Untold

by Nancy Ann Healy

Cassidy took a deep breath. “You do have someone who helped Mom and I have you—yes.”

  Mackenzie wrinkled her nose. “Think he’s like me?”

  “Oh, I think you are a bit like all of us,” Cassidy replied. “Kenz? Are you curious about your father?”

  Mackenzie tapped her forehead for a minute and then shrugged. “I don’t know him,” she said as a matter of fact.

  Cassidy nodded. This was a subject that she and Alex had discussed at length. When would the day come that one of their children would ask how they came to be? They had both agreed that honesty would rule the day. Cassidy had hoped that her children would be older before she and Alex needed to dive into these waters. “Kenzie? Does that bother you?”

  Mackenzie shook her head. “Dylan says that we are all lucky to have two moms. Most people only get one. He didn’t really get to know his dad either.”

  Cassidy felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her.

  “Mom?” Kenzie put a hand on Cassidy’s arm. “Are you sick?”

  “No,” Cassidy said. “I hope you know how much Mom and I love you.”

  Mackenzie’s nose wrinkled. “You’re gonna get gushy now, huh?”

  Cassidy snickered. Mackenzie was not looking for answers. She was being naturally inquisitive. “You know, if you ever want to know who your dad is, Mom and I will tell you.”

  Mackenzie shrugged noncommittally and then grinned.

  “Kenzie?”

  “Uncle Pip didn’t know his dad either.”

  “Well, not the way he could have—no.”

  Mackenzie shrugged again.

  So much shrugging. “Mackenzie?” Cassidy urged.

  “YaYa says we get what we get.”

  “She does, huh?”

  “Yep, but she says it’s who we choose that matters.”

  Cassidy brushed Mackenzie’s bangs aside and smiled. Alex’s mother was an amazing woman. Cassidy thought she was perhaps the wisest person she’d ever met. “And, what else does YaYa say?”

  “I dunno.”

  “It’s okay if you talked to YaYa about this.”

  “She says she had two babies but she ended with a brood. And, Grandma says that’s cause you and Mom are like rabbits. I don’t know what that means.”

  Cassidy covered her face and shook her head. Leave it to Mom. “Well, if it had been up to your mom the brood would be more like be a football team.”

  Mackenzie giggled. “YaYa says that me having two moms is like her having four daughters. She says she gave birth to Mom and Uncle Nicky but then she got you and Aunt Barb. She thought she was done. But then she got Uncle Pip and Auntie El too.”

  “Yaya is a smart lady,” Cassidy said.

  “Yeah.”

  “Grandma says she’s glad she got to have so many kids and only had to count the tile once. What does that mean?”

  Cassidy laughed. “That’s just Grandma’s way of saying she only gave birth to me, but she ended up with her ‘brood’ as she calls it. I want you to know that you can talk to your mom or me about anything, Kenz.”

  “Okay. Mom?”

  “Yes?”

  “What if that guy finds Mom?”

  Cassidy smiled. “Mom will be okay.”

  “But, what if he does?”

  “Claire will make sure Mom is okay.”

  “But, what if he finds Claire?”

  “Mom will make sure Claire is okay.”

  “But…”

  “Mackenzie, trust me,” Cassidy said.

  “Mom thinks Claire is crazy,” Mackenzie said. She flopped into Cassidy.

  Cassidy closed her eyes and kissed Mackenzie’s head. She couldn’t remember the last time Mackenzie had wanted to cuddle. Mackenzie was proud. Right now, it appeared Mackenzie was seven.

  “Claire is funny,” Mackenzie offered.

  “She is,” Cassidy agreed.

  “Not as funny as Grandma.”

  “Probably not.”

  “Are you tired, Mom?”

  Cassidy closed her eyes and pulled Mackenzie a little closer. “I am a little tired. I’m also a little lonely. How about you fill in and keep me company tonight?”

  “Okay,” Mackenzie replied. “Mom told me to take care of you.”

  Cassidy smiled. I’ll bet she did, Kenz. I’ll bet she did.

