Ben nodded.
“Memories are so blurry. I know that I met you at some point. I just can’t put my finger on when.”
“We met the day before you were abducted. I asked you about Efren. You told me that the last time you saw him was that Friday, when you took your car to have it washed.”
She sat up straight, closed her eyes as if trying to remember. “It’s coming to me in flashes. I do remember having a conversation with someone about Efren. I also remember being at the car wash and talking to Efren as he was detailing my car.” She pressed a palm to her forehead.
“Did anything out of the ordinary happen when you spoke to him?”
“I don’t think so. He did a perfect job like always.”
“Did he talk to you about anything important?”
“Not that I remember.”
“Evie, do you know where your car is now?” Lainie asked.
Her brow furrowed. “It wasn’t in my garage? No, I don’t. I wish I did.”
“Let’s try something,” Ben said. “I’ve seen agents conduct hypnosis interviews where they take people back to an incident. I don’t particularly believe in hypnosis, but I do think if you consider your routine, think about your normal activities, it might spark a memory.”
“My routine?”
“Yeah, you were getting ready for a trip. What would you do to prepare for the trip? You got the car washed, what would be next?”
Evie thought for a moment. “It was going to be my first trip away in a very long time. I was packing, and one of the wheels on mysuitcase broke. So I went to the outlet stores in Orange.” Her eyes got wide.
“You remember something?” Lainie asked.
“I do. Raphael was there when I came out of the store.” She shuddered and her eyes narrowed. “I remember now. He grabbed me, put his hand over my mouth.”
“Raphael abducted you from the outlet mall? Did he take your car?”
Evie shook her head. “There was another car.” Her face drained of all color.
“Give her a minute,” her mother said.
“Oh, oh.” Evie shook her hands out. “I’m not sure I’m ready for this. Lainie, can I use your bathroom?”
“Sure.” Lainie pointed in the direction of her one and only bathroom, and Evie got up and went there.
Lainie turned to Ben. “We know who took her now, but he’s dead. Will this help us at all?”
“Raphael was working on someone’s orders. Right now, we need to go to Orange and find that car.”
CHAPTER 52
Evie and her mother left after the unpleasant memories resurfaced. Evie wanted to rest, and Mom agreed. She was very protective. Lainie had a tempered excitement about what she’d heard.
“After a week, I doubt the car is still there.” She hated to put a damper on Ben’s unbridled optimism. In her mind’s eye, she remembered what had happened to Efren’s car, how destroyed it had been.
“Shea put a BOLO out for it. If it had been impounded, we would have heard from the impounding jurisdiction.”
“All the more reason to hope that it’s still there,” Ben said, countering her negativity.
“Ah, it’s a Toyota Corolla. They’re easily stolen.”
“Let’s think positively. You’re still up for a drive out there, aren’t you?”
