The woman let out another long sigh. “The school system in your country leaves much to be desired, Detective. Mr. Talbot wanted Emory to receive the best possible education. Such a level can only be obtained on a one-on-one basis. I graduated at the top of my class at Oxford. I hold two doctorate degrees, one in psychology, another in literature. I also spent three years at the Center for Family Research at Cambridge. I’ve created an environment where Emory’s intellect can flourish rather than be held back by the incompetence of your schoolteachers and the peers she would encounter in a local school. She was reading at a fifth-grade level by the age of six. Her math skills exceeded your high school levels by the time she was twelve. She’ll be prepared to leave for university next year—two years earlier than most students in your country.”
She stated these facts as if reading from her own résumé, Porter noted. She had most likely defended homeschooling on more than one occasion.
“Who disciplines her? Who tells her not to drink? Who screens her boyfriends? Why does she even have a boyfriend at fifteen?” Nash asked.
Ms. Burrow rolled her eyes. “If you instill the right values in a child at a young age, you’ll find her maturity far exceeds most. Such a child deserves trust.”
“So if she wants to run around the city at all hours of the night, it’s okay to turn a blind eye?” Nash growled.
“Nash, that’s enough,” Porter said.
“I’m sorry, but to me it seems if this girl had a parental figure in her life, she wouldn’t be out jogging alone so close to dark. Why wasn’t somebody keeping better tabs on her?”
Burrow frowned. “Emory is a special girl. She is intelligent and resourceful. Much more so than I was at her age, far more than most. As long as she keeps up with her studies, there is no reason to cross her.”
Nash’s face was red. “Cross her? Who the hell is in charge here?”
Burrow had had enough. “Detective Nash, ultimately I work for Mr. Talbot. The extent of my duties ends with that girl’s grades. If he wished for me to fulfill some type of parental role, I would be more than willing to do so, but that is not what he wanted when I was hired, nor is it a role he wishes me to perform now. If you have questions or concerns regarding Emory’s upbringing or her environment, I suggest you express those concerns directly to Mr. Talbot. Do not expect me to sit here and be berated for circumstances beyond my control. I am speaking to you voluntarily, and you are giving me little reason to continue.”
Nash was ready to open his mouth and retort when Porter squeezed his shoulder. “Why don’t you take a little walk and blow off some steam? I’ll finish this up.”
Nash gave them both a frustrated glance, then stormed out of the room.
“I apologize, Ms. Burrow. That was unprofessional and completely unwarranted.”
She rubbed her chin. “I understand his concerns, but without knowing Mr. Talbot or Emory—”
Porter raised his hand. “There’s no need to explain.”
“I do care for her, I really do. It pains me to think she may be in trouble.”
“When did you first learn she had been abducted?” Porter asked.
“Mr. Talbot reached me about an hour ago,” she replied. “He was upset, near hysterics. He said he was golfing with his attorney and two detectives tracked him down to tell him the news.” She paused. “Because it’s my personal day, my phone was switched off. Otherwise, I’m sure I would have heard sooner. I came straight back after receiving the news.” She took a deep breath. “Had I heard earlier—”
Porter placed a hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay, Ms. Burrow. You’re here now.”
She nodded and forced a smile.
“How is her relationship with her father?”
Burrow sighed. “You know, until this morning the only emotion that man has ever expressed was anger. Normally he is very distant, guarded, particularly with Emory. He rarely comes by to visit her. I’m required to complete weekly progress reports regarding her studies. That is how he monitors her, always from a distance. I understand there is a certain need for discretion, but he is still her father. You would think he would wish to be more involved.”
“They speak on the phone, though, right?”
She shrugged. “They do, but their conversations do not sound like a father and daughter. That girl has a benefactor, nothing more, and she is very much aware of that fact. She fears him and wishes to please him, but there is little love there. That is why his reaction surprised me so.”
She bent forward and lowered her voice. “Had you asked me a week ago, I would have told you that man was more likely to smile than shed a tear at the news of her abduction. Having an illegitimate daughter hanging over his head all these years, it’s a problem money can’t necessarily fix, and that eats at him. He is not fond of anything he cannot control. He can be a cold, cold man.”
“Do you think he could be involved?”
She thought about this for a moment, then sat up straight. “No. He’s a heartless bastard of a man, but I don’t think he’d be willing to hurt his own flesh and blood, or anyone else, for that matter. If he wanted her out of the picture, he would have done something years ago. That girl wants for nothing. He ensures she has the best this world has to offer.”
“In exchange for silence?” Porter asked.
“In exchange for cooperation,” she replied. “I’ve never heard him ask her to keep their relationship a secret. There is an understanding between the two of them, simple as that.”
From the doorway, Murray crunched on a potato chip. Porter shot him a nasty look, and the officer raised his hands in surrender and left the room. He returned his gaze to Ms. Burrow. “Did you see anything strange in the days or weeks leading up to her abduction yesterday? Did she mention anything? Somebody following her, or strange calls on her phone? Anything out of the ordinary?”
Burrow shook her head. “I do not recall anything.”
“Would she tell you?”
“Contrary to what your partner may believe, Emory and I were, I mean are, close. She has confided in me regarding other matters. If something were troubling her, I think she would have mentioned it.”
“Other matters?”
Her face grew red. “Girl issues, Detective. Nothing worth mentioning.”
“There’s a good chance the man who took her may have observed her for some time. Is there anyone new in her life? Have you seen anyone in the building lately you didn’t recognize? Or maybe someone you saw here, and again someplace else, like the grocery store today?”
“You think he followed her?”
Porter shrugged. “We don’t know. I can tell you he’s extremely careful. He doesn’t leave anything to chance. I don’t think nabbing her in the park was a spur-of-the-moment decision. Most likely he kept tabs on her, learned her routine, plotted out where she’d likely be and when. Most likely he followed you too.”
She looked down at her hands, shaking her head. “I don’t recall anyone like that. This building is extremely secure. Do you think he could have gotten inside?”
“He has breached far more secure buildings in the past. I think if he had reason to get in here, he would find a way.”
Ms. Burrow pursed her lips. “The book.”
Porter frowned. “What book?”