The Curator: SG Trilogy Book 2 (Abby Kane FBI Thriller 8)

by Ty Hutchinson

  I had no response to his comment. I would do what he had requested and continue to question Xiaolian. And when Monday arrived, I would promptly hand her back over to the facility.

  With Abby and her kids gone, Connie hurried back upstairs to speak with Albert. He was out of bed and standing next to the bedroom window. He had watched Abby drive away.

  “That didn’t go well. We’re lucky she bought my story about you fainting. She was starting to suspect that you might have had something to do with Xiaolian’s disappearance.

  Albert moved his hand away from the curtain, letting it close before turning around to face his wife. “She said that to you?”

  “She didn’t have to. I could see it in her eyes. With each passing second, she blamed you more and more. You were the referee overseeing everything.”

  Albert took a seat on the edge of the bed.

  “What’s the matter? You’re acting strange.” She sat next to him.

  “It’s the girl.” Albert’s gaze fell to the carpet.

  “Who? Xiaolian? What about her?”

  “She’s not normal.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He said nothing.

  Connie nudged him in the arm. “Hey, snap out of it. What do you mean she’s not normal?”

  Albert looked up at Connie. “She attacked me.”

  Chapter Fifty-Four

  The following morning, after a late breakfast, the kids and I piled into the car. The dojo was the first stop.

  “I’ll pick you up at three,” I said as Ryan exited the car.

  Our next stop was the Marina District, where a troop leader for the Brownies lived. They were having an orientation event. I parked the car, and Xiaolian and I both walked Lucy inside. I stayed a few minutes to chitchat with the troop leader and then left.

  “What’s a Brownie?” Xiaolian asked as we drove away.

  “The Brownies are part of the Girl Scouts. Basically, they’re an organization for girls. They learn stuff and have fun. If you’re between the ages of seven and nine, you’re what they call a Brownie. Does that make sense?”

  She nodded. “I like the clothes they wear. It’s cool.”

  “It is, isn’t it?”

  I know I had given her the overly simplified version, but even I wasn’t fully aware of all the activities the Girl Scouts were involved with.

  “What would I be called if I were in the Girl Scouts?”

  “I believe girls your age are called Cadettes.”

  “I like that name.”

  During the drive, Kang pinged me twice on my cell phone. I had totally forgotten to respond to his text message the day before. When we got home, I told Xiaolian I had a phone call to make. She nodded and made a beeline to the downstairs toilet. I headed up to the third floor.

  Albert had been sitting in a car outside Abby’s home since six that morning. He had gone through the trouble of renting a vehicle from a local car-sharing service. Abby had been over to the house twice, and he hadn’t wanted to risk the chance of her recognizing his vehicle. He’d spent a great deal of the morning playing solitaire on his phone, as there hadn’t been much to listen to—nobody was awake. It didn’t bother Albert. He had the day to pull off his mission, and he wouldn’t fail.

  Po Po was the first to rise; he assumed it was she, as he heard the clanking of pans in the distance. The bug in the dining room picked up noise from the kitchen. The rest of the family didn’t start to stir until later.

  Lucy was next. He recognized her voice as she spoke with Po Po in the dining room. She sounded like she was eating something. Xiaolian appeared shortly after, followed by Ryan. Abby was the last to come downstairs. Most of the conversation revolved around Ryan’s and Lucy’s day. His own son, Colin, was also attending the same training session as Ryan. His daughter, Hailey, would also be in attendance for the Brownie orientation day. Connie had the exact same routine that morning as Abby.

  Albert received a call from his wife a few minutes before Abby returned home with Xiaolian.

  “I missed her at the dojo but caught up with her at the troop master’s home. We talked a little bit. She said she had no plans for the day except to relax at home. She looked tired. She might be heading back to bed.”

  “She just pulled up to the house. I’ll keep listening for that to happen. I have a bug in her bedroom.”

  “Today is our last opportunity to grab the girl.”

  “I know that. Don’t worry. I’ll get her.”

  “Anything I can do to help?”

  “What about Merrick?”

  “That’s what the video games are for. I can leave the house for a few hours, and he won’t notice.”

  “No, stay put. Let me see if I can get her during the day. If an opportunity doesn’t present itself, we’ll both try later tonight.”

  “What are they doing now?” she asked.

  “Hold on.”

  Albert picked up the other cell and dialed the various devices until he located Abby. “Okay, it seems like Abby is in her office on the third floor. She’s on a work-related call.”

  “And the girl?”

  “She not in there with her, and I don’t hear anything in the entertainment room.”

  “Now is the time,” Connie quickly replied. “She’s probably in her bedroom. According to Abby, she’s staying in the guestroom on the first floor. I believe she said it’s right next to her mother-in-law’s room. Go!”

  Albert hung up and pulled his car into Abby’s driveway, behind her vehicle, and exited carrying a clipboard. He wore a PG&E technician’s uniform; it was a local utility company. In addition, he had applied a fake mustache and was wearing a wig, not so much to fool Abby as to keep him from being recognized by any neighbors. And if someone did see him leaving with the girl, Albert figured he would appear to be an employee of the utility company.

