by Robin Mahle
Spencer kissed her good night as they lay in bed together. When he turned to sleep, with his back to her, Katie sensed he was slipping away. She raised her hand to caress his shoulder, letting him know that she was still there. An all too brief moment found him returning the gesture, resting his hand on top of hers, until it slipped away.
Upon waking in the morning after an abrupt alarm sounded, Katie had come to the realization that if therapy didn’t reveal any more answers, then she would have to talk to the experts, the ones who dealt with investigating these types of crimes.
Her work at the Advocacy Group provided many avenues to different divisions within the organization. One such avenue was the Victim’s Assistance department. Cases were assigned to that division in circumstances where Child Protective Services had been involved. It was there to assist the victims and act as a liaison between the police and the community. Katie had never worked with anyone directly in that department, but word often traveled around when they received extreme abuse cases. Sometimes, in cases where a child had disappeared, the advocates would speak with the victim’s relatives, teachers, etc. They often worked alongside the detectives who were assigned to investigate.
This was where Katie needed to be, assigned to just such a case. Her credentials in that area were weak and she doubted an assignment like that would be given to her, but if she could convince Richard, maybe she could assist in some way.
Katie walked into her office and several people asked how she was feeling. It had slipped her mind that she’d called in sick yesterday.
“Hi, Katie. Welcome back,” Jennifer began. “Glad to see you’re feeling better. Don’t worry, you didn’t miss much.”
“Good to know. Thanks, Jen.” Katie put her purse down and turned on her computer. “Have you seen Richard yet this morning?”
“No, not yet, but I’ve been in the kitchen getting coffee.” Jennifer swirled the spoon in her cup and flashed her kind smile. If one were to look up the girl next door in the dictionary, a picture of Jennifer would be there, shoulder-length blonde hair, fair skin and big round eyes. About as wholesome as one could be.
“I’ll go have a look in his office.”
“Is everything all right?”
“Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine. I just wanted to ask him about working on a case for the Victim’s Assistance program.”
“Oh, well that would be in a different department, wouldn’t it?” Jennifer continued on with her sometimes annoying line of questioning.
“I’ve been thinking about venturing into some different areas. You know, broaden my horizons a little.”
Jennifer creased her brow, seemingly unconvinced of Katie’s motives, but finally decided to drop the topic.
Richard had always been a reasonable boss and rarely said no to Katie’s requests. However, this would be the first time she’d ask to work in another department, albeit, only temporarily.
He was modest and kind, exactly the type of person one would expect to hold a middle management position in an organization that advocated for children, though he had no children of his own.
“Knock, knock.” Katie leaned in the open doorway of Richard’s office.
“Good morning, Katie. Welcome back. Feeling better today?”
A slight twinge of guilt passed through her as she smiled in return. “Yes, thank you. I was wondering if you had a minute. I’d like to ask you something.”
“Sure, come on in. Close the door, if you need to.”
“No, it’s nothing like that.” She took her seat opposite Richard’s desk. “I’d like to see if there is any chance I might be assigned to a case in the Victim’s Assistance program. I was interested in possibly doing some work for them.”
“I see. Does that mean you don’t want to work for me anymore?”
“No, of course not; it would only be temporary. I’d like to gain some experience in other areas, get involved with the community on a more direct basis, rather than the research work and fundraising. It seems interesting.” Katie thought her answer was a little vague, even bordering on suspicious.
“Okay, well, I’d have to call down there to see what they’ve got and if they need any help.”
Katie felt his eyes prying her for some deeper insight, instead, she remained casual, not wanting to divulge her true reasons.
“So it would just be the one case?” Richard asked.
“Yes. I’d like to gain as much experience here as I can. I’m not really sure where I’d like to eventually end up, but I definitely want to stay with the Advocacy Group, and adding a few extra responsibilities to my resume might be a good idea.”
“All right then; I’ll give Susan down there a buzz and see what they can do for you.”
Katie was relieved he agreed so quickly. Of course, it would ultimately be up to that department, but this was the first step. “Thank you so much, Richard. I really appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome, but how am I supposed to fill your shoes if they need you for a month or more?”
This was something that hadn’t really occurred to Katie. “I can handle most of my duties, but maybe I could talk to Jennifer to see if she could help with a few things.”
“Okay. If Susan can use you, you’ll still have to stay afloat on this end, whether that means having Jennifer help out is up to you and her.”
“Thanks again, Richard. You have no idea how much I appreciate the opportunity.”
“Don’t get too excited. I haven’t asked her yet.”
Katie feared she might be taking on too much, but with Jennifer on her side, it would work. She would owe her big, but it would work.
By mid-day, Katie received an e-mail from Richard. He’d sent her Susan’s response to the request.
“We would be grateful for Ms. Reid’s assistance on the Isabelle Thompson case. There are several moving parts to this one and we are short staffed. The work will be difficult, given the subject matter, but if you feel she is capable of handling herself then I would welcome her addition to the staff.”
Above this was a reply from Richard to Katie.
“They’ve agreed, Katie. Good luck and I would like to sit down with you and Jennifer in the morning to figure out our workload.”
