I See You (Criminal Profiler #2)(16)

Forty-five minutes later, Zoe and Vaughan arrived at Nikki McDonald’s apartment building. Vaughan parked, and they made their way into the lobby. They showed identification to the doorman, who called up to Nikki.

“I hope she saved her pennies,” Vaughan said. “The rent here is not cheap.”

“She’s been out of work four months,” Zoe said. “Her website has had a reasonable amount of hits but not enough to generate advertising to cover this.”

The elevator doors opened, and Nikki stepped off. She wore dark cotton pants, a gray top, and sandals. Her hair was freshly brushed, and her lipstick looked as if it had just been applied.

“Detective Vaughan and Agent Spencer,” Nikki said. “I was beginning to think you both were avoiding me.”

Vaughan grinned. “I said I’d talk to you when I had some information.”

Her eyes sparked. “And you do. Your expression gives it away.”

His smile widened. “Is there somewhere we can talk?”

Nikki rubbed her hands together. “I feel like this is going to be good.”

“It is,” he teased.

“Now I’m intrigued.”

On an intellectual level, Zoe understood Vaughan’s easy style worked well with those he interviewed. It was that charm that had drawn her to him initially. His life was not perfect, but he chose not to haul the baggage around with him. And seeing as she carried enough for two people, it was a welcome relief.

However, she wasn’t so crazy about the way Nikki McDonald leaned toward him when she spoke or the way she touched her hair in a flirty way.

Nikki led them down the hallway to a small waiting room furnished with four large chairs and a coffee table. Five sales brochures fanned across the sparkling glass tabletop. “The building manager uses this for sales meetings, but we can use it.”

The reporter extended her hand to the two chairs and took the one on the other side of the coffee table. She leaned back, a woman comfortable in her space. “Let’s have it.”

Zoe and Vaughan sat, and he nodded to her, giving her the go-ahead to deliver the news. “The bones you found belonged to Marsha Prince.”

Nikki’s gaze lost all hints of amusement as her gaze leveled on Zoe. “Marsha Prince. My Marsha Prince?”

“If you mean the woman who was the subject of your news reports years ago, then yes,” Zoe said.

Nikki had covered the girl’s disappearance extensively, as had many journalists in the beginning. She had floated several theories, including one that had suggested the girl had been killed by a serial killer in the Shenandoah Valley. Cops had later disproved that conclusively.

She sat back and tapped a manicured finger on the table. “This is huge.”

“Which makes it all the more important that we understand who sent you the message about the skull,” Vaughan said.

“I gave you everything I had,” she said.

“Have you been contacted in the interim?” Vaughan asked.

“No. Not another peep out of whomever this person is.”

“You reach out to the sender?”

“I have.”

“You covered the original story multiple times, and you did an anniversary report on the girl’s disappearance,” Zoe said.

“The story helped boost me up the ladder.”

“Why didn’t you include Hadley Foster in the anniversary piece?”

“I tried to talk to her, but she wouldn’t have anything to do with me. She was clear she didn’t want to be involved.”

“She never submitted to any interview, correct?” Zoe asked.

“No, she never would. I know the police spoke to her extensively. I tried once to get ahold of some of the interview tapes but couldn’t.”

A frown deepened the lines on Vaughan’s face. The idea that someone in his department would leak information to the media was clearly distasteful.

“The owner of the storage unit had no ties to the Prince family?” Zoe asked.

“She did not,” Nikki agreed. “Helen Saunders also had no children. She did have a great-nephew, but he moved away years ago, and I haven’t been able to find him.”

“If you do come across new information or this mysterious informant contacts you, you will tell us.” Vaughan had not tacked a question mark on at the end of the sentence.

“Of course. I always help law enforcement. If you figure this out, how about giving me an exclusive?”

“I can’t make any promises,” Vaughan said.

“You scratch my back—well, you know the rest.”

He stood, extending his hand. As they shook, he said, “Don’t hold out on me, Ms. McDonald.”

“Never.” She released his grip. “Agent Spencer, I would love to see a picture of the bust you created,” she said. “I understand you have a real talent for re-creating the faces of the dead.”

“We’ll be sending out a press release in the next twenty-four hours,” Zoe said.

“I don’t get a sneak peek?” Nikki asked.

“No, I’m afraid that’s not possible.”

Nikki offered an exaggerated pout. “No fair.”

Zoe lifted her gaze, knowing it was not friendly. “Marsha Prince would agree.”