Trix

by Kate Morris

  Jack drove them in the loaner vehicle to a small diner called the Cadillac Café. They took a booth in the back of the restaurant where they could discuss the case in privacy. Lorena ordered a cheeseburger with bacon and a side of fries. Jack ordered a grilled chicken salad, and Craig ordered grilled salmon and a baked potato.

  “How do you stay so small? Jesus, if I ate that,” Craig noted as she dug into her fries, “I’d weigh two-twenty.”

  “You don’t now?” she razzed.

  Jack laughed and said, “I know, man. She’s a shrimp and eats like a linebacker.”

  They teased her another moment until she sent them both a nasty glare.

  “I have to confess,” Jack said.

  “I’m not your priest, Foster,” she joked through a mouthful of greasy cheeseburger flavored just right.

  He smiled patiently and said, “We don’t have all day, Evans. If I was doing confession, it’d be an all-day and all-night event.”

  “Duh,” Lorena said as she sipped her Dr. Pepper.

  “Anyway, I don’t know if I can work this case,” he said in a somber tone.

  “What?” Craig asked quickly. “Why?”

  “I may know the victim, the latest one that’s been kidnapped,” he said.

  “What? Are you serious?” Lorena asked, setting her glass down and leaning back.

  “Well, I don’t really know her, but my wife…ex-wife is married to this girl’s father, Victor Neumann.”

  “Whoa,” Lorena said quietly.

  “Shit,” Craig cursed as he also let the information absorb.

  Lorena said, “But that doesn’t mean you can’t work it. You aren’t related. You don’t really have a connection to this girl. Heck, it might help. You could talk to the father and your ex. They’ll probably feel comfortable talking to you.”

  Lorena knew the girl was kidnapped yesterday. Her case wasn’t even twenty-four hours old yet. The best time to question witnesses and family members was as soon as possible.

  However, Jack’s left eyebrow shot up. “Really? You’ve obviously never been divorced. I don’t think either of them is going to want to talk to me.”

  “Why?” Craig asked as he resumed his meal.

  Lorena abandoned her food and drink to listen to Jack.

  “Because the ex and I are not exactly on good speaking terms.”

  “Oh,” Lorena said. “Sorry, Jack. We can go back to Cleveland.”

  “No, you can’t,” Craig said almost hysterically. “My ass’ll be in the sling if you do. The Deputy Assistant Director’s counting on us breaking this. He as much as told me that.”

  She frowned at this information. She didn’t want Craig or his boss to put that much stock in her and Jack solving this for them. It was highly unlikely to happen.

  Craig followed up with, “Look, the parents were already spoken to, but maybe since you know the woman, you could talk to her again. You know how people are. Sometimes talking to someone they know helps them to relax and they might remember something.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Jack argued.

  “I could go with you,” Lorena offered. Craig was right. They needed to talk with this girl’s family. Somehow Trix knew her, and communicating with the parents could help break the case. His letter and the use of the girl’s name and the way he described her lent Lorena just a tad more insight. He had to have known her before he took her. He’d known her schedule, that she’d taken a ride home from someone’s mother, that he would be unencumbered by taking her right out of her house in broad daylight. It also confirmed that he lived in Portland, not some other city.

  “I’d rather sit this one out, chief,” he told her uncomfortably.

  “Jack, we have to. He knew this girl. He took her in the middle of the day. She must’ve opened the door to him.”

  He nodded with something akin to resignation.

  “I’m sorry to put you in this position, “Craig said. “But Lorena’s right. If I can send you two over to talk with the parents, I can dig around with forensics and see if they got anything on him this time.”

  “I doubt you’ll come up with anything,” Lorena said.

  “Yeah, me neither. But I haven’t had a chance to look at their work yet.”

