Eyes of the Innocent

by Christopher Wright

  Chapter 25

  Two cabs were passing when they reached Central Park, both going north. The cabs dived to the curb, and Matt hurried to the one in front. It was pointing in the right direction and also seemed a bit faster and the driver a bit more daring. The sooner they got to the Children of Celestial Light the better.

  Lauren gave the driver the address and told him to hurry. The address was important, but being told to hurry seemed unnecessary. The cab took off with a screech from the rear wheels, which was probably the way the driver always did things.

  "I'm hoping Wendell Harris didn't make his presence too obvious," Matt said. "If anyone spotted him taking photographs, and if they've got a kidnapped baby inside, it won't be there now."

  Lauren, who was sitting in the center, put a hand gently on each of their shoulders. "I'm going to pray that we get there in time," she said. "You're welcome to join me."

  Matt shrugged. He doubted God would listen to him, but Lauren seemed to be a godly person. She probably had a hotline straight to God.

  "There's no need you to join in out loud," Lauren said, with an understanding smile. "But you can say Amen at the end if you like."

  Matt decided it was worth joining in. The only time he'd ever prayed properly was that time on his way to the Mount where Zoé lay seriously injured when he was on his way back from Prague.

  He nodded. "Please," he said. He looked across Lauren at Zoé. "And you," he added. "We want to do everything we can to get our baby back."

  Zoé looked sideways out of the window. "I do not think God has been listening to me." She turned and looked at Matt. "But yes, it is a good idea if Lauren prays. And me, I will not just say the Amen at the end. I will join in with Lauren. I have not completely forgotten how to pray."

  Lauren prayed as though speaking to a friend. No old-fashioned words, just a simple request for them to get the baby back quickly. And if Jack was at the Children of Celestial Light, that they would find him unharmed. Almost inaudibly, Zoé echoed some of the words.

  The cab turned right and then left and then right again. Matt wondered why they were taking so many turnings. He hoped they weren't being kidnapped themselves. No, that was ridiculous. There was no way the cab driver would be in on the plot to take Jack. Then he realized that they were working their way through a maze of one-way streets.

  One more turning and the driver stopped in a residential, tree-lined street without saying a word. On the opposite side of the street Matt could see a row of dirty brown buildings with stone steps coming down to the sidewalk. They looked like the buildings in Wendell's photographs.

  While Lauren paid the driver, Matt took stock of the situation. He spotted the name of the cult on one of the doors. If there was a coffee shop on their side of the street, they could go in and watch from the window. As it was, he felt they stood out like the proverbial sore thumb.

  Matt decided to take charge. "We'll walk to the end of the block. They won't be able to see us from the house, even if they're suspicious of us. We can keep an eye on the steps from there. I'm guessing there isn't a back exit, or they wouldn't have the fire escapes at the front. If someone comes out with a baby, or a bundle that looks like a baby, we can walk up and see what's happening."

  Lauren's phone rang in her purse. The ringtone reminded Matt of a hymn he'd once heard. Trust Lauren to find a ringtone like that. She took it out and spoke briefly, shook her head and put it back. "That was Steve," she said. "Not very promising news I'm afraid, guys. He and Wendell are at the local precinct, but Steve can't get to speak to somebody high enough to organize a search warrant."

  They reached the corner of the block. Matt wanted to sound confident. "Stephen will persuade them in the end," he said. "We stay here until the police come." He looked around. "But I think we ought to be doing something rather than just standing about."

  Zoé took hold of his hand. "Matt, I do not like the way people are looking at us. We do not look dressed for this neighborhood."

  "You're wrong, Zoé," Lauren said. "It might look a bit rundown, but there are plenty of professional people here. It's a very mixed neighborhood."

  Zoé didn't seem convinced. "So where are they?"

  "Probably all at work," Matt said. "The main thing is no one is taking too much notice of us. But I wish we had something to do, rather than just hanging about."

  Zoé still held his hand. "It was your idea to come to this corner," she reminded him

  "Okay, I agree we might look suspicious waiting here, but we'd look even more suspicious standing around staring at the building of the Children of Celestial Light. I suppose we could split up and wander around a bit, but----"

  Lauren's cell phone played the hymn tune again. He paused while she took her phone from her purse and answered it.

  Lauren spoke for a couple of minutes, and it didn't sound like good news. "Keep praying," she said, and blowing a kiss she replaced the phone in her purse.

  "Tell us the worst," Matt said, holding Zoé's hand even more tightly.

  "Steve says he's had a word with the lieutenant, and he's not interested in getting a search warrant on the basis of Wendell's photograph. But they might be able to make a routine call tomorrow."

  "So that is it, I think," Zoé said.

  Matt shook his head. "It's not. Definitely not."

  Both women had been staring down the street at the house and turned quickly to look at him.

  "It's not just young people living there, in spite of the name," Matt said. "Wendell had a photo of an elderly couple going in."

  "Matt, how does that help? You are saying the things most silly," Zoé said.

  Matt pointed towards the house. "The elderly couple were at the residents' grill, not ringing the visitors' bell. According to Wendell that means they live there. I'll show you the photograph on the computer when we get back."

  Zoé let go of Matt's hand. "We gave the memory stick back to Wendell, but maybe he will let us borrow it again."

  "We don't need to borrow it again," Matt said. "I copied all the photographs onto Stephen's computer when you all thought I was trying to enhance the photograph."

  Lauren looked impressed. "Sneaky, but clever."

  "I'm a private detective," Matt said. "It's my job to be sneaky."

  "But not always so clever," Zoé said, with a hint of a smile. "I cannot think why the photographs will be any use. There is only one photograph of the man and woman with Jack. So why are we going back to look at the photographs again?"

  Matt returned the smile. "I don't know, but we've got them now, not just Wendell Harris. Anyway, we're not going back. We're going in."

  Lauren looked surprised. "You were told to leave it to the police."

  "And what are they doing for us?" Matt asked.

  Lauren thought about it. "Maybe not a lot. I don't know, to be honest. But they won't let strangers in there to look around, I'm sure."

  "They will if we're interested in becoming Children of Celestial Light. Lauren, you're going to be Zoé's Aunty Lauren. We've had enough of church and the Christian faith, and we're looking for Celestial Light in our lives."

  "Will it work?" Lauren asked. "I have to say I have my doubts. They may recognise you both. You had quite a bit of coverage on the news when you arrived."

  Matt shook his head. "If they're a weird cult, they probably don't believe in television or newspapers. Or journals as you call them -- assuming there's a difference."

  He was already walking towards the building. He turned to Lauren who was hurrying to catch up. "We've done this before, and Zoé is very good at thinking up convincing stories on the spot. We'll ring the bell and play it by ear. The more we think about it, the more we're likely to mess up. Here we are. You go first, Aunty Lauren!"

  Lauren looked more than anxious as they climbed the stone steps that were covered with dust and scraps of paper. Matt frowned. Maybe it would be cleaner inside. Keeping steps clean on the street was likely to be a problem.

  "What
happens if they do recognise you both?" Lauren asked.

  Matt shook his head. "Zoé will think up an excuse. Come on, let's risk it."

  Reluctantly, Lauren rang the bell marked for visitors.