by Kelly Shade
“I have many secrets, Ryan Gray!” Jane pretended to be mystical. “So! Clothing store?”
“Why? I thought you are a fan of sporty-elegant style?” Ryan said with high-pitched voice.
“Yep, I am. But we need to look different. I’ll change too.”
They drove to the first clothing store. After buying the ridiculously fashionable clothes, they got out looking like a couple of stupid, wealthy criminals. The ripped jeans and funny shirts were just the start. Jane combed up Ryan’s blond hair with hair gel and put on the most sparkling sunglasses she could find. She unbuttoned his shirt so everyone could see his six-pack. For herself, she bought a few bracelets in different colors, a couple of rings with fake diamonds and enormous sunglasses with a weird shape. Also, she made sure her belly ring was visible.
“Now we are ready to go,” she said, satisfied with her work.
“Why would you do that to us?” Ryan was looking at himself with a puzzled and disgusted expression.
“Because I want them to think we are low life criminals. That would make them mad. And I love to drive them crazy,” Jane explained happily.
Ryan got into the Ferrari. He still couldn’t swallow the fact that he was wearing all these absurd clothes and accessories. Jane wasn’t helping him with the whole, “It actually suits you” or “Look how sexy you are.”
The jokes about the way they were dressed were over when they arrived in front of a house in the suburbs of Chicago. Ryan was more confused than ever. Jane’s adoptive family had a fantastic home and garden. They must have been rich enough. So why did Jane turn out to be a con artist?
“You are my boyfriend. We are together for years; we don’t remember how many. We met in a bar, and we hooked up. We do not talk about our work. And please act like . . . well, not like yourself. Okay?” said Jane when they were at the door, ready to ring the bell.
Ryan’s confusion was getting even more prominent. They agreed on the role he had to play.
They were standing in front of the house. Jane assembled the guns surprisingly fast and gave one to Ryan.
Instead of a usual ring, Thompson’s bell was a Mozart symphony. A chubby woman opened the door. She was around sixty years old with dark brown curly hair and brown eyes, which nervously looked from Jane to Ryan and back.
“Caroline, why didn’t you call?” she asked with a fake smile, trying to hug Jane, who took a step back.
“It’s Jane by the way,” Blake said and turned to Ryan. “That’s Diane Thompson.”
“It’s nice.” Gray started, but Jane poked him with her elbow.
“Hey, I’m Ryan.” He changed his tone immediately.
Diane welcomed them in. A man was sitting at the dining table with a glass of vodka and a plate of food in front of him. It was only lunchtime, but the bottle next to him was half empty. His big glasses and whitish mustache hid a perfectly shaved pig face with red-pink cheeks. His eyes were small and watery and focused on Jane.
“Good afternoon,” he said firmly.
“Hi,” Jane said and tried to drag Ryan in the other room. But the man wanted to introduce himself. With great effort, he moved his vast, fat body so he could stand up and get closer to them.
“Theodore Thompson,” he said with a deep voice and he reached his plump hand toward Ryan.
“Ryan,” Gray said casually and made a quick handshake.
“We are here to visit Grandpa’s room. Excuse us,” Jane said and caught Ryan’s hand.
They went to the room of her grandfather, Zackary Jordan. It was the most delightful part of the pompous house. There were a lot of books and newspapers on the big shelf behind a double bed. A chess board was opened on a small wooden table with ornaments on it. On the dressing table were placed some old photos. Some were from his time as a doctor, but most were with Jane and none with the rest of the family. Suddenly Jane’s behavior changed. The arrogant and negative attitude she was showing in front of Diane and Theodore was replaced by a sad and grieving expression.
“He taught me how to play chess,” Jane said, pointing at the board.
“He must have been an amazing grandpa.” Ryan went behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.
“Yeah, he was. He was the mother, the father, the grandparent, the teacher, the protector . . . He was everything I had in this pathetic excuse for a family.” Jane’s eyes were full of tears, but she spoke calmly. She was staring at the empty bed as if she were seeing him on it. “He made me. Grandpa thought me to be strong, like a stone he would say. To take care of myself. He was the one who showed me it doesn’t matter if I’m a girl. He said I could be stronger than any man if I set my mind up to it. ’Always think, your mind is a weapon, use it,’ he said. He believed in me. Only him.”
