The Daughter's Return

by Unknown

Kit and Julie noticed Maggie and put their arms around her. The three of them clung. It was in this condition Maggie’s cell phone rang. She broke free of the girls to pick it up from the table. When she saw Mr. Markham’s name, she handed it to her father.

  “You talk to him, Dad.”

  He kissed her cheek. “Thanks, honey.”

  Everyone found a place to sit. Jake came to stand by her.

  Their conversation was surprisingly short. He hung up, then glanced at Maggie’s mother. “Mr. Markham doesn’t have a phone number for her.” Everyone moaned, including Maggie. “She promised to give it to him when she bought a cell phone, but he hasn’t heard from her yet. Since he has a lot to tell us, he’s going to drive up from Racine right now.”

  “That’s wonderful. I’m dying to talk to him.”

  “He should be here within a half hour. Why don’t we all go downstairs and have something to eat while we wait for him.”

  “Goody!” Katy cried out in delight.

  Jake’s gaze swerved to Maggie. “My sentiments exactly. I’m hungriest when I’m happy.”

  Maggie filed that choice bit of information for future reference. They followed everyone out the door to the elevator. Jake held her back for the next one.

  “Quick, before someone sees us.” He grasped her shoulders and gave her a long, passion-filled kiss. “That’s for leaving me alone.”

  On a ragged breath she said, “You were sleeping so soundly, I couldn’t bring myself to wake you up.”

  “I’m awake now.”

  When the elevator doors opened again, Maggie swayed on her way inside. Thankfully Jake had his arm around her waist to hold her up, but he didn’t try to kiss her again because there were other hotel guests going down.

  The family had found a corner in the dining room where three tables had been put together. Cord motioned Maggie over to his end. Kit beamed at Jake. “When Kathryn meets you and learns what you did, you’re going to have a friend for life.”

  Jake helped to seat Maggie, then sat down. “I was just thinking that after your unique experience, you and Kathryn will have more in common than anyone else. Both of you were denied your birthrights all these years. Who better for her to relate to than you?”

  Kit nodded. “She’ll love her family on sight, but she’ll still need time to process everything.” Her gaze traveled to Maggie. “I haven’t had a chance until now to thank you for the sheets and the champagne a little elf left at our house.”

  Maggie grinned. “How about that welcome-home sign?”

  “We told Brock we were going to leave it up indefinitely,” Cord interjected. “It makes us feel like we’re on a constant honeymoon.”

  “None of us could tell,” Maggie ribbed him.

  “I thought the stash of Dom Pérignon in the attic might have something to do with that.”

  Cord flashed Jake a smile. “Living in the cottage has its benefits.”

  Katy had been listening to everything. “Did you and Kit see the garden Daddy dug?”

  “We did, darling,” Kit assured her. “It was one of our favorite wedding presents. I can’t wait to start planting. Do you want to come with me to pick out daffodil bulbs?”

  “I want to come, too!” Brock chimed in.

  “You can both help me.”

  As Jake sent Maggie a secret smile, her father got to his feet to greet the man in a light blue business suit who’d come over to the table. They shook hands before he said, “Family, this is Charles Markham.”

  The older man nodded and sat down between Maggie’s mom and dad. He pulled an envelope from his pocket, then cleared his throat.

  “When Anna came to my office last time, she brought two pictures, which I gave to the FBI. These are copies. The first one is Anna’s high school graduation picture. The second one is an old photo of Jan and Marie Skwars Buric with their grandsons Antonin and Franz. The back of it indicates they were ten and twelve at the time. I’ll pass them around.”

  Maggie noticed everyone had stopped eating. This was going to be her parents’ first glimpse of Kathryn.

  “Oh Reed—” her mom cried. “Look! She’s the image of Ben and Maggie at that age.”

  “She’s got Cord’s nose and your beautiful bone structure, Ellen.”

  “Genes don’t lie, do they?” Mr. Markham commented kindly.

