by Debra Lee
“You lied. Louise was here. Where—”
The sound of police sirens cut her off. And in the split second she glanced away from Ellie, Ellie pushed the door shut and turned over the lock.
Officer Brown was a few steps ahead of Daniels on the stairs. By the time they reached the landing they found Mary pounding on Ellie Webber’s apartment door with Reilly coming up behind her.
Mary stopped beating on the door long enough to shout, “The police are here now, Ellie. Open the door.”
Reilly gave the chief a quick run down on what was going on. By the time he finished Kelly Rogers had joined them.
“Please, Miss Murray, let us handle this,” Daniels said once Reilly had finished and he stepped up alongside Mary.
Mary didn’t budge from the spot.
“If you want your daughter back, let us do our job,” Kelly ordered without the merciful tone Daniels had used when he came around on Mary’s other side and shoved in between her and the door.
The touch of Reilly’s arm sliding over her shoulder an guiding her out of the way made Mary get completely out of their way.
But she refused to go back inside her apartment with Reilly before she saw Ellie open her door so the men could enter.
Chapter Twenty Eight
Daniels wasn’t making any headway with the Webber woman as far as Kelly could see from where he stood in the one corner of the living room. Officer Brown stood a few feet to his left, watching, listening and learning while his boss issued a line of questions at the frightened woman who sat on the edge of a sofa cushion across from where Daniels sat on the edge of an overstuffed arm chair.
“Like I said, Mrs. Webber you don’t have to answer without your attorney present.”
“For Christ sake Al, tell her like it really is,” Kelly broke in with and came out of his corner into the open. “If you aren’t gonna cooperate we’ll haul you into the station. We could put you behind bars till your mouth piece gets there.”
Daniels saw the woman’s fingers twist tighter together in her lap. Panic grew to an alarming state in her eyes. She was on the brink of breaking, but Kelly was out of line. And it was his duty to stop him before he went too far. “That’s enough, Kelly.”
“I did lie to Mary and Reilly about where I was spending Saturday night.”
Kelly and Daniels exchanged glances. Officer Brown stared at the woman who was finally going to cooperate, confess to taking the Murray baby.
“Go ahead, Mrs. Webber,” Daniels encouraged gently.
“I drove to Philadelphia to meet with a young woman. She’ll tell you that I was with her until early Sunday.”
“Are you saying you had nothing to do with the Murray baby’s disappearance?”
Ellie’s eyes were focused on the threadbare carpet until now when she took a quick peek at the man sitting across from her. “I wish I could tell you I had. But no, I have no idea who took that sweet little thing.”
Try as she might, Ellie couldn’t hold back the tears that began trickling from the inside corners of her eyes.
“Could you tell us what this trip to Philly was all about, Mrs. Webber?” Kelly asked as he pulled his hanky from his overcoat pocket and handed it to her.
His question brought more tears. But these were not tears of sadness. Yet, Ellie was reluctant to share what she believed was good news or could be if her daughter and son-in-law agreed.
In the apartment across the hall, Carol had joined Mary and Reilly as they waited on pins and needles for the outcome of the interrogation going on with Ellie.
“Why would she do this?” Mary had wondered out loud for the umpteenth time.
“Anybody’s guess,” was Carol’s response this last time.
“We don’t know that Ellie took Jena,” Reilly again reminded for the umpteenth time. “But if she did, I believe Jena is fine. Ellie would never hurt her.”
Mary took up pacing again, back and forth in front of Reilly on the couch. Carol remained rooted at the window, looking out at the threatening sky and wishing it would rain or snow. Either one, just so it would wash away this mess so things could get back to normal.
***
“My daughter miscarried for the last time,” Ellie explained. “The doctor said it would be suicide to attempt another pregnancy.”
“So that’s when you decided to go see this woman in Philly who used to live around here?” Kelly repeated what Ellie had said a few minutes ago.
“That’s right. Brenda wrote me a while back to ask if I thought she was doing the right thing.”
“Puttin’ her baby up for adoption when it was born?” This time it was Daniels who had interrupted Ellie.
“Yes. I hadn’t heard from Brenda in several years. Then when her letter came, right before my daughter lost her baby. Well it was as if it was the Lord’s plan for me to help Brenda and my daughter.”
“By suggestin’ this Brenda give her baby to her old friend from school, your daughter,” Kelly said.
Ellie went on to tell the persistent detective her daughter and son-in-law would go through the proper legal channels to make the adoption legitimate, provided they were willing to raise someone else’s child once she explained things to them. But Ellie had no doubts her daughter would welcome Brenda’s baby with open arms.
Chapter Twenty Nine
Betty Thomas paced the halls of the hospital until the little bundle in her arms fell asleep. She finally went into the small waiting room and sat on one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs.
It was over an hour since Jim was rushed by ambulance to the hospital. Betty grateful she was permitted to be by her husband’s side on the trip. At least close by. The paramedics were squeezed in between her and Jim. They were trying to keep Jim’s heart pumping and had to revive him the one time it stopped.
