Identity: Classified

by Liz Shoaf

  Her face softened. “It was longer than that. At about the age of four, Chloe’s parents, who were my close friends, started leaving her with me when they were on the mission field. They didn’t feel it was safe to take her with them because of some of the places they were assigned.”

  “Tell me about her parents.”

  Sarah abruptly sat up. “First you’re going to tell me what’s going on.”

  The woman was sharp, Ethan would give her that. His subtle interview tactic didn’t work on her. Chloe stepped through a short set of swinging doors at the back of the room and approached the table with a large tray in her hands. Ethan’s stomach growled and Chloe chuckled as she set the steaming dishes on the table in front of them. Ethan took the plate, silverware and napkin she handed him and waited until she was settled. Chloe nodded at Sarah and they bowed their heads. After a prayer was said, they began filling their plates.

  Ethan moaned when he took the first bite of country-style steak. It melted in his mouth. Mashed potatoes followed, and he waved a fork in the air. “This is the best meal I’ve had in a long time.”

  Sarah nodded her head regally at the compliment, and Chloe started shoveling it in as fast as he did. Chloe finished first, daintily wiped her mouth with a napkin and looked at Sarah. “Did Ethan grill you while I was in the kitchen?”

  Neither woman looked at him.

  Sarah nodded. “I’m sure he did his best, but he could learn a thing or two from your adoptive father.”

  Ethan leaned forward, planting his elbows on the table. “You two ladies do know I’m sitting right here, don’t you?”

  They both laughed, and Ethan relaxed. He was itching to probe matters on exactly who Chloe’s adoptive father was, but decided the best strategy would be to let them get comfortable. Maybe more information would slip out.

  Sarah put on her teacher’s face. “Now, I want to know what this is all about, and, Chloe—” she emphasized Chloe’s name “—you better not leave anything out.”

  An unspoken message passed between the two women and Ethan filed it away to be examined later.

  Chloe took a deep breath and told Sarah the same story she had shared with Ethan. The killer wanted a disc, but Chloe didn’t know anything about it. She then explained who Ethan was, how they had met and why he had agreed to help her.

  Ethan appreciated the sympathetic look Sarah graced him with before turning back to Chloe.

  “You should call Stan.”

  Chloe firmed her lips and Sarah clammed up. Who is Stan? This is the second time his name has been mentioned.

  “What can I do to help?” Sarah asked.

  Ethan was amazed. There were no incriminations from Sarah, only love and support, even though she’d just been shot at. It also amazed him just how calm the two women were. It made him even more curious about Chloe’s past.

  Chloe leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table. “As I told you, I think the killer placed my laptop here so I’d know he could get to you at any time. We need to locate it to make sure it’s nothing more than that.”

  Sarah turned her head and probed Ethan with her eyes. “And you, Sheriff Hoyt, why do you think the killer left Chloe’s laptop here at the orphanage?”

  He avoided looking at Chloe and kept his gaze on Sarah. “That’s what we’re trying to find out.”

  Sarah sat back in her chair and fingered the cross hanging around her neck. Everyone was quiet for several minutes, then Sarah rose to her feet.

  “While you’re here, there’s something I need to give you.” She gave Chloe an apologetic glance. “I wanted to wait for the right time, when I felt you were strong enough to handle it, and I believe that time is now.”

  Ethan stood and Chloe followed suit.

  “What is it?” Chloe asked. There was a tremor in her voice, and Ethan wanted to comfort her, but kept his feet planted where they were. He held his breath. For some reason, he felt the next few minutes would rock Chloe’s world, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

  “A letter,” Sarah whispered back. “A letter your parents wanted me to give you if anything ever happened to them.”

  Chloe grabbed the back of a chair to steady herself. Ethan almost ran to her, but stopped himself. He had no idea what was going on. Even Sarah was keeping Chloe’s secrets. He wanted to trust the woman, but it was evident that Sarah loved Chloe like a daughter, and he felt she’d do almost anything to protect her.

