And Then There Was One Read Online Free PDF

Auburn Hills.

—
Morning Detroit News
, Monday, June 15
    Every light in the Hill Mall shone bright through the early hours of the morning. The cleaning crew had been scrutinized by the police as they reported for work. Then they’d been told to report any sign of the missing girls. No one reported anything. Not a single scrap of evidence that Alex or Sammie Monroe had ever been in that mall. Special Agent Tony Streeter mopped sweat off his forehead, as he returned to Clarence Plummer’s office.
    “Looks like you could use a pop.” The big man grimaced as he held out an ice-cold can of Vernors ginger ale.
    Streeter had recently relocated from the Los Angeles office to Detroit, and still hadn’t gotten use to the way Michiganders called soft drinks “pop” and how they loved their Vernors. Thirteen years ago, he had joined the FBI right out of Georgetown Law School. He was assigned to Chicago, and three cities and three children later, his wife, Marianne, could take the life no longer. The irreconcilable issue: she’d been no competition for her husband’s total dedication to the job. Three years ago she packed up his daughters, now eight, six, and four, and moved back to her hometown, Grand Rapids, Michigan. That’s why he’d requested a transfer to Detroit. Tony missed his girls and was gunning for the SAC job for the Detroit office, special agent in charge. Maybe then he’d go to Marianne, ask her to reconsider. At the very least he’d stay in Michigan, only 150 miles from his daughters. Streeter figured that if he solved this apparent kidnapping case quickly and efficiently, he’d have a crack at that promotion.
    “Only ones left here are the mom and dad and the poor little kid,” said Plummer, slapping Streeter on the back like they were old buddies. “The grandma and cousin and the aunt were reluctant to leave, but I convinced them that there’s nothing they can do here. Just wish the parents had let the girl leave, but tell you the truth, I can see why they want her by their side. Just in case — protective instinct.”
    Tony thought of his own girls. How Marianne would react? How he would react? He’d be insane with fear, he knew that. “You have kids?” he asked Plummer.
    “Yeah, a daughter. Grown. My pride and joy. How about you?”
    “Three daughters. Oldest just a year younger than the Monroe girls.”
    “We’ll find them, Agent Streeter,” Plummer said. “You just let me know what more I can do. I’ll work day and night.”
    “Call me Tony. Okay? You did a fine job tonight. Nobody could have jumped on this faster. You found the only lead we have.”
    “Didn’t pan out to be much. Just that Davis woman with two little kids who ‘thinks’ she saw the two Monroe kids walk out with a middle-aged woman. Nondescript, useless description. Not fat, but overweight. Medium height. Musta been a few thousand of them in the mall. Teased auburn hair, gray streaks. In ‘frumpy’ dark blue housedress.”
    “We’ll take another go at her tomorrow.”
    “Hopefully without her screaming brats,” Plummer said. “Makes me wonder if I really do want grandkids.”
    “She did seem pretty stressed out, our lone witness,” Streeter said. “First thing tomorrow, I want to set up an interview process for all your employees that worked the afternoon shift yesterday. I know that’s a tall order, but somebody must have seen something. We’ll especially squeeze those working in and around the movie theatre. Meantime, I’m going to talk to the parents, then head back to the field office. I’ll have an open line for you to call in anything. I’m not one of those Feds that take all the glory. I’ll take all the help I can get.”
    Streeter found Katie and Scott in each other’s arms, sobbing with abandon. What else could they do?
    Thankfully, the little girl was asleep on a bench, her head resting on her mother’s purse.
    “Uh, excuse me, Mr. Monroe, Dr. Monroe. Why don’t you go get some