Theo sent her a strained smile.“I’m putting a brave face on how I feel.On the inside, I’m a basket of nerves.”
“Can I help you look for her?”
“There isn’t a lot anyone can do.Tony’s checking the cabin where we think she’s staying and I’m calling anyone who helped in the original investigation.”
“What about backup files and stray pieces of information?Did you keep anything that might help?”
“The legal team I was working with have most of the documents.The day before the story was published, Anne gave me another set of documents that proved beyond a doubt that McGibbons acted illegally.They were stolen from my apartment before I could send them to the lawyers.That’s why we’re looking for Anne.I’m hoping she has copies of them.”
Barbara didn’t have to ask what would happen if she didn’t have them.From Theo’s expression, it wouldn’t be good.But, if there was one thing her family had taught her, it was to never give up.
She pulled her laptop closer and opened a new spreadsheet.“Tell me everything you know about Anne.”When Theo hesitated, she nudged his foot under the table.“There’s no harm in having another person look at the information you already have.Sometimes a fresh perspective can make all the difference.”
“Are you sure you can spare the time?”
“I’ll make the time.Besides, looking for her will be a lot easier than finding information about my great-grandfather.”
“You still don’t know what happened to him?”
“We’re trying, but it isn’t easy.”Instead of dwelling on her mysterious ancestor, Barbara focused on helping Theo.“What’s Anne’s full name?”
“Anne Edwards.She was an accountant for Harcourts Real Estate until this time last year.Her family owns a cabin in Watertown.”
Barbara checked Watertown’s location on a map.“In Upstate New York?”
Theo nodded.“Tony found out that she was born in Allentown.”
A smile tugged at the corners of Barbara’s mouth.“As in the song by Billy Joel?”
“You know it?”
“When I was a teenager, I played his CDs so much that my sisters threatened to throw them out.”
Theo grinned.“I still enjoy listening to his songs.”
“You have exceptional taste in music.”
“You can thank my dad for that.When he took me to a Billy Joel concert, I was hooked.”
“A man after my own heart.”Before she became too carried away, Barbara added Anne’s hometown to her spreadsheet.“Does Anne spell her name with an e?And if you make a joke about Anne of Green Gables, I’ll know we’re soulmates.”
When he looked at her blankly, she breathed a sigh of relief.Or was it disappointment?
“Anne with an e.I have something that will make this easier.”
Before she could ask where he was going, Theo walked into his studio.While he was gone, she opened Facebook.After typing in Anne’s name, she reduced the number of results by adding New York City as a location of interest.
That brought the number of results down to ten.
“Here’s the information I have about her.”Theo opened his laptop and emailed her an Excel spreadsheet.
Barbara’s heart gave an appreciative flutter.Theo might not know about Anne of Green Gables, but he kept his data in color-coded spreadsheets.Apart from being blond, gorgeous, and intelligent, he was as organized as she was.
“Does it help?”
The first thing she saw when she opened the file was a photo of an attractive brunette with big blue eyes.The spreadsheet told her which college Anne had attended, what she’d studied, her previous work history, and who her friends were.
“It helps a lot.You were very thorough.”
