Baby Bunco

by Cosgrove, Julie B;

“And her baby?”

  “Ra’naa hand to me. I leave in vacant home.”

  Robbins slammed his hand down onto the wooden tabletop. Both maids jumped.

  He peered into Olga’s face. “Then who switched the babies on the way to the hospital, and where is Nanu’s child now?”

  Mita’s eyes grew wide. She turned to Olga and grabbed her arm. “He knows.”

  “Some of it. I need to know all. And you will tell me, or you will no longer have our protection, got it?”

  Olga moaned. “OK. I tell truth. We had to do it...to hide Nanu from bad men.” She crossed herself and kissed her fingers. “God forgive us all. We had to.”

  THIRTY-FIVE

  “So now you’re telling me Nanu is alive?” Robbins continued the interrogation.

  Olga whimpered, her hands shaking. “Nanu deliver. But another girl also in ambulance. From next village in Nepal. She run when she come to states, but after a few months they find her again. She now pregnant so they had to wait to take kidney. Kept her locked up until baby come. It choke with chord and won’t come out.”

  “So they killed her?”

  “No, they decide to take her to hospital, but she in too much pain too long. They cut to take baby.” She pointed to her abdomen. “She no stop bleeding and die. So they remove kidneys and liver, too. Baby is alive.”

  “They planned to dump her body, then?”

  Olga gulped. “They were going to, yes. And her baby. Had her in ambulance when get call about Nanu. Then Raj gets idea. He wants me to say dead girl is Nanu so nobody look for her.”

  “Why would someone look for her?”

  The two girls eyed each other. Mita spoke. “Because Raj wanted out of kidney business, and he know too much. They learn he love Nanu. Afraid they use her to get to him.”

  “So they planned to leave together and hope nobody found out the other girl was not her.” Robbins tapped his temple as he looked at the female guard. “Raj has some smarts.”

  She huffed and crossed her arms.

  Robbins turned to the two girls. “And what happened to the two babies?”

  “Ra’naa to take care of them. Leave them to die. They are girls.” Mita shrugged. “Girls not wanted in India like boys.”

  Olga spoke up. “But she can’t abandon Nanu’s so she gives her to me. I don’t know about other baby then. She tell me later there were two.”

  The agent leaned back. “So why switch them the next day?”

  “Nanu change her mind. Persuade Raj to keep baby. So they plan to switch. Dead one for Nanu’s still alive.”

  “The other one died?”

  “No, Ra’naa leave it in a box in the fields to die. Ra’naa finds other baby still alive by God’s grace after all night in open.” She crossed her chest. “She tell Raj. He says it is luck because of mole on baby’s face. He waits for call when Nanu’s is found in house I clean. They make switch in ambulance. Then he takes right baby to Nanu and they run away.”

  “OK. Thanks for telling me the truth this time.” Robbins stared into her eyes. He pointed to the sketches. “What are their names?”

  Olga shook her head and sniffled. “Don’t know. Men who work with Raj. He only drive. Company let him take ambulance to collect legal organs from planes. These people who want kidney—how you Americans say?—hitch rides. Yes? He drop them off at private clinic on way to hospitals.”

  “Do you know where?”

  “No. I speak truth. Ra’naa or Raj never say.”

  “How about you, Mita? Anything you want to add?”

  She cast her gaze to the table and shrugged. “No. I know no more than Olga tell.”

  Robbins stopped the machine. He rose and dialed the detectives. “Yeah, the illegal transplant facility might be between Bergstrom Airport and Austin. Check any small hospitals that closed down, or nursing homes, or even motels. Anything that can be converted into a surgical center.”

  “No. Not Berg...what you say. One in Georgetown. Private planes use it. This much I overhear.”

  Robbins held up the OK sign. “Scratch that. Between Georgetown Municipal and Austin. Yeah. And check near the one outside of Pflugerville as well.”

  He returned and seated himself again. “So do either of you want to tell me where Nanu, Ra’naa, or Raj are?”

  “Ra’naa get scared and run.”

  “What about Nanu and Raj?”

  Both girls pressed their lips together.

  Robbin steadied his voice. “Mita, you told us Nanu was dead.”

  She hung her head. “So she and Raj can escape. Find happiness.”