Betty looked down at the baby asleep in her arms. The baby girl left on their doorstep three weeks ago. Betty and Jim were close to agreeing on a name for her. Now Betty didn’t know what was to happen, to Jim, herself, or the nameless baby.
At first Jim thought they should take the baby to the authorities and explain about the strange telephone call that brought him and his wife out of a sound sleep. They should tell how they found the baby on their doorstep and who they suspected had left her.
Betty had convinced Jim they should wait a few days. If Teddy was the one who left the baby they might get another phone call that would explain why.
“And if Teddy doesn’t call?” Betty remembered Jim wanting answered.
Then they would check with the authorities to see if any one had reported a baby missing.
“It’s as simple as that.” Betty had wrapped up the conversation with.
No word came from Teddy. With each passing day Jim had grown as much attached to the baby as Betty. To their group of friends this new addition to the family was easily explained. They were caring for the child until their friend from the past sorted through some difficult personal problems. As far as Betty and Jim knew it was true.
Betty’s breath caught when she glanced up and saw the doctor enter the waiting room. His sober expression warned he wasn’t here to bare good news.
“Mrs. Thomas I’m Doctor Pierson.”
Betty swallowed a clump of air and braced herself. “Go ahead. Give it to me straight. And no doctor mumble jumble, please.”
“Your husband had a massive heart attack. I’ve scheduled surgery.”
“Then he’s alive. He didn’t die.”
“He’s still with us. But his condition is critical. It will be a long recovery for him.”
“I understand. You just get him home and I’ll take good care of him.”
“It appears you have your hands full already.” The doctor nodded toward the sleeping baby in Betty’s arms. “Your grandchild?”
Betty stammered. “Ah, yes, sort of.”
“I love babies. But your husband’s going to need lots of rest and quiet when he does come home. You understand?”
Betty understood and knew what she had to do.
***
Mary expected to be too busy to think straight. It was the day before Thanksgiving and there was twice as much work to finish with the office closing down until Monday. Yet she couldn’t keep her mind on her work.
Somehow she had come through these last weeks without losing her sanity. But it had not been easy.
It took her a week after Jena’s abduction to return to work. She returned for the sole purpose of filling the empty hours that stretched before her each morning when she woke from a night of restless sleep.
She put a call into police headquarters within minutes of making her way out of bed each morning.
There was never any promising news. Chief Daniels repeatedly told her the case had not been closed. Kelly Rogers was still investigating Jena’s disappearance on a local level. But Mary knew other cases had come in that demanded the detective’s attention. And soon, Jena’s file would get buried beneath the pile of new cases, just like Michael’s had years before.
The local radio station and newspapers had already moved on to the next news breaking stories.
Mary knew the FBI had added Jena’s name and photograph to their list of missing children. But not even this brought an ounce of comfort to her.
Kyle had offered a ten thousand dollar reward for information leading to the whereabouts of Jena. Mary didn’t know if his generosity was because as Jena’s father he would offer the moon for her safe return if he could or if the offer made him look the part of the caring politician.
If it helped get Jena back Mary didn’t care about Kyle’s motive.
***
Nelson had already left for the day and Kathy was tidying up her desk preparing to leave too. Both were anxious to start the holiday early with their families.
Mary continued to work. She had no one to rush home to. Carol was stopping by later. But that was nothing new. She’d been spending her day’s job hunting and her evenings with Mary. At least until Reilly showed up. Then Carol would suddenly remember she had a date or something to do at home.
If it wasn’t Carol or Reilly popping in on her, it was Ellie. Mary had long since apologized to the woman for the way she behaved when she thought Ellie was the one who took Jena. Ellie had assured all was forgiven.
Kathy poked her head inside Mary’s office and reminded her she was welcome to come for Thanksgiving dinner.
“Thanks, but I think I’ll stay home. Maybe catch up on some reading.”
Kathy gave Mary one of those sympathetic looks before saying, “See you Monday then.”
“Have a nice Thanksgiving.”
Kathy nodded and Mary knew why she didn’t wish her the same. A parent herself Kathy knew Mary’s holiday would not be nice without Jena there to share it with her. And there was no point in wasting time insisting it should be.
Once Kathy was gone Mary attempted to finish typing the contract scheduled for signing first thing Monday, but she couldn’t concentrate on what she was doing.
She thought about what she would do on Thanksgiving. Her nana had asked her to join her in the festivities at the nursing home. Reilly had invited her to come with him to his parents’ house. Mary had yet to come right out with her no thanks. Ellie and Louise invited her to join them. They were eating out. Mary declined immediately. As for Carol, she hadn’t said how she planned to spend the day. She had no family to go home to. Maybe she automatically assumed the two of them would do something. Of course it would have to be at Mary’s apartment since she never went out anymore except to come to work.
Mary had decided to call it a day when the phone rang. It was Reilly.
“How ‘bout I cook tonight?” he offered.
“It’ll have to be for three. Carol’s coming over.” Mary could almost hear his sigh of displeasure. “Maybe we better make it another night, huh?”
“I’ll give you a call later. Or just stop by after I think Carol’s gone.”
