We chatted about different things for a few minutes. We wanted to give Ms. Harris a chance to recover. I eventually got around to asking if she had something Missy handled a lot. Something we could use for a DNA comparison.
She nodded. She had known it was coming. She stood up on unsteady legs and went into her bedroom, then returned with a small silver box. As she showed it to us, she said, “These are Missy’s baby teeth. They mean a lot to me. I’m going to get them back, right?”
Now I was a little choked up, trying not to think about how I’d feel if Julie disappeared.
“Unfortunately, no. How about you just give us one? I don’t have a DNA swab with me, but—”
Ms. Harris looked back up at me. “Do you need something from me for comparison? My toothbrush? Hairbrush?”
“Either one.”
She disappeared and returned quickly with a large, clear ziplock bag containing both items, which she handed to me. Then she opened the silver box.
Rich Conklin gently took the baby tooth from her. “Thank you, Ms. Harris.”
CHAPTER55
MONDAY MORNING TRAFFICon 101 was a rough way to begin the week. I was supposed to be meeting Alain Creasy’s flight from Seattle. A red Porsche Cayenne had flipped. It was well off the road, but rubberneckers had nearly stopped all southbound lanes. While stuck in traffic, I called one of my friends on the force, Vince Mintus. We had been in the Academy together. Now Vince was a sergeant at the airport. He was happy to help me maneuver SFO with a bit more ease. If I could only get there.
When I finally reached the airport entrance he had recommended, he greeted me with a big hug. At six four and 260 pounds,anyhug he gave was big. Vince escorted me toward the gate where Alain’s flight would arrive.
As we walked, I asked, “Did you reallyaskto work at the airport? You used to love road patrol.”
“Still do. But the girls are getting older, and with all their activities, I wanted more regular hours. Tuesdays and Thursdays I coach basketball. Mondays and Wednesdays I coach softball. I’m outta here by four every afternoon. Overall, it’s a pretty sweet gig.”
“Is it, or do you just keep telling yourself that?” I smiled to show him I was joking.
“A little of both, I guess,” Vince admitted.
We kept walking through the bustling concourse. I noticed how people stared at the giant man in uniform. Vince didn’t seem to care. He smiled or nodded to virtually everyone we passed.
Once we were at the gate, Vince said to me, “Do you know what this dude looks like?”
I held up my phone and showed him the blurry photo I’d taken from the internet. It showed Alain behind a podium, addressing a group of law enforcers somewhere in Europe.
Vince said, “That looks like one of the questionable photos I see of Bigfoot or UFOs. You know how tall he is? What’s he weigh? You know, the kinds of questions most cops would ask ahead of time.” He gave me a grin. “How’d you ever make sergeant?”
If we weren’t in public, I would’ve turned around and punched him. Not that it would have any effect. Vince wasn’t just big; he was solid.
“Forgive me if I thought standing next to the biggest cop in the airport might tip him off to my presence.”
“Maybe you should make up a sign with his name and hold it like a limo driver.”
The plane landed, and a few minutes later, the first passengers started to deplane. A tall man in his early sixties emerged from the doorway.
I smiled and said, “Alain?”
The man shook his head and kept walking.
Then a short, fit man came out and we went through the same dance without success.
When a portly man wearing a sport coat walked right up to me,limping slightly, I hardly gave him a second glance until he said with a charming French accent, “Would you be Lindsay Boxer?”
When I nodded, he said, “Alain Creasy, at your service.” He gave a little bow and shook my hand. My impression of him immediately switched from chubby and frumpy to courtly and charming.
CHAPTER56
LIZZIE NUNEZ KNEWwhere to head if she wanted to find the tall dark-haired guy who’d offered her a job the other day. She wasn’t crazy about hanging around the Tenderloin, but she was thoroughly worn out, finding dark corners to sleep in for the past three nights, and the Tenderloin was her best shot at crossing paths again with the man.