Ryan didn’t know how to react to that. He didn’t even know Jane could have feelings. She was so tough all the time, always controlling and hiding her emotions, Ryan didn’t think she could feel at all. Gray hugged her tight, and to his surprise, Jane didn’t move away.
“He would be proud of you,” Ryan whispered in her ear as she leaned her head on his shoulder.
They stood in this position a few more minutes. In the next moment, Jane released herself from Ryan’s arms, wiped her tears and put her perfect poker face back on.
“Time to do some work,” she said calmly and pointed to the one locked drawer on the shelf.
Ryan was still a little confused about the quick change, but he shook it off and said, “I’ll keep a lookout. You do what you have to do.”
Jane took her lock pick set out of her backpack. With a few quick moves, she unlocked the drawer. There wasn’t much in it. Just a few medals, an old gold ring, a passport-size photo of Zackary when he was young and old money transfer documents. Jane put everything in her bag except the papers. She threw a quick look which was enough to realize these documents were a treasure.
“Crystal Tree Orphan Home,” she whispered, and Ryan’s eyes widened. “Obviously I cost twenty thousand dollars. Sent to Dimitria Grigorovich from Lilia Jordan. I knew it. I fucking knew it!” Jane locked the drawer again and left the room with Ryan.
“Why didn’t you do it earlier? I mean to break in and . . .” Ryan was curious.
“Out of respect. All of them know that I would never steal something from Grandpa’s room,” Jane interrupted him.
They headed back to the depressing living room. Ryan wanted to visit Jane’s old bedroom, but she refused because Lilia and Diane made it so girly she couldn’t stand it. As the bedrooms were on the second floor of the house, they had to come down on the staircase where they met Diane’s mother, Lilia Jordan. An elderly woman with curly, grayish hair, cold black eyes, which struck Jane and Ryan with a look of pure hate and disapproval. Her thin lips curled into a fake smile.
“Caroline! Oh, I’m sorry_Jane.” Her voice was so greasy and hypocritical that even Ryan could tell this was an awful woman. “I forgot you changed the great name we gave you for this_Jane.”
Jane didn’t say anything. She just took Ryan’s hand and dragged him down. Diane and Theodore were at the dining room table. He was still drinking his vodka; the bottle was almost empty now, and she was digging with a fork in her plate of food with her eyes wandering around. When Diane saw her mother, she stood up to serve her lunch. Like a queen, Lilia sat next to her son-in-law, looking at him with disgust and turned to Jane and Ryan who were almost at the front door.
“Have lunch with us. I haven’t seen Caroline, um Jane with a boyfriend since she was fifteen,” Lilia said while gesturing to Diane to bring two more chairs and plates for the guests.
Jane and Ryan agreed and sat down. They listened for half an hour talk about Diane’s and Theodore’s trip to Venice, Italy. After the endless description of the city and the gondolas, Lilia Jordan interrupted.
“What’s the reason you are here? We haven’t seen you for years. Obviously, you don’t want us in your life.”
“My biological parents are the reason,�
� Jane said firmly.
“Oh, this again. We told you everything we know about them. You come here after six years, dressed like . . .” she shook her head and narrowed her eyes showing disgust. “And where exactly are you working at after you refused to study? Is that boyfriend supporting you somehow?”
“This is not your business. We do what we have to do.” Jane enjoyed the fact that Lilia noticed the clothes.
Lilia’s thin lips curved into a nasty smile. Theodore was trying to keep his eyes open; the bottle was empty, and he was the only one drinking from it. Diane’s eyelids started to blink quickly because she had nervous tics. Lilia ignored her daughter and continued. “You and your selfish behavior.” Then she turned to Ryan. “Maybe she told you we were awful parents and we treated her badly. Let me tell you something, Ryan. Caroline likes to imagine things.”
“I imagine things?” Jane stood up “Maybe this piece of shit didn’t beat your precious daughter and me? The alcoholic you are calling son-in-law. Or maybe you didn’t lie and manipulate me all my life? What am I imagining?” Blake was shouting as loudly as she could.
