Suitcase Girl (Abby Kane FBI Thriller - SG Trilogy Book 1)

by Ty Hutchinson

  “Maybe, I’m not sure.”

  “Okay, that’s very good information. Can you tell me what kind of clothes he wore?”

  “He had black jeans and a long-sleeve shirt—a nice one that you can wear to a party. It was black with swirly red lines.”

  “Did he have a beard or a mustache?” I rubbed my chin.

  “No.”

  “What about tattoos?”

  “I was too scared to look at him. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay, sweetie. You’re doing fine.”

  I helped her to her feet.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Outside. I want a doctor to look at you and make sure you’re not hurt. Can you do something for me?”

  She nodded.

  “When we leave the room, it’s very important that you look straight ahead. I want you to focus on the stairs; don’t look in the rooms. Can you do that?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. We’ll both do it together.”

  We exited the room, and I hurried her down the hall.

  “Look at the stairs, sweetie. Keep looking straight ahead. You can do it.”

  I glanced off to the side and saw a body. My heart ached for these girls. Down the stairs we went.

  “Keep looking straight ahead,” I repeated. I used my body to block her view of the two dead women on the couch.

  As we exited the building, we bumped into the tactical unit. “Anybody else inside?” the commander asked.

  “I don’t know. I can’t be sure we covered every room.”

  “We’ll do a full sweep.”

  SFPD had arrived on the scene and began securing the perimeter. There were two ambulances, and the paramedics were attending to the girls we’d told to leave the building. I walked the last girl over to the paramedics before I found Kang.

  “Do you know if we have all the girls accounted for?” I asked.

  “I think so,” he said. “I can’t be sure. When I got outside, a few were standing by that tree over there. I haven’t questioned them yet.” He rested his hands on his waist. “We got fifteen bodies here plus Chow and his crew. A bloody massacre.”

  “And according to the girl I brought out, one person is behind it, or at least what happened here. She saw a man climb out the window.”

  “Just one guy?”

  “That’s what she says. She also said he looked Japanese and was dressed nicely.”

  We walked around the side of the building, careful to keep an eye out for shoe prints or anything that could ID our shooter. Behind the building, we located the window that belonged to the last room we were in. It wasn’t very high up, maybe twenty feet. A person could easily have climbed or dropped down.

  Kang peered at the grass below the window. “I don’t see any impressions.”

  “Maybe he climbed down,” I said. “There.” I pointed.

  The paint on the building had seen a lot of years, as it was cracked in many places, but there was an area where a bunch of it had flaked off. We examined the ground below the window more closely and saw the paint flakes.

  “He definitely climbed down,” Kang said.

  “So we have a hit placed on everyone associated with the smuggling of the girls, including the girls who were smuggled,” I said.

  “Don’t forget the workers at the shelter,” Kang said.

  “Collateral damage. The shooter could have shot all of the girls who were here, but he only shot the ones from that container.”

  “He had a list and did his best to stick to it.”

  “I think so. Whoever is responsible found out Chow and his crew got pinched. They didn’t want them talking.”

  “About what? I didn’t think we learned much of anything from them outside of their operations,” Kang said.

  “Obviously there’s something they know that wasn’t revealed to us. Chow kept his mouth shut; he might have held information the others weren’t aware of. He was also the only one who’d been in contact with the person who hired them to transport Xiaolian. That’s got to be the connection.”

  “So this person figured the only way to stop the flow of information is to eliminate everyone involved.”

  “Better late than never,” I said as I shifted my weight from one foot to another.

  “The only other two people associated with the smuggling ring are Medina and Watts and they’re currently in custody. So are the two men who resupplied the ship in Honolulu. Lucky for them, or they would most likely be dead.”

  “Still, the pieces don’t add up.” I folded my arms across my chest. “If we think the person responsible for hiring Chow to transport Xiaolian is the one who ordered the hit on all of these people, are they also responsible for Xiaolian’s disappearance?”

  “You think she’s dead?” Kang asked.

  “It’s a strong possibility, but if she was part of the hit, it doesn’t follow the MO. All of the others were shot dead where they stood. She wasn’t.”

  “Well, considering we think she wasn’t taken from your house by force, this tells me she either knew the person or didn’t feel threatened.”

  “So did the person who ordered her transported in the first place come back for her?”

  “Maybe.” Kang scratched the back of his head. “Seems like whenever we think we have this figured out, we don’t.”

  “Well, if there’s one thing we know, whoever hired Chow holds the answer to a lot of what’s happened here.”

  By the time we made our way back to the front of the building, the first of the media vans had shown up. There would be no way to contain this—multiple homicides across the city, and involving children. The story screamed up-to-the-minute coverage.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Xiaolian winced as she slept. The familiar scenes from her past dreams had returned.

  She’s walking down the hallway, alone at first, until a man in a white jacket overtakes her. He grabs hold of her hand and leads her forward.

  “Hurry, we’re late,” he says.

  She still can’t see his face, but she follows. Two men wearing similar jackets walk toward them. They’re looking at a file as they discuss something.

