Page 13 of Three Girls Gone
Jean shook her head.
“That was what led you to parting ways professionally?” Amanda looked at Vincent.
“The trust between us was gone, so yeah.”
Time to steer away from Nick Potter… “Is there anyone else who may have gone upstairs? Even just to use the washroom?”
“It could have been anyone if the main level bathroom was occupied,” Jean said.
“And everyone would be on the list you provided Detective Stenson?” Amanda asked.
Vincent nodded.
“What about visitors to the home besides friends and family? A maintenance person or a maid?” Amanda asked.
“We’re rather old-fashioned here. Vince works outside the home, and I clean it.”
That was surprising, since she hired help for Hailey. “How else do you spend your time?”
“I’m involved with several charities.”
“She goes to fancy lunches and gossips,” Vincent pushed in.
The couple had a lot to sort out after they left. “It could be anyone who excused themselves from your sight. It would only take a moment to slip into her room.”
“Thinking that someone violated her space…” Jean stopped there and rubbed her throat. “Actually, we had that dinner for our top-tier clients here a few weeks ago.”
Vincent angled his head. “You can’t seriously be bringing that up again.”
Amanda looked at McGee. Was this something he’d held back on purpose, or had he not gotten around to sharing it?
“It was for high-value investors with portfolios worth tens of millions, and I have their names,” Detective McGee said.
She’d be picking up this conversation when they left the Tanners.
“We’re talking influential people with prestigious positions within the community,” Vincent stressed.
From her experience, none of what he said meant they were innocent. A knock on the door, followed by the bell, prevented her from responding.
“I’ll get that.” Amanda left the room and swung the door open. Two female CSIs were on the step. Amanda wasn’t familiar with them, but the credentials clipped to their light jackets and the collection kits in their hands gave them away. CSIs Blair and Donnelly must still be busy at the park. “I’m Detective Steele. Come in.”
The CSIs stepped into the entry. Neither provided their names. One had a short, blond bob, and the other wore black-framed glasses. Detective McGee joined the party, but the CSIs didn’t give him a second look.
“Point us where we need to go, and we’ll get to work,” Blond Bob said. “We were told it’s a child’s room we need to process.”
“That’s right. There might have been a home invasion.” Amanda told her about the missing tutu and slippers from the closet.
“We’ll look for evidence of that, prints, DNA. Are there any profiles we should eliminate?” Blond Bob asked.
Amanda was wondering if the other CSI spoke. “Prints and DNA belonging to Vincent and Jean Tanner, the girl’s parents, and Mara Bennett, her nanny. And the lab should be getting samples from Susan Butters, as well. She found the girl.”
“The others should be on file already,” McGee told them.
“That makes it somewhat easier. The room is where?” Blond Bob pointed up the staircase and raised her eyebrows.
Amanda nodded. “Down the hall, third door on the right. Before you go, though, what should I call you? We’ve never met before.”
“I’m Ruth Keller,” the woman with the glasses said.
