Sisters By Choice
Page 5
She thought back to what the sergeant said about forgiving.
She hadn’t let go of the anger. Had she even tried to? She closed her eyes, remembering her last encounters with Jamie.
Each time Jamie had reached out, Patti slammed the door shut.
Her breath caught as she choked back a sob.
Instead of forgiving, she’d made being hurt and angry a part of her life, a part of her identity. She’d been so self-righteous she’d shut the door on her relationship with Jamie. The few times Jamie had called, she’d been cold and uncommunicative.
Her sister stopped calling.
Jamie hadn’t betrayed her, Steven had. For the first time, Patti admitted the truth of it. Patti bowed her head to pray, but the words wouldn’t come, only tears. The tears melted the anger and bitterness in her heart. All that remained was worry, sadness, and regret.
Finally, emotions spent, she double-checked the front door’s lock and then made her way through the family room. As she walked to the sliding door, she was startled to see a man sitting in a chair.
Her heart raced and she squinted to get a better look.
Sgt. Caldwell was leaning back, watching the night sky.
Another example of her quick rush to judgment.
He was on the patio instead of in his own comfortable bed.
She wondered if she should go out, but decided if he’d wanted her to know he would have told her. Instead, she walked upstairs feeling safe and secure, knowing he was there watching out for them.
She turned towards the guestroom, but stopped at Jamie’s bedroom door.
She wasn’t ready to go to bed. She should check the room for a clue she might have overlooked. After poking around, it occurred to her that something could be dropped. Patti flopped down and looked under Jamie’s bed. A spiral notebook was on the floor under the bed skirt.
Jamie’s poetry. She’d been writing poetry since they were children.
Patti had never understood the need. She pulled it out. Noticing a Bible sitting on her sister’s nightstand, she picked it up and headed back to her own room.
Patti lay back on the bed and opened the notebook. Just as she’d suspected, it was Jamie’s poetry journal. As Patti read through the pages there was a sadness in the words that made her heart ache. But as she continued, the tone of the poetry changed.
In ‘The Master Gardener’ the words were hopeful.
I want a garden of peace and joy
where it matters not
if the sun shines,
if the rain falls,
if the wind blows.
My life is a rocky patch of dirt and soil
filled with pebbles of pain and problems,
filled with weeds of worry and grief,
filled with rocks of rebellion and wrongdoing.
Nothing good can grow in this rocky patch of mine.
But God is the Master Gardener.
He can change this rocky patch to a garden of peace and joy.
Let God till the dirt and soil.
He can change the weeds of worry to wisdom.
He can change the pebbles of pain to compassion.
He can change the rocks of rebellion to a spirit of submission.
God is the Master Gardener.
He can change that rocky patch to a garden of peace and joy.
Let the Holy Spirit sow the seeds.
He can plant the seeds of forgiveness, mercy, and grace.
He can plant the seeds of goodness, kindness, and faithfulness.
He can plant the seeds of patience, tolerance, and self-control.
God is the Master Gardener.
He can change that rocky patch to a garden of peace and joy.
Let Jesus share the fruits of His labor.
He will give you guidance.
He will give you love and fellowship.
He will give you a friend who never leaves.
God is the Master Gardener.
He can change that rocky patch to a garden of peace and joy.
I found a garden of peace and joy
where it matters not
if the sun shines, the rain falls
or the wind blows.
God is the Master Gardener.
After reading a few more, it was obvious her twin’s life had changed. Jamie had developed a personal relationship with Jesus.
Knowing that gave Patti a sense of peace she hadn’t felt all day. Her prayers drifted off, sleepily she asked for God’s protection for Jamie, Sabrina and…Sgt. Caldwell…
She fell asleep clinging to her sister’s Bible.
10
She still clung to the Bible when she woke up the next morning. Please, God. Let Jamie be home. She ran to Jamie’s bedroom.
The room was empty. Jamie, Jamie, where are you?