  Maggie’s eyes dimmed to watch her parents kiss and embrace each other while they rhapsodized over the tangible evidence of their precious daughter’s likeness.

  Jake’s arm had gone around the back of Maggie’s chair. He squeezed her shoulder as if he knew how impatient she was to see it. In all honesty, she had to admire the family’s restraint while they waited for it to be passed around.

  The picture of the Burics reached her first. Together she and Jake studied it. Franz and Antonin didn’t look that much alike.

  She handed it to Kit who gazed at it for a long time. Cord finally took it from her fingers to study, then he gave it to Ben.

  The family had now seen the faces of both Buric brothers responsible for a twenty-six-year-old nightmare.

  Mr. Markham got up from his chair. “I’ve put in a phone call to FBI agents Polk and Davis, letting them know of this miraculous event. They’ll be in touch with you tomorrow.

  “Never in all my years of practice have I handled a case like this. My heart went out to Anna when she told me her story. She’s a strong, courageous and remarkable young woman. I’ve decided to let her tell it to you. She’ll want to talk.

  “I have to admit I hoped that if she’d been kidnapped, and her birth family was found, they would be her equal. After meeting you, I realize you’re exceptional. She’s going to be the happiest girl in the world.

  “I’ll say good-night, but not goodbye. I’m sure we’ll be talking to each other again soon.”

  While Maggie’s parents walked him out, she buried her face against Jake’s shoulder. Finally it was their turn to look at Kathryn’s picture.

  Maggie gasped at the strong likeness to the family.

  “No wonder everyone at the farm stared at you today,” Jake murmured near her ear. “You could almost be twins.”

  “It’s incredible… Oh Jake—I can’t wait for morning to come.”

  The Daughter’s Return

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “JAKE?”

  The frantic tone in Maggie’s voice alarmed him. She hadn’t said good morning first. He’d been up for an hour waiting to hear from her. In that time he’d had breakfast and had read the paper.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Kathryn withdrew from her classes at the university over a week ago. She gave up her room at the dorm. No one knows where she is!”

  How could this have happened after everything they’d been through? “Where are you now?”

  “In Mom and Dad’s room. I went downstairs early to be with them when they talked to her for the first time. Dad started phoning at eight and learned the awful news.

  “Oh, Jake—my parents are beside themselves. No one Dad talked to in the student housing can recall dealing with her. They suggested he check with the supervisor, but it seems she has the day off to attend a wedding in Ludington. Her cell phone’s turned off. We’ll have to wait until tomorrow to talk to her.”

  Hell.

  “I can’t believe this has happened, Jake. Not now.” Her voice shook. He felt it shake him. “I should never have phoned my parents until I’d actually laid eyes on Kathryn,” she cried out in pain. “You can’t imagine the fragile state they’re in.”

  Actually Jake could, because he knew how he felt.

  “There has to be a good reason she would do such a thing, Maggie. We just have to find out what it is.

  “I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you get your brothers together. We’ll go to the building where she was living and talk to every student. Since she looks like you, surely someone she befriended will remember her and tell us where she went.”

  “I knew you’d come up wi
th something to save the day.”

  He could only hope.

  “Tell you what. I’ll meet you downstairs in the lobby, and we’ll go over to the campus. This may end up being an all-day thing with students coming and going from classes. Have you eaten yet?”

  “Yes. The folks ordered a big breakfast for all of us. It included you when you were ready to come down.”

  “I’ve already eaten, and I’m glad you have, too. Let’s get going.”

  “Jake?”

  “Yes?” He was waiting to hear her say three little words.

  “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. It seems that’s all I ever say to you.”

  He agreed. It was time she said something else. Something he was dying to hear. He’d thought he was getting closer to that supreme moment, but this latest news about Kathryn…

  “When we find her, then I’ll tell you you’re welcome. See you in a minute.”

  Within five, Maggie and her brothers had joined him out in front of the inn. He groaned inwardly to see the difference in their countenances from the night before.