  Chloe stepped away from Sarah, sadness and betrayal written on her face.

  “Show me the letter.”

  * * *

  Chloe almost strangled on the tidal wave of emotions threatening to drown her. Her parents had left her a letter and Sarah, a woman she’d loved since childhood, had kept it a secret. Her life was filled with secrets and the burden was growing wearisome.

  Sarah reached out to touch Chloe’s arm, but Chloe stepped back. She regretted the sad look in Sarah’s eyes, but Chloe was barely holding it together. She forced her trembling hands to still when Sarah nodded.

  “It’s in the safe in my office.”

  Chloe followed Sarah, and Ethan fell in behind them. He took the lead at the door and hurried them through the open walkway. When Chloe stepped into the familiar office, the warmth of the past surrounded her. There was a small, battered table sitting in front of the only window. It was where Chloe had done her studies while Sarah took care of the orphanage’s massive amount of paperwork.

  Ethan took a seat in one of the two chairs placed in front of Sarah’s ancient desk. He slid Chloe a glance when she sat in the one beside him.

  “You okay?”

  His voice sounded gruff and she almost smiled. Men generally didn’t handle emotional women very well. For some reason, his concern balanced her. She drew in a deep breath. She could do this. She had survived far worse and she needed to push the emotion aside. She’d handled mean, aggressive dogs and helped them conform to society’s expectations. She could handle this emotional roller coaster. She grinned. Ethan reminded her of some of her dog cases. He’d been wounded, and maybe as payback for helping her, she might be able to help heal the deep wound he was carrying around from losing his wife.

  Sarah slowly stood from her crouched position in front of the small safe hidden behind a panel built into the wall. Chloe scooted out of her chair and took Sarah by the elbow. She felt like scum when Sarah sent her a grateful look. Full of guilt and love, Chloe threw her arms around her mentor and friend.

  “I’m sorry. I’m acting like a jerk. I know you were only following my parents’ instructions.”

  There were tears in Sarah’s eyes when they pulled apart, and Sarah touched Chloe’s cheek. “You always were my favorite. God has great plans in store for you.”

  Chloe didn’t respond but smiled instead and retook her seat. She didn’t know what God had in store for her, but she couldn’t trust that He would take care of this situation. She would handle that job herself. God had let her down one time. She wouldn’t lose anyone else she loved.

  Chloe watched, her heart in her throat, as Sarah unbuckled an old leather satchel and pulled out a standard-sized envelope. Reaching forward slowly, Chloe took the envelope and stared at her name written on the front. Her parents had held this envelope in their hands. Shaking off the nostalgia, she carefully tore the glued flap open, pulled out a sheet of paper and started reading.

  My dear, sweet Chloe, if you are reading this letter, you’re a grown woman now and we’re no longer with you because God had other plans. Please know that we love you deeply, which is why we left you at the orphanage with Sarah when we were in the mission field and things became dangerous. I was torn between your care and the Lord’s calling. I did my best to fulfill my duty as a mother and my duty as a child of God.

  The reason I’m writing this letter now is because your father and I suspect that we have b
een betrayed and our lives are in danger. If in the future you find yourself in any sort of unexplainable trouble or danger, please tell Sarah to contact Stan. He knows everything that’s going on. Darling, if the danger is related to what we’re involved in, please know that the answers lie in the past.

  Do you remember your special place where you always loved to hide things? I remember one time you hid your father’s car keys there and he had to bribe you with a trip to the zoo before you would tell us about your secret place.

  Please know that your father and I love you dearly, and God is always with you.

  Your loving mother,

  Adelia

  Her trust shattered into a million pieces, but Chloe only felt emptiness and a deep gaping void inside. She lifted her head and stared at the woman she had trusted with such absoluteness.

  “You knew who Stan was before...” Chloe clamped her lips shut when she became acutely aware of Ethan listening.

