“My gut tells me it’s not Johnny. The evidence doesn’t fit. The ME is making the autopsy and ID process top priorities. The victim’s face was disfigured, and the fingerprints were removed, but his teeth were intact. Hopefully, his records or DNA are in the system. I’m expecting ID confirmation in the next few hours. It’s my opinion this is drug related and has nothing to do with Johnny, but don’t quote me.”
There was a gasp at the back of the group, and Wes turned to find Steph staring at him with eyes the size of saucers.
When every head turned to face Steph, Wilson said, “Who’s that?”
Steph spun around and ran for the stairs before anyone could answer.
“I’ve got this,” Wes said and took off after her. He caught her before she reached the first floor and grabbed her arm to stop her. She struggled to break free, but Wes held tight. “What were you doing in the bullpen? You were supposed to be in the lab.”
Steph grabbed Wes’ shirt with both hands. “Is Johnny dead? Did you find his body?”
Wes covered her hands with his. “We found a body, but I’m almost positive it’s not your brother.”
“Almost?” Steph said, and her voice caught. “Just almost positive?”
“I wish I could tell you for certain it’s not him, but I can’t until we have the report from the ME. I meant it when I said my gut tells me it’s not Johnny, and my gut is pretty reliable.”
Steph collapsed against him and sobbed on his chest. Wes stroked her hair to calm her. “I’m sorry you heard that, Steph. It wasn’t meant for you. These investigations move fast. Evidence and directions change on a dime. It’s not Johnny. Trust me.”
Steph pulled free and looked up at him. “I want to, Wes, but I’m so scared. I’m putting on a brave act, pretending to be strong for my dad and Grace, but I’m terrified. On top of that, I couldn’t be with my sister when my niece and nephew were born. Jason told me it may have been the stress that sent her into labor early, but he made me promise not to tell my parents that. Now, this. What if you’re wrong?”
“I’m not, but I’ll be here for you no matter what happens. We’re getting close to catching Mara and rescuing Johnny. It won’t be long now. Go home and rest. Please, don’t say anything about this to your family. I’m sorry to ask you to keep another secret, but I don’t want them to suspect in case this comes to nothing.”
Steph’s hands dropped to her side. She stared at Wes before continuing down the stairs without a word. When the stairwell door closed behind her, he sank onto a stair and ran his hands through his hair.
He’d tried to appear as strong and sure of himself to Steph as she with her parents, but he was as scared as she was. He’d told her the truth that he didn’t believe the dead boy was Johnny, but there was a minuscule chance it was him. If it was, Wes didn’t know how he’d go on knowing he’d failed Steph and her family.
“Please, don’t let it be Johnny,” he cried to the ceiling before dragging his feet up the stairs to get back to work.
Grace had turned off her phone while she was in the hospital but powered it back on as soon as she was in the parking lot. She had two calls from Jason, one from Ryan and ten texts from the two of them. She smiled and waited until she got in the car to read her messages.
The texts from Jason were mostly pictures of their new little grandbabies. They’d named them Whitney Grace and Zachary James. They were precious, and Grace’s tears dripped onto the screen while she swiped through the photos.
Jason’s last text said, Jennifer and babies doing great! We miss you all and can’t wait for you to meet Zach and Whitney!
Neither can we, Grace wrote back. Hope it’s soon. Congratulations again! We’ll call you soon.
She checked Ryan’s texts next. They were copies of the pictures Jason had sent.
Aren’t they amazing? Talked to Jason. He said they’re doing great. I told him to prepare for no sleep for the next eighteen years. I love you. Where are you?
Grace was about to call him when her phone rang. The caller ID said it was Steph.
“Have you seen the pictures of the babies? Aren’t they gorgeous?” Grace said before Steph got a word out.
Steph’s breath shuttered, and Grace smiled, assuming she was overcome with emotion over the birth of her twin sister’s children.
“Grace,” she gasped, “I have news.”
