Sisters By Choice

by Lillian Duncan

  “It is the truth. I didn’t steal the money.”

  “But you know who did?” Jamie insisted.

  He shook his head. “If I knew that, do you think I’d be running? I love Suzie. I miss her every day. I…I…” He choked and his body slumped as he fought back tears. The man was either an actor worthy of an award, or he was telling the truth. Michael’s wrenching breaths subsided as he gained control. He looked up at Jamie and Enrique, wiped his face, and with what seemed to be super-human effort, calmed himself.

  Enrique gave him a little more time before he spoke. “OK, let’s hear it. Let’s start with the day you took Andrew.”

  “I called Suzie that morning. She sounded strange. Not quite herself. But that wasn’t all that odd. She was often that way when she was busy at work. After I talked with her, my secretary walked in with a package that had been delivered.”

  This was news. He hadn’t read anything about a package in the files. He made a mental note to check on that later. The look of surprise on Jamie’s face told him she hadn’t known either.

  “So what was in the package?”

  “Some pictures of Suzie and Andy. And a one-page warning. It told me that soon I would be arrested and that I only had one option. To plead guilty or my wife and child would be killed.”

  “Still got the letter?” Jamie asked.

  “I do, but not here. I put it in a safety deposit box when I first left.”

  “In Columbus?”

  “No, somewhere else. I didn’t want anyone else to find it.”

  “Did the letter mention the embezzlement?”

  “No.”

  “Did you know about it?”

  “Not a hint. We did have a big audit coming up the following month. Chances are it would have been found then. That’s probably what forced their hand.”

  “I don’t understand why you wouldn’t have found it sooner. Wasn’t that your job? “

  “The company has a different sort of structure than most. Each branch runs fairly independently. The yearly audit shows the big picture.”

  “It doesn’t sound like the best way to run a billion-dollar money fund.”

  “It’s not. I’d been pestering my bosses to switch over to a different method. They agreed, but wanted to do the transition as smoothly as possible. We were going to wait until after the annual audit to institute the change.”

  That was an easy fact to check. If he was stealing the money, a change in accounting would hide his activities. Enrique considered this thought, but decided to believe the man. For the moment.

  “Let’s say, you didn’t find the missing money during the audit. Would you have found it if you introduced a new accounting method?”

  “I would have found it during the audit. But yes, if I hadn’t found it then, it would have been discovered during the switchover.”

  Another reason to make a move. “So based on that one bizarre letter you grab your kid and disappear for over two years.” Enrique’s voice was skeptical. “It doesn’t make sense.”

  “I only planned to lay low for a few days—to keep Andy safe while I figured out what to do. Then everything came out in the news that evening. The FBI put a warrant out for my arrest and I panicked. I thought Suzie would know that I was innocent and find a way to prove it. Instead, she filed divorce papers from what I understand.”

  “Well, you did kidnap her son.” Jamie’s voice bristled.

  “I thought she’d understand I was doing all this to keep them safe.”

  The man was talking and Enrique didn’t want him to stop, despite Jamie’s anger. “I still don’t get why you wouldn’t take her with you.”

  “Suzie has a highly-developed sense of right and wrong. I knew she’d make me turn myself in, and then she and Andy would be in even more danger. I really thought she’d believe me and prove my innocence.”

  “And I’m pretty sure she thought you’d never betray her by kidnapping her son and deserting her.” Enrique’s voice was hard again. “Talk about blaming the victim.”

  “I’m not blaming her. I just thought she’d handle it differently.”

  The questions and the answers continued, but it became obvious that either Michael Zinkleman was a good liar or he didn’t know who was involved.

  ****

  “I think he’s telling the truth,” Jamie said to Enrique, not caring if Michael heard.

  “Thank God you believe me.” Michael’s voice was fervent.

  “And he’s lying.” She pinned Zinkleman with a stare. “I’m not sure what’s going on, but you’re not telling the whole truth. I believe you don’t know where your son is or who the embezzlers are, but you’re lying about something.”

