After Anna(103)

‘No, she left for the holiday.’

Maggie wanted to pick Madison’s brain, too, just in case. ‘If you’re new, you didn’t know Jamie Covington, did you?’

‘No, that name doesn’t sound familiar.’

‘Do you know if a girl named PG lives here? Or Connie? These were friends of my daughter’s.’

‘No, I never heard of them.’

‘Do you know who else we can speak to? Anybody who might know Anna, Jamie, PG, or Connie?’

‘Sure, hold on.’ Madison took a phone from her sweatpants pocket and thumbed in a text. ‘I’m asking Genevieve, she’s a senior. She’ll be right down. She knows everybody.’

‘Great, thanks.’ Maggie turned to the staircase, and in a few moments, a short African-American student in a red sweater and jeans descended and approached them.

‘Hey, I’m Genevieve,’ she said, with a sweet smile. She wore her hair pulled back, and silver bracelets jangled on her forearm. ‘How can I help you?’

Maggie smiled back. ‘I’m looking for my daughter, Anna Desroches. Did you know her?’

‘Yes, but not well. You’re her mom?’

‘Yes.’ Maggie realized that until this very moment, she hadn’t met another student who knew Anna, the real Anna. She didn’t want to get emotional now, so she suppressed the thought.

‘I heard she went to live home with you, didn’t she?’

‘Yes, she did, but to make a long story short, she’s gone missing.’

‘Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that.’ Genevieve frowned. ‘She’s a nice girl.’

‘Thank you,’ Maggie said, touched. ‘This is going to sound strange, but did you happen to know a student who looked like her? A lot like her?’

‘No.’

‘We’re also trying to find somebody who knew her friends Jamie Covington, PG, and Connie.’

‘I knew Jamie. She left school last year.’

‘Right. Have you heard from her since then?’

‘No, but we weren’t that friendly.’

‘Do you know a PG or Connie?’

‘No, what’s their last names?’

‘We don’t know.’

‘Were they seniors?’

‘We don’t know.’ Maggie had an idea. ‘Do you happen to have a yearbook?’

‘Sure, come with me.’





Chapter Seventy-one


Noah, After

‘I didn’t let anybody die.’ Noah rose, and two COs flanked Drover and lifted him bodily off the bench.

‘Let’s go, Mr Drover.’ The COs hustled Drover from the cafeteria, and a third CO walked around the table to Noah and motioned him upward.

‘Dr Alderman, come on. Leave the tray.’ The CO motioned Noah up, and he went without complaint. He’d be safer in a cell anyway.

‘Can I go back to my cell?’

‘No. They’re still working on it.’

Noah swallowed hard. They’d told him last night that his cell would have to be examined and photographed for evidence, since it had become a crime scene.

The CO led him toward the cafeteria exit. ‘This way.’

‘So where am I going?’

‘Block time. You don’t have a job yet.’

Noah flashed back on his old life, when he’d travel for a conference but his hotel room wouldn’t be ready. He used to be so annoyed, back then. He’d make a fuss at the reception desk. He couldn’t believe that it had taken prison to make him realize that he’d been a bit of a jerk.

The CO led him to the left, down an empty hallway. Drover and the other COs were nowhere in sight.

‘So John Drover knows Jeremy Black?’

‘Yes.’ The CO faced front, walking beside him.

‘Are they in the same gang or something?’

‘You doing a documentary?’

Noah let it go. ‘Which cellblock is Drover in?’

‘C,’ the CO answered.

‘But I’m in C.’

‘Oops,’ the CO said, walking.





Chapter Seventy-two


Maggie, After

Maggie, Kathy, and Caleb knocked on the door to Steingard House, which had a small window of frosted glass. A light was on inside, which cheered Maggie, who was trying to stay positive. They had searched the Congreve yearbooks and hadn’t seen any Connies or PGs, though there had been photos of Jamie, and more importantly, of Anna. Maggie had taken pictures of Anna’s photos with her phone, and it had helped her explain what was going on to Caleb.

‘Here comes somebody.’ Maggie straightened up as a shadowy figure grew closer on the other side of the frosted glass, and the door was answered by a tall, slim student who had her blond hair piled in a twist. She had a long face, prominent cheekbones, and wore an oversized Harvard sweatshirt with black leggings and black Dr Martens.

‘Hello, can I help you? I’m Mercer Cooperman, one of the editors on The Zephyr.’

‘Yes, thanks.’ Maggie introduced herself, Caleb, and Kathy. ‘I’m Anna Desroches’s mother, and she was a student here until last year. I’m afraid she’s gone missing. We’ve spoken with Morris Whitaker, and they’re dealing with the police, but we want to ask a few questions too, on our own.’