  “So, where are they now?”

  Olga spoke up. “Raj save money from helping with kidneys. They take private plane to islands. Not sure which one.”

  Robbins rubbed his temple. “Wonderful. And Ra’naa? Do either of you know where she is?”

  They both whispered, “No.”

  He opened another envelope. “Ladies. I hate to show you this. It is ugly. But a rancher found this woman floating in his pond. Do you know her?”

  Mita gasped.

  Olga stared. She grabbed Mita’s hand. “You know her, yes?”

  Mita nodded as tears dropped from her chiseled cheeks. “Yes. That Chameli. But why she wear Maid to Order shirt, I do not know.”

  ~*~

  Blake glared at Janie. “Calm down. I promise he’ll call, and you’ll be the second to know.”

  She stopped pacing. “Humph. Thanks, I guess.” She craned her neck to view his laptop monitor. “So you are checking for places a private hospital could be housed? How about that old mansion near Hutto? Wasn’t it a homestead for a ranch? I think it turned into a Bed and Breakfast or at least rented out for weddings.”

  He froze his hands over the keyboard. “You’re talking about the old Hendel place? Didn’t it burn down?”

  “Burn, yes. Down? I don’t recall it being demolished. It sat vacant for a while. Seems I heard something about it being renovated into a posh rehabilitation facility. At the time, I thought drugs or depression for the elite. But perhaps...”

  “Good thinking, Janie.” He rose from his desk and opened his office door wider. “Jenkins. You and Edwards head over to the old Hendel Mansion and check it out. Stealthily.”

  “You mean stake it out?”

  “Exactly.”

  Janie raised a finger. “Uh, hm. I have a better idea. Why don’t we tour it? I inherited my mother’s fur stole, which I keep in the cedar chest. I’ll toss on some paste diamonds from my diva costume last Halloween.”

  “I don’t even want to envision that.” Blake shuddered.

  She slapped at the air near his arm. “You don’t think I’d look good in a slinky Roaring Twenties outfit dazzled with sequins and fringe?”

  He stuttered for an answer.

  She laughed. “Just kidding. I actually wore an old floor-length sapphire ballroom gown. I bought it when Jack was honored at a gala given by the mayor. Still fit, well mostly.”

  “I recall that dress and the evening. Mel and I were still dating. But I think it might be a bit much for daytime, don’t you think?”

  “Yes, too gauche. I’ll pick a more conservative tweed and just drape a few diamonds around my neck. Meet you back at my place in an hour?”

  “What role are we playing?”

  “I am your widowed mother who is hooked on pain killers. It destroyed her kidneys, and she’s too old to be on the waiting list. We’re looking for a quiet, out-of-society’s-gaze facility that will be discreet. Money is no object.”

  “What name are we dropping in order to raise an eyebrow?”

  “Ellison? They own a number of retail stores and car dealerships throughout the state.”

  Hemphill leaned against the doorway enjoying the banter. “Are we going with it, sir?”

  Blake tapped his fingers to his chin. “I suppose if I’m wired and we have back-up in the area, it might work.” He turned to him. “Jenkins, get me some scoop on the Ellisons. We need
names, family history, and a couple of society page tidbits so we can pull this off with some sense of credibility.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “We could rent a limo. Jenkins could play chauffeur.”

  “Don’t push it, Janie. However, I’ll call Bob Lancer and see if he’ll loan us a late model Mercedes for one or two hours. He owes me a favor since I solved a case regarding stolen auto parts without it leaking to the press.”

  ~*~

  An hour and a half later, Blake arrived in his best black suit. Janie’s heart tugged as she recalled it being the one he bought for Jack’s funeral. The geometric patterned tie in shades of gray and the light pewter shirt revealed a smidgen of class. His onyx-eyed longhorn tie tack added the right touch.

  “Let me guess. Melody helped.”

  “What? You think I can’t dress myself?”

  She scoffed and handed him the fur to wrap around her shoulders.

  “OK. You are Lacy Ann Ellison. A distant cousin from their ranch outside of Abilene. I’m Jimmy Jay, your nephew. Your son died in action in the Shock and Awe under Bush, Sr. Your husband, Baxter, the Third, known as Trey, met his demise in a private jet crash in Honduras.”