Finally, she walked in and made Jamie’s bed.
Patti fought back tears.
Yesterday, she’d been so angry at Jamie she hadn’t wanted to come to Florida. Today, she couldn’t think of Jamie without falling apart.
In the kitchen, Anna was at the sink, stacking rinsed dishes in the dishwasher.
Patti looked out the window. Sgt. Caldwell was gone. An unfamiliar warmth tingled in her heart. It had been a long time since she’d had a protector.
“We’ve already eaten, but you go ahead and eat now,” Anna insisted.
Anna placed a chorizo omelet and a bowl of salsa in front of Patti.
It wasn’t her usual breakfast fare, but she spooned some on the eggs and discovered it was delicious. “This is great, Anna.”
Anna beamed.
Sabrina charged into the kitchen. She wore yellow pajamas with large orange polka dots. Around her neck was a bright red feather boa, and she was wearing a Cleveland Indians baseball cap, which was too big for her head.
“Aunt Patti, you wanna play with me?”
“Not now, poquita. Tia Patti is eating.”
Sabrina’s expression turned into an endearing pout.
“I will as soon as I’m done eating, but only for a little bit, OK? I have some things I need to do.”
“Tank you, Aunt Patti.”
“Stick your tongue out as you say thank you.”
Sabrina gave Patti a stern look and shook her head. “Mommy said sticking out my tongue is bad.”
Patti turned her head so Sabrina couldn’t see the smile.
She heard Anna chuckling as she washed up dishes at the sink.
“That’s not what I…oh, never mind. Your mommy’s right. Sorry, I made a mistake.”
“Dat’s OK, Aunt Patti. You wanna play, now?”
Laughing Anna, told them, “Go ahead, Miss Patti. I’ll clean up.”
“Anna, you can call me Patti. And thanks for breakfast. It was terrific.”
“De nada.”
Patti took Sabrina’s hand and they walked into the family room. “What do you want to play?”
“Wanna see my doll house?”
“I sure do.”
As Patti played with Sabrina, her mind strayed back to Jamie. Surely, there was a clue somewhere. Nobody lived in a complete vacuum. If she worked, she had to have records. If she owned her own business, she still had to have records.
Unless the business was illegal, of course.
But Patti refused to believe such a thing.
Jamie wouldn’t be involved in drugs. Her sister might be flaky and a bit irresponsible, but she never intentionally hurt people.
When Sabrina wandered off to find a new toy, Patti went to find Anna. “I’m going upstairs to look around. If we knew where she worked, we could call them. Maybe they know where she is.”
“I wish I could help,” Anna said.
Patti walked into Jamie’s room. She’d checked the desk and computer the day before, but she hadn’t checked everything in the closet.
As soon as she’d found Jamie’s purse, she’d called the police and stopped looking.
Moving things around, she looked in shoebox
es but found nothing.
When there was no place left to search in the closet or room, she headed to the adjoining bathroom. The bathroom was amazing. It was almost as large as Patti’s bedroom in her house.
Along with a separate shower, Jamie’s bathroom had a huge sunken garden tub surrounded by plants and candles. A built-in CD player with a radio and expensive speakers was nestled in the wall by the tub. Of course, only the best for Jamie.
Patti berated herself for her petty jealousy.
She hit the play button. Soothing classical music floated out from the ceiling.
Patti searched the bathroom but saw nothing helpful. As she turned to leave, something caught her eye.
She walked to the tub and inspected the tile. It blended in with the tiles, but there was a door below the tub. Made sense. A plumber needed access to the pipes.
Patti wasn’t sure how to open the door. She pressed all four sides, but that didn’t work.
Maybe Anna would know.
She reached to turn off the CD player. One button was unmarked. Patti hit it. The door to the hidden cupboard slid open.
Bending down, she peered into the open compartment.
Inside was a small black suitcase with wheels and a handle. Patti pulled the luggage out and laid it on floor. She unzipped and opened the flap.