  ***

  “There has to be something,” Claire rubbed her eyes.

  “There is; we just haven’t found it yet. Take a break,” Alex suggested.

  Claire shook her head and looked at the computer screen. “How can this many people go missing and no one is out looking for them?”

  Alex had been watching frustration build in Claire for hours. “Claire,” Alex put her hand on Claire’s shoulder.

  “They’re kids for Christ’s sake.”

  “Claire,” Alex spun the chair Claire was sitting in. “Take a break.”

  “A break? Seems like everybody’s been on break for years. Look at all those names! Who the hell helps them?”

  Alex sighed. There were realities in the world that Alex detested. The fact that not every case got solved, that not every victim was found, that not every family got answers was one of those realities. It had taken her time to put it all into perspective. This case had struck a deep personal chord with Claire. If Alex were to be honest, it had with her too. More times than Alex cared to count, she’d found herself thinking back to the day Cassidy had been held against her will. Alex was positive that Claire continued to recall the death of her mother. They both had demons and ghosts to confront, and they both needed the past to propel them forward rather than hold them back. Alex pulled up a chair, took a deep breath and looked directly into Claire’s eyes.

  “We help them.”

  “Great job we’re doing.”

  “Claire, if we weren’t working this case who is to say anyone would have ever found those graves on the Moriarty’s property?”

  “Yeah? We don’t even know who they all are yet.”

  “No, but we will. And, as painful as it is; we’ve been able to give closure to three families. That’s largely because of you.”

  “How do you figure that?”

  “You’re the reason we went back to that rock.”

  “And?”

  “Claire, every place we’ve gone has led us here—right here. We’re closer to this son of a bitch than anyone has ever been. Can we save everybody? Can we find everyone? No. We do the best we can for as many people as we can. That’s all we can do.”

  “It’s not enough.”

  “It has to be.”

  Claire’s eyes fell to the floor. “What if it’s not?”

  “Claire, what your father did—that was not your fault.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “Yes; I do.”

  “How can you know that when I’m not sure of it?”

  “I know you,” Alex replied. “I understand more than you think I do.”

  Claire shook her head. “Maybe if I had…”

  Alex took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Do you know why John and I were so close?”

  “You saved his ass in Iraq,” Claire replied.

  “No. He said that. The truth is if I’d seen things sooner none of us would have gotten hurt that day. I trusted the wrong people, Claire and people got killed—people I cared about.”

  “Somehow, I doubt that’s the whole story.”

  “Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t. I guess that depends on who you talk to. I can’t go back. Even if I did; who knows? That’s one thing I do know. You can’t change the past and you don’t know what would happen if you did. All you can do is try—try to make a difference for as many people as you can. That’s what you’re doing.”

  “Not well enough, apparently.”

  “I told you; it is enough.”

  “You think like Hawk does; that I can just let it go.”

  Alex shook her head. “No, I don’t.” Alex saw the surprise in Claire’s eyes. “Y
ou can’t ever let it go completely. They don’t understand that, not Cassidy and not Hawk. They’ve both been through a lot, Claire. They’ve both been hurt. Neither has ever had to watch as someone they loved died in front of them—not violently anyway. They don’t know what that’s like—wanting to scream, wanting to stop it and being paralyzed. I hope they never do understand it. That experience isn’t something you can ever let go. It’s part of you.”

  “Then what?”

  “You learn to make it fuel,” Alex said. “It can either be the thing that holds you back or the thing that spurs you ahead. That’s your choice. And, I’m not going to bullshit you; it’s a choice you make every, single day on some level. No matter how good things get? That one day? That one moment? It’s always there in the back of your mind.”

  “Alex…”

  “Yeah?”

  “If I find him? I’ll let him know what it’s like.”

  “No; you won’t.”

  “You don’t think so?”

  “No. That would keep you from helping the next person. But for the record?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I wouldn’t mind giving him a lesson myself.”

