“Okay, say we do separate her from the others. Then what? It’s not like, if she goes missing, Abby won’t be bothered by that.”
“No, that’s the plan. We want her to freak out about the girl missing. Think about it. This girl is still being held captive by the government. She’s on loan to Abby. She’s responsible for returning the girl.”
“So the girl sees an opportunity,” Connie continued Albert’s train of thought. “And runs away.”
“Exactly. Of course, we really grab her. The shed is the perfect location. We’ll knock her out, put her in the large trunk we keep in there. Once Abby is convinced that she’s run off, she’ll go looking. That’s when we move the girl.”
At that point, Albert still hadn’t told Connie about the change in their orders—that the girl was to be killed. He knew she would fight it, perhaps even jeopardize the mission. After years of being married to her, he knew her weaknesses. She could never harm the girl. It wasn’t easy for him either. He was against it. But in the end, he was a loyal soldier. He would do what was asked, even if it meant executing the girl.
Chapter Forty-Seven
After meeting with Ellis, Kang headed back to the office. It was near the end of the day, but he wanted to see if forensics had anything new to report. They didn’t. He sat at his desk, removed his cell phone from his pocket, and studied the picture he’d taken of the words Ellis had written down.
The face Ellis had said he saw confirmed someone else was with him, but who? Could it be the owner of the pair of shoes standing next to Ellis at the curb?
Kang rubbed his forehead as he stared at the photo, trying to spin the words into something meaningful. The medical mask was also interesting. Was this person the one who injected Ellis with propofol?
The darkness or void that Ellis spoke of could just be a reference to nighttime. He knew that the location where Ellis had stood was dark at night, so maybe that was why he couldn’t place the face. If that was true, did that person lead Ellis down the alley? Why would Ellis go with him unless he knew the person—a student perhaps? Or was that person a complete stranger who convinced Ellis to walk with him?
Ellis didn’t strike him as the sort of person to just walk off with a stranger, unless that stranger was female. Mrs. Ellis’s revelation about her husband’s infidelity opened up some doors. If women were his weakness, perhaps one was used as bait, a way to lead him away, though the pair of feet that stood next to him at the curb definitely belonged to a man.
Kang wrote off inebriation. From his conversation with the students and the bar owner, Ellis seemed to be okay, aware of his actions and surroundings. Was he really planning on driving home, or was he heading to a girlfriend’s place? Kang now realized he should have questioned Mrs. Ellis more about those women.
“Cerberus” was the last word to pique his interest. He went online to read up more about the mythological creature—a three-headed dog known as the Hound of Hades, the god of the underworld.
This is so random.
Kang had been unable to draw a connection with Cerberus. Ellis had insisted that the image of he dog he remembered seeing wasn’t a tattoo. Kang had then suggested a sticker or a T-Shirt, but Ellis had shaken his head to those suggestions as well.
Kang did an Internet search—aside from all the mythological references, the image of the dog appeared abundantly in digital artwork, paintings, and drawings.
A company that sold antivirus and antitheft software had adopted the word “Cerberus” as the name of their business. The business didn’t use the image of the dog, just the name. They claimed to provide triple protection. That was the tie-in to the Cerberus name.
In fact, he soon learned there were a lot of companies utilizing the word “Cerberus.” The businesses ranged from an investment firm, to an advertising agency, to a beer microbrewer, to even a maker of headsets. Only the beer company used the imagery of the dog. The others just copped the name. He downloaded the beer logo with the intention of showing it to Ellis. Maybe the person was wearing a T-shirt made by the brewery or was drinking the beer.
Kang continued to investigate the “Cerberus” references that appeared within the Google search. He came across more companies selling services or products using the name. Even a sushi creation had been named after it.
The list was endless. Google had produced more than thirteen million search results, and he had perused only the first twenty pages. There has to be a way to narrow this down. He did another search for companies in the Bay Area that used the word “Cerberus” or the image in their name. There were a few, but one stood out. It was called Cerberus Fertility.
Strange that a fertility clinic would choose that as its name.
Kang clicked on the link and was taken to the home page. Right off the bat, it seemed like a normal fertility clinic… well, what he imagined one would look like. It featured pictures of healthy babies, smiling physicians talking to hopeful parents, state-of-the-art laboratories, and a pair of gloved hands handling a tray of test tubes.
The only odd thing was their choice of taking it one step further than the name. They actually used the image of Cerberus. It was a blue-and-white line drawing—sophisticated and with a feminine feel—of a dog with three heads.
Kang nicked the logo from the website and emailed it to himself along with the logo from the beer company. He would show them both to Ellis. The last thing he did was note the location of the clinic, and this made his hair stand on end. It was near Mount Sutro, where Barnes was found running around naked.
Chapter Forty-Eight
That same afternoon, Sid Devlin sat calmly at the table in his office. A video of a cellist performing played on his laptop. He wasn’t watching; his eyes were closed, but he did have a pleasant smile on his face. When the cellist completed her performance, he opened his eyes, picked up the phone, and made a call.
“Min, would you come in here, please?”