Grace’s gut tightened and bile rose in her throat. “What’s happened? Tell me, no matter how terrible.”
“They discovered a body. It might be Johnny. Wes swears it’s not, but I’m terrified.”
The world started to spin, and Grace dropped her phone on the seat. She opened the car door and planted her feet on the pavement before lowering her head between her knees.
“Grace, are you there?” she heard Steph’s muffled voice saying.
She stretched her arm behind her and felt for her phone. “I’m here,” she said without raising her head. “What did Wes tell you? Where’s the body?”
“It’s at the ME’s lab. They’re waiting for ID.” The line went quiet for several seconds. “The boy’s fingerprints were cut off, and the face was disfigured. They’re hoping to identify him with dental records and DNA.”
“I know the ME. I’m going to his office.”
“Is it safe for you to drive?”
Grace got out of the car and took a few steps. “I’m fine. Just shocked. Stephanie, please don’t tell your dad or anyone else about this until I contact you. Promise me.”
“I promise. Just don’t take too long. This is torture.”
“Go home and wait for my call. I’m not far from the ME’s office.” She took a few breaths and climbed into the car. “If Wes says it’s not Johnny, it’s not. I trust him. It’s not Johnny. It can’t be.”
She hung up and started the car. Her hands shook on the steering wheel, but nothing could stop her from finding out the truth about that body in the morgue.
The distance from the hospital to the ME’s office was short, but the drive felt like it took an eternity. Grace refused to let herself think about where she was headed and forced herself to focus on her new grandchildren getting their first view of the world.
She parked and marched to the door without giving herself a chance to lose her nerve. What she faced inside that building could be the realization of her worst nightmare, but she had to know. She walked through the entrance like she belonged there and hoped the fact that she was wearing her nurse’s uniform and badge would prevent suspicion.
No one so much as gave her a second glance as she made her way to the forensic pathology lab. She found her way with no trouble. There was a shelf with sterile clothing outside the door. She took the time to put on a gown, mask and gloves before reaching for the door. Her hand hovered over the handle as she struggled to force herself to turn it. She could see the ME and his assistants through the window as they surrounded a body on the table. She found her courage to enter after the third try and burst into the room.
The ME’s head snapped up, and he swung around to face her. His eyes widened when he recognized her. “Grace Walker? What are you doing? You’re not authorized to be here.”
A beanpole of a young man standing next to the ME stepped between Grace and the table. Grace ducked past him and pushed her way closer to the body.
“I’m sorry, William, but I have to know if it’s him. That could be my son lying there.”
William left the table and motioned for his team to give them space. William stopped two feet from Grace and blocked her view of the body.
“I’m sorry for what’s happening to you, Grace, but the FBI shouldn’t have informed you about this. It’s an official part of the investigation. There’s more than just my butt on the line.”
Grace hadn’t seen William for three years, but she’d known him for more than twenty. He saw dead bodies every day, but this was different. He knew her history with Johnny. She searched the eyes behind his protective glasses hoping to find empathy
and compassion.
“They didn’t tell me,” she said softly. “I found out by accident. I know you have protocols, and I respect that, but this is my Johnny we’re talking about. If that’s not enough to convince you, I can save you and every law enforcement agency in the state hours or even days of time and effort if you let me give a visual ID. Please, William.”
His jaw clenched, and his lips tightened, but Grace saw him wavering. Aside from their personal connection, she could tell he was calculating the time and effort that would be spared if she identified the body on his slab.
William stepped to the side and waved his hand for her to pass. She gave a slight bow and started for the table but only made it a few steps before her feet refused to budge like they’d become glued to the floor. William pressed his hand into the small of her back to get her moving. She lowered her eyes and took the last steps to reach the body. She could feel the eyes of William’s team on her.
“Take your time,” William said. “I’m glad the days of having next of kin come in to identify bodies are behind us. I know this must be torture. Just remember your medical training, take a breath and examine the body.”
