Page 12 of Three Girls Gone
“You were being cheap, is what you mean,” Jean said.
“Sure, blame me for this. It’s always my fault, anyway.”
“The only person at fault here is the killer,” Amanda inserted. It was difficult seeing the Tanners turn on each other, but pain needed an outlet. Sadly, often those closest to us received the brunt of it. “Is it possible that someone broke into the home?”
“I suppose so,” Vincent admitted. “Maybe when no one was home, but we noticed nothing out of place, unlocked doors, that type of thing.”
“What about the window in Hailey’s bedroom? Someone could have come in through there,” Amanda pointed out.
“It’s possible, but the yard’s surrounded by a six-foot privacy fence. There’s a gate, and it’s always locked.”
“It’s possible someone climbed over or picked the lock.” Amanda put that as delicately as possible, but Vincent still shifted as if preparing to get up. “Please, Mr.Tanner, it’s important that we discuss this and investigate all the possibilities. Even the difficult ones. You should know that crime scene investigators will be here soon.”
“My daughter’s room is being treated like a crime scene.” Vincent hung his head.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” Jean said. “That someone was in our home. In Hailey’s bedroom.”
“I appreciate this must be hard to accept,” Amanda began. “But who could have accessed her room? Among family and friends?”
“Pretty much anyone who’s been here,” Vincent said.
Trent returned, tablet in hand, in time to hear Vincent’s response. “We’ll need a list of names.” He perched on a chair, ready to record their response.
Vincent provided the names of family members, and his former employee, Nick Potter. He saw Trent raise his eyebrows at that, and added, “He was here Christmas week to drop off a giftfor Hailey.”
McGee had told Amanda their professional relationship fell apart in November. “Did you find that strange, considering that you had parted ways?”
Vincent shook his head. “That was between us. Business. Nick adored Hailey.”
Goosebumps blazed a trail down her arms. She’d never cared for the wordadoredbeing used to describe an adult’s feelings toward a child. The tutu and slippers could fit under a bulky sweater. Nick was there when the weather was colder, but Jean had said Mara had all the tutus cleaned two weeks ago. She hadn’t mentioned any were missing.Something else to check up on.“We understand thatbusinesscost Nick several hundred thousand dollars.”
“Trust me. His issue was with me, not Hailey.”
“What if you’re wrong?” Jean’s voice was low, but a fire burned in her eyes. “You hurt him. This could be his way of getting back at you.”
Vincent clenched his jaw, and a pulse tapped in his cheek. He didn’t respond to his wife.
The lack of communication was telling, and the former employee earned himself a spot back on the suspect list. Alibi or not. “Did Nick go up to Hailey’s bedroom when he came over?”
Vincent shook his head. “He’d have no reason.”
“He did use the washroom upstairs,” Jean inserted.
Vincent turned on his wife. “You honestly believe Nick did this?”
“I never said he did,” she snapped. “I’m just saying…”
“You’re tossing him at the police, or is this your way of blaming me again for what happened to Hailey?”
“You’re not exactly a saint, doing what you did to him,” Jean said in a low voice.
Trent cleared his throat. “What did happen?”
McGee gave them the basics in the car, but Amanda was also interested in more details.
“My husband here sold him on investing in this one stock. Only Vince pulled out but didn’t warn Nick to do the same.”
“He’s a grown-ass man,” Vincent huffed out.