  A big tear rolled down Sarah’s face and she said beseechingly, “I’m sorry. Yes, I knew Stan—” she glanced at Ethan and then back at Chloe “—before.”

  Ethan gently took the letter from her hand and she released it.

  He read the letter, then lifted his head and looked at Sarah. “You knew Stan before what?”

  Chloe grabbed the letter from his hand and handed it to Sarah so she could read it.

  “That’s not pertinent to the case.” Chloe didn’t want Ethan to know about Stan because she knew he would go digging and her past would be revealed.

  A low growl emanated from Ethan and she wanted to laugh. Her sorrow lifted when she gazed into his disgruntled face. She watched Sarah finish reading the letter, and the older woman slowly shook her head in the negative. So she didn’t know anything about the danger her parents were speaking of.

  Chloe stood. “I need to check on Geordie soon so we should go ahead and search for my old laptop. According to my tracking program, it’s here on the orphanage grounds. Let’s go find it.” She would assess the letter and its hidden meanings later, in private.

  THIRTEEN

  Ethan’s mind was processing and sorting information at a rapid rate. He wanted to know who Stan was and how he was connected to Chloe, and he wanted some answers about the letter, but those questions would have to wait. Chloe was right. They needed to find the laptop, and he had to make sure Sarah and the orphanage stayed safe until they caught the killer.

  “My laptop gave us this general vicinity, but it won’t pinpoint the exact location,” Chloe said, interrupting his thoughts. She looked at Sarah. “Does the orphanage still have an internet connection?”

  Sarah nodded. “It’s the same as it used to be. We have two phone lines for computer use. One here in my office, and one available to the students. Since mine is connected to my own computer, I suggest we check the one in our small library.”

  Ethan followed the two women through a maze of halls, his thoughts on Chloe. With each new piece of information that came forth, he was beginning to realize Chloe Spencer wasn’t as prickly and tough as she liked people to believe. Oh, she was tough, but when she had spoken to Penny about the school bully, she sounded soft and tender in her own way.

  Ethan also considered what he knew about her background so far. She had a tendency to run when things got dicey. Chloe was literally a computer genius. She trained dogs, which correlated with the soft heart thing. Losing her parents at the tender age of ten and growing up in an orphanage must have affected her tremendously. She owned a successful security company. He admired the tenacity it took for her to overcome her past and become a successful woman.

  He couldn’t imagine the things she’d gone through. His wife had died unexpectedly and his mom had passed away, but he was beginning to realize his problems were simple compared to those of the woman walking in front of him.

  He still had his dad, Penny, and his sister, Carolyn, and her family. How many people did Chloe have in her life? People who cared about her. He made a mental note to inquire after they found the laptop.

  Sarah veered into a small, tidy room filled with books and study tables. A couple of young residents had their noses stuck in books, but they looked up when their little group entered. Sarah moved to the corner of the room and peered under a table, looking for the phone line. When she stood up, her face was ashen and she held a laptop in her hand.

  “Is this what you’re looking for?”

  Ethan knew why she was upset. The killer, or one of his flunkies, had gotten very close to the children in the orphanage in order to place Chloe’s laptop in the library. He could have harmed any one of them, and Ethan suspected that was one of the points of the exercise.

  He reached out to take the computer, but Chloe stepped in front of him.

  “Let me. If he’s online, waiting for me to open it, I don’t want him to see anyone but me.”

  Ethan nodded. “Okay, but record it if he’s on there.”

  Ethan was very good at picking up things no one else noticed. Mannerisms, facial movements or tics, among other things.

  “I will.” Chloe took a deep breath and sat down with the computer facing the wall.

  Sarah gave Ethan an appreciative nod when he helped her to a chair. They both watched as Chloe slowly opened the laptop. Her mouth tightened, and Ethan knew the killer was waiting for her on a video chat.

  “Miss Spencer, I see you found my little gift.”

  Ethan was impressed when Chloe’s mouth curled at the corners in a false smile. “I did.” She leaned forward. “And if you even think of approaching or shooting at one of my friends again, I’ll make sure you never get that disc, even if I have to die to make that happen.”