  They finished their meal discussing the case, and Lorena noticed that Jack didn’t talk much after that. When they left the restaurant, Craig called a co-worker and hitched a ride back to the crime lab while Lorena and Jack drove to the address Craig gave them for Jack’s ex-wife and new husband. Jack drove them but was quiet the whole way. They came to the neighborhood, a rather posh, expensive area, and he slowed their pace to read address markers.

  He pulled into the drive of a large, two-story, modern architecture mansion and cut the engine.

  “I’m sorry we have to do this, Jack,” she said.

  His eyes met hers, and he said, “Don’t worry about it. Let’s just get this over with.”

  She nodded and got out.

  Chapter Six

  Jack

  Lorena pressed the doorbell, and they waited until the front door was opened. Jack stood nervously anticipating this meeting. He cleared his voice as one of the Special Agents working the case greeted and showed them in.

  “Got the call from the supervisor,” he said and shook Jack’s hand. “Thanks for coming over so quickly. I know you guys just got into town last night. Special Agent Masterson.”

  “Yeah, thanks. Foster,” Jack introduced himself amiably. “And this is Evans.”

  Lorena shook his hand and offered a nod. That was her perfunctory greeting for most people.

  “They’re in here,” the agent said and led them through the wide entryway complete with a round glass table containing a tall crystal vase and all white flowers.

  Modern art lined the walls, and marble covered the floors. Much of the home was floor to ceiling windows, and what little wall space that was available was painted white. The neighborhood was designed to allow privacy as the homes sat back far from the road, and the massive front lawns were dotted with old trees to afford that privacy. No wonder Trix was able to steal her. However, there were security cameras he’d noticed above the front door.

  “You haven’t moved the family somewhere else?” Lorena asked the agent as they walked.

  “No, not yet. Mr. Neumann refused to leave,” Masterson relayed. “We didn’t argue. Hell, this guy isn’t like other people we deal with. He’s a bigshot lawyer. Threatened to bury us in court if we did this or didn’t do that.”

  Then he rolled his eyes as if he found Victor Neumann distasteful. All they needed was a team of lawyers holding up their investigation.

  Masterson slid open a set of glass pocket doors and showed them to a formal sitting room. At once, Jack took in the space in a quick glance. It was all white like the entryway. Dark hardwood floors were the only thing of color other than the modern art that hung on the walls. He was never a fan of modern art with its splashes of red and yellow on a white canvas that was supposed to mean something. However, Elizabeth couldn’t get enough of the crap. She even ran her own gallery down in California at one point.

  “Jack!” a woman stated with surprise.

  Jack looked at the woman who used to be his wife dressed in all white to match her home’s walls. Her perfectly coiffed pale blonde hair was pulled back into a neat chignon at the base of her neck. The silk blouse she wore looked like it cost more than a week’s salary for him. The shoes were definitely more than a week’s salary, and her makeup looked like she was ready to report to work on one of those Friday night journalism shows like 20/20 or Dateline. Elizabeth was crisp, neat, prepared for a public appearance should the need arise. The only tell-tale sign that her step-daughter had been kidnapped less than a day ago was that she had dark circles under both eyes hidden by a lot of concealer. All in all, Elizabeth looked exactly the same as when he was married to her.

  “What on earth are you doing here?” she asked and rushed to h
im, wrapping her arms around him as if they were long lost friends or lovers reunited. It wasn’t the response Jack had anticipated.

  “Elizabeth,” he stated and patted her back twice before pulling away. “I’m sorry about your step-daughter.”

  “Is that why you’re here? You’re working with the FBI on the case? Oh, thank God!” she said in her typical dramatic tone. “They don’t seem to have the faintest clue how to handle this.”

  Masterson chose to ignore her. Most cops and agents were used to being accused of idiocy, especially by frustrated family members of the victims.

  “No, they’re doing a good job. They’ve pulled the best agents from around the country to work on this.”

  “They won’t tell us much if they know anything,” she said, the corners of her eyes wrinkling.