  Their eyes looked haunted, especially Maggie’s because he knew she felt responsible for informing her family prematurely about Kathryn. Jake hugged her while Ben found them a taxi. The way she clung to him was the only good thing about the day so far.

  When they reached the student housing area, Cord told the driver to take them to building B. “Her room was number twenty.”

  It turned out there were four floors of ten rooms each. Ben had brought the picture of Kathryn with them. “Cord and I will canvass the two bottom floors.”

  “Come on, Maggie. We’ll cover the top ones.” Cupping her elbow, they took the elevator to the third floor and started knocking on doors. Some students were still there. One or two remembered seeing Anna, but no one could shed any light on why she’d moved out.

  The fourth floor didn’t produce results, either. No students had seen her leave with her things.

  Maggie’s face looked ashen by the time they met up with her brothers outside the building. If they’d had any good news, they would have called her on their cell phones before now.

  “How many doors did you knock on with no response?”

  “Half of them,” Cord muttered.

  Jake nodded. “That was the same for us. Under the circumstances, why don’t we wait out here in the parking lot and question anyone who drives up.”

  “I was just going to suggest it,” Ben commented.

  Maggie bit her lip. “I’ll phone Josef and Milena. I’ve got their number. Maybe they’ve heard from Kathryn in the last eighteen hours.”

  Jake squeezed the back of her neck gently. “Good idea.”

  While her brothers vetted students they hadn’t talked to before, Jake listened to her conversation with Milena. It ended with tears rolling down Maggie’s cheeks. Damn.

  She shook her head at Jake. “Milena’s in shock. She has absolutely no idea what’s happened to Kathryn, but she’s going to inform everyone on the farm. If anyone has any news, they’ll call us.”

  He wiped the moisture away with his thumb. “Don’t despair, Maggie. We’ll find her.”

  “If I didn’t believe that, I’d want to die.”

  Jake hadn’t been expecting that remark. Even if she didn’t really mean it, it terrified him.

  “I promised Mom and Dad we’d check in.” She got on her cell phone once more. In a few seconds, the tears flowed harder than ever. Cord eyed her grimly before his bleak gaze met Jake’s in silent misery.

  For the next hour they continued to talk to anyone who drove up. Jake kept his arm around Maggie. She’d gone quiet on him.

  Another car pulled into the parking area. He watched Ben and Cord approach the driver. Their conversation was just out of earshot. Suddenly they came running.

  “She doesn’t know why Anna checked out of school. The last time she saw her, Anna had just bought a used car like that student’s Nissan. They chatted about what good cars they were. Then Anna drove off.”

  “Milena never said anything about Kathryn having a car,” Maggie said. “She could be anywhere by now!”

  At this point her brothers looked genuinely alarmed. Cord hugged Maggie to him to comfort her.

  “I’ll call a taxi to take us back to the hotel,” Ben muttered.

  “While you do that, I’ve got a call of my own to make.” Walking a few steps away from them, Jake phoned Agent Lewis in New York.

  “Hey, Jake? What’s up?”

  “You don’t want to know about it.”

  “Uh-oh. How can I help?”

  “We found Anna Buric.”

  “You mean her body?”

  “No, thank God. She’s alive and well. At least she was at last count. Now she’s disappeared on us again. We’ve been told she bought a used Nissan sometime in the last two and a half weeks.

  “Can you get a person in Wisconsin motor vehicles to give you her license plate number and anything else you can find out? She presumably listed her campus dorm at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as her address. If not, she would have put Skwars Farm, Caledonia, Wisconsin.” He spelled it for him.

  “This is a life-and-death situation, Lewis. The McFarland family has waited twenty-six hellish years for this moment. They’re about to fall apart if they don’t lay eyes on their daughter ASAP.”

  “I’ll get right on it and phone you back the second I have the information.”

  “Thanks.”

  By the time Jake clicked off, he could see the taxi headed their way.