“I’m an alcoholic? So all of this is my fault?” said Theodore whose cheeks were bright red now.
“Shut up!” Jane yelled at him, and he froze.
“Don’t talk like this to your father!” Diane spoke in a shrill voice.
“He is not my father! Not biologically nor mentally, spiritually or in any way at all!” Blake turned to Lilia again “Why don’t you tell them how much you paid for me at Crystal Tree Orphan Home? Why don’t you tell your beloved daughter who Michael Morse is? Grandpa kept the documents!”
Lilia Jordan froze. It took her thirty seconds to come up with something.
“We did what we had to do to raise you properly. But you were a rebel. You didn’t listen to anyone. Several slaps are not that big of a deal.” She had started to justify herself. “Maybe your grandfather is the one who knows. I have nothing to do with that.”
“Yeah, your name and signature are there for no reason, huh?”
“We did it together. You think of him as a saint, but he was far from that.” Lilia changed her answer fast.
This was the point when Jane lost it. She reached for her gun, loaded and aimed so fast that Ryan couldn’t stop what was happening. He was standing next to her stunned. Jane looked like a crazy person holding a weapon with the intent to use it. Gray had never seen her like that.
“Don’t say a word against my grandfather!” Jane took a few steps closer to Lilia.
“Oh, so you are a criminal now. Waving guns around. I thought the Ferrari couldn’t be bought with clean money.” Lilia was playing with Jane’s nerves as if she wanted to be shot.
Ryan went behind Jane and put a hand over hers on the pistol. Blake glanced at him furiously, but Gray didn’t move. Instead, he hugged her with his other hand and said, “If you want to kill her so badly, we will push the trigger together.” This statement made Lilia nervous. Diane and Theodore were frozen in their seats.
“Move” Jane said coldly to Ryan. But he didn’t.
“If you kill her now, she will be on top, Jane,” Gray whispered in her ear. Blake looked up at him without lowering the gun. Ryan’s hand was still on the weapon; the other around her waist. Now, face to face, they were staring into each other’s eyes. Ryan slowly lowered the hand that held the pistol. Then he kissed her. Unexpectedly, Blake turned around, wrapped her arms around him, still holding the gun and kissed him back.
Lilia Jordan sighed with relief. Diane’s tics were worse than before. Only Theodore looked like nothing happened. Maybe it was because of the vodka in his system or perhaps he just didn’t care.
Blake turned to them. “We will see each other again.” And she headed to the exit. Ryan couldn’t believe he just made out with the woman of his dreams. Confused and happy he ran after her leaving the Thompson’s speechless and scared.
Jane was in the driver’s seat tapping the address of the Crystal Tree Orphanage on the GPS.
“I think I should drive. You are too emotional right now,” Ryan said.
“I’m okay.” Jane smiled. All the madness was gone. Now she looked exactly like her usual self. Ryan agreed to let her drive.
“Before we go I need to change; better you do it, too.” Jane handed him the bag with their clothes. Without hesitation, she removed her shirt. Ryan froze again.
“Come on, we don’t have much time. I’m not going to look.” Jane laughed. Ryan smiled back and changed his clothes, too.
“Let’s go!” ordered Jane and started the engine and the car roared. Blake smiled deviously, which made Ryan grab the door handle. He knew Jane was a crazy driver and enjoyed powerful sports cars. The orphanage was at the other end of Chicago, so Jane had to step on the gas pedal. She enjoyed drifting through the city streets. At first, Gray was scared, but after realizing Blake was a hell of a driver, he relaxed a bit.
They arrived at the Crystal Tree Orphanage Home in the afternoon. The kids were playing in the fenced yard in front of the massive building. All the teachers were in the garden with the children. Jane thought she could sneak in and find someone in a lower position to talk to. Ryan and Jane went to the back and found a door. Quietly, they walked in. A dark corridor led them to what seemed to be the kitchen area. The cooks weren’t there. Jane saw an older lady, a cleaner, sweeping the floor. When the woman saw them, she jumped.
“I’m sorry, but you have no business here. Who are you looking for?” she asked.