  Jack explained, “That’s normal, Liz…Mrs. Neumann. They can’t afford to have anything leaked to the press.”

  “I just wish they’d tell us something. We’re going crazy here not knowing where Hailee is or if she’s safe.”

  Jack tried to hide his frown from his ex-wife because she’d know if he was trying to conceal something from her. There was no way they could tell the family who Trix was, that he was a serial killer, even though they’d likely already read the letter. It wouldn’t take them long to figure it out on their own. He’d rather not be the bearer of bad news that a known killer had custody of their daughter.

  “They’re doing all they can right now. I assure you, the best of the best are working your step-daughter’s case.”

  A man in a three-piece suit walked into the room from the adjoining space that appeared to be a home office. Jack knew him all too well. The moment Victor caught sight of Jack, he froze. Then, in a style that Jack had seen from him many times, Victor strolled over and lifted his chin with an air of superiority.

  “Jack Foster, what brings you here?” Victor asked, his tone condescending.

  “Strictly here in a work capacity. We need to speak with both of you about Hailee,” he stated, not bothering at friendly pretense. If Elizabeth wanted to put on such a show, that was fine with him, but he certainly wasn’t going to do the same with Victor.

  “We’ve already spoken to the FBI,” Victor said.

  Jack smiled coolly and said, “We were brought in, my partner and I, to work this case. We’re here in an advisory capacity.”

  “Detective Lorena Evans,” Lorena said, stepping forward and extending a hand to Victor, who took it gladly.

  Jack watched as Victor’s gaze swept down over Lorena with the same appreciation he’d once used on Jack’s wife while he was still married to her.

  “Detective,” Victor said.

  “We just have a few questions about your daughter, sir,” she said.

  “And you’re not with the FBI?” Victor asked.

  “No, sir,” Lorena answered as Jack stood there and glared. “We work homicide in Cleveland. Jack and I were brought in to consult on the case.”

  “Interesting,” Victor said. “Why would they bring in two homicide detectives for a kidnapping?”

  “Can we talk to you about your daughter?” she asked again, deflecting his question.

  Victor glanced at Elizabeth and then smiled from a place of falseness. “Of course, Detective. Have a seat.”

  Elizabeth sat next to her husband, and Jack and Lorena took seats on the sofa opposite them. Masterson stood off to the side so as not to interrupt their meeting. Lorena immediately flipped open her small notepad.

  “When was the last time you saw your daughter?” Lorena asked.

  “Yesterday morning, before school,” Elizabeth answered. “I dropped her at school before heading to the office.”

  “Where do you work?” Lorena asked.

  “I own a gallery here in Portland,” she said.

  “What time did you drop her off?” Jack asked, drawing his wife’s stare, her blue eyes concentrating on him.

  “Seven-forty,” she answered.

  “Did you see her go into the school?” Lorena asked.

  “Absolutely,” she answered.

  “Did you hear from her throughout the day, text or calls?” Jack asked next.

  “No, we already answered these questions,” Victor said. “Elizabeth dropped her off in the morning. We don’t normally communicate with her during the day. Her school is very strict about cell phones being used in the school unless it’s an emergency.”

  “Do you know if your daughter had problems with anyone at school or with the parent of a friend?” Lorena asked.

  “No, everyone loves Hailee,” Victor replied.

  “Was anyone here yesterday when she came home from school?” Lorena asked.

  “No, her brother was still in school,” Victor said. “My wife picks him up at four.”

  This caught Jack’s attention. She never wanted children, not with him. She swore she’d never put her body through childbirth. Jack knew she didn’t want to get a stretch mark or gain weight. She was fastidious about her looks. Initially, her looks were what drew him to her, that and she was so different than any other woman he’d ever known. She had dreams and goals from day one. He was just never going to fit into that perfect picture she’d created in her mind of what she wanted in life. And she had a son with Victor. He was surprised when he found out who she was going to marry that she was even willing to marry someone who already had a daughter. She was not good with kids. The two times they’d visited his family in Cleveland, she’d left relieved that they didn’t have children. Jack hadn’t. Apparently, she and Victor now also had a son together, as well as his missing daughter.

