old boy was abducted by a Phoenix man with a criminal history that ran the length of a single sheet of paper. I'd found the man and, a day later, he told me where to find the boy's body in a ravine north of Scottsdale. I made him drive me there and when I saw the boy's lifeless body there, he tried to explain to me how it had been an accident. I punched him twice in the face, shattering his jaw and called the police.
I hadn't been back since.
I went east, first toward the mountains that ringed the entire Phoenix area, then followed the freeway north into Scottsdale. I took the long route through the city, starting down in the old part of the town near the mall and working my way up toward the larger resorts and newer, more expensive shops. Not much looked familiar and all I could remember was that I'd been there.
That happened a lot with the places I'd gone to help. I rarely remembered the details of the places, too focused on whatever task I was handling to take in the sights and the local ambience. The buildings and street names and faces blended together. I didn't remember the food or the weather or the stores. They were lost to me and Scottsdale felt exactly the same.
My phone dinged as I drove. Lauren texted me to tell me they'd made it and that she'd call later on. That was good. I hadn't yet made up my mind as to whether or not I was going to tell her I was in Arizona. Putting it off for a little bit was what I was hoping for.
I found a small Mexican restaurant off Scottsdale Boulevard and parked the car. I still had no plan for Phoenix other than to be there, but I was hungry and tired of sitting in traffic, headed to nowhere. I was halfway through a plate of enchiladas when my phone buzzed again. This time, I picked it up.
“ You're already in Phoenix?” John Anchor asked.
“ I am. Been here for maybe an hour.”
“ Am I interrupting anything?”
“ Not a thing.”
“ I have a name and an address for you,” he said. “Not entirely certain what you'll find, but it may serve as a starting point.
“ Hang on a second,” I said. I motioned to my server and asked to borrow a pen. She pulled one from her apron and handed it to me. After I thanked her, I said to Anchor “Okay. I'm ready.”
“ Janine Bandencoop,” he said, then recited an address in Mesa.
“ What do I need to know?” I asked as I stared at the name and address I'd written on the napkin next to my plate.
“ I made a few inquiries,” Anchor explained. “Her name was brought up several times. No real idea of what kind of operation she runs, but her name did come up more than once. Obviously, she's not in Phoenix, but she's close enough that I thought we had a match.”
“ Right.”
“ I have one confirmed case that ties her to trafficking and another that suggests she was involved,” he continued. “The trafficking is, of course, disguised as private adoptions. I trust the information I received. No one could tell me anything as to whether or not she might be tied to a girl with the last name of Tyler who disappeared around the same time Elizabeth did.” He cleared his throat. “It's not as much as I'd hoped to provide you with, but it seems like a start, especially since you're already there.”
“ Anything I should be worried about in approaching her?” I asked, pushing my plate away, no longer hungry.
“ I can't say for certain,” Anchor answered. “As I said, I wasn't able to cull a great amount of information. But I'd say based on whom I spoke with and what she apparently is involved with, I'd approach her with caution.” He paused. “I can send someone if you'd like.”
“ I'm okay for now,” I said.
“ As you wish,” he said. “I'll keep looking. If I find anything else, I'll let you know immediately. Likewise, if you learn anything from this woman after your visit with her, please share with me if you think it might provide me with another direction in which I might be able to help.”
It spooked
I hadn't been back since.
I went east, first toward the mountains that ringed the entire Phoenix area, then followed the freeway north into Scottsdale. I took the long route through the city, starting down in the old part of the town near the mall and working my way up toward the larger resorts and newer, more expensive shops. Not much looked familiar and all I could remember was that I'd been there.
That happened a lot with the places I'd gone to help. I rarely remembered the details of the places, too focused on whatever task I was handling to take in the sights and the local ambience. The buildings and street names and faces blended together. I didn't remember the food or the weather or the stores. They were lost to me and Scottsdale felt exactly the same.
My phone dinged as I drove. Lauren texted me to tell me they'd made it and that she'd call later on. That was good. I hadn't yet made up my mind as to whether or not I was going to tell her I was in Arizona. Putting it off for a little bit was what I was hoping for.
I found a small Mexican restaurant off Scottsdale Boulevard and parked the car. I still had no plan for Phoenix other than to be there, but I was hungry and tired of sitting in traffic, headed to nowhere. I was halfway through a plate of enchiladas when my phone buzzed again. This time, I picked it up.
“ You're already in Phoenix?” John Anchor asked.
“ I am. Been here for maybe an hour.”
“ Am I interrupting anything?”
“ Not a thing.”
“ I have a name and an address for you,” he said. “Not entirely certain what you'll find, but it may serve as a starting point.
“ Hang on a second,” I said. I motioned to my server and asked to borrow a pen. She pulled one from her apron and handed it to me. After I thanked her, I said to Anchor “Okay. I'm ready.”
“ Janine Bandencoop,” he said, then recited an address in Mesa.
“ What do I need to know?” I asked as I stared at the name and address I'd written on the napkin next to my plate.
“ I made a few inquiries,” Anchor explained. “Her name was brought up several times. No real idea of what kind of operation she runs, but her name did come up more than once. Obviously, she's not in Phoenix, but she's close enough that I thought we had a match.”
“ Right.”
“ I have one confirmed case that ties her to trafficking and another that suggests she was involved,” he continued. “The trafficking is, of course, disguised as private adoptions. I trust the information I received. No one could tell me anything as to whether or not she might be tied to a girl with the last name of Tyler who disappeared around the same time Elizabeth did.” He cleared his throat. “It's not as much as I'd hoped to provide you with, but it seems like a start, especially since you're already there.”
“ Anything I should be worried about in approaching her?” I asked, pushing my plate away, no longer hungry.
“ I can't say for certain,” Anchor answered. “As I said, I wasn't able to cull a great amount of information. But I'd say based on whom I spoke with and what she apparently is involved with, I'd approach her with caution.” He paused. “I can send someone if you'd like.”
“ I'm okay for now,” I said.
“ As you wish,” he said. “I'll keep looking. If I find anything else, I'll let you know immediately. Likewise, if you learn anything from this woman after your visit with her, please share with me if you think it might provide me with another direction in which I might be able to help.”
It spooked
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