Night Shift

VI

Detective Tamaki raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sun. There was a low stone wall separating the parking lot from the beach but it wasn't enough to stop the sand blowing over the asphalt, forming small drifts in the corners. She looked up, studying the streetlights, trying to picture what the space would look like at night. It was wide open and at this time of year the beach would be mostly deserted. If the lights worked, the parking lot would be well lit. There wasn't anywhere to hide.

She looked back to the car where the missing girl's friends waited. The girls were all freshman students, not one of them even old enough to drink. The car was about eight years old, in good condition but nothing special. Nothing that would stand out. She sighed. She had a bad feeling about this one.

Suzanne walked back to her witnesses. She drew a breath to ask a question and stopped when the truck turned into the lot. She felt a wave of relief.

"Give me a moment. That's my partner," she said to the teenagers.

Jim drew up beside the car and jumped out of the truck.

"Nice of you to join, Ellison," Suzanne said.

"What have we got?"

"Abandoned car. Missing girl. Can you take a look at the beach, see if there's any sign? Your eyes are better than mine."

Jim nodded. "Sure. Wait for me before you check the car, Okay?"

"I will." She turned back to the gathered teenagers. "Okay. Let's go though this one more time."

Tamara sighed heavily. "Nia had classes on Wednesday morning. In the afternoon she usually studies in the library. I don't know I'd she was there. She didn't come back to our house."

"And you were expecting her by six?" Suzanne prompted.

"Well, it's not like she told me when she'd be back. But she always is."

"If Nia had other plans, would she have told you?"

Tamara shrugged. "Usually. But we weren't...I mean, I'm not her mom, you know?"

"Is there some reason she would come here?"

Tamara hesitated.

Another girl stepped forward. She had pink streaks woven into her cornrows. "This is where we used to come."

"You are...?"

"My name is Bonnie. I'm...I was Nia's girlfriend." She looked out toward the water. "We'd bring a blanket and sit by the wall. We had our first kiss on the beach."

"When did you break up?"

"Last week. But I never thought she would..."

Tamara interrupted, "She wouldn't!"

Suzanne wasn't sure of that, but she spoke gently. "We don't know what happened. But if Nia did hurt herself, it's not your fault. Couples break up all the time."

Bonnie nodded. "But Nia's family is, uh, really traditional. She never had a girlfriend before."

Suzanne was about to ask another question when Jim appeared at her side.

"Yeah, I know what that's like," Jim said casually. "My dad acted like it was the end of the world when I came out."

"It's different," Bonnie said.

"For girls? Or is it her faith?"

"Both, I guess."

Jim turned to Suzanne. "We should take formal statements."

He had found something, Suzanne realised. She nodded to let him know she understood and turned back to the girls. "I've got your details. Could you come down to the PD?"

"Now?" Tamara objected.

"Well, if not now, first thing in the morning. Ask for Detective Tamaki or Ellison."

"I can come now," Bonnie volunteered. "If you can give me a ride."

"Of course." Suzanne waited, but it seemed the others were with Tamara. She gestured to her car. "Bonnie, I'll be there in a moment." To the others, she added, "Tomorrow first thing, okay? If we're going to find Nia we really need your help."

"Tamaki," Jim said quietly and she allowed him to lead her a few steps away so they could speak privately. "There's no sign of a body, but I'm going to call the coastguard and have them sweep further south."

Looking for a body. Suzanne nodded. "Do you think they'll find her?"

"No. I don't think it's going to be that easy."