Untold

by Nancy Ann Healy

  Hawk grinned. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

  “Me neither. Are you coming or not?”

  “On your heels.”

  ***

  “BJ was older than you?” Claire asked.

  Daniels nodded. “A few years—at least.”

  “What can you tell me about him?”

  “That would be helpful? I don’t know. Not much. Like I said, he didn’t talk much—not to me anyway.”

  “Do you remember what he looked like?”

  “Sure,” Daniels replied without missing a beat. “That was over ten years ago, though.”

  Claire nodded. “Sergeant Daniels, would you be willing to work with a sketch artist?”

  “Sure. I might be able to do you one better, though.”

  Claire’s curiosity was piqued. “I’m listening.”

  “I think my mom probably still has it. Mr. Lawson, he owned the company my first year there—he took a picture of all of us that year before he handed the business over to his son, Brad. I think BJ was in it—pretty sure. Brad would know BJ’s name. Might even know where he is. They were friends, I think.”

  Claire nodded. Unfortunately, Brad Lawson was off the grid completely. They had managed to run down his last address but there was no sign of Brad Lawson. Neighbors had told the FBI agents who went to make contact that the property had been vacant for over a year, although a local lawn service still maintained the property. Claire and Alex hoped that they’d manage to track down the former Greenscape owner through payment records. So far, efforts had proved unsuccessful. Claire’s mind was spinning with possibilities. The more pieces of the puzzle that came into view, the less she liked the picture she was seeing.

  “Hey,” Alex walked through the door with Hawk a step behind her. “Sorry, to interrupt.”

  Claire looked up, ready to speak when her eyes met Hawk’s. “Hawk?”

  “That would be me,” Hawk replied.

  Claire shook off her thought and turned her attention to Alex. “Sergeant Daniels might have a picture of the work crew from 2005.”

  Alex’s ears perked. She nodded. “Interesting,” she commented. “Hawk just shared something with me. I think you should check it out; give me a few minutes with Sergeant Daniels.”

  Claire looked at Alex for any sign that this was personal. Alex’s smile told her it was not. “Sure,” Claire agreed. “After you,” she gestured to Hawk.

  “Like I told your partner; I’m not sure how much I can help,” Daniels told Alex.

  Alex nodded. Life on a military base could be somewhat insulated. “News down here isn’t always the same as it is at home,” she said. “Did Agent Brackett explain what led us here?”

  “No, not really.”

  “Well, it isn’t a secret. We discovered a number of women buried at the edge of Mrs. Moriarty’s property line.”

  Alex watched Daniels’ reaction with interest. He stared at her blankly for a second as her words sunk in. She noted that his gaze diverted from hers once the words had taken root. Alex pulled up a chair and sat across for the sergeant. He shook his head.

  “Sergeant Daniels,” Alex spoke calmly. “Someone put those women there—someone with access to that property.

  “We worked in the light of day. I can’t see how…”

  Alex nodded. “I understand. If you remember, that property abuts the state forest. It’s not a well-traveled area.”

  “Yeah, I remember.”

  “How well do you remember most of the places you worked for Greenscape?”

  “Some like I was there yesterday, some I only was there once or twice.”

  “Out of curiosity, do you recall if any of the places you worked had a well?” she asked.

  Daniels combed his thoughts, his tongue snaking across his lip as he concentrated on old memories. He rubbed his forehead and shook his head. “No. I mean, not that I saw.”

  Alex sighed. It was worth a shot.

  “Wait,” Daniels looked at Alex. “Not on any property that I worked at. But…”

  “But?”

  “In the back of the Greenscape office? A long time before I worked there, they had greenhouses. Greenscape started as a nursery. By the time I started there, they were all rundown. Me and Mark used to go have a few beers after work behind them. It was overgrown out there. You could disappear,” he said. “Always thought that was crazy for a landscaping company. Not the best advertisement; you know? Anyway, there’s an old well out there. We found it by accident one day.”