  “How’s Kamila?” Maggie asked after he’d climbed in the back seat next to her. Cord sat on her other side and Ben was up front.

  “I didn’t phone her,” he said in a voice for her ears alone. “I’m working on something that should give us answers soon.”

  Maggie gripped his hand with more strength than she knew. As long as she kept reaching for him, that was all he could ask right now.

  When they returned to the McFarlands’ suite and related the latest news, Maggie’s father thanked them profusely for their help. “The only thing we can do now is wait to talk to that supervisor.”

  Jake kept his own counsel. He was counting on Lewis to pull through for him.

  “Maybe she decided she didn’t want to go to school yet and took off on a big trip,” Brock theorized.

  Ben tousled his hair. “I think you may be right, son.”

  His comment triggered a new volley of conversation about it being a real possibility. But Maggie didn’t contribute. She sat on the love seat next to Jake, still clutching his hand tightly.

  Julie ordered lunch for her children and asked if anyone else wanted something. No one did.

  “Maggie?” Jake whispered. “I’m going down the hall for a soda. Do you want one?”

  “No, thank you.”

  “I’ll be right back.”

  She lifted tear-drenched eyes to him. “Hurry.”

  “You won’t even have time to miss me.” He gave her fingers a little squeeze before leaving the room.

  Once outside the door, he phoned Lewis back. The moment the agent answered, Jake blurted, “Can you find out if Anna withdrew a large sum of money from her bank account?”

  “Hang on, Jake. I’ve got another call coming in. This might be what you’re looking for.”

  Perspiration beaded Jake’s face as he waited.

  “Bingo! She was involved in a serious car accident.”

  Dear Lord.

  “There were ambulances on the scene. The other driver was cited for running a red light. Both drivers were taken to local hospitals in the Milwaukee area.”

  “Do you know which one?”

  “No.”

  “I’ll find out. You do great work. The next time I’m in New York, I’m taking you out for a steak dinner.”

  “I’m going to hold you to that.”

  Before Jake told the family anything, he needed to find out the seriousness of Kathryn’s condition
. And before that, he had to discover which hospital she’d been taken to.

  He phoned information and asked for the closest hospital to the university. He’d start there and keep going until he’d found her.

  There were two near the campus. His first call produced no results.

  On his second, he hit the jackpot. “Ms. Buric is in room W356—that’s in the rehabilitation wing.” Rehabilitation? “Shall I put you through?”

  “No. I’d like the three-west nursing station please.”

  “One moment and I’ll connect you.”

  “This is three-west. Clerk speaking.”

  “I’m calling to inquire about the status of Anna Buric’s condition.”

  “Are you a family member?”

  I’m going to be.

  “Yes. This is Josef Buric, her guardian. I just found out she was in a serious auto accident.”

  “She was. Her leg was broken in two places, but she’s coming along fine.”

  A broken leg. What beautiful news.

  “That’s good to hear.”

  “I’m glad you called. She could use some cheering up. Being new to Milwaukee, she’s had no visitors.”

  She was going to have them now.

  “Tell her the family will be coming to see her in the next little while.”

  “I will.”

  He clicked off.

  Anna Buric was in for the surprise of her life.

  The second he knocked on the hotel-room door, Maggie answered it. She noticed his empty hands. “I thought you went to get a soda.”

  “I lied.”

  He saw the sudden recognition in her startled eyes before he looked past her to her family.

  “Listen up, everybody. I’ve located Kathryn. She was in a car accident and is in the Milwaukee West Hospital recovering from a broken leg. I just spoke to the clerk on her floor. She’s in W356.

  “The only way I could get information out of her was to lie and say that I was her guardian Josef Buric calling. The clerk said Anna hadn’t had any visitors. I told her the family would be right over.”

  The room exploded with their joyous cries, but nothing compared to the feel of Maggie’s arms crushing him to death.

  A DARK HEAD POKED around the door of Anna’s room. “Hi! Are you up for some visitors?”