  The man stops in front of a door. This time she looks up at him and is able to stare directly into his eyes.

  “Are you ready?” he asks.

  Xiaolian woke with a gasp and short breaths quickly followed. Where am I? It took a moment or so for her to remember, but once she did, she began to calm. She blinked repeatedly and then yawned. The curtains were drawn across the window, but bits of sunlight snuck in near the bottom of the drapes. Still, the room was fairly dark.

  She reached out for a nearby lamp on the bedside table, only to realize a plastic strap had secured her wrist to the bed. Her other hand was free so she rolled over to her side and used it to switch on the lamp.

  The small lamp cast a warm glow across the room, illuminating two twin beds, a dresser with a TV on top of it, and a small, round table with two chairs. There was a door leading to a small bathroom and another that led out of the room.

  Her tongue stuck to her mouth, causing her to crave something cool to drink. She drew a deep breath and stretched her legs. She looked over at the clock; she had been asleep for a few hours, but it felt longer.

  A few moments later, the sound of a key being inserted into a lock grabbed her attention. The door swung inward, and the outline of a man stood in the doorway. He quickly shut the door behind him and turned the deadbolt to the locked position.

  “You’re up,” he said in Chinese. “Are you hungry? Of course you are.”

  He set two white paper bags down on the table and then dug into the front pocket of his pants and removed something.

  “I’m sorry about your wrist. I hope you understand.”

  He sat on the edge of the bed next to her. Even though she had awoken alone in a strange room and was tied to a bed, she didn’t feel the least bit threatened by him, not even when he produced a pocketknife from his po
cket.

  While he used it to cut her wrist free, her eyes traced his features: brown eyes, short salt-and-pepper hair, bushy eyebrows, a brown mole below the left corner of his bottom lip, sunspots on the top of his hands. These were familiar characteristics. The only thing missing was a long, white jacket. There was no mistake in her mind. The man from her dreams had found her.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Kang and I were still at the women’s shelter when Sokolov and Bennie arrived. “Tell me you guys didn’t catch the collar for this one,” he said.

  “It’s the captain’s gift to us,” Sokolov responded. “Abby, you weren’t kidding when you said you would find a way to involve us.”

  “Sorry I kept my word. Are you guys handling all of the bodies?”

  He shook his head. “Just the fifteen here,” he said with a sarcastic bent.

  I looked at Bennie. “Welcome to San Francisco. Come on. We’ll walk you through the crime scene.”

  We filled them in on what had transpired from the moment we arrived, to entering the building, to clearing the rooms.

  “This is the window where our shooter escaped?” Sokolov asked, sticking his head out, careful not to touch anything as CSI had yet to process the room.

  “I found one of the survivors, a Latino girl, in this room. She saw an Asian male who was ‘dressed for a party’—her words—climb out that window. She might be able to recall more details given some time.”

  “We heard shots just as we arrived,” Kang added. “The shooter was definitely on the premises at that time.”

  We walked them outside and around to the back of the building where I pointed out the chipped paint. “Looks fresh and in line with someone climbing down the side of the building,” I said.

  As we walked back around to the front of the building, Sokolov said, “Not much to go on.”

  I agreed with him. Kang and I were just as deep in this mess as he and Bennie were.

  Sokolov looked at the various first-responder vehicles parked on the street. “Is that your vehicle there?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you remember if there was another vehicle out front when you arrived?”

  “Now that you mention it, we did park behind another car. It was gold in color, faded though.”

  Kang started nodding. “You’re right. An older make…” He snapped his finger. “It was a Monte Carlo.”

  “Gold Monte Carlo. You positive?” Sokolov asked.

  We both nodded. “Definitely an older model; the one with the long hood,” I said.

  “I’m guessing it wasn’t here when you guys came back out,” Bennie said.

  “Kang, you got out here first,” I said as I turned to him.

  He crinkled his brow and thought for a second or two. “No, it was gone. We were inside maybe ten, fifteen minutes at the most before I came back outside.”

  “Our shooter uses the window to escape while you two are busy clearing rooms. He comes around front, gets back into his vehicle, and drives off. Bold son of bitch,” Bennie said.

  “Okay, we’re looking for a gold Monte Carlo,” Sokolov said.

  “My cousin restored a car like this. It has a hood that sticks out for miles with a short behind. The make you guys are talking about came out in ’76, ’77, and ’78. They don’t blend easily, especially with a gold paint job and an Asian driver. No offense,” Bennie said, looking at Kang. “Usually people of my skin color, brown pride, are sitting behind the wheel.”

  “It’s too bad video cameras aren’t standard issue on your vehicles,” Sokolov noted.

  I had to agree with Sokolov. Having that footage would have revealed the make, model, license plate, and most importantly, our shooter. Instead, we would have to go about this the old-fashioned way, piecing together bits and pieces until we had the full picture.

  “Is there anybody else you guys can think of who could potentially be on this hit list?” Bennie asked.

  It dawned on me then that Sokolov and Bennie wouldn’t have known about Xiaolian being missing. “Someone grabbed Xiaolian from my house earlier today.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Bennie asked.

