Letting herself into her own apartment, she listened to the gentle snores coming from the sitting room. She couldn’t resist the urge to whip out her cell phone and snap a shot of Nobby stretched out on the couch, mouth wide open. Cinders was perched on his chest, and Dixie rested comfortably between his legs, head on his thigh. For an old man who swore he didn’t like animals, he’d certainly taken up with her two. Making a cup of tea, she quietly paced the small kitchen. She had three days left, and her gut told her if she didn’t find those babies soon, she never would. The underlying tone of Morgan’s message had insinuated the same, at least for the DuPont baby. Alex’s instincts told her that whoever had killed the midwives would kill the babies next. She still had several hours of daylight left. If there was a connection between the families, the group would find it. Alex emptied her cup in the sink and grabbed Nobby’s truck keys off the counter. Time was something she couldn’t afford to waste. Mrs. Wilson was the only one she hadn’t interviewed, and this time, Alex wasn’t taking no for an answer.
~ ~ ~
Alex ignored the odd glances from other motorists as she chugged along in Nobby’s old pickup. She was rather proud of herself for having succeeded in starting the vehicle after a few tries, and she’d even remembered to throw a couple of old tires in the back. She was going to get a right earbashing when she got home, but not for taking his truck. Nobby would be as mad as a bag of ferrets because she had come alone.
She made her way down the street, ignoring the shouts from a group of youths on the corner—probably the same ones who’d stolen the tires the last time.
Alex parked the truck, pulled on the brake, and climbed out. Her butt felt as though she’d been stung by a dozen bees, and according to the setting sun, she might have misjudged her daylight time. Nobby would really kill her if she was stuck there after dark. She glanced at the corner. That is, if someone else didn’t get to her first.
The door opened, and Mr. Wilson stepped out. “Detective Fox?” His gaze also went to the corner. “What are you doing here?”
Alex made her way up the rickety steps. “I have a few questions for your wife.”
He shook his head. “It isn’t safe here for a woman alone after dark. You should have brought your partner or waited until morning.”
“I’m perfectly capable of protecting myself, Mr. Wilson. May I come in?”
He opened the door and allowed her to enter the house. “My wife isn’t here.”
“Where is she?” Alex asked.
“She is with our priest.”
“Then we’ll go there, and I can talk with her, but I am going to talk with her before I leave, Mr. Wilson.”
“Please, sit down.”
Alex sat on the edge of the couch.
“You cannot talk to my wife; she is no longer here.”
“Where is she?”
“I do not know. Our priest does not know. When he took our baby, he took my Sophia, too.”
Alex sat up straighter. “Are you telling me the kidnappers took your wife, and you didn’t report it?”
He lowered his head to his hands and groaned. “I am not explaining very well. My wife, her body is here, but she is no longer here.”
Alex studied him closely. He looked American, but the way he spoke and the words he used were odd. She should have caught that the first time around. “How long have you been in America, Mr. Wilson?”
“Five years. I am an American citizen, Detective Fox, but I was raised in Mexico.”
That explained a few things. The confusion between them seemed to be a matter of semantics. She would need to ask her questions differently. “Where is your wife’s body?”
He stood. “Come, I will take you to her.”
She followed him to the backyard.
“I was getting ready to take her in and put her to bed.”
Only a cold-hearted bitch would not have felt pity, and Alex was anything but that. A priest knelt beside the beautiful young woman seated in a rocking chair. Long black hair surrounded a heart-shaped face as she rocked back and forth, holding a doll clutched tightly in her arms. Her face was a ghostly white, like a China doll’s, but it was the eyes that formed a lump in Alex’s throat, making it hard for her to ask the questions she needed to ask. Mrs. Wilson’s eyes were totally blank as they stared straight ahead. Mr. Wilson was right. Sophia was no longer with them. “How long has she been like this?”
“Since Monday, when Priscilla was taken from us.”
