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“Nope. Doesn’t work.”
Frustration elbowed at Zoe. “She was born in 2002. Try that.”
“No. Doesn’t work.”
“All right. We’ll see if we can track down her passcode. Thanks,” Zoe said.
He ended the call. “I have never been a fan of those apps.”
“Me either.”
He drove several more miles, turned on a couple of tree-lined side streets, and parked in front of Jessica Harris’s house. Like the Foster house, it was older, made of brick, and in an affluent neighborhood.
They climbed the brick steps and rang the bell. Moments later, the door opened to a woman in her midfifties with dark hair streaked with gray at the temples. “May I help you?”
Vaughan and Zoe held up their badges and introduced themselves. “Yes. We are investigating the disappearance of Hadley and Skylar Foster. You are?”
The woman appeared taken aback by the news, and it took a moment before she cleared her throat and said, “Margaret Harris.”
“We understand your daughter, Jessica, is a friend of Skylar’s?” Zoe asked.
Mrs. Harris’s hand tightened on the doorknob. “I saw it on the news. Jessica has not really seen Skylar since April.”
“What about at school?” Zoe asked.
“I’m sure they pass each other in the hallways, but that’s it. I don’t see how she could help you.”
“We are talking to everyone at this stage. Sometimes the smallest detail is important. Is Jessica home?” Vaughan asked.
“Yes. She had a fever this morning, so I kept her out.”
“We’d like to talk to her,” Zoe said.
“All right. Please come in.” She escorted them to a neatly furnished living room bathed in several hues of white and beige. It was as perfect as it was cold.
“Can I get either of you a coffee?” Mrs. Harris asked.
“No, thank you,” Vaughan said. “We just need to speak with Jessica.”
“Of course.” Mrs. Harris vanished into the house, her heeled shoes clicking on the tiled floor. Upstairs, a door opened and then closed.
“Let me interview Jessica,” Zoe said. “I think she’ll be more receptive to a female. And if not, you can give it a try.”
“She’s all yours.”
The door upstairs opened and closed, and this time two sets of footsteps sounded on the landing and down the stairs. Mrs. Harris appeared in the doorway along with her daughter, Jessica, a plump girl whose designer stressed jeans and loose-fitting burgundy top looked more uncomfortable than stylish. Long dark hair hung around her slumped shoulders. She pushed her glasses back up on her nose.
“Jessica,” Zoe said. “I’m with the FBI, and Detective Vaughan is with the Alexandria Homicide team.”
“I haven’t really spoken to Skylar since last spring,” she said.
“But you spent a lot of time with her, didn’t you?” Zoe said.
The girl glanced to her mother, who nodded. “Yeah, we were pretty good friends.”
“Why haven’t you talked to her since last spring?” Zoe asked.
“Because she started dating Neil, and he just took over her life.” Hints of bitterness sharpened the words.
Zoe glanced toward Vaughan, prompting him to say, “Mrs. Harris, would you join me in the kitchen? I have questions.”
“I’m not leaving my daughter,” she said.
“Agent Spencer is one of the best.” A smile warmed his stark features. “She is simply on a fact-finding mission. Our goal is to find Skylar.”
“People often remember different details if they aren’t influenced by others,” Zoe said. “It’s not about deception or ill intent, but I interview witnesses alone.”
“My daughter didn’t see anything.”
“Agreed,” Zoe said. “But she’s one of the very few people who knew Skylar well.”
“If your daughter was missing, we’d be handling it exactly the same,” Vaughan countered.
“It’s okay, Mom,” Jessica said. “I can answer a few questions.”
“If you feel uncomfortable at any point, call out to me,” Mrs. Harris said.
“I will.”
When the two left the room, Zoe closed the door. “Mind if we have a seat?”
“Sure.” Jessica sat in the middle of the sofa, and Zoe took the chair to her right.
“How long have you known Skylar?”
“We met last winter when she moved here. I’m new to the area, too. I think that’s why we really hit it off.”
“Why didn’t she see you after she started dating Neil?” Zoe asked.
“I don’t know. I called and called, but she always had an excuse. Finally, I gave up.”
“When was that?”
“April fifth. It’s her birthday. I got her a present and took it to her house. She accepted it but said she couldn’t visit because she had to help her mom. I knew that was a lie. Mrs. Foster never asks for help.”
“She’s not the first girl to get swept up in her first relationship. But that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“I found Skylar’s social media accounts, and they look pretty normal. Were there others she didn’t tell her parents about?”
“Yeah. She just didn’t use her name.”
“What name did she use?”
“Wild Blue. Like the sky.” Saying the name out loud coaxed a quick, fleeting smile.
Zoe searched Wild Blue on a popular app designed for hiding communications and spotted the username. “Do you know her password?”
“I did, but I haven’t looked at her profile for a while. I’m not sure if it still works. Do you want it?”
“Yes, I do.”
Jessica rattled off the numbers and letters, which amounted to what appeared to be random numbers and initials.
Zoe texted the password to Bud Clary. He responded immediately, promising to get right back to her.
“Did Skylar ever talk about anyone other than Neil?”
“She used to talk to a guy on the phone.”
“Who?”
The girl shook her head. “She never told me his name.”
“Did you ever meet him?”
“No. She was kind of secretive about him. Do you think he is the one that took Skylar?”
“Maybe. I don’t know,” Zoe said.
“Is Skylar going to be okay?”
Even if they found her alive, her life would never be the same. “I hope so.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Tuesday, August 13, 3:00 p.m.
Alexandria, Virginia
Eight Hours after the 911 Call
When they stepped outside, Zoe slid on her sunglasses. The afternoon heat warmed her bones, and she was glad to be in the fresh air. Skylar and Hadley had been missing for about eight hours. In most cases like this, the perpetrator was not random but someone known to the family.
“Roger stated that Hadley is about to leave her husband. And Skylar liked to keep secrets, including a male friend no one had met,” Zoe said.
“So much for the perfect family.” As Vaughan unlocked the car and they both got inside, his phone rang. “It’s Hughes.” He answered and put her on speaker.