  He decided against taking the pistol he had in the glove compartment, even after what Xiaolian had done to him in the shed. She had treated him badly, but now wasn’t the time to exact his revenge. He needed to extract her quickly and quietly. He pocketed a chloroform-soaked rag.

  As a safety precaution, he took a garrote. He figured he would need to use it only if he encountered Abby. As far as he knew, she was busy with work-related matters in her office. His plan was simple.

  Get in.

  Grab the girl.

  Get out.

  Albert moved along the side of the house. He had planned on entering through the back porch. Along the way, he peeked into the kitchen window. Po Po had just walked out.

  Seems like she’s going into her bedroom.

  When he reached the back of the house, he peeked around the corner, just in case Po Po had decided to come out to the back porch. Briefly he hoped Xiaolian might be sitting out there. She wasn’t.

  He entered the screened-in-porch. It hadn’t been locked the last time, and it wasn’t this time. However, the back door to the house was. He placed his ear against the door and listened. Silence. He removed his lock-picking tools from his back pocket and went to work. Once he had the door unlocked, he slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open.

  Chapter Fifty-Five

  I called Kang again but got voicemail. I left a message that I was home and available to talk. I stood up, ready to head downstairs, when my cell phone rang.

  “Hey, partner, what’s cooking?” I asked.

  “Sorry I missed your call. I was on the treadmill at the gym.”

  I sat back down in my chair, picked up a pen, and began doodling on a pad of paper. “It’s fine. We’re talking now.”

  “How was your day at the Shis’ house?”

  “It started off fine, but drama ensued.”

  I gave Kang the lowdown on what had happened.

  “Fainted? Maybe he has low blood pressure,” Kang mused. “You said his wife found him?”

  “Yeah, she slipped out while I was tending to Xiaolian. Why do you ask?”

  “Oh, no reason in pa
rticular. Just asking.” Kang’s voice trailed off.

  “So fill me in on what you’ve learned.”

  Kang started by talking about Ellis and how he had started to recall events or images from that night. I drew stars, a moon, and a cow as he went on about Cerberus.

  “A three-headed dog represents a fertility clinic? I wonder who thought that would be a dynamite idea?”

  “Not only is that the name, but they actually use the dog in their logo. The other interesting thing about the clinic is that it’s near Mount Sutro.”

  “Our tech guy, Barnes, was picked up near there, wasn’t he?”

  “He was. I’m thinking it’s enough to pay them a visit tomorrow.”

  “I agree. After, you can introduce me to Ellis. Were you able to run those two images by him?”

  “Not yet.”

  “We can do it when we visit him.”

  “What time do you have to return Xiaolian to the facility?”

  “She’s due back before noon.”

  “You’re not supposed to let her out of your sight, right? Are you bringing her with us?”

  “Good question.”

  Albert quietly closed the porch door behind him. The first bedroom belonged to Po Po, and the door was closed. He pressed an ear gently against it and listened for a bit but heard nothing.

  She’s probably napping.

  He continued to the next closed bedroom door, which should be Xiaolian’s. He listened but heard no noise on the other side of the door.

  She’s sleeping as well. Must be my lucky day.

  Albert took a few more steps until he was standing at the bottom of the stairs. He could hear the faint sounds of Abby talking on the phone.

  This is too easy.

  He returned to Xiaolian’s bedroom and gripped the brass knob, turning it ever so slowly. Bit by bit, the knob spun until it no longer could. He pressed gently on the door, inching it away from the doorframe. He peeked inside. The room was dark, but he could make out the corner of the bed.

  He continued opening the door. As the natural light from the hallway spilled into the room, his view widened. Little by little, the bed was unveiled. It was empty.

  “Bringing her with us to the clinic isn’t a good idea,” I said.

  “I agree.”

  “You know what? I’ll just leave her with Po Po while we visit the clinic. We can pick her up after, deliver her to the facility, and then pay Ellis a visit. How much time do we need for the clinic?”

  “Not much.”

  “Exactly. I doubt Archer would discover that I broke his precious rule.”

  “Unlikely.”

  “Then it’s settled.”

  “What time should I swing by tomorrow?”

  She must be upstairs watching TV. Damn! Albert shut the bedroom door.

  He realized his odds of a confrontation with Abby had just multiplied, something he had wanted to avoid. Blowing his cover wasn’t an option. His thoughts turned to abandoning the mission and trying later that night, when everyone would be asleep. Surely Xiaolian would be back in her room, and with the exception of Po Po, everyone would be on the second floor.

  Albert should have realized that was the smarter move. He should have turned around and exited the home as quietly as he had entered. But he pressed ahead.

  Up the stairs he went. He didn’t bother stopping on the second floor, and he slowed his pace only as he approached the third floor. He could hear the television in the entertainment room, but he couldn’t see inside. He peeked around the corner, and at the end of the hallway, he saw Abby in her home office. She was sitting at her desk, with her back facing him. She appeared to be taking notes while she spoke on the phone.

  It was only then that Albert realized she could see the front street from the window.

  Did she see me park behind her car?

  She needed only to look out the window and she would notice his car behind hers. Surely she would want to find out who had parked their car on her property.