  Michael said nothing, but his shoulders drooped.

  It was all Jamie needed to confirm her suspicions.

  “If you want to see your son, you’ll have to tell us the truth. All of it.” Enrique glared at him.

  “Ryan told me he got you involved in something and that it was a big mistake. What was he talking about?” Her gaze stayed on his, not wavering or flinching, but she softened her tone. “Tell us about Ryan and his involvement.”

  “Ryan came to me and asked me to do a favor for some friends of his. All they wanted was to set up a bogus account, take care of putting the money in it, and send it to another account in the Caymans. It was simple enough, and in return, they would give me ten percent.”

  “Money laundering?” Enrique asked.

  “I suppose you could call it that. It didn’t seem that big of a deal to me. It was small amounts at first. I guess so they could see if they could trust me. The amounts got bigger and bigger. I told them they would need to slow down. They agreed. They gave me a final deposit, a big one. And then I got the note.”

  “How much was the big one?”

  “One million.”

  “Didn’t it occur to you the note was related to the money laundering?”

  “Of course it did. That’s why I wanted to disappear for a few days so I could figure out what to do. Next thing I know, the news is talking about me embezzling more than five million from the bank.”

  “Money laundering and embezzlement.” Enrique mused. “Your files don’t indicate anything about money laundering. So what do you think happened?”

  “My best guess is someone at the bank figured out the money laundering scheme, transferred that money along with the bank’s money to the Cayman Islands, and then let me take the blame for all of it.”

  “So Ryan felt guilty that he got you involved. That’s why he’s been helping you.”

  “Yes. He convinced his friends that he had nothing to do with me disappearing with their money. I’m not sure how he did that, but he’s a smooth talker.”

  Apparently, not smooth enough.

  “Who were the people?” Enrique asked.

  Michael shook his head. “Don’t know. I never met them and Ryan refused to tell me who they were. Ryan was the middle man. He brought me the cash and I took it from there. Ryan will tell you the same thing.”

  Unfortunately, Ryan wouldn’t be telling them anything.

  “So, do you have a clue who hijacked the money and framed you?”

  “If I did I’d turn myself in.”

  37

  Enrique caught Jamie’s gaze. He waited a second, and then dropped the bombshell without any preamble. “Ryan’s dead. He was found murdered yesterday.”

  The blood drained from Michael’s face, and then his expression crumpled. “That can’t be. Impossible. Andrew’s with him. You’re lying.” He jumped up and tripped on the bed skirt.

  Enrique moved in to help him up.

  “Get away from me. You’ve got to let me go. Or my son will be dead. They must have killed Ryan and kidnapped Andrew. They found him.” His gaze found Jamie’s. “It’s your fault. They followed you up here. We were safe until you meddled. It’s your fault.”

  She stared at him, not able to speak.

  “That’s not true,”
Enrique said. “You can’t blame this on her. You’re the one who committed criminal acts, not her. This is on you, not her. It’s time you step up and be a man. Take responsibility for your own actions.”

  Her fingers clasped his and she squeezed, thankful for his support. “Who are they?” Jamie asked with exasperation.

  Had someone followed Ryan? Had she put Andrew in more danger?

  “I told you, I don’t know who they were…are. Ryan never told me.”

  A sense of urgency filled the room.

  “You’re right.” Michael choked back sobs. “I’m a coward. It is all my fault. I should have been brave enough to face the consequences of my actions, but that letter scared me so much.”

  “We need answers, Zinkleman. Who do you think has your son? You’ve got to have some idea of who you’re dealing with.”

  “I don’t. I keep telling you that Ryan refused to tell me. That’s the truth. If I knew anything I would tell you.” His shoulders slumped and he stared at the floor. “Doesn’t matter, now. My son’s probably already dead.” His voice was low, and then a sob escaped.

  Jamie put a hand to her mouth and bit down on it. She turned away and sat on the other bed. Tears leaked out as she listened to the anguish of a father’s grief.