Five minutes later, Min stood in the doorway to Devlin’s office.
“I’ve made a decision.” Devlin said.
“Very good. I’m happy to hear it.” Min closed the door behind him and walked over to Devlin. He reached for the stack of folders on the table. ”Which one of these people have you chosen?”
“None.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t understand.” Min’s voice and expression were laced with confusion. “You said you’d picked someone.”
“I have, just not from the pile you’re holding.”
“Who is this mysterious person you’ve chosen?”
Devlin turned his laptop around and hit the space bar. The cellist began playing a new arrangement.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Devlin closed his eyes and retreated back into the lull he was in earlier.
“Tell me you’re not suggesting this person?”
“Her name is Nadia Ulrich. She’ll be performing in the city three days from now.”
“That’s not enough time to vet her. We can’t begin to—”
“She doesn’t need vetting. I’m familiar with her music and her career.”
“This is insanity.”
Devlin opened his eyes. “You’re such a worry wart. The performance will be small, very intimate, only a handful of invited guests. I’m one of them.”
“Have you lost your mind?” Min ran his hand through his hair. “You can’t be seen around these people. There cannot be any ties to you or this place.” He motioned to the general area around him. “Need I remind you that discretion is a key component to this program?”
“I’ve made my decision. I trust you and your team will figure out the details and ensure that what needs to be done is done.”
“I implore you to reconsider. Surely there are others in this pile that are as suitable?” Min opened one of the folders. “Ah, here we are: Camilla Davidson. She’s a respected professor at UC Berkeley, one of the top biophysicists in the country. She is also head of the Biochemistry Department and oversees all of the research bei
ng done. What’s wrong with her?”
“It’s not a matter of finding fault; it’s about making sure the risk is worth it.”
“You’re saying Camilla Davidson isn’t worth the risk?”
“I’m saying that, at this moment, Nadia is a much worthier one.”
Min shook his head. “I simply don’t get it.”
“Camilla will always be here. She’s a tenured professor. Nadia isn’t from the Bay Area; in fact, she calls Berlin, Germany, her home.”
“But the risks… they are extraordinary.”
“No more than any other candidate that we’ve selected. She’ll be staying at the Mark Hopkins Hotel and performing at the rooftop bar. Surely an old institution like that isn’t equipped with advanced security measures.”
“And how did you come to this knowledge that she’ll be staying there?”
“Like I said, it’s an intimate performance for a select group of people with more money than they know what to do with.” Devlin grinned as he allowed the last of his words to linger.
“Very well.” Min closed the file folder holding Davidson’s information. He watched as his boss raised the volume on the laptop, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes.
Min shook his head as he pursed his lips. He had spent months compiling candidates and then culling that list only to have his efforts discarded like snot on a fingertip. He returned to his office, closed the door, and plopped down in his chair behind his desk. He hadn’t stopped grumbling to himself since he’d left Devlin’s office.
“That smug bastard. Who the hell does he think he is?” Min said out loud as he slouched down in his chair. “His arrogance will be his downfall. And when that happens, I will take over.”
For the first time that day, a smile formed on Min’s face. He spun his chair around so that he faced the large, tinted window behind him. His office was on the second floor of the two-story facility. The building was in the shape of an oblong C. Min had a corner office at the very end of the curve. From where he sat, he had a view of the front of the building and the parking lot.
He watched a silver sedan pull into the lot from the street. It parked three spaces from the front of the building, and a man exited the driver’s side. He walked around the back of the car to the passenger side, where he greeted a woman. Together they walked hand in hand toward the entrance of the clinic. The man leaned in and whispered into her ear. She acknowledged with quick head nods. It’s always the woman who’s nervous.
The couple stepped up onto a sidewalk that ran the length of the front of the building. It was lined with a low-lying hedge and neatly manicured grass. Near the entrance to the building was the company sign: a large granite block with 3D lettering and a logo made of brushed steel. The name of the clinic was Cerberus Fertility, and the logo was a three-headed dog.
Chapter Forty-Nine
The kids were thrilled to hear that the Shis had invited us over. Connie had called the night before, and I answered for the whole family, except for Po Po. I knew she already had plans—lunch in Chinatown and then an afternoon of Mahjong with a few friends.
Early that morning, I took Xiaolian to buy a swimsuit. It was near eleven when we finally returned to the house. We were getting ready to head over to the Shis’ home when I called Connie once more to see if I could bring anything. “Bring appetites and energy,” were her words.
Everyone piled into the Charger: me and Ryan in the front, Lucy and Xiaolian in the back. Po Po stood on the porch and waved goodbye.
On the way over to the Shis’, I made a quick stop at Fanelli’s and picked up a deli platter. They had an amazing tray that consisted of various meats, cheese, stuffed peppers, and a mix of olives. I didn’t want to show up empty-handed. Didn’t seem right.
We arrived to a warm welcome from Connie and Albert, who met us in their driveway.
“Abby, I told you not to bring anything,” Connie said.
“Is that prosciutto?” Albert took the platter from my hand.
“It sure is. And that is Salametti and Calabrese salami.”
