Free It Only Takes a Moment by Mary Jane Clark Page B

thought better of it. Having a showdown with Linus right now wasn’t a prudent thing to do. She had quit on him once when they had gotten into a fight, and thistime, Annabelle wouldn’t put it past Linus to be looking for an excuse to can her just to even the score and save face. Annabelle knew she would be able to help Eliza far more if she continued to work at KEY News than if she didn’t. And the fact was, she needed her job.
    “Linus, please, listen to me,” Annabelle said calmly. “Think about it. I really didn’t have much information to give them, but whatever it was, if it helps find Janie Blake, isn’t that the most important thing?”
    “Look, Annabelle, I’m sorry Eliza’s kid is missing. I really am. But I’m going to say what nobody wants to acknowledge: This is a chance to boost our ratings sky high. The viewing audience is going to be all over this thing—like white on rice. We can pull viewers away from their normal habits. If we offer information that other morning shows don’t have, viewers are going to change the channel and watch us. And if they like what they see, we might win ’em over for good. This is a unique opportunity, Annabelle, and I’ll be damned if we’re going to blow it.”

CHAPTER 28
    S tephanie Quick paused to compose herself before she entered the Ho-Ho-Kus Police Department building. She ran her fingers through her curly red hair and smoothed out the wrinkles that had accumulated on the front of her skirt during the drive from Pennsylvania. She wanted to make a good impression because she knew she was probably going to have a tough sell.
    She finished walking up the cement pathway, opened the heavy glass door, and went inside. A middle-aged officer was stationed at the desk.
    “May I help you?”
    “Yes,” said Stephanie. “And I think I can help you, too.”
    The officer eyed her warily. “Go ahead,” he said.
    “I have some information about the Janie Blake case.”
    The officer looked at her sharply, studying the woman who was standing in front of him. She was probably in her early forties, thin, and dressed in a khaki skirt, a white cotton blouse, and a pair of black flats. Small pearl studs decorated her ears, and the only other jewelry she wore was a tank watch with a thick black strap. He decided that Stephanie Quick looked legit.
    “Hold on a minute, ma’am,” said the officer. “Let me get one of our detectives.”
    Within two minutes, Stephanie was sitting in an interview room across the table from Detective Mark Kennedy.
    “I understand you have some information on the Janie Blake case,” he began.
    “Yes,” said Stephanie.
    Detective Kennedy stayed silent and waited for her to begin.
    “I saw Janie Blake,” said Stephanie.
    Kennedy sat up straighter. “When?” he snapped.
    “In the middle of the night,” she answered.
    “Where?”
    “I’m not quite sure where she was, but she was tied up.”
    “I don’t understand,” said Kennedy. “You saw her, but you don’t know where?”
    “I know where I was, Detective. But I don’t know where Janie was. You see, I saw her in my dream last night.”
    Kennedy sat back in his chair and uttered a deep, long sigh.
    “I know, I know,” said Stephanie. “You’re trained to be skeptical of anything you can’t prove with your five senses. You’re probably skeptical by nature. But I’m telling you, Detective, you’d be making a mistake if you dismissed me as some sort of nut.”
    “Ms. Quick, I don’t know who you are, so I don’t know who I’m dealing with and, to be perfectly honest, I don’t really believe in psychic abilities.” Kennedy shook his head. “Plus, we can’t be committing resources to follow up on information that isn’t substantive.”
    “But my information is substantive, Detective. I’m telling you. I do have psychic powers and I’ve helped other police agencies in the past.” She opened her purse, took out a piece of paper, and slid it across the desk.