  “And when did you arrive home?” Lorena questioned.

  Elizabeth answered, “Around five-thirty. I had a few stops to make before I came home.”

  “And Hailee is eighteen?” Lorena asked.

  “Yes,” Victor said.

  “Why didn’t she drive herself to school?” Lorena further questioned.

  “She doesn’t have her license yet,” Victor answered. “Or her own car. She just turned eighteen. We’d planned on buying her one this coming summer.”

  “Oh,” Lorena said.

  “She’s leaving for school in the fall, and she won’t need one in Rhode Island. It wasn’t a priority. Sometimes my driver will take her where she needs to go, or else Elizabeth does. Hailee just didn’t have a deep desire to get her license, so I didn’t push it.”

  They were getting nowhere. Jack was already frustrated and wanted to leave for more than one reason.

  “Who had access to this house other than the direct family? Maids, housekeepers, cooks?” Jack asked with less patience.

  “Our housekeeper comes on Thursdays,” Elizabeth said. “Other than that, no one comes here of their own accord.”

  “Not even a cook?” Jack asked, curious.

  Elizabeth hit him with a look and said, “No, I do most of the cooking.”

  This surprised Jack, too. She’d never cooked when they were married, didn’t know how. He’d done all of the cooking, or they ate separate meals since he worked long and unusual hours as a cop.

  “And your security system?” Jack asked next.

  “Yes, it works and was enabled that day,” Victor said.

  “The cameras?”

  “No, not functional,” the man said. “We never got around to finishing the security system and hooking them up. We didn’t really feel it was necessary actually. This isn’t exactly a high crime area.”

  Jack nodded, noticed the pain in the other man’s eyes for his own foolishness. He’d let this one drop.

  “It shows here in the interview of your neighbors that they didn’t witness anyone coming or going,” Jack started.

  “Right,” Elizabeth said, her eyes lowering to her hands, her fingers laced together on her lap. “I think most everyone around here works. They were probably all still at work.”

  “Do you know of anyone that Hailee would’ve let in? A boyfriend? An older boy
perhaps in college? Someone you work with, Mr. Neumann?” Lorena asked.

  “No, I can’t think of anyone. She didn’t have a boyfriend. I wouldn’t allow it. She was concentrating on finishing the school year so she could start college in the fall.”

  “There weren’t any signs of forced entry, so we believe she could’ve let her kidnapper in,” Lorena explained. “Can you think of anyone else, someone in the service industry that she would’ve trusted enough to allow into the house? A carpet cleaner, a contractor of some kind.”

  Elizabeth shook her head, but Victor was quiet.

  “Perhaps,” Victor said. “I hadn’t thought of this when the FBI questioned us, but we recently had a concrete and stone patio put in. I suppose if one of them that she recognized would’ve come here she might have let them in. I don’t know. Maybe. Hailee wasn’t careless.”

  Lorena wrote down the name of the concrete contractor and his phone number when Victor provided it.

  “And her friends? Can I get a list of them and their numbers?” Lorena asked.

  “Why?” Elizabeth asked. “We’ve only been here eight months. I’m not even sure she has very many. She never talks about friends and never has anyone over.”

  “She attends school, right?” Jack asked, getting a nod. “Then she has friends.”

  A young boy came into the room and sat next to Elizabeth. She smoothed his blonde hair and rubbed his back. He looked a lot like Elizabeth, and it shot an arrow into Jack’s heart, nearly piercing the armor he’d erected around it. He wasn’t sure he could sit in their living room much longer.

  “Hailee and her brother attend a private school, Heritage Christian Academy,” Elizabeth told them. “I’ll get you what I can. Give me a few hours to come up with whatever I can find. Where are you staying, Jack?”