“I see,” Suter said. “Maybe we will have better luck with you.” He turned to Mara, wiped the sweat from his forehead. A twitch pulsed under his left eye.
“Are you okay? You don’t look so well,” Mara said.
“Don’t worry about me, Ms. Lantern. You’ve got enough to worry about,” he said. “Let’s talk about what you remember from your flight to San Francisco. I don’t believe you told us the whole story the last time.”
“What in particular do you want to know?”
“Where were you when the explosion occurred aboard the airplane, Ms. Lantern?”
“I told you, I don’t remember an explosion.”
“You went to sleep and woke up in the hospital. That’s all you remember?”
“Yes.”
“You are lying!” he yelled, slamming his fist on a counter. “You are lying!” Everyone, including Bohannon, leaned away from Suter.
“Even Mr. Ping here says he saw blue lights in the passenger cabin, that the other passengers were panicking. You saw none of that? That’s your story?”
“Yes. That’s my story,” Mara said, pressing her lips together.
“Where were you last night at about nine o’clock?” Suter squinted at her.
Mara blanched, said nothing.
His head jerked around to Ping. “How about you, Mr. Ping? Where were you?”
“I suspect you know or you would not be asking,” Ping replied.
“It appears we have security camera footage of the two of you—no, the three of you—breaking into a hangar where we keep evidence related to the crash of Flight 559. Would either of you like to explain that?”
Mara began to say something, but Ping interrupted. “I think we are done talking, Special Agent Suter. We are invoking our right to remain silent. Either arrest us or leave.”
He pulled out four folded sets of papers and waved them. “I have an arrest warrant for each of you and a search warrant for your little shop next door, Ms. Lantern. Which school is the boy attending? We need to pick him up.”
Neither answered.
Suter nodded toward Bohannon who waved toward the front windows of the bakery. Two uniformed policemen walked in, and asked Ping and Mara to place their hands behind their backs. They cuffed them and read them their rights.
“We might be able to work something out if you cooperate, Ms. Lantern. Just tell us what happened on the flight,” Suter said.
She looked away without responding, concentrating on not tearing up. Two minutes later, she and Ping sat in separate police cruisers on their way downtown.
CHAPTER 30
A LARGE FEMALE guard in a drab brown uniform maintained a grip on Mara’s arm as they marched down the courthouse hall. The cuffs around Mara’s wrist jangled as they passed by the open ornate wood doors of the courtroom on their way to a more ordinary entrance just down the hall. Diana dashed out of the courtroom after them.
“Mara!”
The guard turned and placed the hand not holding Mara onto her holster. “I’m sorry. She’s not allowed to talk with anyone but the attorney.”
Diana ignored the guard, speaking to Mara. “Are you all right? They would not let me come see you last night.”
“I’m fine. We’ll talk later, I promise,” Mara said.
The guard guided Mara toward the door.
Inside, Ping and a graying fiftyish-looking man in a dark suit sat at a small round table. Mara sat down. William Sullivan introduced himself and shook her hand.
“For these preliminary matters I can represent you both. If a case moves forward, you each may need your own attorney. As for today we are simply dealing with an arraignment. They’ll say what laws they think you have broken. The prosecutors seem to be in a hurry on this for some reason.”
“What do we need to do to get out of here?” Mara asked.
“We have to wait and see what it is they think you’ve done, then we can discuss bail.”
“How do we convince them we didn’t do anything wrong?”
“Mara, this is just a hearing. We don’t have to convince anyone of anything today,” Sullivan said.
Ping put a hand over hers. “Don’t worry. This will all be sorted out shortly.” He looked at the attorney. “Did you make arrangements for my nephew to be here?”
“Yes, my assistant went to get him. They should be here in a few minutes. You’ll see him in the gallery when we get out there.”
“Excellent.” Ping sat back, looked relaxed.
