“Thank you for agreeing to talk to us,” I said to Shayna.
The three of us sat at a table outside her room in the hotel portion of the resort, a security guard nearby, watching.
“I’m not sure why this is of any interest to you,” Shayna said.
“I’m a police detective in Colorado.”
“But I live in LA.”
“I know that. But this interests me.”
She looked down. “You have no idea how much I wish I’d listened to you yesterday. Both of you.”
I took her hand. “Hey. You got away. You’re safe now.”
She sniffled. “But Juliet and Lisa. The police don’t have a trail. They have nothing.”
“None of this is your fault,” I said, hoping to soothe her but knowing I wasn’t.
How well I knew the guilt that ate at her soul. The same guilt ate at mine. Gina, Talon, Colin Morse, Luke Walker, among many others—all victims of my father. I hadn’t been able to stop him so far. But I would someday.
How I wished I’d been able to stop the three men who had taken Juliet and Lisa.
>
“The locals think they were taken as slaves,” Shayna said, weeping. “I’m glad I got away, but my God, how can I be glad when my two best friends are missing?”
I had no words of wisdom for her, except to say, “I know exactly how you’re feeling.”
“How would you know?”
“It’s a long story. When we both get back to the States, feel free to call me anytime.” I took a card out of my bag and handed it to her.
“How long have you been a detective?” she asked.
“Only a few months. But I’ve been on the force for eleven years.”
“You’ve seen a lot, then.”
“More than you know.” She was right. I’d seen a lot as an officer of the law. I’d seen more as Theodore Mathias’s daughter.
“Can you talk about what happened?” I asked. “How you escaped? And why?”
She shook her head. “A lot of it is a blur. I wish I could be more help. I’ve already told the local police everything I know.”
“I’m sure you have. I hate to make you relive it, but if you could tell me, maybe I could help.”
“How? You’re a detective in Colorado. You can’t do anything here.”
“Let’s just say I have an interest in this case. I’ve seen these types of things before.”
She swallowed. “All right.” She sighed. “Let me think.”
“Take your time.”
“It was fun, at first. I’d never been on a Jet Ski before. I kept my eyes on the beach. As long as I could see a beach, with people, I felt we were okay. We rode along the coast for a while. Everything seemed fine.”
They were getting the women comfortable. Classic. But I didn’t say this.