Hometown Love (Love on the North Shore #2)(2)

Inside the store, Mack headed for the front registers where Patti rang up a customer. About ten years older than him, Patti had grown up in the house next door. When the customer left, Mack stepped forward. “Hi Patti. Is Mr. Quinn or Jessie around?”

“Jessie is in her office. Do you want me to call her up for you?”

He’d spent two years working here in high school so he knew where the office was located. “I can find her, thanks.”

The office was at the far end of the building, and it had a large window that looked into the store. Through the open door, he spotted Jessie seated at the desk, focused on the computer. Knocking on the door, he said, “Jessie, can I come in?”

Jessie glanced at him, the movement causing her long dark ponytail to slip off her shoulder. Behind her wire-rimmed glasses, she blinked then nodded. “Hi Mack. Of Course. How are you?”

“Good but I’m hoping you can help me. A twelve-year old girl named Daniela Batista is missing. She was last seen getting into a car on this street. Does the store have any security cameras outside?”

Jessie nodded again. “I saw the Amber Alert on the news. I can’t believe something like that could happen here.”

Part of him felt the same way. “Unfortunately, it can happen anywhere.”

“Gramps had five cameras installed a few years ago. Three are out front and two cover the back parking lot. Do you want to see everything?” She pushed the sleeves of her bulky sweater up to her elbows and pushed her chair back.

“Just the video from out front.”

“Anything to help. The girl’s mom must be worried sick.” She rolled her chair to the back desk where a television sat next to the surveillance equipment. “Why is the Boston police department involved in this? Shouldn’t our police department be handling it?”

Mack pulled a chair next to her. “I’m here on behalf of the FBI, but the town police are involved, too.”

Jessie stared at him. “You’re not with the Boston police anymore?”

“Yes and no,” he answered, surprised that Jessie didn’t already know about his change in jobs. It was no secret—not to mention, his mom and her grandmother were in a quilting club together. “I’m a task force officer with the FBI now, so I’m still employed with the city, but I report to the FBI’s Boston field office almost every day and assist them.”

“That must be interesting.” She looked back at the screen. “This is the view from camera one.”

For the most part, the camera only covered the entrance into the store.

“What about the other ones?”

Jessie switched to camera two.

Mounted on the corner of the building, the angle of the camera allowed it to capture a good portion of the street.

“Excellent. Let’s see what we got.”

“School gets out at two-fifteen. Do you want me to go back to that point in the video?”

“Yeah. I don’t know exactly when the girls came by here.”

Jessie scrolled through the data. “Do you want coffee or anything? I can ask Patti to get you one.”

“I’m good. Thanks.”

Next to him, Jessie fell silent again until she reached the desired spot on the video. Cars drove up and down the street, but none stopped.

After five minutes of tape, they had nothing.

“So how long have you been working with the FBI?”

“Three years now.” Mack cracked his knuckles as he continued to watch the screen. “What about you? Has your grandfather handed the reins over to you finally?”

“More or less. He stops in a couple times a week, but he spends his time in the store with the customers.” Jessie played with the cuff of her sweater as she spoke. “What kind of car are you looking for?”


“A white sedan with four doors. That was all Daniela’s friend remembered.”

“I don’t think I’ve met Daniela or her mom.”

“They moved to town nine months ago.”

Jessie leaned closer to the screen. She must have seen the same thing he had. A white Honda Accord had stopped at the curb.

“Do you think that’s it?”

He hoped so. “Could be.”

Another four minutes passed before the camera picked up Daniela and her friend. Both girls appeared engrossed in their conversation as they walked. When they approached the car, Daniela stopped, said something to her friend, then got into the passenger seat of the car. As the vehicle pulled away, Daniela’s friend headed in the opposite direction—the way they’d been headed before they’d stopped.

“Oh, my God.” Jessie’s hand flew to her mouth “Did I really just see that?”

Mack pulled out his phone and dialed the squad supervisor. Now that they had a license plate, they had a solid lead. “I’ve got video of Daniela getting into a white Honda with New Hampshire license plate 532 RZC. I’ll grab a copy of the video and head back in.” Mack disconnected the call and then looked at Jessie who’d gone pale. “You okay?”

Jessie shook her head. “I… I just can’t believe I saw that. Not here in town anyway.”

He understood how she felt. “But now we have a lead to go on. With this, we have a good chance of finding her.” He squeezed her shoulder. “I’ll need a copy of this video.”