“You.” Jane went to her and took the broom from her hands, “Let me make you a cup of tea; we need to talk.” Blake gestured to Ryan to wait at the door.
“Who are you?” the lady seemed scared and confused.
Jane walked her to the oven where there was a teapot. Without saying a word, she put water in a kettle, turned on the hot plate, and waited a minute before she spoke.
“Look at the steam. Isn’t it fascinating?” Jane talked with that extremely calm voice which she used only when she was trying to hypnotize someone. Blake rubbed the cleaner’s back and continued. “It changes; can you see . . . almost like a beautiful flower . . . isn’t it magical?“ The old lady stared at the steam.
Jane waited a moment. When the cleaner was in a trance, Blake asked quietly. “Tell me where to find Dimitria Grigorovich.” The woman had stopped blinking.
“She is in Santa Clarita, California.”
“What is she doing for this orphanage?” Jane whispered.
“Dimitria brings babies from California for adoption.” The old lady was so focused on the steam that she looked paralyzed. Jane rubbed her back again just in time. The familiar sound that suggested the tea was ready filled the room.
“So who are you?” asked the woman.
“Thompson. Does that name ring any bells?” Jane said while handing her a cup of hot tea.
“Ms. Thompson, please I’ll be in big trouble if I talk to you. Please, get out. Please!” the cleaner almost dropped her tea. “I won’t tell anyone you’ve been here, but you have to go now!”
Jane smiled and softly said, “Don’t worry. I got what I needed!” and left the kitchen.
Ryan was waiting in the corridor. Jane told him what she knew, and they headed to the airport. They were on time for their flight. Blake had to say goodbye to the Ferrari, which was a funny moment for Ryan. Jane looked sad to leave the car.
“They look rich. What are they doing for a living? Thompsons.” Gray asked when they sat in their airplane seats. Jane was at the window so she had nowhere to move and Ryan used that.
“Lilia was head of a plastic surgery clinic; I believe she still goes to work from time to time. Diane used to be a pharmacist, but got fired. She only got the position because of her mother. And Theodore was in the military for some years, but mostly he worked as a food quality manager,” Jane answered.
“Why do you hate them so much?” Ryan continued with the questions.
“Well. There are many reaso
ns,” Jane started. “Theodore always got home late and drunk and he was aggressive. He used to hit Diane and me. Sometimes because I was trying to protect her, sometimes just because I was there. But it’s not only that. Lilia wanted to make me her clone. Reputation was the most important thing for her. What will people say? was the sentence I grew up with. I wasn’t allowed to be myself. I had to like the things she liked. I had to do whatever she liked. I had to lie about my grades in front of her friends. She made me lie about everything. In front of people, she acted like a kind and concerned grandmother. But at home she offended me, yelling I was stupid, pushing me around and . . . It’s complicated. They are monsters. I was physically and mentally attacked every day. Grandpa was the only one protecting me, but he wasn’t healthy enough to stand up against Theodore or Lilia,” Jane explained with sadness.
Ryan saw it wasn’t pleasant for Blake to talk about her past, so he decided to make fun of the Thompsons instead. He started talking about the trip Diane was so excited about. That made Jane happy. They spent half of the flight laughing at Diane, Theodore and Lilia.
“Did you see how ecstatic she was about the Venice canals? Come on now it’s just toilet water after all!” Ryan laughed out loud, which made the people around look at him with disapproval.
Jane, on the other hand, froze. She reached into her backpack and took out the files of the serial killer case. Without a word she found the last poem and pointed to the last two paragraphs.
“Drained, rebuild, I feel the shake.
Three-days-time is all it takes,” Jane whispered.
Ryan stared at the text with no idea what was on Blake’s mind.
“The next victims will be from Venice Canal Historic District in Los Angeles!” Blake said satisfied with herself for decoding the poem.
“How did you get that?” Gray was stunned.
“They refresh the water in the canals every three days. They drain most of it and let the clear water in on high tide.” Jane muttered.
“Possible but . . . It’s a long shot, Jane!” Ryan wasn’t as excited as she was.
“I know, but I have a feeling,” Blake said. “We have to tell the team the moment we land.”