Katie was excited and terrified. If nothing else, she had just been given an opportunity to help with something that mattered. But in the end, what mattered to her was learning everything she could about investigations, and working with the police department would be a good start.
Katie wiped her hands on the dish towel and tossed it onto the counter. The meal was prepared and she’d hoped she was too. “Spencer, dinner’s ready.”
“Smells great. What’s the special occasion?” He emerged from the den.
It was no secret she was not the cook of the house and takeout seemed to be a better fit for their busy schedules anyway, but tonight would require explanation of her new work assignment. Dinner was intended to soften the blow.
Katie brought out the plates of somewhat questionable looking pasta and salad. Her repertoire of meals amounted to only a handful of items and even then it would be hit or miss.
With the bottle of red wine already on the table, she poured Spencer a glass. “I was assigned to work on a case with the Victim’s Assistance program today.”
“Really? Were you moved to another department?”
“Not permanently, this is just a one-time thing. They’re understaffed and need some help.”
“That’s a little outside your wheelhouse, isn’t it? You generally stick to the admin side of things.”
Katie poured her wine and quickly took a sip as she prepared for the barrage of questions. “Yes, I do, but this is the Isabelle Thompson case and I thought that maybe I could help, so I volunteered.”
“That’s the girl who went missing, what, like a couple weeks ago? The Advocacy Group is working on that one?”
“The Victim’s Assistance program is, yes. They’re working with San Diego PD, sinc
e it involves community coordination. You know, talking to the kids at her school, the neighbors, that sort of thing. Jen is going to help with my regular duties, but I’m going to continue to keep as much of my responsibilities as I can in addition to assisting with the case. It’s an incredible opportunity, Spencer.”
“It doesn’t sound like you’re going to have much spare time.” He appeared deflated by this unexpected news.
“I haven’t forgotten about our wedding. It’s not for eight more months. I think we have time. Your long hours don’t seem to be a problem and mine won’t be either. Look, you asked me to move on and that’s exactly what I’m trying to do. Don’t you see that?”
“Yes. I guess I just thought you’d move on in a different direction. Most women want to do all the wedding planning.”
In the seven years she’d known him, his impression of what women wanted never seemed to have sounded so 1950s, but that was exactly how he sounded now. Her frustration grew, but Katie remained calm and continued to try to persuade him. He had to see how important this was to her, and by default, how important his support would be. “Well most women planning a wedding probably didn’t just find out they had been abducted as a child.” She paused and took a deep, calming breath. “It’s only been a few days since I found out my entire life has been a lie. I’m asking for your support here.” Katie pushed on. “Please understand that I do want to marry you and I do want to plan this wedding. But you have to let me do what I need to do to move on. We’ve agreed to continue the therapy and this is just another extension of my therapy. I need you to see that.”
His expression softened. “Okay, you’re right, Katie. I’m sorry. I’m trying to get through this as well and I should be more supportive. If you can handle working on a case in addition to everything else, then I have no right to question it.”
“Thank you, Spencer. This has changed me, who I thought I was and who I want to be, but it hasn’t changed how much I love you.”
6
A brief team meeting between Katie and Jennifer began as they sat in Richard’s office, reviewing the workload while Katie assists on the Thompson case. After the meeting, the women returned to their cubicles and Katie began gathering a few of her belongings. The move downstairs would take place in the coming hours.
“Why the sudden interest in victim assistance cases?” Jennifer leaned on the cubicle wall, waiting for a reply.
“I guess I just want to be a little more hands-on, you know? Get involved in directly helping a victim. We do so much paperwork and fundraising and I know all that matters, but I want to see a more direct impact. I want to make a difference.”
For the first time, Katie felt her response was genuine, that she’d actually been able to identify a clear reason. It might not have been the entire reason, but it certainly was part of it and was enough to make Jennifer understand.
“Well, good luck, Katie, and I mean that. I know it’s going to be a little more hectic around here, but honestly, it’s nothing I can’t handle.”
“I know that, Jen. Believe me, I won’t forget what you’re doing. It means more to me than you could know.”
An email came across and Katie turned to her computer. “I’ll catch up with you before I head down.” On opening the email, she discovered it was a meeting request from Susan, her new temporary boss. Katie was asked to attend a meeting scheduled by the District Attorney’s office today at 1 o’clock.
Not only would this be her official introduction to Susan, but it would also be her introduction to the Thompson case.
Katie placed her few personal items into a small box and headed to meet her new boss. With the box propped against her waist, Katie stood in front of Susan’s office. “Is there any place you’d like me to sit?”
“Katie, welcome. Come on, I’ve got a place already set up for you.” Susan moved around her desk to shake the hand of her newest assistant.
It was a pleasant surprise to find that she would be given an office. This wasn’t exactly a promotion and she certainly hadn’t been given a raise. Since the department was shorthanded, she assumed space must be plentiful and this was close to Susan’s office, which was probably the real reason for the upgrade.