After a moment, she let out a low whistle.
Time to call Sgt. Caldwell.
****
Patti paced outside the house. She would let Sgt. Caldwell decide how to proceed.
He pulled up in an older, black, British SUV.
“I found something. It’s so bizarre.”
“Yeah?” His tone was neutral, but his expression was interrogating.
“Better if you just see it for yourself.” She led him in the house.
Anna peeked out of the playroom.
“Better go say hi.”
The two of them walked in.
Sabrina leapt to her feet and ran to Sgt. Caldwell as if they’d been friends forever, instead of meeting the previous day. He picked her up and twirled her around.
Sabrina giggled. He squatted down and said, “Hey, Sabrina. Do you remember my name?”
“Your name is powiceman.”
“That’s my job, not my name. My name is Carter. Mr. Carter. Can you say that?”
“Mister Tarter,” she said proudly.
Carter laughed.
Patti walked over. “Try again, Sabrina. Put your tongue back and say K-k-k-carter.”
“K-k-k-tarter.” She smiled broadly at the three of them.
“Great, Sabrina. You call me Mr. Tarter and I will call you Sabrina Ballerina.”
Sabrina giggled.
“Otay, Mr. Tarter.” She ran off to play.
“See you later, Sabrina Ballerina.”
She rewarded him with her version of a ballet movement, a twirl and a plie, and then waved before grabbing a doll baby.
“Did you hear something about Miss Jamie?”Anna asked in a hopeful tone as soon as Sabrina was out of earshot.
“No, I just needed Carter…er…Sgt. Caldwell’s advice on something I found.”
“Carter’s my name. Sergeant’s my job.”
“Anna…” Patti hesitated, looking back and forth between the two, uncertain. “I found something in Jamie’s room I need to show Carter. You might want to come up, too, if Sabrina can play for a moment without you.”
Anna’s brow furrowed. “It’s her naptime, anyway. I will put her to bed, and then come to Miss Jamie’s room.”
“You had time the look around more, I take it.” Carter said as they walked up the stairs. “Good. The more we find, the more likely we’ll be able to figure out this situation. I am beginning to think something is odd about this whole issue.”
Patti felt a tug at her heart.
He was confirming her own misgivings, which could mean he’d investigate and together, they’d find her sister.
Together.
Patti turned that over in her mind, wondering if Carter would appreciate how safe he made her feel. She wondered if she should tell him she knew where he’d spent last night. If she said it out loud, it might not feel as special.
She sternly told herself not to get involved with this handsome and charming man. And yet she’d connected with him so quickly, it scared her.
The man was just doing his job. She brushed that thought away, not wanting to deal with it.
She opened Jamie’s door and pointed at the suitcase on the bed. “It’s over there.”
He looked down at the pile of IDs. He picked up a driver’s license with Jamie’s picture, but with a different name. “Mmm. Interesting. Ms. Jakowski, do you have—”
“If I’m going to call you Carter, then you should call me Patti.”
Carter’s green eyes twinkled. “Sounds like a deal, Patti. Do you have any idea how she got these?”
She shook her head.
He shuffled through more passports and licenses. “This puts a different light on things, doesn’t it?”
Anna came in and stared open-mouthed at the various documents. “No comprehende. What does this mean? I have never seen any of this before.” She made the sign of the cross.
“OK, Anna.” Carter spoke. “When Jamie travels, does she take this suitcase with her?”
“No. She told me she has a small apartment and keeps clothes there. She never take anything with her. Just her purse.” Anna looked at him with confusion. “I don’t understand this.”
“You need to make a list for me of Jamie’s friends. Maybe one of them knows something. Speaking of friends, has anybody been calling here looking for Jamie?”
Anna shook her head. “Oh, wait. Mr. Marcus call sometimes to see if Miss Jamie was back, or I heard from her.”
“Is that a first or a last name?
“His name is Marcus Hanks. He and Miss Jamie good friends.”