Mary’s smile came automatically. It was as if she had something nice to look forward to. In truth she did.
“I’ll see you later then.”
She continued to smile when she hung up.
If it hadn’t been for Reilly, Mary knew she never would’ve made it through these last weeks. The guy’s sense of humor had taken away her tears more times than she could count. She couldn’t forget how optimistic he continued to be insisting Jena would soon be home with her where she belonged.
Chapter Thirty
Reilly thought about making himself something to eat after he hung up from talking to Mary. But he really wasn’t hungry. Besides, it wouldn’t be much fun cooking for one when he had planned on eating with Mary.
How was he going to get through the next hours until he saw her? He could finish the revisions on his novel, watch some television or maybe clean up the place.
He was still deciding when the knock came at his door. He recognized the second one. Reilly had heard that same thump many times over these past weeks. It belonged to Kelly Rogers.
The two of them had been moonlighting together. Not for monetary gain though. For Kelly, discovering what happened to the Murray baby had almost become an obsession. Now Kelly understood why the detective who had worked the murder case of Mary’s little brother delayed retirement in hopes of solving the case. Tragically a heart attack claimed the detective’s life before he solved the case. Michael Murray’s file remained opened, but forgotten until Kelly got his hands on it. But there was nothing there that had convinced him Jena was taken by the same sick person who took Michael.
In all Kelly’s years on the force he hadn’t gone this length of time on a single case with so little to go on. That fact alone was what pushed him harder for an answer, a clue to work with.
Today he found it.
“Damn glad you’re home, Jackson,” was Kelly’s greeting when Reilly opened the door.
He was already inside when Reilly said, “Make yourself at home.”
Kelly shoved aside magazines making room to sit on the couch. Reilly grabbed a chair from the kitchen and situated it in front of him and sat. For the first time he saw Kelly’s mouth was twisted into a sly grin.
“You found somethin’.”
“I think so,” Kelly admitted as he reached into his shirt pocket for a cigarette.
He threw away his supply of cocktail straws over a week ago when another dead end in the case had him so wired he thought he’d come unglued at the seams if he didn’t have a cigarette. He’d have just one to calm his nerves. That one led to another until he was right back up to a pack a day.
“Well are you gonna tell me or wait for me to try and guess?”
“You know how I was checkin’ out that list of people and their alibis?”
Reilly nodded.
“Today was Miss Sanders turn.”
“The Ice Lady.” Reilly slapped his thigh, almost coming out of his chair. “Damn, I should’ve known it was her.”
“Hold on, I didn’t say it was her. But I don’t think she was in the Pocono’s like she said she was the night the baby was taken.”
“So where’d you come up with this?”
“I drove over to that lodge she said she stayed at. There was a Carol Sanders registered all right, even paid with her credit car. But the Carol Sanders we know—”
“Wait a minute. I’m either dense or somethin’ cause I’m not followin’. If the bill was paid with Carol’s credit card and it wasn’t Carol, are you sayin’ someone stole her card and used it?”
Kelly took a long drag on his cigarette. “That was my first thought. But Sanders is the one that told us she stayed there and the card was never reported stolen. Leant out is what I’m guessin’.”
“Okay, but how do you know the woman that registered wasn’t Carol?”
Kelly took another long drag on his cigarette, exhaling smoke as he answered. “Funny thing, when I turned to leave I noticed the security camera above the door. Anyway, I find out they
keep the recordings.”
“And they left you look at them?”
“Once I slid the desk clerk a few bills.”
“What’d you find?”
“That Saturday didn’t show the Carol Sanders we know comin’ in the door. I narrowed it down to the woman who registered as Carol Sanders. A big blonde gal.”
“So you have enough to bring Carol in, right?”
“All I got is a possible way of discrediting her alibi for that night.”
Kelly dropped his cigarette butt in an empty soda can, anticipating Reilly would begin making demands that something be done immediately with the information.
Reilly surprised him by remaining silent. Though Kelly knew his mind wasn’t being quiet. He was right. Reilly was thinking there had to be a way to get Carol to confess she had lied. And why she had. The lie was to protect her if she was the one who took Jena. But Reilly was having trouble believing that.
Carol Sanders was a cold fish to him. Only Reilly was thinking how she cherished Mary’s friendship, probably her only friend in the world. Taking Jena meant risking that friendship. That’s what had Reilly hesitant to accuse her so quickly now. She could’ve lied about her whereabouts for any number of reasons. Just like Ellie had.
“Drivin’ home I was tryin’ to figure out how I’d find this other woman,” Kelly went on to say. “You know, to prove Sanders had lied.”
“So what’d you come up with?”
“Stopped by that family plannin’ office where she used to work. Seems she lied about why she lost her job too.”
“It wasn’t the state budget cuts?”
“For the others let go, but not Sanders. An internal investigation revealed she was payin’ young women to abort their babies. She had the choice to resign or face bribery charges, among several others.”
“I told you she’s a cold bitch.”
“Sort a makes the skin crawl when you think about it. Go have an abortion and I’ll give you my credit card to take a little vacation, is what I’m figurin’.”