Alex frowned, something niggling at her memory. “Earlier you said he took your baby, Mr. Wilson. Do you know who kidnapped your child?”
“It was, as you say, a slip of the tongue.”
Frustration set in, and the shadows were growing deeper. If she didn’t leave soon, she would be there after dark. “What are the doctors saying?”
“We have no money for doctors, Detective Fox.” He sighed heavily. “Soon, we will have no money for rent or food.”
“What about the church? Surely they could help with money for a doctor?”
“Sophia was not a member. The father is an old friend, and he comes every day to pray for her. It is all he can do.”
Sounds of raucous laughter drifted in from the street.
“You should leave, Detective Fox, before it gets dark. As I said, it is not safe for a woman here alone. Please, let me walk you to your truck.”
Alex allowed him to take her arm and guide her around the house and back to the truck. The gang was closer, and she was glad he was with her. She could protect herself, but not without shooting one of them.
“They know your vehicle now and will be watching for you. You should not come back here alone.”
Alex opened the door to the truck and held her badge up in the air for the group to see. The laughter grew louder and was accompanied by lewd gestures.
“They have no respect for the law, Detective Fox. As you can see, it only makes them bolder.”
“I’ll not be frightened off by a group of skanky idiots, Mr. Wilson.” Alex unhooked her pistol, held it up, and pointed it straight at the one who looked to be the leader. “All I have to do is take him out, and the others will calm down soon enough.”
The laughter stopped immediately as Alex faced the leader, her eyes locked with his. He broke the gaze and nodded for his group to follow him back to the corner. Alex holstered her gun and climbed behind the wheel.
“Would you have shot him?” Mr. Wilson asked.
Alex glanced in the back and noted the two missing tires. She smiled at Ethan Wilson. His heart must have been breaking, and yet he’d still taken the time to walk her to the truck. And she had no doubt he would have fought the group to try to protect her if they had attacked her. “Yes, I would have shot him.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“Hello.” Gabriella shuffled the paperwork in one hand as she held the phone to her ear.
“I’m on my way back,” Tamara said. “Anything I need to know?”
“Alex left shortly after you did. I don’t know where she went.”
“She went to visit the Wilsons. Our guy tailed her there. She should be getting back any minute,” Tamara answered.
“I don’t like all the deception, Tamara. I like Alex. Is everyone on board on this? Maybe we could tell her.”
“Both sides are on board. We can tell her Reefer and I are connected to the FBI so she doesn’t question the fact they’re not interfering with her, but nothing else. Chief’s orders.”
“All right. But I still don’t like it.”
“Me neither, but if she knew the truth, she’d probably toss us all out on our ears and go underground. You know how damn protective she is. We need to help her find these babies fast so we can move on. I’ll see you in a few.”
Gabriella hit the end button and met Reefer’s questioning gaze. “It’s a no.”
“Damn,” Reefer muttered. “I really like her and the old man.”
“Me, too,” Gabriella answered sadly. “I’m go
ing to make some coffee. Tamara is on her way back, and Alex should be here any minute.”
“You think she’s gonna balk on the wiretapping?” Gavin asked. “From what we know, she’s a pretty straight arrow and prefers to do things by the book.”
Gabriella watched the lights swing by the house and head for the garage. “I think she wants to find those three babies. We’ll find out soon enough.”
~ ~ ~
Alex let herself into the apartment and breathed a sigh of relief at the gentle snores still coming from the couch. She would have to tell him, of course, but making it back in one piece should take a little sting out of his bite.
A sound outside caught her attention, and she glanced out the window. Tamara was returning. It was time to kick the party into full gear, and she wanted someone trustworthy by her side. She gently shook Nobby awake. “Hey, partner, time to go to work.”
Like most cops, he came off the couch fully awake, ready for action. “Got any coffee?”
Alex walked to the fridge and pulled out a bottle. “No, but I have some lovely juice for you.”
“Shit.”
