Faye Kellerman - Decker 11 - Jupiter's Bones

by Jupiter's Bones

  'I don't know why,' Asnikov answered. 'We're basically on the same side.'

  'It's the basically part that bothers me,' Webster said. 'Y'see, my tactics always fall within the law.'

  'Hence the high failure rate among the police.' Asnikov grinned, showing white capped teeth. 'I reiterate. You think I break the law, arrest me. You do your job, I'll do mine.'

  Webster licked his lips, deciding to redirect the interview. 'In your opinion, what's going to happen with the Order now that Jupiter's gone?'

  'An interesting question.' Again, Asnikov checked his watch. But he didn't appear to be in a hurry. 'There are four under him with a supposedly equal power base. But anyone who knows anything about the Order knows that Pluto is the number-two man.'

  'So Pluto takes over?'

  'Notice I said the number-two man. Problem is there's also a number-one woman. And she holds just as much sway as Pluto. Right now, I'd say Pluto is probably in charge. No doubt, he is trying to stonewall Venus. But once she gets her bearing that could all change.'

  'Who do you think will win out?'

  'Can't tell. But there's bound to be some sort of power play by Pluto, then a counter by Venus... a jockeying back and forth until someone will eventually come out the victor.' 'How long do you think that'll take?'

  'Who knows?' Asnikov's eyebrows bunched in concentration. 'A week, a month, a year. The longer it takes, the better it is for everyone. If the power play is made too hastily - without thought to consequences - things could get ugly. If I were the police, I'd keep a close watch on the compound. The Order's a fecund bunch. You don't want a pile of dead kids on your conscience.'

  Pluto appeared to be praying, giving Decker a few extra moments to take in the temple sans the processional hubbub. The sanctuary was retangular in shape except for the northern wall, which was rounded and arched with a domed ceiling. The north side also held a spectacular mural of the nighttime heavens painted in deep jeweled blues and brilliant silvers and whites. In the middle of the heavens hung an idealized screen-sized, mid-torso portrait of Emil Euler Ganz. Father Jupiter looked down sternly on his worshipers, his exaggerated, too-sharp jawline jutting outward from his face, stern, steely eyes that could cut through granite. He wore royal purple vestments, embellished with gold thread, and ruffed with a monk's cowl fashioned from fur. Either a halo or spiral galaxy rested over his silver hair. His right hand held a scepter made from iridescent cosmic dust while his left hand twirled his namesake planet. It might have been comical had Jupiter not looked so godlike, as if he could inflict harsh punishments through plagues.

  The three remaining walls of the temple were adorned with stained-glass windows of the other eight planets, each sphere held aloft by its respective mythological Greek god or goddess. Ten rows of twenty north-facing pews filled up the center floor space. Pluto was kneeling in the first row, his head bowed, his clasped hands resting against his forehead. His lips were moving but no sound came out. Decker cleared his throat. Pluto looked up and over his shoulder.

  'Do you always sneak up on people?' His voice echoed across the room although he wasn't speaking loudly.

  Decker said, 'You learn a light touch when you do surveillance work.'

  The attendant stood and faced him. 'And is that what you're doing now? Surveillance work?'

  Decker approached him with measured footsteps. 'You reported a missing girl, I'm here to investigate. We're on the same side.'

  'I certainly hope you mean that. We need action!' The small man's face had become red. 'Starting with that maniac!'

  'Asnikov-'

  'Of course Asnikov!' The little man began to pace - up and down the aisle... up and down, up and down. 'That monster has been out to get us for years! Unsuccessfully, I'm proud to say. All his cajoling and bribing and heavy-handedness has failed miserably. So he has resorted to unscrupulous methods like this.'

  'You think he's kidnapped her.'

  'No, I don't think he did it. I know he kidnapped her!'

  'Okay.' Decker paused. 'Assuming you're right, any idea where he might have taken her?'

  Abruptly, Pluto stopped pacing. 'No. You're going to have to do a thorough investigation of him. All-out manpower hunt. He needs to be tailed... talk about surveillence work. If you're willing, I can help you work out a plan.'

  Evidence of a crime would help. Decker ran his tongue in his cheek and looked upward. The ceiling had been painted with stars and celestial bodies. Funny he hadn't noticed it before. 'I've asked Bob and Nova to join us. Working together, maybe we can come up with a better solution-'

  'Totally unnecessary! Too many people make for too many

  problems.'

  Decker tapped his foot. 'Aren't they your equals?'

  'How we utilize our manpower isn't your concern. Do what is your concern. Go find Andromeda!'

  'Who decides when others are needed?'

  'A very good question,' answered a husky female voice.

  Both Decker and Pluto turned toward the entrance. Venus paused so they could take her in, then approached them with slow, purposeful steps, her red and gold robe sweeping across the floor as she walked. Her posture displayed a position of royalty, and not an unrehearsed one. 'Why was I not informed about this latest development?'

  Pluto made fists, then slowly relaxed his fingers. 'I had every intention of telling you-'

  'When?'