  “Got it, Jimmy Jay. Let’s go.” She pushed past him as he held open the front door. She halted on the stoop as the sun streaked through the trees onto the brush bronze colored luxury vehicle. It shone like a polished penny. Janie whistled.

  Blake bent to her ear. “Leather seats still smell new, too.”

  He extended his elbow to escort her to the curb like a queen to her carriage. She swung her legs in. “This will be fun.”

  He sat on his heels to be eye level. “Janie, this is serious stuff. I’m having second thoughts.”

  “Pfft. We can pull it off. I starred in little theater when I met Jack, you know. And I have dabbled in the arts a bit since then. You follow my lead.”

  He gave her a quick grin and closed the door. As he walked around the back of the vehicle, he muttered, “Why did I let her talk me into this? My head will be on a platter for sure if it goes south.”

  THIRTY-SIX

  Blake waited as Janie applied another coat of lipstick. Then he spoke. “Robbins called.”

  She snapped her compact closed. “And?”

  “Mia and Olga sang like canaries. We had it backward, though. They didn’t just switch babies, they switched girls.”

  “So the one behind the Get ’em and Go wasn’t Nanu?”

  Nope. Another kidney donor from a nearby village. Yes, she’d gotten pregnant as well.”

  “But the DNA tests...?”

  “Lab error. Robbins got the new report yesterday.” Blake stopped at a red light and angled his torso toward Janie. “Raj drove the ambulances to collect legitimately donated organs from the private airports to take to the hospitals. To make money on the side, he arranged to cart the girls who were flown in to donate kidneys for those tired of being low on the waiting lists. Then one day, his childhood sweetheart got off the plane.” He proceeded to tell her the star-crossed lovers’ tale of Nanu and Raj.

  “Kinda gets ya right here doesn’t it?” She thumped her heart. “Light’s green.”

  He made a left turn. “Yeah. Except what they did is highly illegal. Robbins’ guess is they’re on some Caribbean island or in a Central American territory with no US jurisdiction.” He glanced back at her. “And get this. The women confirmed Chameli’s as the body in the pond.”

  “The one who remained in prostitution. Poor girl. Guess we’ll never know why.”

  “Nope.” Blake tapped the steering wheel. “Or why she had on a Maid to Order shirt.”

  “Or why Mrs. Arnold identified her as Ra’naa?”

  “That I do know because I had Hemphill ask her. She admitted all she saw was the dark hair and uniform. She became too queasy to examine the remains of the face.”

  “And she didn’t know why the girl wore it?”

  “Nope.” Blake shrugged as his hands clutched the wheel. “Perhaps Ra’naa gave it to her as a disguise. Who knows.”

  “It makes sense that she would.”

  “Why?”

  “To make us believe it was Nanu if we figured out the dead girl at the Get ’em and Go wasn’t. Maybe Olga told her of our suspicions. I did push a bit, you know.”

  He gave his mother-in-law a cock-eyed expression. “Sometimes your mind is a scary place.”

  “You have a better explanation of how one of the cleaning services shirts ended up on her?”

  “No. Unless she was to be the new maid to replace Ra’naa, but when she changed her mind they killed her because she knew too much. Then they pressured little mousy Mita to go to work instead.”

  Janie screwed her mouth to one side. “And you say my mind is scary?”

  He smirked then looked both directions before turning. “And as for Ra’naa, who knows where she is by now? My guess is she’ll float to the surface somewhere like Chameli.”

  “Or perhaps she left the country to recruit more young girls.”

  “Unless she’s also basking in the Caribbean. She and Nanu were best friends.”

  Janie twisted her torso to better face him. “You think she’s one of the masterminds as I surmised?”

  Blake edged onto the highway. “So it appears.”

  “And Mrs. Arnold? I believe they duped her, or at least the hiring agency did.”

  Blake agreed. “Both could be legitimately innocent of the whole scheme. We plan to watch them closely over the next six months, just in case.”

  Janie wiggled back and gazed out the windshield. “Well, at least it means the Raymonds get to keep Aisha.”

  “Until she’s adopted.”

  A grin slid across Janie’s face. “The way Amber clutched her and cried, I bet they end up claiming her.”