*
Ping and Mara entered the courtroom escorted separately by guards who directed them to a table facing the raised bench at the front of the chamber. Sullivan waited there for them. At the other table before the bench slouched a wiry dark-haired woman who followed them with her eyes. From watching television legal dramas, Mara took this to be the prosecutor. Mara turned to look into the gallery and saw her mother immediately behind her. Sam sat two rows behind Diana. He grinned, waved a couple fingers and wiggled his eyebrows.
On the other side of the gallery, Suter and Bohannon sat with an empty chair between them. Suter glared at Sam.
The judge walked in, and everyone stood. She sat at the bench behind a name plate that read Judge Nancy Wallace. Everyone sat down.
“What’s so important that we can’t follow the regular order of things around here? Why is this case moving ahead of everything else? Miss Dickerson?”
The wiry woman stood up. “Your Honor, Mr. Ping and Ms. Lantern are accused of breaking and entering into a secure federal facility, tampering with evidence related to a federal investigation—”
“Miss Dickerson, I didn’t ask to be read the charges. Why didn’t this case get in line with the rest? While I agree breaking into a hangar containing evidence—”
“We didn’t break into that hangar. The guard invited us in,” Sam shouted from the gallery. “You have to let them go.”
Judge Wallace grabbed her gavel and smacked it three times. A bailiff made a move in Sam’s direction, but the judge raised her hand to stop him.
“Young man, this is a federal courtroom, not a pep rally. Sit down, or I’ll have you thrown out.”
The judge turned to the prosecutor. “Is that true?”
“Your Honor?”
“Did the guard let them into the hangar?”
“I don’t know. I did not review the security video myself.” The prosecutor turned around and looked at Suter. He stood up.
“Your Honor, I’m the arresting officer, FBI Special Agent Suter.”
“Special Agent Suter, did the guard let them into the hangar?”
“Your Honor?”
“Am I not speaking clearly enough today? Was the hangar locked the night these people supposedly broke into it?”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
“Did these people break a window or a lock to get into the hangar?”
“No, Your Honor.”
“Then who unlocked the hangar and admitted these people?”
“On the video, it appears the guard did, Your Honor.”
“Did they compel him, point weapons at him?”
“No, Your Honor.”
“Did they conspire with him to get into the hangar?”
“Not as far as we know, Your Honor.”
“Thank you, Special Agent.” Judge Wallace turned back to the attorneys. “All charges are dropped. Case dismissed. Mr. Ping, Ms. Lantern, you are free to go.”
Mara watched Ping give Sam a thumbs-up. The boy saluted and smiled. They stood up as the judge left.
“Absolutely amazing. If I were a more generous man, I would tell you to send the payment to that young man over there,” Sullivan said, nodding toward Sam. “But since I’m not, you’ll get my bill in the mail in the next week or so.” He shook Ping’s hand and then Mara’s. “Congratulations.”
Diana walked up to the railing and leaned in for a hug from her daughter. “Now can you explain to me what is going on? What was all of that about you being at a hang
ar?”
“It was just a big misunderstanding,” Mara said.
“I’ll see you back at the shop,” Ping said to Mara. “It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Lantern. Next time I hope it is under better circumstances, and we have more time to talk. I need to get the boy back to school.” He walked over to Sam, who was staring at Diana and Mara.
Mara noticed him eyeing Diana.
“Hello, are you there?” Diana said to Mara, leaning into her field of vision. “Why don’t you let me buy you lunch?”
“I would like that.” Mara smiled, raised her hand toward the doors, indicating she was ready to go.
After a few steps, her mother stopped and turned. “Tell me something.”
“Yes?”
“Who is that red-headed boy? He looks familiar.”
CHAPTER 31
A CLATTER REVERBERATED throughout the empty bakery as Sam slid the last table from the center of the customer area. He picked up a three-foot roll, laid it down on the floor in the open space he had created and unrolled the new banner.
“Here’s the new sign with the new opening date,” Sam said, pointing to the floor. “You like the cake and balloon graphics?”
