I just finished reading Searching for Anna. I am only 6 months older than Anna but seeing her pics while reading about her daily life and all that we were innocently discovering about the world in 1973 made me want to hold her so tight and make her safe at home again.
I was humming the tune to "Brandy, you're a fine girl" as I reread the posts from WS that are in the manuscript. I can remember those days so clearly. Listening to Dr. Don on KFRC, the Bay Area's pop radio station back then. I remember coming home from school to a snack and hot cocoa and warm clothes and of course my mom's smile on rainy days.(Rest her soul-I miss her so much)
Annasmom, if she is on this Earth. please know that she remembers those days just like I do. She knows you are somewhere in this world, we just have to find her.
After reading the manuscript, my suspicion of Craig Barrick has only deepened. I don't care how good of a friend he has been over the years. He was the last person to see Anna alive and I found it peculiar that when Annasmom started screaming for Anna, he didn't immediately head in the direction he said he saw her in and seemed to have hesitated to mention that he saw her on his way in.
I don't recall if it was ever answered but I previously asked the question if Joe was expecting Craig that afternoon or if he just popped up. I know they got off work early that day but I'm curious to know if they agreed at the end of work that Craig would come by that afternoon. We established that he liked the neighbor but according to previous posts, he and Joe worked together but were not exceptionally close so I don't see it appropriate that he just drop in unless the neighbor girl expected him.
His story just doesn't jive. Especially all the after thoughts, he stopped to pet horses (in bad weather??). I wish LE would've checked for tire tracks where he said he pulled over to pet these horses. I think it's a crock. Then he recalled seeing the white panel van. As paranoid and mysterious as G&G were it's unlikely that they would wave at a stranger after abducting Anna. Could he have been hired by the 2 Georges to take Anna?? Was he trying to deflect guilt onto them to take any suspicion off himself?
Or as in one of the dreams that were mentioned. could his wife have been the woman that "wanted another daughter"? Through research, Doogie and I determined that he was getting a divorce at that time and had a daughter close to Anna's age. Odd that he never mentioned her, or did he and I just didnt read about that?
Another thing that I found confusing was the bootprints. When the 2 set of boot prints leading to the creek were found, the neighbor (Suzanne?) mentioned that she and Anna had once jokingly traded boots. ONCE traded boots??? How long prior to that day did that take place? Why would she think that was relevant? Was she saying that those may have been she and Anna's prints from a time prior? The boots were size 4, right? And found to be another childs?
Call me skeptical but we can't leave any stones unturned. Even if it is offensive to some.
How acquainted did Craig and Suzanne become in the months after Anna disappeared. I am wondering if the first failed attempt to take her (the couple in the Chevy) prompted the Georges to pay someone to take her. Someone that could get close to the family and Anna would be familiar with. Not accusing, just thinking out of the box.
If Craig was going to pay child support/alimony after his pending divorce, and work was limited to the weather conditions, money may have been enticing. Never say never. Anything and anyone is subject to scrutiny until we find Anna. I'll apologize later.