  Alex bit the inside of her lip gently. Son of a bitch. “Thanks,” she said. “I assume Agent Brackett has the information about that photo?”

  “Well, you’d have to see my mom to get it. All my stuff is still in her attic. It should be there in a box with my pictures from high school. I never tossed it. I doubt she would have.”

  Alex slid her chair back and stood. “Thanks again. If we need anything else, we’ll be in touch.”

  “Agent Toles?”

  “Yes?”

  Daniels sighed and shifted his weight.

  “Sergeant Daniels if there is anything you think we should know, I need to know it.”

  “Me and Mark saw BJ out there once.”

  “Out where?”

  “Out behind the greenhouses.”

  “What was he doing?” Alex asked.

  Daniels swallowed hard. “He wasn’t alone.”

  Alex nodded. “Thank you.”

  “I wish I could help more.

  “You’ve helped more than you know.”

  ***

  “Claire,” Hawk caught hold of Claire’s arm.

  “What? Don’t you have something to show me?”

  “I didn’t know you and Alex were going to be here.”

  Claire stopped walking and looked at Hawk. She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”

  Hawk wasn’t sure she had heard her girlfriend correctly.

  “Well, I am,” Claire chuckled. “How could you know we’d be here when we didn’t know until after I’d called you?”

  “Alex is good for you.”

  Claire rolled her eyes.

  “And, maybe you’re good for her too.”

  “God, that sounds eerily like you’re trying to hook us up.”

  “Never. I’m not into sharing,” Hawk said.

  “What is it that you showed Alex?”

  Hawk led Claire to the room she and Alex had vacated a few minutes earlier. “You’re not going to like it.”

  “Since when does my liking anything stop you?” Claire teased.

  Hawk handed Claire the same pair of headphones she’d given Alex.

  “I thought we were past phone sex,” Claire raised an eyebrow.

  “Just listen.”

  Claire fell silent and listened to the same message. Unlike Alex, she did not remove the headphones. “Play it again,” she directed Hawk. Hawk complied. Claire concentrated.

  “I see you found all the pretty maidens in a row. Still looking for the little lost sheep? Ah. You know that rhyme? Ding, dong, bell, Pussy’s in the well?”

  “Stop,” Claire held up her hand. “Go back a bit.”

  “Claire?”

  “Just go back a bit.”

  “Ah. You know that rhyme? Ding, dong, bell, Pussy’s in the well?”

  “Play it again.”

  Hawk complied. She watched as Claire’s temple twitched with concentration. Claire began stroking her bottom lip with a fingertip and shook her head.

  “One more time,” Claire requested.

  “Ah. You know that rhyme? Ding, dong, bell, Pussy’s in the well?”

  “He’s near an airport.”

  “What?” Hawk asked.

  Claire removed the headphones. “I’m sure there’s already a team analyzing this.”

  “I’m certain Bower put them on it immediately,” Hawk replied.

  “He can’t be more than twenty miles from an airport. I would guess closer,” Claire said. She handed Ha
wk the headphones. “Listen. Wait for him to say the word ding.”

  Hawk followed Claire’s direction. She listened attentively. She stopped and played the recording again, and then a third time. Slowly, she put the headphones down beside her. “Not many people would have heard that,” she said.

  Claire shrugged. “They’re too busy listening to the words,” she said. “We have a time stamp on that, I assume? I mean, exactly when that call came in.”

  “To the second; I’m certain,” Hawk said.

  “Guess we have some more work to do,” Claire said. “I need to talk to Alex.”

  “That’s good,” Alex replied as she entered the room. “I think I might have something interesting to share too. You first.”

  “He’s within twenty miles of an airport,” Claire gave Alex her assessment. “Since we can gather he’s somewhere on the east coast; I would think checking landing times against that tape might be a good idea.”

  Alex nodded. “Good catch,” she offered.

  “You?” Claire asked.