Grace nodded and raised her chin. What she saw wasn’t what she’d expected. The victim’s face was so bruised and distorted that it was hard to tell he was human, but that didn’t matter to Grace. It only took seconds for her to determine that it was not her Johnny. Her relief was so overwhelming that her legs started to give way. The young woman standing next Grace caught her under the arms and lowered her to the floor.
“No, Grace. Is it him? Is that Johnny? I was so sure it wasn’t,” William said.
Grace pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. She tried to answer but words wouldn’t come. Someone put a bottled water into her hand. She twisted the cap off and took a gulp.
“It’s not Johnny,” she croaked and took another drink. “Even with the injuries to this poor boy, I can tell it’s not Johnny. Body shape is all wrong.”
William removed his glasses and gloves and ran his hand over his face. “Thank God,” he whispered. “Help Grace to a chair.” The beanpole intern lifted Grace to her feet and guided her to a plastic chair on the far side of the room. William turned to his team. “Let’s take a ten-minute break.”
His staff stripped off their sterile clothing and tossed them into a biohazard receptacle before filing out of the room. A few nodded and smiled at Grace as they left. When they were alone, Grace stood and hugged William, ignoring the tears streaming down her cheeks. She still didn’t trust her legs when she backed away, so she dropped back into the chair. William handed Grace her water and sat on a rolling stool facing her.
Grace wiped her face on her gown and sipped her water. “I’m so elated. Johnny’s still missing, but there’s hope. It would have killed me if that had been my boy.”
“It wouldn’t have, but you would have been facing a nightmare time. The months, or maybe years after we lost Marissa were unbearable, and we knew her death was coming. You think you’re prepared, but you never are. We survived it, though. Diana even laughs and smiles again and is able to focus on the other kids. Chelsy is pregnant with our first grandchild.”
Grace squeezed William’s hand and smiled. “Ryan’s daughter, Jennifer, gave birth to twins this morning.” She took her phone out of her pocket and showed him a picture.
“Beautiful.” He handed the phone back and crossed his arms. “You have been through the wringer today. Does Jennifer live in Richmond?”
“No, DC. Who knows when we’re going to get to meet the babies? Did you see Alec’s interview?”
He looked away which told Grace all she needed to know. “Damned media.”
The feeling had returned to Grace’s legs, so she stood and removed her sterile clothing. After throwing it away, she glanced at the body. “Feels wrong to sit here chatting in front of that poor soul. I’m beyond ecstatic that Johnny’s alive, but he’s someone’s son. I feel guilty for feeling this happy with him in the room. Some mother is going to get terrible news soon.”
William stood and followed Grace to the door. “I get so focused on my investigations sometimes that I forget these victims aren’t just evidence. I needed this reminder. I suspect that he was involved in a drug deal gone bad, but he was a person.”
“I need to call Stephanie and Agent Reid.”
“Leave Reid to me.” William rubbed his chin. “How am I going to explain IDing the victim so quickly? He had no dental records on file, and the initial DNA analysis won’t be back for hours.”
“Have you done x-rays?” When William nodded, she said, “Did he have signs of healing from an old fracture on his right forearm?”
William went to a laptop sitting on the counter. He searched through some images and shook his head.
“Tell the FBI you compared Johnny’s medical records to the victim, and they didn’t match,” Grace said. “You would have done that, right?”
“That works.” He walked back to Grace and took her hands. “Congratulations for this and the new grandbabies. The four of us should have dinner once Johnny is home, and this nightmare is over and done.”
Grace kissed his cheek. “I don’t know how to thank you. You didn’t have to do this. I owe you more than you’ll ever know.”
“It was worth it. Now, get out of here. I need to re-scrub before my team gets back.”
Grace gave a small wave as she went into the hallway and fought the urge to run back to her car. She called Steph the instant she was in the parking lot. When she gave her the news, Steph broke down and sobbed into the phone.