  His sobs finally subsided, but his eyes leaked silent tears. His ravaged expression broke Jamie’s heart.

  Enrique spoke. “That’s not necessarily true. If they kill Andrew then they have no leverage. Andrew is their leverage. I don’t believe they will hurt him.”

  Jamie prayed Enrique was right.

  “You’ve got to let me go. All they care about is their money.” Michael’s voice was desperate. “You can’t take me into custody. I’ll find a way to get them their stupid money.”

  “You’re already in custody. I’ll call my bosses and arrange to get you transported back to Columbus. They can sort it out there. My job was to find you.”

  “I…I need to use the restroom.” Michael stumbled through the bathroom door and closed it.

  If they took him into custody, who knew what might happen to Zink’s son?

  “What about Andrew?” Jamie demanded.

  “We’ve already put out BOLOs and Amber Alerts for him. A missing person team is on their way. We’re doing everything we can. Andrew is our top priority, Jamie. But it’s not my area of expertise.”

  “And that’s it. You’re done here. You’re going to drag him back to Ohio and wash your hands of the case?”

  “Jamie.” His voice held a warning. “I didn’t say that. But we have to follow protocol.”

  “Protocol? That’s what you think is important here?”

  “Of course not, but letting Michael go won’t help us find Andrew.”

  Jamie stared at him. How could she have believed he’d changed?

  He was still all about the rules. Enrique was a good agent until it was time to think outside of the box. That wouldn’t advance his career. The FBI was all about rules.

  “He’s our best bet for finding Andy. If you take him into custody, we lose that advantage.”

  Once again, Enrique took hold of her arm. “Let’s talk outside, shall we?”

  She pulled her arm from his. “Yes, let’s do that. I have a few things I want to say to you.” She stalked out the adjoining door to Enrique’s room.

  With the door shut, Jamie turned to him. “What happened to being partners? Partners decide things together.”

  Their gazes locked.

  “We are partners, Jamie. Now, and in the future.” He put his hand on her shoulder and drew her close. “I’m not the enemy, Jamie. You need to trust me.” His breath was warm on her neck as he whispered.

  Trust him? Her heart pounded. Why did this man have such a strong effect on her? It was as if breathing in his scent bewitched her. “Enrique, what if he’s telling the truth? What if he isn’t the bad guy? How do we live with the fact we let a little boy die?”

  “I’m not letting anyone die. We’re doing our best to find him. It’s not my area of expertise so I’m going to let the experts handle it. In the meantime, I’m going to transport him back to Ohio. Does that make sense?”

  “No, it doesn’t. He needs to be here. This is where Andrew was taken. Michael should stay in the area. Don’t you see that?”

  “Not really. He’ll still have his phone. That means they can contact him.”

  “But what if they’re watching him and know he’s been taken into custody? They’ll think the whole thing’s a trap, they’ll kill Andrew, and forget about the money.”

  “Jamie, I don’t think that will happen. He has to stay in custody. And the kidnapping experts will find Andrew. It really is the best way to handle the situation.”

  “Best way for you, maybe. Not for Andrew.”

  He reached out, but she stepped further away.

  “Jamie, please don’t let a professional disagreement get in the way of our personal lives. I love you. I want us to have a life together.”

  “I’m not leaving here without Andrew.”

  38

  Michael came out of the bathroom and plopped on the bed. Red rimmed his eyes and his slackened features looked chilled, hopeless. “What happened to Ryan?”

  “We’re not sure. His body was found in a cabin in Idaho. And your son wasn’t with him.”

  “Idaho? What was he doing there?”

  “Isn’t that where you live?”

  “No, I live here. Well, in Moose.”

  Enrique exchanged glances with Jamie. “A log cabin?”

  He nodded.

  “Does Andrew have a fire truck?”

  He nodded. His eyes glistened. “I don’t understand.”

  “Why don’t you explain what happened yesterday?” Enrique was frowning.

