Until Dark - Mariah Stewart [46]
“Did you notice what time they left?”
“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t even realize she’d left the bar until it was closing time and she was nowhere to be found.”
“Was that unusual for her?”
“Annie never left bars with a guy she didn’t know. Never. She just wouldn’t.” Grace shook her head sadly.
“But she did this time.”
“I don’t know that she meant to leave with him.” Grace frowned. “I mean, she might have just stepped outside with him, maybe, like if he was going to show her something.”
“Like what?” Kendra stood. “What would she want to see badly enough that she would go outside with a stranger?”
“Two weeks ago she met a guy with a Corvette at Huskers—that’s the bar we were at last night—and we both went outside to take a look. That was one sweet car,” Grace told them. “So maybe it was a car. Annie’s a real car freak, especially sports cars. She just loves sports cars.”
Grace dabbed at her face, seemingly unaware that she still spoke of her friend in the present tense.
“Whose car was that, do you know? The Corvette?”
“Some guy from Harrisburg—no, I know what you’re thinking, but he looked nothing like this guy. Nothing at all. That guy was short, paunchy. The type of guy who needs a great car, if you catch my drift.”
“If you think of anything, if you remember anything else, any distinguishing marks, anything at all, you can call me at this number, or you can call Agent Stark.” Kendra handed her a card.
“Thanks, I will.” Grace sat the card next to Adam’s on the coffee table, then rose to walk her visitors to the door.
“Ms. Tobin, could you think back to the night you and Annie went outside to look at the Corvette?” Adam turned as he reached the second step outside the Tobin town house. “This man, Jeff, was he there that night?”
“Not that I remember,” she told him.
“Anyone at all that you remember maybe paying attention to Annie? Anyone who was staring at her? Did you notice? Or did she maybe mention that someone was watching her?”
“No, I’m sorry.” Grace shook her head. “If there was, she never mentioned it. And I didn’t notice. I’m sorry.”
Grace Tobin’s attention was drawn to the scene across the street, where a tall thin woman was getting out of the police car that had just pulled up.
“That’s Annie’s sister, Molly. Do you think it would be all right if I went over . . . ?”
“We’ll walk you over, sure.” Adam reached a hand up to her from the step upon which he stood, waited while she checked her pocket for her keys, then closed the door behind her.
“Thank you,” she whispered as she took his hand and walked with him and Kendra to the foot of Annie McGlynn’s driveway, where the media that had earlier gathered now descended upon them.
“Would you mind taking her inside, Kendra?” Adam asked. “Then when you come back out, might be a good time for you to show off the new sketch and talk to the media.”
“You got a good description?” Jim Rosello of the Newkirk, Pennsylvania, Police Department, called to Adam.
“Good enough,” Adam nodded. “The witness is pretty sure of herself. Kendra’s sketch reflects that.”
“You think she’ll be willing to show the sketch to the press herself, maybe say a few words about it? If she’s ready.”
“She’s ready.” Adam turned to watch Kendra come down the front steps. She always managed to draw his attention. Always . . . no matter where he was, no matter what the circumstances.
“Kendra,” he called to her.
When she approached, her leather envelope tucked under her arm, Adam introduced her to Chief Rosello, adding, “The chief agrees that now is a good time to show off Jeff to the media.”
“Jeff?” the chief asked.
“That’s the name the suspect gave to Annie and Grace at the bar,” Kendra told him. “Which is probably not his real name, but maybe one he’s used before. It’s worth mentioning. And something else that might be worth mentioning,” she touched the chief’s arm as they walked in the direction of the yellow tape that cordoned off the media. “He might be driving a stolen sports car. At least temporarily.”
Kendra faced the cameras like a pro, holding