  ***

  “It appears that the FBI may be closing in on the killer dubbed The Woodsman. Sources close to the investigation say that the taskforce is currently interviewing several people of interest, all of whom worked for a local Connecticut landscaping company. So far, eleven victims have been found. According to some close to the case, the identities seem to confirm the theory that The Woodsman has chosen his victims by locale rather than any other determining factor.”

  “Think you know, do you?” he glared at the television screen. “Found the pretty maidens all in a row.”

  The sound of his maniacal laughter sent a chill up the spin of the young woman tied to a chair. “Please,” she choked through a strained voice.

  He turned, cocked his head and considered her. “Please?” he asked. He watched as her eyes grew wider with fear. He moved to stand over her. Silently, he circled her. He stopped over her shoulder and whispered in her ear. “Looking for all the little lost sheep over the hill,” he whispered in her ear. “Oh, well. Whatever shall we do?” he breathed.

  “Please,” she whimpered.

  “Mm. Riddles and rhymes. All in good time.”

  ***

  “Alex?” Cassidy answered her phone.

  “Mom?” Mackenzie tossed in the bed.

  “It’s okay, Kenz,” Cassidy whispered as she pulled herself from the bed. “Alex? Is everything okay?”

  “We’re both safe if that’s what you mean,” Alex replied.

  “It isn’t.”

  “Then no, everything is not okay.”

  Cassidy walked into the bathroom for some privacy and closed the door. “What happened?”

  “I think we might have identified another victim.”

  “I’m sorry,” Cassidy said. “Isn’t that a good thing for you, though?”

  Silence hovered.

  “Alex?”

  “For the case? It might be.”

  “What is it?”

  “She was fifteen, Cass. If Claire is right, she was just fifteen.”

  Cassidy leaned against the sink. “Oh, Alex.”

  “Monica Leibowitz. She was reported missing thirteen years ago.”

  “From New York?”

  “That’s the thing Cass, she was from Pennsylvania.”

  “That’s not that far.”

  “No, but something about it feels different.”

  “Alex, have you slept at all?” Cassidy asked.

  “Just got back to my room.”

  “Just now? Alex, it’s four-thirty in the morning.”

  “Yeah, well, serial killers don’t work banker’s hours, neither do we,” Alex snapped. She heard Cassidy sigh. “I’m sorry, Cass. That didn’t come out the way I wanted it to.”

  “It’s all right.”

  “She was on her way to a high school baseball game when she went missing,” Alex explained.

  “Alex…”

  “I need to find him.”

  “You will.”

  “I’m glad you’re so confident.”

  “How are things with Claire?” Cassidy waited several beats for Alex to reply. “Alex?”

  “Claire’s okay.”

  “That’s not what I asked you.”

  “Claire and I are okay too.”

  Cassidy smiled. “It really is painful for you, isn’t it?”

  Alex chuckled, appreciative of Cassidy’s levity. “Claire is the one who figured it out, Cass. She’s relentless. How are things there? Were you talking to Kenzie?”

  “Everything is fine. Yeah, Kenzie crashed in our room.”

  “Is she okay?”

  “She’s Kenzie,” Cassidy said. “She’s missing you.”

  “I miss you.”

  “I miss you.”

  “How are you feeling?”

  “I’ve only counted about half the tiles on the floor since you left,” Cassidy promised. “I’m okay, love. Just take care of you.”

  “I’m not sure…”

  “It’s okay, Alex. There are people who need you more right now than we do. We’ll be here. Go get a little sleep.”

  “I’ll try. I love you, Cass.”

  “I love you too.”

  ***

  “Sergeant Daniels.” Alex extended her hand. Daniels accepted her grip firmly. “I appreciate you coming over here to our side of Quantico.”

  “My pleasure, Captain,” Daniels nodded respectfully.

  “It’s Agent Toles now, but you can call me Alex.”

  “No, ma’am. You’re a superior officer.”

  Alex wondered when her past would stop haunting her. “I’m retired, Sergeant. Just a regular old FBI agent now.”

  “Old being the key word,” Claire muttered.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t believe you’ve met my partner, Agent Bullshit.”