  Albert should have left at that moment.

  But he didn’t.

  To Albert’s ears, it sounded as if Abby was wrapping up the phone call. He thought about his possible moves at that point. The obvious was to go for the girl and hope Abby remained on the phone a few more minutes. Xiaolian was just a few feet away. A surprise appearance would work in his favor. He’d pounce on her, striking hard with both fists. She deserved it after what she had done to him in the shed. He would not be fooled by her innocent act. The other possible move would be to immobilize Abby first.

  Albert didn’t need to wrestle over the decision. It was clear to him what course of action was best. He stepped into the hallway, removed the garrote wire, and strode toward Abby’s office.

  “My plan for the rest of the day is to see if I can pry more information out of Xiaolian,” I said.

  “Sounds good. We’ll talk later.”

  With the call disconnected, I stopped doodling and looked up at the window. In the reflection, I saw a figure approaching me from behind.

  Chapter Fifty-Six

  It took only a second to determine that the person behind me was a threat. Instinctively, I raised both hands, palms facing outward, and stopped a garrote from slicing into my neck.

  Instead, it cut into the fleshy pad of my fingers just below the second knuckle. A searing pain erupted as the wire cut deeply into one of my pinky fingers. I clasped my hands tightly around it and pushed forward.

  My attacker grunted as he pulled back. I felt his hot, forceful breaths on the side of my face. It was revolting, violating.

  In the reflection, I clearly saw my attacker’s face, but I didn’t recognize him. He had his jaw clamped tight and a determined look in his eyes. His white-knuckled fists gripped the metal handles at the ends of the wire.

  At that point, the only thing preventing decapitation were my hands.

  He yanked left and then jerked the wire to the right, working to loosen my grip or slip the wire over my fingers. The wire sliced deeper.

  The battle was one of strength. I couldn’t win if I fought that way. I would not be able to push the wire out far enough to slip it over my head. If anything, doing so would only help the wire cut more deeply.

  Think, Abby!

  Bright red streams snaked their way down my forearms.

  Perspiration bubbled on my cheeks and forehead.

  I was tiring.

  My fingers were numb.

  I was losing the fight.

  I needed a plan.

  I planted my feet firmly against the floor, and when my attacker jerked back again, like he was hauling in a marlin, I kicked off the floor and threw my head back for added momentum.

  The front wheels of my chair lifted up, and the rear wheels scooted forward across the wooden floor, flipping the chair backward and crashing to the floor. The garrote slackened, and I slipped it over my head.

  My attacker moved quickly to loop the wire back over my head, but I flipped over. I shot my body forward, and my shoulder crashed into his thighs, sending him back onto his butt.

  The wounds in my hands were bad. Blood spilled everywhere, covering us both. I moved on top of him and sat on his chest, forcing the air from him. I then worked to pin his arms down with my knees. I was about to ground and pound this son-of-a-bitch.

  He bucked hard, sending me airborne. I had no leverage. He freed his arms from beneath my knees and struck the side of my head, near the back, with a balled fist. It stunned me for a second. No way I could resist multiple direct blows.

  I released a fury of punches; most of them grazed the sides of his face as he fended off my attack.

  He twisted to the side and nearly bucked me off. But I planted my foot against the wall in the hallway and pushed back, righting myself back on top of him.

  I managed to pin one of his arms under my knee while striking a blow with my fist. Blood erupted from his nose. But his defense never let up as he deflected my next two strikes. His forearms w
ere big. Slipping through them became harder. With each attempt, I was tiring.

  This opened up my defenses.

  He landed a solid blow to the side of my head, rocking my world and causing me to lose consciousness for a second. That should have scared the hell out of me. Instead it fueled me to power on.

  I could see him slowing. He was forced to breathe through his mouth as his nose had swollen into a round bulb.

  Still, his fist found its mark again.

  I fell to the side. My vision blurred. My movements slowed. I tried striking back, but my arms felt like floppy pieces of rubber. No matter how hard I worked to clamp my thighs around his torso, I could feel him scooting out from under me.

  And then he flipped me over.

  He was on top. He pinned my left arm with a knee first. Then my right.

  I stared at him. He looked different. He no longer had brown hair. And his mustache dangled from his lip, flapping from the breaths exiting his mouth. My vision was still working to right itself, but make no mistake: I knew my attacker.

  Before I could begin to make sense of the idea that Albert Shi was attacking me, let alone figure out what my next move was, a shadow passed over my face.

  Thunk! Albert’s head snapped back, and he fell over to the side.

  I still didn’t know what had happened, but I quickly moved to free myself from underneath him.

  Again, something moved quickly past my line of vision.

  Smack!

  A foot had slammed into Albert’s face, stunning him further. I looked up and saw Xiaolian standing over me. She let out a scream and delivered another kick.

  This time, Albert was ready. He caught her foot and yanked. She lost her footing and fell onto the floor hard. She let out a tiny cry and rolled over to her side, moaning in pain.

  I kicked at Albert, trying to free my leg from beneath his body. He caught my foot and hung on, immobilizing it from further strikes.

  I glanced over at Xiaolian. She had curled up into a ball. She was done.