questions for you. I also want to go over some things in the medical examiner’s report. I’ve already discussed this with Joanne’s parents. They know we’re talking. They’re willing to do anything that might shed light on what happened to their daughter.”
Robbie’s father sat a little straighter, his lips pressed together in a tight line.
“Apparently Joanne’s father knows the right people,” Lieber said. “He was able to persuade them to get us the results of the toxicology report in forty-eight hours. It can sometimes take several weeks.”
“Several weeks while my daughter goes missing? That’s outrageous and inept.”
“Well, it’s certainly frustrating when that happens. But since we were lucky enough to get the report on a timely basis, how about us reviewing the findings instead of making accusations?”
Robbie’s father flushed and looked away from Lieber.
“There are several items of particular note in the ME’s report that I want to share with you.” Lieber flipped through the papers in front of her. “First, the medical examiner found water in Joanne’s lungs.”
“So she did drown,” Robbie’s father said.
“Yes, Dr. Brooks.” Lieber folded her hands and brought them up to her chin. “Except there’s one problem. The water in her lungs was not seawater. It was chlorinated. That suggests she drowned in a swimming pool and was later taken to Indian Creek.”
“I don’t understand,” he said.
Robbie felt a rising nausea. She thought about the crowd gathered around the creek, the divers searching for a second body. “So it wasn’t accidental,” Robbie said. “Someone dumped her in the creek.”
“Actually,” Lieber said, “it’s possible she drowned accidentally and someone panicked and brought her body to the creek.”
“But this changes everything,” Robbie said. “Someone is covering up something.”
“If I may continue,” Lieber said, “there are a few other things I would like to tell you about. The medical examiner also found indications of a physical struggle and sexual activity.” Lieber lowered her eyes. “There’s evidence that Joanne had been a virgin.”
Robbie’s father was squeezing his hands together and his fingertips were white. “She was raped?”
“It’s a decided possibility.”
Robbie thought about the photo of the smiling girl hugging her horse. And now, what did this mean for Kate?
Lieber was flipping through the report. She looked up. “The third item of note was that a powerful sedative was found in Joanne’s body fluids. Flunitrazepam is usually sold as Rohypnol and known on the street as ‘roofies.’”
“‘Roofies’ are a date rape drug.” Robbie’s mind rushed forward to the possibilities. She thought about the bars and the club scene, the naïve underage kids who dressed up to appear older. “But I don’t get it,” Robbie said. “Let’s say Joanne had gone out partying and accepted a drink from the wrong person. I don’t understand how she could have drowned in a swimming pool, or why she would have been dumped in the creek.”
“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Lieber said.
The waitress put the coffee and Coke down on the table. “Anything else?”
Robbie’s father waved her off, focused on Lieber. “But what about Kaitlin? What about my daughter? What are you doing to find her? To make sure she’s safe?”
“First of all,” Lieber said, “we don’t know for certain that the two girls were together.”
“You don’t know? Then where is she? Where’s my daughter?”
“Please, Dr. Brooks. We’re working on that. And if you could clear up a few details, that might help our investigation.”
He squeezed the edge of the picnic table with both hands. Robbie sensed that he was having a tough time maintaining his composure.
“Joanne’s parents said the girls drove down from Deland in Joanne’s Volvo. Can you confirm that?”
He nodded. “Kaitlin’s car was still in
Robbie’s father sat a little straighter, his lips pressed together in a tight line.
“Apparently Joanne’s father knows the right people,” Lieber said. “He was able to persuade them to get us the results of the toxicology report in forty-eight hours. It can sometimes take several weeks.”
“Several weeks while my daughter goes missing? That’s outrageous and inept.”
“Well, it’s certainly frustrating when that happens. But since we were lucky enough to get the report on a timely basis, how about us reviewing the findings instead of making accusations?”
Robbie’s father flushed and looked away from Lieber.
“There are several items of particular note in the ME’s report that I want to share with you.” Lieber flipped through the papers in front of her. “First, the medical examiner found water in Joanne’s lungs.”
“So she did drown,” Robbie’s father said.
“Yes, Dr. Brooks.” Lieber folded her hands and brought them up to her chin. “Except there’s one problem. The water in her lungs was not seawater. It was chlorinated. That suggests she drowned in a swimming pool and was later taken to Indian Creek.”
“I don’t understand,” he said.
Robbie felt a rising nausea. She thought about the crowd gathered around the creek, the divers searching for a second body. “So it wasn’t accidental,” Robbie said. “Someone dumped her in the creek.”
“Actually,” Lieber said, “it’s possible she drowned accidentally and someone panicked and brought her body to the creek.”
“But this changes everything,” Robbie said. “Someone is covering up something.”
“If I may continue,” Lieber said, “there are a few other things I would like to tell you about. The medical examiner also found indications of a physical struggle and sexual activity.” Lieber lowered her eyes. “There’s evidence that Joanne had been a virgin.”
Robbie’s father was squeezing his hands together and his fingertips were white. “She was raped?”
“It’s a decided possibility.”
Robbie thought about the photo of the smiling girl hugging her horse. And now, what did this mean for Kate?
Lieber was flipping through the report. She looked up. “The third item of note was that a powerful sedative was found in Joanne’s body fluids. Flunitrazepam is usually sold as Rohypnol and known on the street as ‘roofies.’”
“‘Roofies’ are a date rape drug.” Robbie’s mind rushed forward to the possibilities. She thought about the bars and the club scene, the naïve underage kids who dressed up to appear older. “But I don’t get it,” Robbie said. “Let’s say Joanne had gone out partying and accepted a drink from the wrong person. I don’t understand how she could have drowned in a swimming pool, or why she would have been dumped in the creek.”
“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Lieber said.
The waitress put the coffee and Coke down on the table. “Anything else?”
Robbie’s father waved her off, focused on Lieber. “But what about Kaitlin? What about my daughter? What are you doing to find her? To make sure she’s safe?”
“First of all,” Lieber said, “we don’t know for certain that the two girls were together.”
“You don’t know? Then where is she? Where’s my daughter?”
“Please, Dr. Brooks. We’re working on that. And if you could clear up a few details, that might help our investigation.”
He squeezed the edge of the picnic table with both hands. Robbie sensed that he was having a tough time maintaining his composure.
“Joanne’s parents said the girls drove down from Deland in Joanne’s Volvo. Can you confirm that?”
He nodded. “Kaitlin’s car was still in
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