Whisper in the Night (Detectives Kane and Alton)

“Have you any news?” Rosen turned his grief-stricken expression to the vehicles in his driveway.

Jenna moved up the steps, keeping a comforting hand on Rosen’s arm. “Not yet but we’re here to help. This is Deputy Kane and our medical examiner, Shane Wolfe. Atohi Blackhawk has offered to take a look around too and see if he can pick up a trail where Lindy might have gone.”

“Medical examiner?” Mr. Rosen’s Adam’s apple moved up and down as he swallowed. “Do you think my Lindy is dead?”

“There’s no evidence to make me believe so.” Wolfe stepped forward and offered his hand. “I’m here to hunt down forensic clues to help us find Lindy, Mr. Rosen. We’ll work together as a first response team.”

Jenna guided Mr. Rosen through the door. “We’re doing everything possible to find your daughter, Mr. Rosen. The search and rescue team are out scouring the area and we’ve alerted the media; if there’s a sighting of Lindy, we’ll know. The townsfolk in Black Rock Falls are very cooperative and have already formed a search party. I’ve a very capable deputy running a command post from my office.” She straightened. “Is there any place we can talk while my deputies take a look at Lindy’s room?”

“Yes, yes of course.” Rosen led the way inside the house. “My wife and daughters are in the kitchen.” He turned to look at Kane and Wolfe. “Her room is upstairs, first door on the right.”

Jenna kept her voice calm and followed Rosen down a hallway. “How many daughters do you have?”

“Three: Lindy, April and June.” Rosen shrugged. “I wanted to call Lindy Julia, as in July, but my wife objected. She was bullied at school by a Julia.”

The smell of fresh coffee wafted out the kitchen, tainted by the odor of burned toast. Three people sat at the table, all had wet cheeks and red eyes from crying. The two little girls appeared lost and confused and Mrs. Rosen stared into space as if in shock. “Would you like me to call a doctor?”

“No, we’ll be fine.” Rosen squeezed his wife’s shoulder and Mrs. Rosen seemed to snap to attention.

Jenna sat down at the kitchen table and introduced herself, then spoke to them as a group. “Mrs. Rosen, your husband mentioned Lindy was having nightmares. Can you explain when this started?”

“About a week ago.” Mrs. Rosen dabbed at her eyes with tissues. “Is this relevant?”

With her mind filled with the implications of what could be happening to Lindy, Jenna forced her demeanor to remain calm and in control. She took out her pen and notebook. Often people became less hysterical if they believed she was taking note of every word they uttered. “Yes, especially as she told you someone was in her room a number of times before she vanished.”

“It was the same dream every time.” Mrs. Rosen peered at her through red-rimmed eyes. “She woke my husband insisting she saw a man in her room. First she said the man was looking through her window, and then hiding in the shadows.”

“Of course, I searched the room and looked under her bed the first four times.” Mr. Rosen scrubbed his face as if trying to erase the memory. “The window is ten feet from the ground and there is no access, unless the man has wings. Last night, I didn’t look under the bed. I turned on the light, glanced around, then went back to bed.” He rubbed his eyes. “We have an alarm system. No one could have gotten inside.”

“The lights outside come on and we have CCTV cameras for the immediate area if the alarm is activated.” Mrs. Rosen lifted her tear-streaked face. “Wherever she is, she knows the person who took her. She must have deactivated the alarm before she left the house and she would never do that for a stranger.” She dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “I’ve called everyone we know, and she’s vanished.”

Jenna took down notes. It would be unusual for a girl to run out into the night in her PJs and without footwear in spring. “Does she have a boyfriend with a vehicle?”

“She knows a number of boys from school with cars but nobody special as far as we’re aware.” Mrs. Rosen sniffed. “I asked her friends but unless they’re keeping secrets, she has no one special.”

“Okay, I’ll need a list of her close friends and their details.” Jenna pushed her notebook toward her and kept a reassuring tone. “They might talk to me.”

Jenna turned in her seat as Kane entered the kitchen. “Do you have anything for me?”

“There is a sign of a struggle. The blankets on the bed are disturbed, as if kicked off then dragged toward the door. This isn’t something that would normally occur so we have to assume someone was inside the home and dragged Lindy outside.” He looked at the Rosens. “Did you hear anything at all last night?”

“No, not a thing, we went right back to sleep.” Mrs. Rosen sobbed into her hands. “Oh, Lord, I’d hoped she’d wandered off in her sleep but now I’m sure someone has kidnapped her.”

Worry gripped Jenna’s gut as she looked up at Kane. “It sure looks like an abduction.”

“I’ve given Blackhawk an article of Lindy’s clothing and he’s taking Duke to see if he picks up a trail.” Kane’s attention moved to the parents. “When was Lindy last outside?”

“The girls haven’t played outside for some time, it’s been too cold.” Mrs. Rosen wiped her eyes. “I take them to play basketball in town after school, so they get plenty of exercise.”

“That’s good – it will make her easy to track.” Kane straightened. “We’ll need your daughter’s diary, in case she mentions anyone in particular, her laptop and cellphone. Wolfe found a few hairs on her bed but there’s no sign of anyone gaining entry to her room via the window. The front door locks are intact with no sign of tampering, no footprints outside the house in the garden beds below her window.” He rubbed his chin. “If I hadn’t seen the bed, I’d figure Lindy opened the front door and left willingly.”

Jenna nodded. “I’ll follow up with her friends. We might get some valuable info.”

“She wouldn’t run into the dark in her PJs and she wouldn’t leave home without her cellphone, even if she knew the person.” Rosen slammed his fist onto the table, making the empty cups rattle. He glared at Jenna. “Think about it, Sheriff! She had nightmares of a man in her room. Do you honestly believe a terrified girl would run out the house in the middle of the night or open the door to let him in?” He glared at her. “No way. She’d never do such a thing.”

“No, I don’t. As it happens, I agree with Kane but I’m following procedure, Mr. Rosen. I’ll call her friends. I understand how upsetting this is for you, but you can rest assured we’re doing everything possible to find Lindy.” Jenna sighed and looked at Lindy’s distraught parents. “We’ll be setting up a recording device in case anyone calls with a ransom demand.” She patted Mrs. Rosen on the hand. “I’m leaving Duke Walters here with you; he knows what to do if anyone calls. Plain-clothes deputies will be dropping by to relieve him. They’ll introduce themselves as ‘doctor’ – it’s a code word for police in these matters. We don’t want to alert a kidnapper we’re here. I don’t want you to make contact with the perpetrator if anyone calls – leave everything to the deputies. Please make sure the landline is free so we can monitor all incoming calls and just use your cellphone. It’s unlikely her abductor will have your cellphone number.”

She noticed Wolfe standing in the doorway.