Susan handed over a flash drive. “The meeting starts in an hour. Why don’t you have a look at the correspondence files, then meet me in the conference room. I’d like you to sit in on this one and meet everyone. You’ll be taking minutes as well.”
“Okay. Thank you.” She took the flash drive and loaded it up on her computer.
An hour later, Katie was the first one to arrive in the conference room. Everyone involved with the Thompson case would be there, from the police detectives, to the District Attorney’s office, and the supervisor in charge of the case for the Advocacy Group. It was their second meeting and was the first one in which Katie would be involved.
Her nerves were on edge as she sat waiting patiently, pen and paper in hand.
The second to arrive was Detective Marshall Avery of the San Diego Police Department. He introduced himself and extended his hand to Katie. It appeared weathered beyond what she assumed his years to be. His face was lined, more from stress, she thought, than from age.
“Katie Reid. Nice to meet you,” she said.
“Are you with the courts?” the detective asked.
“No, I work for the Advocacy Group. I’m going to be assisting Susan with any help she might need.”
“Great. Welcome aboard, Katie.”
Soon after, the others arrived and the meeting began. Katie was more than a little intimidated, but soon began to feel at ease as she learned more about the team. Her supervisor, Susan, acted as the liaison for the DA and Police. She was responsible for working with the child psychologist and helping Detective Avery with gathering background information on the neighborhood, teachers, and so on.
The DA’s office rep was Eric Jennings, who seemed less interested in the case than in ensuring his office maintained its appearance.
The Thompson case was a difficult one. As the conversations went on, Katie learned that Isabelle had a history of hospital visits, thanks to her mother. Child Protective Services had been called in several times, but Isabelle was never taken away. Two weeks ago, she went missing. The mother appeared on television, begging for her return, proclaiming her innocence. Search parties were formed, but the eight-year-old girl had not yet been found.
The Victim’s Assistance department was appointed by the DA’s office to help the police in the case. A child advocate was often appointed in these cases to accompany the police on school visits. It wasn’t uncommon to have discussions with classmates and teachers. The advocate’s job was to ensure the safety and well-being of any other children that might need to be questioned.
At the end of the meeting, Katie understood why Susan warned that this would be a difficult case. It had become clear that Isabelle was abused, but it was as of yet unclear if her mother was involved in the girl’s disappearance.
It would be Katie’s job to review statements and write summaries to submit to Susan. It was a minor role, but enough to give her access to Detective Avery. He would know how to help her find the answers she sought.
“Detective Avery,” she called, following him into the parking lot.
He turned around. “Yes, Katie?”
“Have you ever worked on an unsolved case?”
“You mean, like a cold case?”
“I think so, yes.”
“No. I don’t usually get assigned cold cases. They’re a sort of special division in the department. My job involves active cases. Why do you ask?”
The two continued to walk toward the detective’s car.
“I was just curious. If I wanted to know something about a case that was opened some twenty-odd years ago, where would I go?”
“I would suggest contacting the police department where the case would have been filed. I’m not sure it would have a cold case division. I suppose that depends on th
e size of the department. But they would at least have someone who was likely familiar with the case and could possibly help. I can tell you that they would probably not discuss anything with you unless you had pertinent information.” Detective Avery paused, appearing to consider her questions. “Is there something you’d like to add?”
Katie wasn’t about to tell him the real reason. Who knew if it would cause a problem with her work here? Defense lawyers could dig up anything and if they thought someone who had been abducted as a child worked on this case, they might try to call some sort of prejudice and have the case dismissed.
“I was thinking about getting more involved in forensics, maybe going back to school.”
“That’s great.” Detective Avery opened up his car door. “Good luck, I hope it works out for you. In the meantime, glad to have you on our team.”
He drove off, leaving Katie standing alone in the parking lot. She was a little disappointed at his abrupt departure, but figured there would be more opportunities.
“It’s getting late and I’ve got more depositions early tomorrow morning. You don’t mind if I head off to bed?” Spencer pushed up from the couch, stretching his back.
“Not at all, you go on. I’m going to stay up and catch up on some paperwork for Richard.”
“Okay, but don’t stay up too late.” A perfunctory kiss followed and he shuffled toward the bedroom.
It was already ten o’clock and she didn’t know how long she’d last, but she wanted try to get a few things done before going to bed. Keeping up on her other responsibilities was part of the bargain. It wasn’t fair to ask Jennifer to take on too much, especially since she wasn’t getting paid for her extra efforts.
After finishing her budget updates for Richard, Katie loaded the files from the flash drive Susan had given her. She opened the Child Protective Services files and began reading the history of Isabelle Thompson.
The social workers had been out half a dozen times to check in on Isabelle; each time the report indicated the need for a follow up. There was no visible evidence of any injuries, but she appeared pallid and thin. The other children in the house, her siblings, never suggested any mistreatment to the social workers. When Isabelle went missing on the morning of April 10th, it wasn’t until the mother came home from work that she reported Isabelle’s disappearance, although she had received a message on her cell phone from the school indicating the child had not shown up. It remained unclear as to why the mother hadn’t acted earlier upon hearing the school’s message.