“I for one am glad you brought this. Cured meat is my weakness.”
“He’s not kidding. He might eat the whole thing,” Connie said as we walked toward the house. She peeked around me. “Hi, Xiaolian. Remember me? I met you at the school.”
“Yes,” she said softly.
“She’s a little shy,” I said. “Give her time; she’ll warm up.”
“I thought it would be fun if everyone made their own personal pizza. We’ll give the oven a nice workout today.”
The Shis were the only people I knew who had a wood-fired pizza oven in their backyard. Albert had built an impressive outdoor kitchen, complete with a bar and a state-of-the-art grilling station that housed a massive chrome grill.
“The dough is ready. All that’s needed are toppings and then into the oven.”
Laid out neatly on a long picnic table were individual pizzas, each about eight inches in diameter. In the center of the table were bowls of ingredients: mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, fresh tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, spinach, sliced pepperoni, and a large mixing bowl filled with tomato sauce.
Albert placed the deli platter on the table. “I’m putting this stuff on my pizza.”
We spent the next thirty minutes or so customizing our pizzas. As they were completed, Albert slid them into the oven.
“How long does it take to cook them in there?” I asked him.
“The temperature of the oven floor is about seven hundred degrees Fahrenheit. So roughly three minutes.”
He wasn’t kidding. Within ten minutes, everyone had a piping-hot, personalized pizza. I had followed Albert’s lead and loaded my pizza up with the good meat from the deli platter. I also added peppers, olives, and crushed garlic.
Xiaolian had never eaten pizza, and she was utterly confused by the process. Lucy walked her through it. They both did a split pizza—pepperoni and cheese on one side and mushrooms and olives on the other. Ryan put a little of everything on his.
Xiaolian sat next to me. She was still a little shy. Lucy already knew Hailey. Ryan and Colin trained at the same dojo. And Merrick simply followed his older brother around. I could understand if she felt a little left out.
“Are you having fun?” I asked her.
“Pizza is good,” she mumbled.
“That’s for sure.” I took a bite of my slice.
“Who are these people?”
“They’re the Shis. That’s Connie and Albert. Their kids are Colin, Merrick, and Hailey.”
I had introduced Xiaolian earlier, when we’d first arrived. That was one thing we definitely had in common: names went in one ear and out the other. Took a while to stick.
The treasure hunt was the big event. Albert had hidden gold coins around the property. The person who found the most won the prize: a large, gift-wrapped box. The kids, however, couldn’t resist the pool, so swimming won out after we finished eating.
While the kids played a game of Marco Polo in the pool, Connie, Albert, and I relaxed on the deck. Albert asked how long Xiaolian would be visiting. I was still playing up the story I had given Connie a few days ago—that Xiaolian was a cousin visiting from New York.
“Just a few more days.”
“Her parents send her out here by herself?” He dangled a piece of prosciutto above his mouth before shoving it inside. “A little young, no?”
“She’s twelve, but she looks younger,” I said.
Albert nodded his head. “I see. Why didn’t they come? The parents.”
“Unfortunately, they’re having marital problems. They thought it was a good idea if she stayed with us for a little bit while they sorted things out.”
“Oh, is it serious?” Connie asked.
“I don’t think so. I think they just needed time alone. But enough about them… what about you guys? Any travel plans coming up?” I wanted to change the subject as I had already expanded that fib more than
I cared to.
“I wish!” Connie answered, “but with all the kids’ activities, it seems like there's never enough time.”
“It’s been an hour or so. How about we start the treasure hunt?” Albert stood up and whistled. “Everybody out. It’s time to hunt for gold coins.”
He corralled the kids on the deck while Connie handed each one a towel. “Dry off, because the serious fun is about to start.”
I couldn’t help but think that the Shis were so nailing the parenting thing. I never would have pulled off something so unique, so grand, at the drop of a hat. We weren’t even celebrating a birthday, or a bar mitzvah, or a graduation. It was just a simple if-you’re-not-busy-come-on-over sort of gathering.
Albert spent the next few minutes making sure the kids understood the rules.
“It’s really simple. We’ve hidden fifty gold coins around the house. Whoever finds the most gold coins wins the mystery prize. Everybody understand?”
They all answered “yes” in unison.
“Okay, on your mark. Get set. Go!”
The kids took off in all directions. Merrick found the first coin tucked away inside a potted plant.
“How did you guys hide all the coins without your kids finding out?” I asked.
“Albert hid them late last night after they were asleep. Plus they only found out there was a treasure hunt just now.”
“You didn’t tell them?”
“It was the only way it would work. If they’d known beforehand, they would have started hunting.”
“What’s in the box?”
“Four movie passes plus a voucher for popcorn and drinks. We felt it best to keep the prize simple.”
“Good move. I can’t believe you guys pulled all of this off. Where do you find the energy?”
“It ain’t easy. Hey, do you drink tea? I picked up some delicious oolong tea in Chinatown the other day. It’s called tieguanyin. Heard of it?”
“You’re kidding, right?”
The Curator: SG Trilogy Book 2 (Abby Kane FBI Thriller 8) Page 18