“What kind of friends?” Patti asked.
Could he be the rich boyfriend who’d provided all this luxury for Jamie?
Anna shook her head. “No, no. Not like that. Miss Jamie is friends with whole family.”
“That’s interesting.” Carter said, his expression turning thoughtful. “Can you watch Sabrina for awhile?”
Anna nodded. “Of course, it is my job.”
Patti looked at Carter, wondering if he knew this Marcus Hanks. The name had certainly piqued his curiosity.
“Where are you going?” She asked.
“On a fact-finding mission.” He had turned into Sgt. Caldwell again, slightly aloof, his mind obviously working out some problem.
“I’m going with you.”
“Yes, you most certainly are.”
Patti rubbed her arms, goosebumps and all.
What was Jamie doing now? Fake ID’s, second apartments, secret travel plans? Her sister had to be involved in a real mess this time. And now, the cops knew.
The money isn’t worth it, Sis.
11
“Where are we going?” Patti asked.
“To unravel another clue.” After hitting some keys on the portable computer in his car, Carter mumbled something Patti couldn’t hear.
He pulled into a neighborhood more modest than Dolphin Cove. The brick house was beautiful, but not a mansion, like Jamie’s.
“I want you to ring the bell and wait for someone to answer. Ask for Marcus Hanks. I’m going to stand behind you just out of sight. If he sees me first, it will ruin the element of surprise.”
“Why do we need an element of surprise?” She asked, a little nervous.
“Trust me, we do.” He hid to one side.
The door opened. An African-American man, tall, with broad shoulders and a gold loop earring, stood in the doorway. He stared at her for a few seconds.
“What are you doing here, Jamie?” The man snarled through clenched teeth. “I’ve been looking for you for the past three days. Where have you been?”
“Are you Marcus?” Patti asked.
Carter stepped forward and Marcus’s voice trailed off.
“Hey, Marcus, let me introduce you to a friend of mine. This is Patti.”
“Patti?” The man inspected her. Understanding dawned in his eyes. “My mistake. I thought you were someone else.”
Someone else? How did this man know Jamie? And how did Carter know this man?
“Caldwell, is there a reason you stopped by unannounced? And how did you find out where I lived, anyway? I don’t remember ever inviting you here.”
“Are you done with your questions, Marcus? Because I have a few of my own.”
“This is a bad time, Carter. I’ll call you tomorrow when it’s a work day.” Marcus moved to close the door.
Carter put out a hand to stop the door from closing. “Not tomorrow, Marcus. Now.”
“Let’s talk outside.” He turned. “Honey, I’ve got some business to take care of.”
“Is everything OK, Marcus?” A woman’s voice floated out.
“Yes, it’s fine. I’m going to be outside talking a little business with an old friend.”
Patti sneaked a glance at Carter.
He didn’t look worried.
Marcus led them to some benches on one side of the house.
Patti sat down, very aware of Carter’s thigh touching hers when he sat, too.
Marcus tapped his foot against another bench. Built like a football lineman, with his bald head and shiny gold earring, he looked intimidating.
“OK, Marcus. Tell me what’s going on.”
“I don’t know what you mean. You‘re the one who brought your date to my house. Uninvited, I might add.”
“Let’s start with why you called Patti, Jamie?” Carter’s voice took on an edge. “How do you know Jamie?”
”I’m the one asking the questions.”
“Patti is Jamie’s sister,” Carter told Marcus.
“Yep. I see that.”
“Well, you FBI types are a little slow, sometimes.”
FBI?
Patti stared.
What did Jamie have to do with the FBI?
“Patti flew from Ohio to file a missing person report on her sister.”
Blood drained from Marcus’s face. “Are you sure?”
“We’re sure. What’s going on?”
“What makes you think she’s missing?”
Carter glanced at Patti, then explained Sabrina’s phone call, Anna’s misgivings, Patti’s arrival, and the suitcase full of IDs.