  I told them what we knew. It wasn’t until I found myself repeating the details that I began to realize she might very well be dead.

  “She could be dead, but why not just do her right there?” Sokolov asked.

  “That’s the dilemma we were wrestling with earlier, before you got here,” I said.

  “There could be two people working together,” Bennie said. “One person is dispatched to grab Xiaolian. The other person is sent to eliminate everyone involved.”

  I bit down on my bottom lip. There was something about Bennie’s words that had me thinking in a different direction. “You know, we’re all assuming these people were killed because of their involvement with the smuggling deal.”

  “Well, yeah, they were,” Kang said.

  “I agree but hear me out. Forget about involvement. Xiaolian has always been the odd person throughout this investigation. I’m thinking maybe these people weren’t killed for their involvement but rather that they’re all witnesses to Xiaolian.”

  “So whoever orchestrated the hits wants to keep her a secret?” Kang asked.

  “That’s an interesting thought,” Sokolov said.

  I clucked my tongue as I considered the possibilities. “There’s one last person connected that we haven’t spoken to.”

  “Who’s that?” Kang asked.

  “The lawyer.”

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Xiaolian and the man sat at the table. A hanging lamp lit the area. Their dinner consisted of hamburgers, chili-cheese fries, and colas. They ate mostly in silence.

  The fast-food joint he’d visited earlier had a television in the dining area, and he saw the media coverage of the shooting spree. The mayor of San Francisco stood on the steps of City Hall and gave a statement condemning the massacre. He assured the citizens of the city that SFPD, the sheriff’s department, and the FBI were all working together to find the person responsible. A graphic along the bottom of screen had put the tally so far at nineteen people shot dead. In order to lessen Xiaolian’s exposure to what had taken place, he kept the television in the room turned off.

  “How do you feel?” he asked.

  “I’m okay,” she answered. “At first I couldn’t remember anything, but now it’s much better.”

  He finished the last bite of his burger and wiped his mouth. From a suitcase in the corner he removed a small, black bag.

  “Come over to the bed,” he said.

  She slid off the chair and took a seat at the edge of the mattress. He removed a blood-pressure kit from the bag and monitored her pressure. He checked her temperature, and her glands for swelling. He used a stethoscope to listen to her heart and her breathing. He refrained from saying anything while he examined her.

  “Am I okay?” she asked after he removed the stethoscope from his ears.

  “Yes, you’re fine. Eventually all of your memory will come back. It’s temporary.” He returned the medical equipment to the black bag. “Did you enjoy staying with the lady and her family?”

  She nodded. “They were nice. Her name is Abby, and she works for the police. She has a son and his name is Ryan. Her daughter’s name is Lucy. They were all very nice to me, especially Po Po. I think she’s Abby’s mom.”

  “She’s her mother-in-law.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I’ve known about Abby for a very long time.”

  Her eyes widened. “Really? Why do you know her? Is she from the same place as us?”

  “No, she isn’t.”

  “Why do you know her then? Are you friends?”

  He opened his mouth but stopped short of answering. He took a moment to think and then said, “Everyone back home misses you.”

  “I miss them too.”

  “Do you remember leaving?”

  Her gaze fell to the carpet. “Bits and pieces.�
�

  “Do you remember anything about our home?”

  “I remember you. I remember some of my friends and our classes, but that’s it. I’m worried I won’t ever remember.”

  “Don’t. I assure you that your memory loss is only temporary.”

  “I hope so. I really want to remember. It’s frustrating not knowing the answer when someone asks a question.”

  “I know.”

  “Are you here to take me back?”

  “Do you want to go back?”

  She thought about his question before answering with a shrug. “Maybe. Am I in trouble?”

  “Does it matter to you?”

  “I don’t want anyone to be mad at me.”

  He rubbed his chin as he considered his next words. “I’m not here to take you back.”

  “Why did you come here?”

  “I needed to make sure you were safe and all right.”

  “I’m okay. Will I live with Abby now?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Does she not like me anymore? Is that why you’ve come?”

  “No, it’s not that. I’m here because I wanted to make sure you were okay. That’s all.”

  “Will you leave me soon?”

  “Not just yet. It’s not safe for you right now.”

  She drew a sharp breath. “I knew it. It’s the chief. He’s angry with me, isn’t he?”

  The man didn’t answer her, and not because he was at a loss for words. In fact, he had much to tell her, but the timing wasn’t right. What he had to say would only confuse her. He felt she needed to regain all of her memory in order for her to understand what was happening.

  For the time being, his priority was keeping her out of sight. It was the only way to guarantee her safety. Until then, the motel they were hiding in would be their home.

  “How long will you stay with me?” she asked.

  “I’m not sure. Do you want me to stay?”

  “Yes. It’s nice knowing someone. Maybe we can live together.”

  “Maybe.”

  He watched her chew on her lower lip. He sensed what was coming next.

  “Can I ask you something?” Her voice was meek, a sign of uncertainty with him.