  Ethan’s stomach roiled when he saw the truth in Chloe’s eyes. She would do what she said. He wanted to applaud her for standing up to the killer, but he didn’t like that she so easily placed herself in danger. The killer could react in several ways, based on how badly he wanted the item. Ethan held his breath, waiting for a response.

  The killer barked out a manic laugh and his voice turned sly. “Miss Spencer, you remind me of your mother with all that black hair and pixie face.”

  As the color drained from Chloe’s cheeks, Ethan stood, ready to call a halt to the proceedings, but she waved a hand for him to back off. Against his better judgment, he sat down.

  Chloe’s hands were clenching the sides of the laptop, but her expression was a blank slate.

  “How do you know my mother, and why did you bring her up?”

  “Haven’t you ever wondered why your parents started leaving you behind with Sarah when they were on the mission field?” The killer taunted her instead of giving a direct answer. “Most missionaries take their children with them. Maybe they didn’t love you.” Ethan had to restrain himself from marching around the desk and blasting the killer himself.

  Ethan was bursting to explode into action. It was painful to watch Chloe maintain a facade of indifference when Ethan knew this was shredding her heart.

  With no inflection in her tone, Chloe said, “The past has no bearing on this. Tell me about the disc, and I’ll try and find it. Why do you think it’s in my possession?”

  There was a short pause. “So you don’t know about it? I was afraid of that. I know you’re recording this, and I also know about that small-town sheriff traveling with you, so I can’t tell you much. Examine your parents’ past and you’ll find what I want.” There was another pause. “I’ll leave your friends alone for the time being, but if you don’t make your technology available for me to stay in touch, I’ll kill them first, then I’ll come after you.”

  Chloe sat back in her chair, staring blankly at the computer. Ethan assumed the killer had signed off, or whatever. Just as he was about to say something, Chloe lifted her head and stared at Sarah. “I need to know everything.”

  Ethan’s heart was bleeding f
or Chloe because, for the first time since he’d met her, across her face flitted a myriad of conflicting emotions, evident for anyone to see.

  Sarah was wringing her hands. She looked heavenward, mumbled a few words, then looked back at Chloe.

  “Let me tell you everything I know. I’ll start at the beginning.”

  Chloe’s face went stony, and Ethan was afraid that whatever Sarah had to say would affect her deeply. He was beginning to care for the woman, and he didn’t like what was happening to her. He could almost see the walls being constructed around her heart.

  “Please do.”

  She was so formal with the woman who had helped raise her. Ethan was right, Chloe was preparing herself for heartache.

  Sarah took a deep, shaky breath. “I don’t know a lot, but first, let me assure you that your parents loved you very much. When you were around four years old, they told me their mission assignments were in dangerous places and asked that I take care of you while they were away. Shortly before they died, they were home on furlough and gave me that letter to give to you should something happen to them.” She paused. “I sensed something was wrong, but your mother just laughed and assured me I was borrowing trouble. That feeling of doom never left me.” Tears were rolling down both of Sarah’s cheeks. “Several weeks after they went back into the field, I was notified that they’d been killed by one of the local gangs in the area. The criminals were never caught.”

  With methodical movements, Chloe stood and slowly closed the lid to the laptop. She lifted her head and, in an almost conversational tone, said, “I’m going to find the person, or people, responsible for murdering Peter Norris and my parents.”

  * * *

  Automatically Chloe compartmentalized the tidal wave of emotions bearing down on her when Ethan said, “We should get going, and you need to check on Geordie.”

  Briskly she unplugged her old laptop and tucked it under her arm. She didn’t want to look up because she was torn. Sarah had practically been a mother to her during the most horrific time of her life, but Chloe was battling a feeling of betrayal. That all changed when she lifted her head. Sarah stood there, hands folded primly in front of her, her expression reminding Chloe of a shattered picture frame.