by Joanne Fluke
This wasn’t the time to panic. She had to think clearly. It would do her no good to give way to her fear. She forced herself to tiptoe back and sit on the edge of her bed. She wasn’t sure why, but Connie had brought her here and had locked her in. No one, not even Doug, knew where she was.
It took several minutes, but Jill managed to calm herself. So far, she was safe. Connie didn’t know she’d found the nursery things. She thought Jill was sleeping. Of course the hot chocolate had tasted bitter. It must have been laced with a sedative. Connie probably planned on keeping her sedated until the baby was born.
She wouldn’t eat any of the food Connie prepared. Or swallow the drinks she made. If she was drugged, she couldn’t escape. The first thing she had to do was get word to Doug, and she had her cell phone in her purse.
Jill scowled as she pulled out the cell phone. The battery was low. She’d forgotten to recharge it. The charger was at home, plugged into the kitchen outlet, but there might be enough power for one short call. She had to make every second count. That meant she’d better plan what to say.
There was a small memo pad in her purse, and Jill pulled it out to make notes. She couldn’t tell Doug the name of the lake. She didn’t know it. And since she’d slept all the way here, she had no idea which turn-off they’d taken. The best she could do was say that it was a two-hour trip and describe any distinguishing features of the lake.
Jill slipped out onto the balcony to take a look. There was a small island with one tree in the center. She’d tell Doug about that. And she’d describe the large A-frame with the flagpole in front and the beautifully green lawn. If the phone was still functioning after all that, she’d tell Doug about their cabin, four bedrooms with balconies overlooking the lake and a driveway with a river-rock wall. She’d also mention that there was a dock in front with a bright blue rowboat beached on the sand.
After she’d made her notes, Jill stepped inside her closet and shut the door. She didn’t want Connie to hear her talking, and this put one more wall between Connie’s room and hers. Her fingers were shaking as she punched out Doug’s number and she groaned as his answering machine picked up. Thank God he had a short message, but it seemed to take forever before she heard the beep.
“Doug. It’s Jill. Connie’s keeping me a prisoner until I have the baby; I don’t know why. We’re on a lake, two hours from my house. It’s got a small island in the middle with one tree on it. There’s a large A-frame directly across the lake with a flagpole, no flag, and a huge green lawn. It’s big enough to be a hotel or a country club. Our driveway has a river-rock wall, and we have four balconies, overlook—Oh, damn!” Jill’s cell phone had beeped and then disconnected. The battery was dead, and she had no way to recharge it. She just hoped she’d given Doug enough of a description for him to find her!
She slipped her cell phone into a pair of hiking boots she’d brought along on a whim, then tiptoed back out of the closet. That was when she heard it, the sound of a door banging open. Connie must have heard her voice!
Jill didn’t think. She just dived into bed and pulled the covers up tightly. She started mumbling, as if she were talking in her sleep. Would Connie believe that she was having a nightmare? Jill said a little prayer and then mumbled even louder as Connie unlocked the door.
CHAPTER 37
He’d missed her call! Doug was so angry, he felt like hurling his answering machine across the room. Of course he didn’t. The tape contained Jill’s voice, and he listened to it over and over, transcribing every word. Finding her would be very tough, but it was possible. Doug picked up the phone and put in a call to Jill’s cellular phone carrier.
It took him more than an hour, but at last he had the information he needed. They hadn’t been able to give him an exact location, but it had narrowed the field. The call had originated from the two-one-eight area, and it had been transmitted through four satellite receivers to reach him. By drawing the path of the call on a map, Doug had come up with an area roughly fifty miles in diameter. Within that circle there were over five hundred lakes. Sixty-three of them had islands in the center. Doug knew he had his work cut out for him.
It was useless to hope for another call. A cellular phone technician had listened to the tape and given Doug the bad news. The beep he’d heard at the end of Jill’s message meant that her battery had run out of power. She hadn’t taken the charger with her. When they’d searched her house, Doug had noticed it next to the coffeepot on the kitchen counter.