Grace let her cry it out. When Steph quieted, she said, “Don’t ever tell anyone about this. It’s our secret. Your dad would kill me if he knew I stormed in here, especially without him.”
“I agree, but has it occurred to you we could still have to face the same situation? I’m trying not to admit it to myself, but it could happen. Maybe we should be preparing ourselves for the worst now that we know what to expect.”
“No, Steph. I refuse to think that way. I wish you’d never overheard Wes talking about the body. Whatever Mara’s twisted plan is, killing Johnny isn’t part of it. She loves him in her own sick way. You need to remember that and focus on finding Johnny, nothing more. Promise me.”
“Fine, but I have no idea what to do next. I think it would be best to avoid the field office for now.”
“Probably. Have you talked to Jen?” Grace asked to change the subject. “It would be good for both of you if you called and raved over her little darlings. Aren’t they gorgeous? I can’t wait to meet them.”
Steph gushed about her new niece and nephew as Grace drove for home. She was glad to have distracted Steph from the harrowing ordeal they’d experienced and hoped her stepdaughter wouldn’t suffer any lasting trauma. Grace hoped the same for herself but knew it would take time to erase the image of that brutally murdered boy from her mind.
17
There was a car Grace didn’t recognize in the driveway when she got home. She was too exhausted to give it much thought. A stream of unfamiliar people had paraded through her house since Johnny’s abduction, and they still had two Richmond police officers standing guard. They wouldn’t have allowed the car’s owner to enter the house unless they were cleared to be there.
Her gut tightened for a moment at the thought that it could be someone from the press until she remembered that Scott Michaels had arranged for them to be barred from closer than a hundred yards for security reasons.
Grace parked in the garage, went inside and dumped her purse on the kitchen table as she passed. All she wanted was a long hot shower and to change into sweats and a t-shirt after the day she’d had. She opened the door to the living room and had to stifle a groan when she saw Craig reading Alec’s book on the couch. She’d forgotten about him in all the chaos and hadn’t talked to him since Saturday. She secretly hoped he was on his way back to Albuquerque.
He put the book d
own and sat forward. “I hope you don’t mind that Mark let me in before he left to deal with some crisis at his restaurant. I was going insane waiting for news at the hotel.”
Grace gave him a weak smile. “I wish I had news to give you. What do you think of that?” she asked and pointed at the book.
Craig relaxed back into the cushions. “Alec’s an amazing writer. I was just reading the part about your childhood. I’m so sorry. I never knew. What was it like reading about yourself from Alec’s perspective?”
“I haven’t read it. Alec gave it to me just before the kidnapping. She’d kept it a secret, and I was furious with her for not giving me more warning.” She stared at the book for a few moments. “Seems like such a trivial thing to have been upset about.”
“You should read it. You might be surprised.”
Grace dropped onto the loveseat and hoisted her feet onto the ottoman. “You sound like Ryan. Has he been home since you got here?”
Craig shook his head. “It’s just been me. I saw the interview this morning. It was painful to watch. That Ethan is a moral degenerate. I’d like to strangle him.”
“You and half of Richmond. The FBI is working on damage control. I’m not sure what that means or if it will do any good. Have you eaten? I haven’t had a bite since breakfast.” She checked her watch and the lingering elation of knowing Johnny was still alive drained out of her.
Craig leaned forward and drew his brows together. “What’s wrong?”
“Johnny stormed out of the house and into Mara’s web a week ago this very minute.”
Craig got up and moved next to her. “It’s just time on the clock, Grace. It doesn’t signify anything. The FBI could bring Johnny through that door five minutes from now. You can’t let it get to you.”
Grace peered into his eyes. Her interactions with Craig had been limited in the past, but they’d usually been intense. She realized that she knew very little of him as a person or what his life must be like. She wondered if she’d misjudged him.
The Complete Arms of Grace Series Page 51
