Page 11 of Identify
Paula shakes her head. “No. They looked awake but not with it, you know? Their eyes were open, but no one was home.”
“Got it.” He nods and makes more notes.
“Can you tell us what he looked like? The man you went on the date with?” I ask.
Paula turns to me before answering. Her face is pale, and her eyes are blinking faster than normal. She looks scared, just not of me. It’s like recalling what happened to her is affecting her feelings all over again. “I mean, just what I told that sketch artist. He was great, the picture he drew looked a lot like the guy.” She looks down at her hands, resting in her lap, then back up at Reed. “Jacob reminded me of you a bit.”
“How so?” Reed asks.
“Tall, thin, nicely dressed in a suit, styled hair, handsome.” Her cheeks redden as she says the last word.
Reed smiles at her, his expression comforting and encouraging at the same time.
“I’m sorry if I haven’t been helpful.”
“You’ve been very helpful,” Reed says. “Sometimes the smallest things can help the most. You told the police he was driving a rental car, is that right?”
“Yes, I mean I think it was. It had rental company license plate holders on it and one of those stickers inside. And it was black, like, maybe a Camry or an Altima, four-doors, definitely a sedan.”
“Do you remember where the stop sign was that he stopped at?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “There was a tree on the corner closest to me, I remember that.”
“What kind of tree?”
“Small. Like it was planted a short time ago. There was a tall stick in the ground next to it with one of those bands attaching the tree to it, like it wouldn’t be able to stand up on its own without it. That’s the last thing I remember seeing.”
We confirm a few more facts with Paula, but it isn’t until we stand to leave that Reed pulls his phone from his pocket and shows her something on it. “Is this the man who took you?”
Paula studies it for a moment. “It looks a lot like him. He was older than this and his hair was different.”
“How much older, would you say?”
“Five years, maybe ten.”
We thank the women for their time and show ourselves out. We didn’t get nearly as much as I thought we would out of her. She didn’t tell us much more than the police report already had.
“What did you show her,” I ask Reed as we’re getting in the car.
He sighs. “A picture of David Tremblay from college.”
“So, you decided I was right?”
“You’re usually right, you know that. But also, research and records ID’d the sketch as him.”
“Shit. Sorry, man.”
“I won’t assume the worst, not yet. I mean, I grew up with this guy. He’s my best friend. I’m the best man in his wedding; the engagement party is in a week for fuck’s sake.”
“I get it, I’d be the same way.”
“But Murph, if it turns out he’s involved in a sex trafficking ring, there won’t be anyone to convict because I’ll fucking kill him myself.”
“I’ll help you.”
* * *
“Burger?” I ask Reed as I start the engine.
