Aaron, Hayworth, Ashley, Rosa, Lucas, and there it is: Avis, marked asin.

While waiting, he looked at the female staff members, trying to read their name tags as they moved about—ringing up orders, filling them, calling them out. When he got nearer to the counter, he spotted Avis and his pulse kicked up. This was the closest he’d gotten to her.

Examining everything about her, his thoughts swirled.

Is this the daughter of the woman who murdered Carrie?

Avis Brook appeared to be in her early thirties, so her age was right, but Ryan couldn’t see her wrists clearly.

When his turn came, the barista named Ashley smiled at him.

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