“He found Michael.”
Daniel replayed it twice.
“Who found you?” Christine asked.
“I don’t know.”
Detective Ortiz placed the recorder in an evidence bag. She then told Christine that her father and brothers had been detained for questioning. Christine closed her eyes but did not defend them.
“What about my mother?” she asked.
“Officers have been unable to locate Elaine.”
Christine stood abruptly.
“She was upstairs when I left.”
“The bedroom was empty when officers returned.”
A search began.
By midmorning, Elaine’s photograph had been distributed to patrol officers. Her phone remained at the house. Her purse and car were also there.
Security footage from a nearby gas station eventually showed a woman matching her description entering a blue sedan shortly after midnight.
The license plate was unreadable.
Christine sat beside Jake, holding his hand and staring at nothing.
“My mother knew,” she said.
“Knew what?” I asked.