Nobby took the juice, walked to the window, and stared out into the darkness. “Morgan’s group found anything yet?”
Alex joined him. “I’m not sure. They kicked me out—well, basically asked me to leave for a while. I don’t think what they’re doing is legal.”
Nobby gulped the juice. “Damn, this is awful. Does it really matter as long as they find those babies?”
“It does when you’re trying to prove the perpetrator guilty. Unless we catch them in the act, nothing we’re getting will be allowed in court. Even if we tried, they’d all go to jail, and we can’t do that.”
“What else did Morgan say?”
“He doesn’t think the DuPonts’ baby is connected to the other two, and he thinks the Martins know where their baby is. He wants video of the Wilsons and the Martins, and he wants me to interview Mrs. Wilson.” Alex ducked her head and moved a few feet away. “I sort of did that while you were sleeping.”
Nobby took a step toward her. “You did what?”
“I know it was a clanger, but this case is a balls-up, Nobby. I had to do something.” She shrugged. “It didn’t really help though. Poor Mrs. Wilson is barmy and…” Alex shrugged. “I don’t think they’re involved in this. Ethan Wilson is a good man.”
Nobby finished the juice and placed the bottle in the sink. “Let’s go see what the geniuses have to say.”
“I’m sorry, Nobby. I should have woken you.”
“Forget it, kid. I would have done the same thing.”
~ ~ ~
Nobby’s clock struck twelve as they let themselves in. Voices carried from the dining room amid the sounds of equipment being moved and pages printing. Gabriella came to meet them with a stack of papers and notes she’d made. “We have most of what Morgan said you needed, but so far, not much luck in finding a link.”
Alex made the introductions to Nobby and took the papers. She glanced at the financials on all three families. Everything seemed in order. No large withdrawals or deposits had been made. With the exception of DuPont, she’d suspected the financials were a long shot. “Any luck on the midwife or her company?”
Gabriella shook her head. “It’s a corporation set up by a corporation, which was set up by another corporation. We’re still chasing down the original incorporator.”
Alex felt her shoulders slump. They had nothing.
“Chin up, girl. We’re not totally done yet, and we now have surveillance.” Gabriella placed an arm around her shoulders.
“Surveillance?”
“Bloody hell, we got a call,” Reefer yelled from the dining room.
Alex and Nobby exchanged a look as they followed Gabriella into the dining room, where she pulled out a chair and motioned for Alex to sit. “You’ve talked to most of these people. See if you recognize the voice.”
“Hello.”
The voice was barely a whisper, and Alex leaned in close to the speaker.
“What the hell happened? He was supposed to put up the reward as soon as he left the office. My guy is standing by to make the call.”
“The FBI advised him not to do it, and Emma agreed. Said it would be a death warrant for the child. He told them if they didn’t have news by tomorrow, he was going to do it anyway.” The voice contained a whine that grated on Alex’s nerves, a far cry from the self-assured, pompous bitch she’d met earlier.
Gabriella handed her a pad and pen. “Do you know them?”
Alex nodded and wrote down Sabrina Newcomb’s name. “She said she was Mrs. DuPont’s sister.”
Gabriella took the note and handed it to Reefer. “Get on it.”
“I warned him not to become a problem. The FBI will hang around now until the call comes in and the transfer is made. If you’d done your job, Emma wouldn’t have been able to say anything. Take care of it.” The second voice was cold. “Or I’ll take care of you. Or better yet, I’ll just tell those goons looking for you where to find you.”
The call ended, and Gabriella looked at Alex expectantly. “The second woman?”
Alex shook her head. “I think I’ve heard the voice, but I can’t place it.”
Nobby laid a hand on her shoulder. “I can. Carissa Anders, DuPont’s administrative assistant.”
~ ~ ~
“Ain’t much to look at, but they sure know their stuff.” Nobby said, pointing at the four people fast asleep in his living room. “You sent everything to Morgan?”