  “Well, it seems Sergeant Daniels and his old friend Mark Jacobs used to enjoy some cold brews out on the far end of Greenscape’s property.”

  “And?”

  “And, the good sergeant remembers seeing BJ out there with a woman.”

  “And?” Claire urged.

  “And, there is a well nearby.”

  “Son of a…”

  “Ready to head home?” Alex asked.

  “Depends.”

  “On what?”

  “Do I get to crash in a bed or do I have to sleep on that damn couch again?” Claire asked.

  Alex laughed. “I think we can figure something out. Hawk,” she winked at her friend. “I’ll meet you outside,” Alex told Claire.

  “Right behind you.”

  Hawk waited for the door to close. “You do; you know?”

  “I do what?” Claire wondered.

  “You and Alex—you make a good team.”

  Claire looked back at the door Alex had just closed. She nodded and turned back to her lover. “Yeah, I guess maybe we do.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  “Jesus. This is worse than those damn woods. You would think a lawn care company would mow its property,” Claire grumbled.

  Alex had to agree. It puzzled her. Granted, this part of the property was out of public view. Even so, it didn’t completely add up to Alex. She looked behind her at the team that followed. A month of pursuing this case seemed like an eternity. Silently, she was praying they would find an empty well. Realistically, she expected she would find another victim. She looked ahead and saw the top of the well hovering just above the tall weeds.

  Claire noticed Alex’s gait slow. She grabbed hold of Alex’s wrist. “I’ll go down,” she offered.

  Alex smiled at her partner. Claire had seen enough for a lifetime. Alex shook her head. “I got this one,” she replied.

  “Uh, Alex, maybe you should let me go.”

  “Why? Think I’m too old?” Alex joked.

  “Well…”

  “With age comes experience,” Alex winked.

  Claire rolled her eyes. “Yeah, and arthritis.”

  Alex chuckled. “I got this one.”

  Claire and Alex both stepped up to the well and peered into the darkness below.

  “Maybe there’s nothing down there,” Claire offered.

  Alex stared into the abyss. Her stomach turned over and rose into her chest. Maybe.

  ***

  “Agent Brackett,” another FBI agent called for Claire’s attention.

  “Not now,” Claire dismissed him.

  “But…”

  Claire kept her eyes on Alex as she descended the well.

  “But, Agent…”

  Claire turned abruptly. “You see that hole in the ground?” she asked the agent. He nodded sheepishly. “My partner is down there on a rope. Whatever it is you want to tell me, it will hold until she is back up here on solid ground. Questions?” she dismissed him again. He shook his head and walked away. “Fucking rookies. Alex?” she called down the hole.

  “Still here,” Alex’s voice echoed back up the tunnel.

  “See anything yet?” Claire asked.

  “Yeah, a lot more of nothing.”

  Claire groaned. “I don’t like this,” she muttered.

  “She knows what she’s doing,” a voice offered.

  Claire’s eyes remained riveted to Alex’s figure as it shrunk in the distance. “Don’t we have some better light?” she asked harshly.

  “Working on it,” someone answered.

  “Work faster,” Claire demanded.

  “Shit!” Alex’s voice carried in the distance.

  “What is it?” Claire called down. “Alex?”

  A crackling sound in Claire’s ear told her that Alex had gone to com. “What is it?”

  “I can’t see the bottom,” Alex said.

  “You’ve gotta be close,” Claire replied.

  “I need more slack, Claire.”

  Claire was liking the current situation less and less. I wish she would have let me go. “All right.” Claire turned her attention to the team beside her. “It’s deeper than we thought. Let it out,” she directed them. “Alex?”

  “Yeah, I’m moving again,” Alex replied.

  Alex gently let her feet glide over the side of the well, looking up briefly and then back to the seemingly endless pit below. She tugged on the line as a signal to stop and shined her flashlight. How deep was this hole? Alex tugged the line again and continued to descend. She noted the jagged rock just ahead. She swung her feet with gentle force to keep the line out of its path. Without warning, she heard a snap. “Shit!”