  Claire batted her eyelashes dramatically. “Bullshit at your service,” she said with a mock salute.

  Daniels laughed. “What can I help you with?” he asked.

  “You worked for Greenscape Landscaping; right?” Alex began.

  “Yeah, for four years until I enlisted.”

  “Do you remember a house owned by Mr. and Mrs. Moriarty?” Alex asked.

  “Sure. Everybody loved Mrs. Moriarty. When I left for the Marines, she sent my mom a card.”

  Alex smiled. “So, you worked on her property?”

  “Not as much as I would have liked. Mostly, I was there the summer before I left. For some reason, BJ always seemed to get that assignment—for the first couple of years I was there. He seemed to get most of the great jobs.”

  “BJ?” Claire asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Do you know what BJ’s last name was by any chance?” Alex asked.

  Daniels shook his head. “Nah. He never talked all that much to me. We had a couple of beers a few times, but he was kind of a loner. He had his own car so he didn’t get dropped off like most of us did.”

  “Excuse me; Agent Toles?”

  Alex turned to find a young FBI agent standing behind her.

  “Yes?” Alex asked.

  “Sorry to interrupt. There’s something you need to see.”

  Alex looked at Claire.

  “I got this,” Claire promised.

  Alex nodded her thanks. “I’ll be back.” Alex made her way down the hallway to another room. She was surprised to see an old friend waiting for her. “Hawk? What are you doing here?”

  “I could ask you the same thing. I had a meeting. What’s your excuse? Missing the classroom?” Hawk teased.

  “More than you know,” Alex sighed. “You had a meeting here? For what?”

  “Sewing up some loose ends on a few things. Looks like the FBI would like to entice me to stay.”

  Alex nodded. “Are you leaving?”

  “Claire didn’t tell y
ou?”

  “Just that she saw you.”

  “I’ve accepted a role back at NSA,” Hawk explained. “Seems the FBI would like me to consider changing my plans and coming here.”

  “To Quantico?”

  Hawk nodded. “Story for another day, Alex. Bower called me a few minutes ago. He thought you should get this from someone in person. Seems a message came in for you on the tip line.”

  “What kind of message?” Alex asked.

  Hawk moved to a computer terminal and sat down. “Put these on,” she told Alex.

  Alex accepted a pair of headphones from Hawk and placed them over her ears.

  “I see you found all the pretty maidens in a row. Still looking for the little lost sheep?”

  Alex steadied her breathing as a sickening chuckle erupted from the voice on the line.

  “Ah. You know that rhyme? Ding, dong, bell, Pussy’s in the well?” He laughed again. “The question, Agent Toles isn’t who’ll pull her out, but who put her in. Poor thing, she never did him any harm. He lured her with his charm. A hunting we will go, Agent Toles.”

  Alex threw the headphones on the desk. “Son of a bitch!”

  Hawk nodded. “Alex…”

  Alex shook her head with disgust. “I need to talk to Claire.”

  “Alex, wait.”

  “What?” Alex turned. “No trace; right?”

  “No, but…”

  “He’s killed again, Hawk. He followed my breadcrumbs; now he’s laying some of his own.”

  “I know. Do me a favor?”

  “What?”

  “Don’t tell Claire I was here.”

  “What? Why not?”

  “I didn’t know you two were going to be here until Bower called me and asked me to give this to you personally.”

  Alex pressed on her temple with her thumb and took a deep breath. “I’m not going to lie to Claire.”

  “I’m just asking you to…”

  “No,” Alex said. “I’m not keeping anything from her. She’s my partner, Hawk. You want to come with me? Feel free.”

  “I don’t want her to think that I was trying to check in on her.”

  Alex groaned. “You don’t give her a whole lot of credit.”

  “Did I just hear you correctly? Are you sticking up for Claire?”

  “You heard me as clearly as I spoke. You and Cass have been trying to convince me for years to trust Claire. I still have my issues. Claire is my partner, Hawk. She’s also part of my family. I’m not going to undermine how much work we’ve both put into this bizarre partnership you dreamed up because you two have things to sort out.”