Page 7 of Three Girls Gone
McGee continued. “No affairs were uncovered. I told you the family was wealthy. Well, the father is in investments. He owns his own firm and focuses only on clients who have a starting amount of seven figures to invest. We considered a former employee, Nick Potter. He felt he’d been screwed over by Tanner in an investment deal. Potter lost seven hundred K.”
Trent whistled. “That’s a lot of money.”
“To us mere mortals, but Potter is worth millions himself. But to make things worse between Tanner and Potter, Tanner dismissed him. For a moment, this guy was considered a suspect. I speculated he may have taken the girl to demand a ransom to make up some of what he lost. I released him from suspicion for a couple of reasons. One, his alibi checked out. And two, he didn’t seem too affected by the shady business with Tanner either. Potter ended up opening his own firm.”
“When did all this happen?” she asked, knowing that hurt feelings didn’t always expire with time.
“November.”
Amanda wanted to speak with Nick Potter herself. Alibi or not.
The light changed, and Trent went through.
“Turn right at the first street,” McGee directed.
Trent did as he said, and soon after, McGee pointed out a large home. Trent parked at the curb out front.
The house was a statement of affluence. She understood how McGee may have become fixed on the ransom angle.
Amanda led the way to the front door. Witheach step, she thought about the devastating news they had to deliver. She reached for the doorbell at the same time as McGee.
“Detective Steele, if you’d allow me.” A hint of emotion bled into his voice.
She pulled her hand back. “Go ahead.”
He pushed the button, and a melodious chime sounded inside the home and reached the step.
Footsteps pounded toward them, then stopped. Soon after, the door was opened. Jean Tanner stood there. Amanda recognized her from the news. As a rule, she avoided it in all its forms, whether it be print or digital. The job gave her enough of the sad, the bad, and the ugly. But the heartbreaking case of Hailey Tanner had still found its way to her prior to today, even outside of work.
“Mrs.Tanner,” McGee said. “This is Detective Steele and Detective Stenson. Can we come in for a moment? We have news about Hailey.”
“Ah, sure.” She stepped back while appraising Amanda and Trent. Her straight and confident posture shrank, as if her innate sense was alerting her to what was coming.
Once they were in the entry, McGee asked, “Is Mr.Tanner home?”
“I’ll go get him.” Jean closed the door behind them. “Just sit in the front room, and we’ll be there in a minute.”
“Thank you, Mrs.Tanner.” McGee wiped his shoes on the front mat before leading the way across the entrance into a space decorated with cream furniture. The formality made it hard to imagine a child playing in there.
Silver frames lined a dark cherry hall table against the wall. All the photographs were of a smiling Hailey. In one, she was dressed as a pumpkin for Halloween. In another, she was sitting cross-legged in front of a Christmas tree. The rest didn’t appear to be taken for any specific holiday. A few showed Hailey in tutu and slippers. In every instance it was the same pale-pinkdress that looked like the one she was found in, with a mesh sweetheart neckline and cap sleeves.
Jean stepped up behind Amanda and picked up a frame. “This one was taken before her performance inThe Nutcrackerlast year.”
“She’s beautiful,” Amanda said, turning to face the woman. Her mind repeated Donnelly’s words from the crime scene.A child star…Amanda would inquire more about the show later, but it took place months ago. Was it even connected? But something else needed to be attended to first. It soothed her little that she wouldn’t be the one delivering the news. She’d still be present to witness the Tanners’ hearts being broken.
She left Jean and sat on the couch as Vincent Tanner entered the room. He was a striking man with blond hair and silver eyes. He was five or more years older than his wife, but neither of them looked over forty.
Jean returned the frame to the table and sat on a vacant chair near her husband. Both Tanners looked at McGee.
McGee straightened his tie and cleared his throat. “As I told your wife, Mr.Tanner, these are fellow detectives with the Prince William County PD. Meet Detectives Steele, and Stenson.” He gestured toward each of them.
Vincent let his gaze linger on them. Then he stiffened. Like his wife, he must have sensed their presence meant nothing good.
“We’re here because we have some news about Hailey,” McGee began, and Jean gasped out.
Vincent became still, making it hard to tell if he was breathing.
McGee continued. “Unfortunately, her body was found this morning in Heroes Memorial Park.”
