“Not yet, but I have a question. You said Luna had trouble with boys who couldn’t take no for an answer.”
“Yes, it’s a constant problem for her, even though she’s too young for such things.”
“You said the name Brecken Mayfield meant nothing to you. Is that still the case now that you’ve had time to think about it?”
“I’ve thought about it constantly since you were here last night, and I can’t recall her ever mentioning that name.”
“What about a nickname, like B or Breck or BM or?—”
“BM,” she said. “There was a kid she called Shithead. Could that be him?”
“That’s a possible connection,” Sam said, feeling the buzz of a potential breakthrough. “What did she say about this Shithead kid?”
“That he was the worst of the worst, so full of himself and relentless in his pursuit of her.”
“Did she ever give you particulars about anything he said or did?”
“No, just that he didn’t like the fact that she ignored him. He said she was disrespectful and rude, but he couldn’t seem to see that his harassment of her was equally so.”
“Did you or her father ever report him to anyone?”
“We argued about that. I said we should report it to the police, but Jordy said it seemed extreme to ruin a kid’s life over a difference of opinion.”
Sam cringed. She’d already heard enough to know it’d gone well beyond a difference of opinion. “Had she said anything about this kid recently?”
Court thought about that for a second. “Not in a few weeks, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t encounter him. It just means that she didn’t talk to me about him.”
“I have to ask you something that’s going to sound super judgmental, but I don’t mean it to be anything other than fact-finding. Okay?”
“Trust me, I’m already judging myself for letting her have so much freedom.”
“That’s what I want to ask about. Why did you allow that, knowing she was being harassed by older boys?”
“Because she assured me she wasn’t afraid and could handle them. She has pepper spray with her at all times and knows to use it if she ever feels she’s in real danger. I didn’t want to keep her locked up at home just because she’s pretty, you know?”
“I get it.”
“But you wouldn’t have allowed it?”
“It wouldn’t be fair for me to comment on that. I know things that you’ll never know about what goes on in this city, things most people wouldn’t want to know. And my kids have world-class security surrounding them at all times. I’ll never have to make these decisions for them.”
“That’s true, and I wish I knew more about the scary stuff. Maybe I wouldn’t have been so permissive with her. I hope I get the chance to correct that.” Her voice caught on a sob. “I miss her so much. I just want her back home where she belongs. I’ll never let her out of my sight again.”
“Yes, you will, because it’s normal to give your kids freedom as they get older. This information has helped. I’ll be back to you with any developments.”
“Thank you for all you’re doing.”
“I wish it could be more, but we’re on it, and we’re staying on it until we find them. Call me if you think of anything else that might be relevant. Anything at all.”
“I will.”
Sam ended the call and thought about her next move before she called her parole officer friend, Brendan Sullivan.
“Hey, it’s Sam Holland,” she said when Brendan answered. “As usual, I need a favor.”
“What can I do?”
“I need to talk to one of your juvenile people. I’m looking for a kid in your system. Who should I contact?”