But why was Connie keeping Jill prisoner? It just didn’t make sense. Thank God he had three weeks to find her . . . didn’t he?
Doug’s fingers were trembling as he picked up the phone. Jill had told him that Connie had called her doctor to make sure it was safe for her to travel. The doctor wouldn’t have given his permission if he’d had any doubts.
Jill’s obstetrician sounded sleepy, but Doug identified himself and asked his questions, hardly daring to breathe while he waited for the answers. No, Jill’s housekeeper hadn’t called to find out if Jill could take a vacation. If she had, the doctor would never have agreed. Due dates were only educated guesses, and Jill could go into labor at any time.
After he’d thanked the doctor and hung up the phone, Doug slammed his fist into the table. His hand was throbbing as he put on his jacket and headed out to his car, but Doug didn’t even feel it. He was too worried about Jill and the baby he’d come to think of as his.
* * *
It was difficult, but Jill had managed to pretend that nothing was wrong when Connie had come to wake her. Her nightmare act had worked. Connie hadn’t suspected a thing. Now Connie was making breakfast and Jill was seated at the kitchen table. She kept a cheerful smile on her face and watched Connie’s every move.
The eggs were safe. She’d seen Connie break them into an empty frying pan. The jam was suspect, though. Connie could have laced it with a sedative when she’d opened the jar.
“You don’t want jam on your toast?” Connie looked surprised when Jill declined. “But, Jill, it’s blueberry and that’s your favorite.”
Jill thought fast. “I know, but I’m saving up calories so I can have another cup of hot chocolate tonight. It was so delicious, Connie. After I drank it, I slept like a baby all night through.”
Somehow Jill managed to keep a pleasant expression on her face during breakfast, and after Connie had cleared the dishes, she turned to her with a question. “What do you want to do today?”
“I don’t know.” Jill’s answer was perfectly candid. “Did you have anything in mind?”
“I thought we’d just relax and enjoy ourselves. It’s a real relief to get away from live television. I don’t miss it at all, do you?”
“Not really.” Jill shook her head, although she suspected that Connie had broken the set deliberately. When she’d flicked it on that morning, she’d received nothing but static.
“We can still play movies on the VCR. I brought along some of your favorites.” Connie pointed to the stack of tapes she’d piled on top of the set. “Do you want me to put one on?”
Jill shook her head. If Connie put on a movie, she’d probably sit down and watch it with her, and she really wanted to be alone so she could think about how to escape. “Not now. I think I’d like to sit on the porch and enjoy the sunshine.”
“Good idea.” Connie nodded. “Go ahead. I’ll join you in just a minute.”
Jill had no sooner settled down on the porch swing than Connie came out the door. “Let’s talk, Jill. We’re usually so busy we don’t have time. This is a perfect opportunity for us to get to know each other better.”
“Okay.” Jill nodded, even though she’d much rather have been alone. “What do you want to talk about?”
“I thought I’d tell you about my boyfriend. He died last Thanksgiving.”
“That’s too bad. I’m sorry.” Jill was careful not to react. What Connie had just said directly contradicted the story she’d told about being gay.
; “It was awful.” Connie sighed deeply. “I loved him. He was a wonderful man.”
Jill nodded. “I’m sure he was, if you loved him. Tell me about him, Connie.”
“He was handsome, and intelligent, and we were going to be married. The only problem was his parents.”
Jill nodded again. She was learning a new side of Connie, and that might be helpful. “His parents didn’t want him to marry?”
“It wasn’t that. They wanted him to marry, but they didn’t want him to marry me. They’re very rich, and they’ve got social connections. They didn’t think I was suitable.”
“That’s terrible!” Jill pretended to be very sympathetic. “You’re such a nice person. I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t welcome you into their family.”
Connie sighed. “Thank you. Part of it was, they didn’t give me a chance. They wouldn’t even agree to meet me!”
“They sound like awful people.” Jill managed to look outraged for Connie. “You said they were rich?”
