Page 12 of Everything She Feared

Pierce went to the edge of the scene where the two supervisors, Jackson Jones and Adam Patel, were sitting on the riverbank, waiting with Hirano. Interviewing them separately, Pierce obtained their accounts, noting the actions they took and the approximate time they took them.

“Did Anna Shaw say anything to you?” Pierce had asked each of them and in each case the answer was no.

Pierce returned to the death scene where the medical examiner investigators were working. She surveyed it all while taking a video. She saw the broken branch and, yards away, Anna’s other sneaker.

But something was missing.

She asked the investigators, then Hirano, then Jones and Patel if anyone had found Anna Shaw’s phone.

No one had.

Pierce walked along the riverbank, searching in vain. Then she looked at the rushing water before turning to Detective Larry Grotowski, who’d joined her.

“What do you think, Kim?”

“We need this scene and the cliff where she fell processed—and we need to grid the area, including the water, to find her phone.”

“I’ll make some calls,” Grotowski said.

“Good.”

Pierce took a breath. It was time to talk to Katie Harmon.

7

Near North Bend, Washington

Katie Harmon shiveredin the breeze tumbling up from the river.

Someone had given her a University of Washington hoodie that was too big; she was swallowed by it.

With the hood up, Katie had leaned her head on a female deputy’s shoulder. They were sitting on the ground under a tree. Katie was watchingSnow White and the Seven Dwarfson the tablet the deputy was holding, the faint strains of a song sounding, “Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho...”

Pierce went to the paramedic who was nearby and took her aside.

“How’s Katie doing?” Pierce asked.

“Her numbers are still a bit elevated,” the paramedic said. “She’s cold, pale and anxious. We’re keeping her still and hydrated. She’s doing okay under the circumstances.”

“But she’s cognizant, right? I need to talk to her.”

“Yeah, it should be okay. I’ll stay close.”

“Did she say anything about the incident to you?”

“No. She asked me if Anna was dead. I said I didn’t know. She’s scared, she wants to go home.”

“Alright, thanks.”

Pierce’s mind raced on how best to interview Katie.

She’s the last person to see Anna Shaw alive.

Hirano had flagged her aspossibly deceptive. Pierce needed detailed answers but knew that children who’d been traumatized by sudden tragic events could have distorted or impaired memories. Weighing it all, she went to Katie and sat on the grass with her as Grotowski joined them.

“Hi, Katie, I’m Detective Kim Pierce.”

Katie drew her knees to her chest, with Pierce making a mental note of how she’d started swaying slightly.

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