  “Alex?” Claire called for her partner over the com line. “What the hell just happened?” She turned to the team behind her. Two agents shook their heads. “Alex?” Claire called again. No reply. Claire’s hands went to her face and she ran them through her hair. “God Damnit!”

  “Agent Brackett, we can…”

  “Get me set up now,” Claire ordered.

  “But…”

  “Do it.”

  Alex opened her eyes and groaned. That’s gonna leave a mark. She felt the muscles in her back spasm and winced. Shit. Alex tapped on the hard hat she was wearing. “Must’ve hit the light on my way down. Damnit. “Claire?” She tried her com line. “You out there?” No answer. Oh, just great. No light, no line, and no damn way to talk to anyone. Well, at least I’m alive—I think. She closed her eyes to stave off a wave of sudden pain through her lower back. “Okay, Toles, gently.” Alex maneuvered herself carefully onto her side. “Well, if you’re down here, so is your flashlight,” she surmised. She began to feel around for it. The ground beneath her was damp, and she could hear the faint trickling of water. The space she found herself in was wider than she would have imagined. “Where is that damn light?” she complained. Her hand met something cold and solid. Alex shivered and closed her eyes. She suppressed the urge to vomit. “On second thought, maybe I’d prefer the darkness.”

  “Alex!” a voice called.

  Alex breathed a sigh of relief. Claire. “Claire?!”

  Claire released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Maybe Cass will only maim me if she’s broken but alive. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I think so?” Alex shouted back.

  “Thank God,” Claire whispered.

  “But, I don’t think I’m alone,” Alex called back.

  Claire was surprised by the queasiness that immediately made its presence known in her stomach. Lying in a dark, dank well with a corpse was not her idea of fun. “I’m coming!” she called out.

  “I’m blind down here!” Alex called.

  “Just stay put!”

  Alex smiled. Always the comedienne.

  ***

  The light from Claire’s hard hat came into view and Alex sighed. “Took you long enough,” Alex called to her. She was relieved to know Claire was close.
She could hear Claire chuckling.

  “Alex,” Claire called when she could see Alex a short way in the distance. Alex’s eyes were closed. “Are you okay?” Claire asked. Alex nodded. “If you’re lying, you won’t have to worry about Cassidy kicking your ass, ‘cause I’ll do it for her.”

  Alex laughed. “I’m okay.”

  “I’m going to shine the light,” Claire warned her partner. She saw Alex’s nod of recognition. Claire reached back, grabbed her flashlight and shined it in the distance. She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Damnit.”

  Alex reluctantly opened her eyes. She took in the broken form beside her and fought the urge to vomit again. In less than a breath, Claire was above her.

  “I’ve got her,” Claire told the team and then clicked off the com. “Well, when you fall, you sure do it hard,” Claire commented.

  Alex smiled gratefully.

  “Can’t say I ever saw myself in this position again,” Claire said.

  “What position is that?” Alex asked.

  “Carrying you over any threshold.”

  Alex rolled her eyes. “Just get me the hell out of here, will you?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. What’s it worth to you?” Claire teased. She felt a thousand pounds lighter knowing that Alex was all right.

  “Wine. Lots of wine. I know where Cass keeps her secret stash.”

  Claire lowered herself another inch. She managed to get a solid footing, unclipped her line and clipped it to Alex. “Not the best offer I’ve ever had,” she told her partner. “Cass can’t drink it anyway.”

  Alex laughed. “Thanks,” she told Claire.

  “You scared the shit out of me,” Claire admitted. “Are you gonna’ be okay going back up?” she asked.

  Alex nodded.

  “Alex, don’t bullshit me right now. Can you make it up on your own or not?”

  Alex nodded again. “Just sore. I’ll be okay.”

  “You’d better hope so for both our sakes,” she said as she tugged on the line. She clicked the com back on. “One senior agent coming up,” she said.