Connie gave a bitter little laugh. “Richer than God! That’s what Alan used to say. They’ve got a big fancy estate, with a whole houseful of servants to wait on them hand and foot.”
“Sometimes I wonder how people can possibly make that much money!” Jill was doing her best to keep Connie talking. She wanted all the information she could get. Connie might let something slip and give her a clue as to why she was holding Jill prisoner.
“They didn’t make their money, they inherited it. Alan told me all about it. His grandfather was some kind of stock market genius. When the market crashed, he was the only one who made money instead of losing it.”
“So Alan’s parents don’t have to work?” Jill looked surprised.
“Of course not. His father owns a huge corporation, but all he does is sit in his office and watch the money come in.”
Connie appeared very upset, and Jill led the conversation down another path. “How about Alan’s mother? What does she do?”
“Charity things!” Connie fairly spit out the words. “You know how it is, Jill. People like Alan’s mother don’t do anything. They don’t even raise their own children. They hire a nanny to do it for them.”
Jill nodded. “I’ve heard of people like that, but I’ve never actually met them. Maybe it’s a good thing. Alan’s parents sound like horrible people.”
“They are.” Connie stood up and headed for the door. “Just talking about them makes me so upset I’m going to take a couple of aspirin. You said it all, Jill. The Stanfords are truly horrible people!”
Jill’s mouth dropped open in surprise, and she was glad Connie wasn’t there to see her reaction. There had been a chart on the nurses’ desk the night Neil had gone in for his transplant. Jill had noticed the name on it—Alan Stanford. She’d wondered if that was the name of the donor, but when the doctor had told her that it was strictly confidential, she hadn’t asked.
Jill’s mind raced through the possibilities. If Alan Stanford had been the donor, Connie could be the serial killer. She could be sitting here calmly discussing life and love with her husband’s killer!
* * *
“Are you sure, Doc?” Doug stared at the police psychiatrist in shock. When he’d described his crazy theory about how Connie Wilson had lost her baby and had then attempted to get pregnant by the men who’d received part of her boyfriend’s body, Dr. Emmerson had said that Doug was probably right.
“It’s a reasonable theory.” Emmerson nodded. “Why are you so surprised?”
“Because the last part doesn’t fit in. She’s kidnapped Jill Bradley, the wife of the last victim, and I think she’s holding her hostage until Bradley’s baby is born.”
Dr. Emmerson raised his eyebrows. “It could fit in with your theory. When did Mrs. Bradley conceive?”
“She’s due in three weeks.” Doug did the math quickly. “It had to be sometime in December.”
“And when was her husband’s transplant?”
“The day after Thanksgiving. But . . .” Doug stopped in mid sentence as the awful realization sank in. “Oh, my God, Doc! Jill got pregnant after her husband’s transplant. And now Connie wants her baby!”
Dr. Emmerson nodded. “It fits with your original theory.”
“Doc?” Doug’s face was pale as he asked his final question. “What do you think she’ll do to Jill, after the baby is born?”
Emmerson winced and glanced down at the table. When he looked up again, he couldn’t quite meet Doug’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Doug. Your serial killer has a single purpose that drives her. She wants a baby fathered by one of the transplant recipients. Once that baby is born, there’s no reason to think she’ll leave the natural mother alive.”
* * *
When afternoon had rolled around, Jill had told Connie that she was sleepy. Connie had tucked her in bed for a nap and then had gone back downstairs. But the moment Jill had heard the lock click, she’d tiptoed to the closet, climbed up on a suitcase, and taken her mini cassette recorder out of her briefcase.
Now she was sitting on the edge of the bed, making a recording of everything Connie had told her. When she was finished, she planned to hide it under the floorboard she’d loosened at the back of the closet. If something happened to her, Doug would search the room thoroughly. He’d find the tape, and then he’d know everything that Connie had told her.