“We need to expose her to more facts, more quickly, so she can draw her own conclusions sooner,” Ping said, leaning against a glass display, staring out the front windows.
“What? Expose who to what?”
“Your sister. We need to expose her to more of the reality of the situation in order to convince her to help us.”
“Good luck. She won’t even admit she’s my sister,” Sam said. He dropped down on his knees and wiped away a speck on the banner.
“Does that bother you? How did you feel about seeing your mother in the courtroom yesterday?”
“I didn’t feel anything. Remember, the only reason Mara didn’t kill me on the plane was she knew Mom wanted to do it herself. I’m not going to get all weepy seeing their counterparts in this realm. It’s not like I’m missing anything.”
“Yes, but now you can see the kind of sister and mother they would be if they had chosen differently in your realm.”
“Mara has made it clear she doesn’t want a brother. There’s no point worrying about it. Are we going to hang this up or what?”
Sam dragged the banner across the floor to the front door.
*
Since it was Saturday, Ping was unsure if Mara would come into work. The fix-it shop appeared closed when he and Sam hung the new Grand Opening banner out front. Ping had some ideas about how to move Mara along, but he hesitated calling her at home, not wanting to do anything that would cause her to put up a wall between them. Resigned to waiting until Monday, he spent a few hours working on the computer in his office.
Just as he finished up and powered down his computer, Ping heard a knock out front.
*
Mara stood at the front door of the bakery.
Ping waved and walked over to let her in.
“I just wanted to stop by and thank you for your help in getting the lawyer and everything,” she said.
“It was nothing,” Ping said. “After all, I was the one who talked you into going out to the hangar in the first place.”
“I suppose that’s true, but I suspect Special Agent Suter would have found some other pretext for dragging me in if we hadn’t given him that one,” she said. “Where is Sam? I wanted to thank him for what he did in court.”
“He ran down the road determined to get a corn dog.”
“A corn dog?”
“He’s never had one before. You should have seen him with his first pizza. He got very excited when I told him he could eat it with his hands.”
“What a strange kid.”
“He’s—”
“I know. He’s a great kid.” Mara turned to leave. “I’ve got a few things to repair after the attack of Mr. Reilly’s slugs, so I better get to it.”
“Mara, would you have some time later this evening?”
She stopped, her instincts told to her say no.
“I thought we could go visit Sarah Gamble, just to see how she’s doing.”
“What would be the point of doing that?
“It’s only six miles from here. Won’t take long to get there.”
“She is someone I met in passing on the plane. It’s not like I really know her. Considering she’s not even the same Sarah Gamble I met, makes me even less inclined to want to meet her.” Mara furrowed her brow. “What are you up to? You have already made your point. I believe you, to some degree, I suppose. What more do you want?”
“Since you have met her, I thought you could provide some context on how different her counterpart is. I know you are reticent to get involved, but I feel it would be irresponsible to ignore the possible dangers that have been introduced to this realm by the Chronicle. I do want to make my life here, so I feel it is the prudent thing to do.”
“I suppose I owe you one for the lawyer and cleaning up my shop, but this is the last time. Afterward I want to focus on the shop, if for no other reason than to save my sanity.”
“I appreciate your willingness to help.”
“Give me a couple hours. Can we go at three o’clock?”
*
Mara stepped out of the passenger side of Ping’s Camry into Sarah Gamble’s driveway that sloped down to a two-car garage. Jeremy, her grandson, sat on the front door landing of the well-maintained ranch home, playing the same video game device he had had on the plane. Mara wondered if the boy had his own device or had somehow obtained the one that belonged to the Jeremy from this realm. This stuff messed with her head. Thank goodness there weren’t any slugs in sight.
“Hi, Jeremy. Do you remember me from the flight to San Francisco a couple weeks ago? My name is Mara. I fixed your game on the plane?”
He did not look up from the game screen. “No. I don’t think we’ve met.”
“This is my friend, Mr. Ping.”
“Hi.”
“Is your grandmother around?”
