"We can talk in here," Altmann offered leading him into an empty office and indicating a chair. "Now, what can you tell me about your missing colleague?"
Jack sighed impatiently but gave him a detailed description and the facts, such as they were, of her disappearance.
"You say Ms Thomas is deaf."
"Yes," He was beginning to think that his journey along with all his hopes had been for nothing. "…But she signs, can read lips and speaks."
"She speaks?" The detective seemed surprised and the uneasy feeling in Jack's gut expanded tenfold.
"Yes."
"I think you'd better come with me."
Jack frowned but did as he asked, walking along the corridor to one of the interrogation rooms. Altmann opened the door and stood back so that he could go in before leaving again and closing it behind him.
He looked around the room expectantly and then he saw her sitting in the corner, head down, face hidden by a curtain of hair, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Letting out a sob that he didn't even try to disguise, Jack crossed to her and touched her shoulder, taken aback when she flinched away without even looking up.
He tried again, this time crouching down in front of her so she could see his face, "Sue…"
She looked at him with eyes that showed no hint of recognition and when he reached out to take her hand she snatched it away. With the emotional battering that he'd already endured over the past week or so it was almost more than he could take. Defeated, he stood up - speaking and signing at the same time "I'll go and see about taking you home."
A few minutes later he returned but didn't even try to approach her. When she looked up he asked if she was ready and watched as she stood and walked towards him, stopping just out of reach.
"Ready?" He asked again and then added, "Levi, will be glad to see you."
Just for an instant he thought he saw a flash of something in her eyes but it died as quickly as it had appeared. He opened the door for her and led the way down the corridor, his arm automatically gravitating to the small of her back before he realised what he was doing and jerked it away again, thrusting his hands deep into his pockets.
Sue moved warily through the throng of people at the entrance way and his heart broke for her as she jumped when anyone came too close. His fingers itched to take her in his arms and protect her but she seemed just as scared of him as she was everyone else.
When they were outside he pointed to the car and his heart wept a little more as she walked straight to the back door, let herself in, and sat as far away from him as she could get.