  “Ryan showed up in the middle of the night. Told me he borrowed a friend’s plane. He was pretty sure our location had been compromised and that it was time to move on. I couldn’t just leave. I had obligations to take care of, so he and Andrew went to a motel to wait while I took care of things. That’s the last time I saw them.” His words were choked, but he took a deep breath and continued. “I went to the motel like we planned, but they weren’t there. I spent the night driving between my house and the motel looking for them. Ryan wasn’t answering his phone. By morning, I was frantic. I didn’t know what to do or where to go. When my neighbor called about you I showed up to see what you knew.”

  “I told you that I was at a different cabin. Two different places.”

  “You were with Ryan.” Michael’s head whipped towards her. “Did you see Andrew?”

  “I only saw Ryan.”

  “Why did you kill Ryan?”

  “I did not kill him. He kidnapped me and drugged me.” Her tone was firm. “I woke up in a ditch with no idea where I was or what happened to Ryan.”

  “Where’s my son?” His sorrowful wail was chilling.

  Her heart broke again.

  Michael Zinkleman was telling the truth. No one could fake that depth of grief.

  ****

  Jamie jerked her head, motioning for them to go to Enrique’s room for a private conference again.

  Michael still sobbed, his grief hardly bearable.

  “Look, Enrique. I think he’s right. Whoever kidnapped Andrew wants their money. That means sooner or later they’ll contact Michael. We have to make him accessible to them. It’s the best way to find Andrew.”

  “My boss knows we have him in custody. It was the only way to get the Amber Alert in place. I can’t just tell him we suddenly don’t have him.”

  “We can’t take him to jail. It’s too dangerous for Andrew.”

  “I can’t do that. You’ve got to trust the FBI. They want to find Andrew as much as you do.”

  “I doubt that very much.”

  “I don’t have a choice, Jamie.”

  “We always have a choice.” She glared at him. “I thought you’d changed, but you still…never mind.” She walked away
from him, not wanting him to see her tears.

  “Zinkleman has his cell phone on him, so the kidnappers have a way to contact him.”

  She sat on the bed, her heart breaking for all of them. But this would be the last time Enrique Rodriquez broke it. Never again would she trust him. He still didn’t understand people were more important than rules and procedures. He wasn’t the man she’d thought—he wasn’t the man for her.

  Enrique called his boss for instructions. After hanging up, he put a hand on her shoulder. “Jamie, trust me. This is the best way to find Andrew. We’ll have a whole nation looking for him in a matter of hours. I’m sorry. Really I am. I don’t want this to come between us.”

  “There is no us.”

  “Yes, there is. You can’t deny our feelings.” His arms went around her and pulled her close. “You found Michael, and we’ll find Andrew soon. I’m not abandoning him or you.”

  “Not if you take Michael into custody. I’m not saying we’ll set him free, but he can’t be stuck in jail.”

  “I don’t have an option, Jamie. Why can’t you see that?”

  Before she could disagree, his lips moved towards hers. Jamie stepped out of Enrique’s arms. “You won’t change your mind?”

  “I have to take Zinkleman to the police station. The kidnap team is en route. We’re putting a trace on his phone and if the kidnappers call, we’ll be ready. This is the best way.”

  “So you say. I’m leaving.”

  “Aren’t you going to the station?”

  She shook her head. “You don’t need me there. You can handle it without me.”

  His hand touched her shoulder. “Jamie, don’t do this. We can work this out. Our jobs don’t have to interfere with us.”

  “It already has. You do what you have to do and I’ll do what I have to do.”

  ****

  Jamie drove out of Jackson Hole, her heart in shreds. The time she’d spent with Enrique had shown her she still loved him, but they were just too different. It would never work out for them.

  Wiping away tears, she focused on the majestic view of the Tetons. The first time she’d laid eyes on the Rockies Jamie fell in love with them. The sheer magnitude of them inspired awe. So stark, so rugged, as they showed the power of the Lord. God never seemed closer to her than when she saw the snowcapped peaks.