“Dani, we can’t know what would’ve happened if Russell had called the police. Don’t beat yourself up, okay?” She nodded but looked unconvinced. “So you were there when he got the ransom demand?”
She nodded. “I-it sounds stupid now, but we were actually sort of relieved. Russell could easily pay it, and we thought that once he did, we’d get Hayley back.” There was a hitch in her voice as she said the name “Hayley,” and she tried to take a deep breath, but it got stuck and I saw tears fall on her hands. “S-so, I went along with him paying the ransom and not calling the police.”
“Dani, did you know Brian at all?” I asked.
“No. Hayley had only just begun really talking to me. When I first moved in, she wouldn’t even be in the same room with me. I’d walk in, and she’d walk out. But after a couple of years she started to thaw, and in the past year, I have to say, we were really getting along. I think she saw that I truly liked and respected her mom and I knew what my place was in her life.” Dani looked out at the fountain, her expression one of heart-twisting sadness. “Maybe she told Raynie about him. But not me.”
“Did you know about the fight between Russell and Brian’s father, Tommy?” I asked.
“That was before my time. In fact, I had no idea about any of it until this…but why would he kill Hayley because of something her dad did? Why not go to Russell, or a lawyer, show him the proof and see what he can get?”
“Maybe because he didn’t have proof?” I suggested.
“Then how could he be sure enough to kidnap Hayley-and kill her, for God’s sake?” Dani swallowed rapidly and struggled for control.
I couldn’t tell her the truth, and I didn’t want to offer her any useless platitudes. We thanked her and let her go with a promise to keep her posted.
“Any guilt about not telling her that we found Brian?” I asked Bailey after Dani had left.
“Nah. Can’t see how that would make her feel any better.”
“Is there any point in talking to Russell again?”
We’d spoken to him several times since Hayley’s death, and although our conversations were of the casual, updating variety, we’d already asked all the questions we could think of.
“The only thing we haven’t done is ask him about the fight with Tommy,” Bailey said.
“But what’s he going to say? ‘Yeah, I stole his screenplay’? And even if he did say that, what difference would it make? He never knew who kidnapped Hayley. We saw those ransom notes. They didn’t mention anything about Tommy or Brian-or anyone else for that matter.”