“She’s in the garage, putting up food for the winter.”
“Is she canning vegetables or dry storage?” Ping asked.
“Neither. Mr. Johnson from across the street.” The boy tittered.
“Could you let her know we are here and would like to speak with her?” Mara asked.
“Just go in that door there. You’ll see her.” He pointed to a doorway next to the garage bay door.
They walked over, and Mara knocked.
A woman’s voice responded. “Yes?”
Ping opened the door and peeked in. A gray Jetta sat in one half of the garage while the other side remained empty. The lights were on, but they could not see anyone inside.
“Mrs. Gamble? It’s Mara Lantern. We met on the flight to San Francisco a couple weeks ago?”
“Oh, yes, dear. You are the young lady who sat next to us on the flight. Come on in.”
They scanned every corner of the garage and could not see the woman, stepped farther inside, looked around again, and, then as a last resort, looked up.
There, hanging onto the rafters with one hand was Sarah Gamble, pulling what looked like gauze or cotton from her mouth with the other hand. Next to her, suspended by means not visible to Mara and Ping, hung a pale doughy middle-aged bald man wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts. White gauzy material covered the bottom two-thirds of his body. A gauzy gag covered his mouth. Conscious, red faced and bug-eyed, the bound man looked to Mara as if he might be in the midst of a coronary event. Sarah leaned her face toward him, licked his chest from the right to left and slapped the gauze onto him. It adhered and tightened like an organic fuzzy shrink-wrap. The man made a pathetic, muffled mewing sound.
Sarah released her grip and lightly dropped to the floor. She wore an odd tunic reminiscent of those worn by grocery store employees. It had a hole for the head, but it was open on the sides, with strings on the front and back panels tied together to keep it closed or close to the body.
“Mara, dear. How can I help you?” she asked. She leered at Ping, running her tongue across her lips.
“I…I…just wanted to see how you were doing.” Mara eased to her right, toward the door leading into the house, which was now closer than the one they had entered.
“How sweet of you. And you brought me a little Asian for dinner.” She grinned at Ping.
She extended her arms, stretching widely as if just getting up from a nap, uncurling her hands to reveal four-inch talons. She rolled her shoulders, and folds of skin, membranes stretched between her torso and arms, unfurled from the sides of her tunic. She flapped, whipped up a wind in the garage. Wings. She crouched and sprang at Ping, landing in a billowing cloud of dust.
“Ping!” Mara yelled.
Sarah Gamble swung around to face Mara. “Where did he go?”
“I don’t know.” She gazed up to the rafters. Ping dust diffused above them.
“Ping, you pull yourself together and get me out of this now.” Mara turned and ran into the house, slamming the door behind her.
Sarah followed.
Mara ran through a large kitchen, noticed a knife block on the counter and grabbed the biggest blade. She continued into a hallway. Looking over her shoulder, she did not see anyone pursuing, but she wasn’t taking any chances. The hallway opened to a large living room, but momentum carried her past it.
Too late she realized the front exit was on the far side of the living room. She turned to go back, but Sarah now stood in the hallway blocking Mara’s path. So she ducked into a large bedroom, slammed the door and locked it. She stood in a well-appointed master suite, a bedroom with a large closet, dressing area and bathroom.
“Mara, grab a toothbrush or a hairbrush!” It sounded like Ping, yelling from somewhere down the hall.
“What? A toothbrush?” she yelled back through the door.
“Just do it now. Hurry.”
Crashes thundered through the house, shaking the walls. A high-pitched scream was cut off suddenly by the shattering of glass.
Mara ran into the bathroom, spotted an electric toothbrush and, feeling silly, pulled it from its recharging base. Returning to the door leading into the hall, she paused as a loud clatter rang out from the direction of the kitchen. What was she going to do with a toothbrush? She sucked in a deep breath, opened the door and launched herself into the hallway, toothbrush first.
Broken Realms (The Chronicles of Mara Lantern, Book 1) Page 15