“The things she told me reminded me of something. Check with Dave Kramer at my office. He had a case, right after Thanksgiving, a woman who broke into a morgue to see her dead boyfriend’s body. I can’t remember all the details, but I remember that the boyfriend’s parents locked her out of the place where they’d lived and she went a little crazy. Her lawyer pleaded extenuating circumstances, and we didn’t prosecute. I’m not sure it was Connie, but part of it seems to fit.”
Jill shivered slightly. There was something else Dave had said, something very important. She wished she could remember, but she couldn’t seem to think straight.
“She seems to want to confide in me, and I’m sure I can get more information. I’m going to encourage her to drink and see what happens. When we got here, the rental agent had left a basket of fruit and a case of white wine. The doctor told me I could have a glass of wine with dinner, and I’m going to tell her that. I’ll have more to tell you tonight, I’m almost sure of it. She seems to want to unburden herself, and I’m the only one here to listen.”
Jill pushed the stop button, then tiptoed to the closet to hide the recorder. When she was back in bed again, she took a deep breath and let it out in a shuddering sigh.
“Find me, Doug.” The whisper was like a prayer. “I’m scared, and I don’t know how much longer I can keep up this charade. I’ll escape to the woods if I can, but right now she’s watching me too closely. Please, Doug . . . hurry!”
CHAPTER 38
“But I thought alcohol was bad for the baby.” Connie frowned at Jill.
“It is, but only in excess.” Jill kept her expression perfectly neutral. “Remember those sedatives the doctor gave me when I was having trouble sleeping?”
“Of course.” Connie nodded. “He told me they were perfectly safe.”
“They are, and so is one glass of wine. I’d certainly rather have wine than a pill . . . wouldn’t you?”
Connie considered for a moment, and then she nodded again. “You’re right, Jill. We’re having chicken breasts stuffed with mushrooms tonight, and a glass of white wine would be nice. But I didn’t think you could drink, so I didn’t bother to bring any.”
“Didn’t you say the rental agent left us a case of white wine?”
“That’s right!” Connie smiled. “I’ll put a bottle in the refrigerator, and we’ll have a glass for dinner.”
Jill laughed. “Go ahead. Put in two bottles. I’m restricted to one glass, but you can have all you want. You’ve been working so hard, and this is supposed to be your vacation, too.”
“Well . . . all right.” Connie headed for the kitchen, but
she stopped at the doorway and turned around. “No more than one glass, Jill. We have to think of our baby.”
“That’s right.” Jill smiled, but after Connie had left her expression became anxious. Connie had said our baby, not the baby or your baby. Perhaps she’d used the same phrase before, Jill didn’t remember, but this time it sounded very ominous.
* * *
“Thank you for your help, Sheriff.” Doug was frowning as he got back into his car. He’d checked ten of the lakes that matched Jill’s description, but none of them had a rental cabin with a river-rock wall near the driveway.
As he put the car in gear and started for the next location on his list, Doug felt helplessness wash over him in waves. He knew Jill was out there somewhere, but he was getting nowhere.
He had plenty of help. That wasn’t the problem. Five two-man teams were scouring the area he’d drawn on the map. But driving around the lakes in the area was tedious and difficult to do at night. Although Doug had a handheld spotlight, it was difficult to see.
There had to be an easier way. He pulled off the road and parked in front of a rustic café. Coffee might help him to think, and he needed food. He’d talk to a couple of the locals and see if they had any ideas. He’d never been in the northern part of Minnesota before. They knew the area.
The waitress, a thin woman who must have been pretty when she was younger, was friendly when she brought his coffee. And when she found out that he came from Minneapolis, she told him all about the trip her daughter’s class had taken to the Minnesota Zoo.
“So what are you doing up here?” She stood poised with her order pad.
“It’s police business. I’m looking for two women who rented a cabin at one of the lakes.”
“Which lake?” The waitress looked interested.
“I don’t know. All I have is a description. It’s small, and it has an island in the center with a single tree. The cabin has a river-rock wall by the driveway, and there’s a big cabin, directly across the lake from theirs, with a huge green lawn and a flagpole.”