  'As soon as I found the time! While you were meditating and praying in your room, I was quelling a near riot in the community hall!'

  Venus said, 'From what I heard, your words seemed more incendiary than calming.'

  'Then you misheard!'

  The two faced off in stony silence. Decker felt like a child caught between divorcing parents. Moments ticked by.

  Venus spoke. 'I am not a hothouse flower, Pluto. I will not be kept in the dark about things concerning my family! This is especially important to me because Andromeda was one of my favorites. I love her dearly.'

  Pluto decided to give ground. 'If it is your desire to dirty your hands, so be it. After all you've gone through, I was trying to save you the misery.'

  'I appreciate the concern albeit misguided.' Venus focused her attention on Decker. 'I'm counting on you to return Andromeda to her home. Here! It's where she belongs!' Hard eyes landing on his face. 'If you can't bring her back, I know others who can and will.'

  Meaning illegally. Empty threats or does she have sources? He said, 'Do you know where she might be?'

  'No. Asnikov is hiding her at some undisclosed location. You have your work cut out for you.'

  Decker said, 'To mobilize the kind of manpower you're requesting... it would help if we had evidence that a crime was committed.' Pluto broke in, "The girl is missing-'

  'She's over eighteen, sir, she's entitled to come and go as she pleases-'

  'She would never leave here!' Venus said. 'How do you know?'

  'She loved it here. She was happy here. And she'd never leave the children. She loved the children!' Decker said, 'Does she have children of her own?'

  A male voice joined in. 'No, she didn't have children. She taught children.'

  The trio turned toward the vocal source. Guru Bob.

  He said, 'She taught the teenagers. She related well to them. Probably because she wasn't much older herself.'

  Pluto was perturbed. 'Didn't you say you were going to take over her class?'

  'He wanted me here.' Bob cocked a thumb toward Decker. 'For today, I combined the teens with Terra's class. There's only seven of them.'

  'Seven?' Venus said. 'I thought we had eight teens. I'm sure we have eight.'

  Bob's eyes grew restless. 'No, seven-'

  'No, I'm sure there's eight.' Venus tapped her toe. 'Vega, Rigel, Gamma's two girls... Asa and.'

  'Myna,' Bob said. 'She was there.'

  Venus said, 'Orion, Leo, Ursa...'

  'They were all there, Venus.'

  'No. We're missing someone!' Venus insisted. 'God, don't tell me that monst
er got hold of one of our children!'

  'Hold on, hold on!' Bob said with irritation. 'Vega, Rigel, Asa, Myna, Orion, Leo, Ursa... I think that's all-'

  'No, it's not all!' Venus grew nervous. 'Lyra!' she said triumphantly. 'Moriah's kid. She's thirteen now

  'I didn't see her today,' Bob answered. 'Maybe she wasn't feeling well.'

  'What does that mean?' Venus scolded. 'She was under your

  care.

  Abruptly, Bob's demeanor darkened. 'Out of the goodness of my heart, I agreed to teach them, not to baby-sit! Look, Pluto, I don't mind you stepping in temporarily for Jupiter to give the family stability, just so long as you realize that you're not Jupiter-'

  'I'm not trying to be Jupiter!' Pluto insisted. 'But someone has to keep the Order running until things have calmed down. Certainly the others weren't up to it-'

  'And just what does that mean?' Venus interrupted.

  'I was refering to Nova,' Pluto muttered. 'Not you.'

  Decker broke in. 'Why don't we look for the girl. We can start with her room.'

  Venus explained, 'Lyra's housed with the teens.'

  'Take me to the quarters.' To the men, Decker said, 'You two go round up the roommates. I'll want to talk to them.'

  'Oh God!' Pluto muttered. 'And just what are we supposed to tell Moriah?'

  'She won't care.' Bob brushed him off.

  'What do you mean, she won't care!' Once again, Pluto was outraged. 'Of course, she'll care!'

  'Pluto, she's incapable of caring. She's whacked out-'

  'This is how you refer to one of our most spiritual-'

  'Pluto, she isn't spiritual, she's psychotic!'

  'She's mentally ill?' Decker asked.

  'Without a doubt,' Bob answered.

  Decker was appalled. 'You house a psychotic woman here?'

  Without warning, Bob turned into something wild and furious. 'Before you start passing judgment, let me tell you something. Moriah had been in and out of treatment centers and hospitals for nearly fifteen years of her thirty-year-old life. When Brother Pluto found her, she and her daughter - who was about five at the time -were living in a cardboard box dirtied by their own excrement. Pluto, out of charity, took them in. For eight years, we've been caring for Lyra as one of our own and have kept Moriah clean, neat and well fed which is more than her own parents have ever done. When we found her, they had disowned her. Except now that Lyra is growing into a young lady, they're making noise, sending threatening letters to the Order-'

  'Oh my God and Jupiter!' Venus broke in. 'Oh no!' Bob slapped his forehead. 'Andromeda wasn't the target! It was Lyra!' Again he hit his brow. 'Those bastards! With all the confusion, they finally managed to snatch her.' He began to pace. 'This is even worse than I thought. Andromeda was probably protecting Lyra when Asnikov struck. I hope to God and Jupiter that he didn't hurt Andromeda while trying to get Lyra!' Pluto turned his wrath on Decker. Wow do you believe us?' The unfortunate scenario had the ring of truth. Because this time, the victim was a child.

