Chapter Forty-Four

I was home again, fuming after the unproductive confrontation with Daniel, when my phone rang; it was Marie. “Susan, I’m sending you a video. Can you tell if that girl in the background is Maddy?”

A moment later a video popped up on my screen. In the foreground was a group of four young people—twenty-somethings—standing outdoors, laughing and joking together. Blue sky told me it wasn’t taken today, but they were wearing warm jackets, so it was recent. They were in someone’s backyard; lawn was visible, along with the corner of a shed, a leafless bush, and a chain-link fence behind them.

Marie had said there was a girl in the background. The screen image was so small, and the video was over so quickly, that I wasn’t sure what I’d seen. I played it again, this time ignoring the group in the foreground and focusing on a figure visible behind the chain-link fence, in another yard beyond.

There was a girl, all right, but I strained to get a clear view of her face in the tiny image. She seemed absorbed in whatever she was doing, moving back and forth in a kind of dance. She was partly blocked by the bush in the foreground, disappearing and reappearing behind it. A moment later a dog leapt into view, then vanished again. They were obviously playing chase or some kind of game.

My breath caught. Could it be? The girl’s blonde hair was in a ponytail, and her figure was thin and wiry like Maddy’s.

The image was small and blurry, but my heart leapt. Yes! It’s got to be her.

I called Marie immediately. “Marie, it looks like her. What is this? When was it taken? Where is she?”

“We got a call this morning from the guy who took it. He says he took it Wednesday morning; some of his friends were helping him move stuff, and he’d recorded them goofing around. But this morning he was watching it again and noticed the girl in the background. He thought it might be her, so he called it in.”

“Where were they when—?”

“He took it at his parents’ house. They live on Powell Avenue.”

I frowned. “Where’s Powell?”

“It’s over toward Bronson,” she said. “And get this. Powell is one street over from Renfrew—their yards back on each other.”

Wait a minute—I just got back from Renfrew. “That has to be Daniel’s backyard!” I glared at the phone, even though Marie couldn’t see me. “And you told me he had nothing to do with it!”

“I’m way ahead of you. We’re already on the way to his house.”

“Great. I’m coming too.”

I could sense her disapproval. “I can’t stop you. But you’ll have to wait on the street. If we find her, we’ll bring her out.”

I grabbed my jacket and purse and slammed out of the house. Good thing there wasn’t much traffic; I scarcely noticed anything between my place and Renfrew Avenue.

Two police cars were pulled up in front of Daniel’s house. I parked on the opposite side, the same spot I’d parked in earlier. It gave me a good view of his house and driveway. His truck was still there, right where it had been earlier. I waited for nearly half an hour, impatiently tapping against the steering wheel. Then Marie came out and came across the street to my car. I rolled the window down.

Marie leaned over. “There’s no sign of her in the house. Or in his garage or truck. No sign she’s ever been there, so—”

I had to interrupt. “But I saw her on the video! In the backyard!”

She grimaced. “I’ve just checked with the guy who took the video. His parents’ house is farther down the block. The yard backing on that property is not Daniel’s yard.”

I felt sick. “Whose yard is it?”

“I’m heading there now to find out.”

I watched Marie and Kevin drive down the street, stopping halfway down the block. The officers in the other police car followed them.

Marie knocked on the door. There was no answer. She knocked again. Still no one came to the door. She disappeared around the side of the house, Kevin at her heels.

Minutes later she returned to the street, facing in my direction. I started my car and rolled toward her.

She leaned into my window. “There doesn’t seem to be anyone home. I’ll find out who lives here, and we’ll come back later.”

I wailed. “Later! We know she was seen in their yard…”

“You’re not positive it was her. And it was two days ago. We have no reason to think she’s still here.”

“Can’t you break in?” She looked shocked. “Or get a warrant or something?”

“Susan, I said we’ll be back and check it out.”