  His cell phone rang. Blake clicked on his Bluetooth device. “Yeah? You’re kidding? Sure, OK. Keep me posted.” He ended the call and shot a momentary look to Janie. He chuckled. “I can see the question in your eyes. You’re wondering what that was about.”

  “So?”

  “Plane just landed at the executive airport outside of Pflugerville. It carried three ladies fresh from Nepal and two people hoping to get their kidneys. A Rockside ambulance sat waiting, engine humming. The two men inside matched the description of the ones identified by Mildred and Louise.”

  “So they’re continuing without Raj at the helm.”

  He snickered as they entered the tree-lined, half-mile driveway leading to the Hendel Mansion. “Not anymore.”

  Janie stared straight ahead, her chin up. “We’ll see if the hornet’s nest has been kicked here or not.”

  “That will be interesting, won’t it?”

  He pulled up to the front. A valet opened the car door for Janie and held a hand to help her out. “Good day. I’m Jeremy. May I assist you?”

  “Thank you, dear man.” She made sure to appear a bit wobbly.

  “Do you need a wheelchair, ma’am?”

  She straightened. “I do not.”

  Blake came around the backside. “Now, Auntie Lacy. You have had an exhausting day already. Let this kind gentleman pamper you.” He winked at the attendant, who took the cue and spoke into a microphone at his lapel, asking for assistance as he held Janie’s elbow to steady her.

  A young woman dressed in white scrubs arrived with a shiny, state-of-the art wheelchair complete with a brushed leather-cushioned seat. She and the valet eased Janie into it. “Welcome to the Hendel Resort and Rehabilitative Spa. How can we be of service?”

  Blake picked up the pace and walked alongside. He laid on a thick West Texas drawl. “I’m Jimmy Jay Ellison and this is my aunt, Lacy. We’re here to tour your facilities. She needs a quiet and discreet place to receive care. Y’all came highly recommended.”

  The woman bent toward Janie’s ear. “Do you have an appointment?”

  Janie jumped into her crotchety old rich widow role. “An Ellison never needs an appointm
ent, young lady.”

  The young nurse dipped her knee. “Yes, ma’am. I apologize. Let me have Edmond wheel you by the large window in the front parlor while I get Mrs. Kingston, our admitting director. Would you care for iced water, coffee, or tea?”

  “Sweet tea, iced.” She grabbed the girl’s arm. “But only if it is freshly brewed with Texas spring water.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” She gave Janie a sugared smile and then rose to peer into Blake’s face. “And for you, sir?”

  “Coffee. Black. Kenyan if possible.”

  She gave them a semi-bow and left the room, her nursing shoes softly squeaking on the polished marble floors.

  The valet excused himself.

  Janie twisted around in her seat to take in the decor. Victorian with a smattering of classical French country. Potted palm fronds swayed on either side of the window draped in a toile pattern. Tufted settees and winged back chairs were strategically placed in order to facilitate small conversational groupings. Countryside paintings, depicting women with parasols and men in top hats riding in carriages, hung over the cream on white striped walls. A gilded clock ticked quietly on the mantel of a fireplace with a brass grill and an onyx marble surround. Overhead, a sparkling cascade of teardrops from the chandelier caught the afternoon sun’s rays and splashed minute rainbows dancing on the walls.

  High-heeled clicks sounded across the floors then muffled as they hit the oriental rugs. A lanky woman in her mid-forties entered wearing a navy suit and pencil skirt, which rode a quarter inch above her knees. She extended a bangle-bracelet laden wrist. “How’ja do. I’m Mrs. Isabella Kingston, proprietor. How may I assist you today?”

  Janie gave her a limp wave. Blake stepped forward to take her hand. “My auntie, Lacy Ellison, heard of your facility, and we wish to learn more about your, um, services.”

  Mrs. Kingston clasped her hands. “And what would those entail?”

  Janie tugged his jacket. “Tell the woman I won’t be stuck with any more needles. I’m sick and tired of dialysis shackling me to a lounge chair several hours a day, even if it is in my own home.”

  Blake bent toward her. “Yes, Auntie. We’ll discuss all of that, I’m sure.”

  “Cleanliness. That’s of the utmost importance. I want to see the surgical wing, the recovery area, and the private rooms. You do offer those, correct?”