  Bob was muttering, 'This is just terrible!' He turned a furious face on Decker. 'You gotta mow that monster down!'

  'Priorities.' Decker was talking as much to himself as he was to Bob. 'First, let's see if Lyra's under your roof.'

  Trying to narrow down a time frame for the missing woman and teenaged girl, Marge sat in a makeshift headquarters set up in a spare bedroom cell. Barely enough room for two chairs and a card table, but it would serve the purpose. Guru Bob had offered it as a workstation, a sign that official intervention was welcome although it wasn't apparent from Pluto's attitude. The little man continued to spout accusations.

  Vega, one of Lyra's roommates, was sent in to Marge before evening meditation, around 4 P.M. The fourteen-year-old seemed small for her age. But Marge knew she was judging not only by American standards but by her own taller-than-average height. Or perhaps it was the girl's posture: the stooped shoulders and the hunched back, thin arms hugging her books when she walked in the room.

  Garbed in white - like the dress of the other children whom Marge had seen - Vega was of mixed race. She had a bronze complexion, poker-straight black hair, and blue almond-shaped eyes that slanted upward. Marge pointed to the chair and the teen sat down in a ramrod stiff position. Clearly, she had been instructed to sit that way. She was still embracing her tomes, so Marge took them from her and placed them on the floor. The girl clasped her hands and lay them in her lap. Marge smiled, but Vega did not smile back.

  Marge pressed the record button on her machine and placed it close to Vega. She said, 'Do you know why you're here?'

  Vega nodded.

  'An affirmative nod,' Marge said into the machine. 'Tell me why you're here.'

  'Because Andromeda and Lyra are missing. You are asking us for help.'

  Her voice sounded flat... robotic. Marge said, 'You're roommates with Lyra, aren't you?'

  Vega nodded.

  'Again, an affirmative nod,' Marge stated. 'Vega, could you please answer yes or no. The recorder can pick up your response that way. Did Lyra sleep in her bed last night?'

  'Correct.'

  'Do you remember seeing her when you woke up?'

  'Correct.'

  'Do you remember seeing her dressed and ready for school?'

  'I believe you mean ready for morning meditation and breakfast.'

  'Okay. Do you remember seeing her ready for meditation and breakfast?'

  'Correct.'

  'Around what time did you leave for... what comes first? Meditation or breakfast?'

  'Meditation.'

  'And what time is that?'

  'Seven in the morning.'

  'So you remember seeing her at seven this morning?'

  'Correct.'

  'Then you ate at what time?'

  'Seven-thirty.'

  'Did she eat breakfast with you?'

  'Correct.'

  'And then what do you do after breakfast?'

  'More meditation.'

  'Okay. What time was the second meditation?'

  'Eight o'clock.'

  'And was Lyra with you at eight?'

  'Correct.'

  'Then what did you do after the second meditation?'

  'We went to the classroom.'

  'Did Lyra go with you to the classroom?'

  Vega pressed her lips together. T... think... so. But I am not positive. Our teacher Andromeda was not there. So things were confusing.'

  'What time was this?'

  'Class instructions start at eight-thirty. So it must have been eight-thirty. We are always punctual.'

  'And Andromeda wasn't there in your classroom at eight-thirty.'

  'No, she was not. This confused all of us.' 'Was Lyra with you at this... confusing time?'

  I think so. But as I said, it was confusing.'

  Was any adult waiting for you in the classroom?'

  No one. This is what was so confusing. Eventually, our teacher Terra came in. She was surprised to find that our teacher Andromeda was not in. She was confused as well.'

  'Around what time was that?'

  'Around nine. I believe one of the boys went to get her. Because we were so confused.'

  'So from eight-thirty to nine, there was no teacher in your class.'

  'Correct.'

  'What did you do?'

  'What did we do? I do not understand the question.'

  Marge said, 'You didn't have any teacher for a half hour. What did you while you waited for someone to show up?'

  'We sat in our seats.'

  Marge waited for more. When it didn't come, she said, 'You sat in your seats?'

  'Correct.'

  'Did you talk?'

  'No, we did not talk. We waited quietly. Perhaps a few of us meditated. But that is allowable as long as it is silent.'

  'Just sat there meditating... or waiting?'

  'Correct.'

  'No talking?'

  'No. No talking.'

  Marge put down her pencil. 'Do you like i
t here, Vega?'

  The girl's eyes registered confusion. 'It is my home. Of course I like my home.'

  'What do you like about it?'

  'Like?'