“Yeah.” Alex ran a hand through her hair. She was tired physically and mentally. “I’m scared, Nobby.”
“Patterson ain’t gonna fire you. He ain’t got the balls.”
Alex walked back to the kitchen and placed the kettle on the stove. “That’s not what I’m scared of. I really don’t give a damn about Patterson anymore. From the gist of that conversation we just listened to, they’re going to kill Mrs. DuPont as well as the baby unless we stop them. I’ve got everything I need, but it’s all illegal. I can’t go with it without putting those four behind bars, and since I condoned it, I’d be joining them there. A good defense lawyer would get it all thrown out. I need to find a way to catch them in the act, and I need to find it quick.”
Nobby pulled down two cups and a box of tea. “You’re the smartest detective I’ve ever met. Drink your tea and think on it.”
Alex poured water in the cups and added tea bags. “I could use DuPont. I’m pretty sure anything I tell him will be relayed directly to his assistant and Sabrina. I know enough truth to come up with a line he should believe.”
“You’d have to have eyes on both of them, and what if they did it by phone call?”
Alex added honey to her tea, stirred, and took a sip. “I’ll ask Gabriella if they can trace calls and if so, how quickly they can get a location. I almost think those four could do anything if they put their heads together.”
Tamara chose that moment to walk into the kitchen. “Reefer could have it for you in seconds, but you still need backup.”
Alex sighed. “That’s one thing I’m not going to get, at least not from my precinct.”
Grabbing a donut, Tamara pulled out a seat next to Nobby. “You or them?”
“I’m not exactly anyone’s favorite person there.”
Dark eyes surveyed her before Tamara popped a mini-donut in her mouth and chewed loudly. “You or them?”
Alex felt her anger rise. “What exactly do you mean?”
“You’re rather standoffish and just a little anal about some things. Surely there are officers in that precinct who want to find these babies and aren’t afraid to do what it takes to do it?” She rose, grabbed another donut, and headed back to her sleeping bag in the living room. “Think about it.”
Alex stood and dumped her tea in the sink. “I’m going to bed.”
~ ~ ~
Alex set her alarm for six and fell into bed, glad she was too tired to think. She fel
t like she’d no sooner closed her eyes than it went off. Dawn was just breaking, and the sun was rising as she opened the apartment door and raced down the steps with Dixie at her side. Heat rose in her face as she remembered the conversation with Tamara from the night before. She let out the leash and allowed Dixie to run, thankful for the fast pace that helped her cool down. What does Tamara know anyway? Tamara was just a kid. She had no clue what it was like in the real world.
Dixie slowed, and Alex took a moment to catch her breath. Something in Tamara’s dark eyes told Alex the young woman was a lot older than her years. She didn’t know Tamara’s story, but she was sure there was one. You or them? Is it me?
Dixie took off again, and Alex paced herself. There was Derek Frost and his partner, Jacob Crimshaw. Frost had been her first partner, and she’d mucked it up by thinking everything had to be done by the book. She’d found it hard to make the adjustment from law enforcement in England to law enforcement in America. Frost had been brutal and aggressive with his arrests and clearly didn’t mind breaking the rules. He was an honest cop, though, and not a fan of Patterson. Under different circumstances, they might have been friends. With small children of his own, he would be right at the top of the list of people wanting to find them. Crimshaw was another good officer. If she could pull in those two, with Nobby and the kids, she could make the situation work.
She turned Dixie back toward the house just as her cell phone rang. “Alexandra Fox.”
“Ready to throw in the towel, Fox?”
She recognized Patterson’s voice. “I still have three days, sir. And no, I’m not ready to throw in the towel.”
“I said a week,” Patterson growled across the line.
Alex stopped just short of the mailbox, her eyes scanning the horizon. “Last calendar I looked at, a week was seven days, sir, not five.”
Tragic Deception (Deception Series Book 1) Page 7
