Always and Forever (16 page)

“Go ahead, then. Keep us posted.”

From the background Aidan called, “Want
us to come out?”

“Tell Aidan no. You guys gotta keep the pub going.” He drew in a heavy breath. “I’m okay.”

“You’re not, but we’ll stay here for as long as we have to.” Liam added, “Call right way when you hear from her.”

“I will.”
If
he did.

Pat had to look up the Paresis’ phone number. He waited for three rings, then, “Paresi residence.”

“Joseph, this is Patrick.”

“Has
something happened to my daughter?” A father’s worry must have kicked in because the last time Pat called them was when Isabella was born.

“We don’t know. She’s been out of contact all day. I was hopin’ you’d heard from her.”

“I haven’t. Let me ask Mariana.”

A fumbling. Muffled voices. “No, no, Pat, my wife hasn’t talked to her, either.”

Pat’s response was a heavy sigh.

“Tell
me exactly what’s transpired.”

When Pat finished the story, Joseph said, “What’s your next move?”

“Sinead’s callin’ her friends, and I’ll phone work people. If none of them has heard from her, I’m going to the police station.”

“All right. Keep us posted. If nothing comes of the first two, we’re driving down.”

He clicked off and went into the den. Sinead sat at her desk. “I’m going
through her address book. There’s two. One for friends and family. One for work.” He swallowed hard. “Dad, there’s no appointments on her calendar for today.”

“I know, son.” He went behind the desk and put his hand on Sinead’s shoulder. “I’ll take care of work people and you go through the friends. Just tell them the truth. She hasn’t come home and we’re trying to get in touch with her, that
she’s not answering her cell.”

He phoned Annie and asked about Brie.

“No, I haven’t heard from her in a couple of days. Do you really think something’s wrong?”

“In my gut, I do. She’s never done anything like this before.”

“It is unlike her. I’ll make some calls to employees and clients.”

“Clients?”

“See if any of them saw her today.”

Pat swallowed hard. “There’s no
record in her appointment book of her having clients today.”

“That’s unusual, as we’ve been busy and she keeps meticulous records. I’ll get in touch with them all, just in case.”

He and Sinead spent harrowing hours on the phone. Kathleen and Sean came in to ask where their mother was. Pat made up a story about him and Sinead canvassing some of the neighbors. They were too young to know
about this yet.

By midnight, they’d exhausted every avenue. He was getting pictures together to go to the police station while Sinead went downstairs to ask Irene what Brie was wearing this morning, when the front door opened. Brie?

It wasn’t. Liam and Aidan walked into the house. Sinead had kept them up to date.

They took turns with bear hugs, then Liam said, “Come on, Pat. It’s time
to call in the authorities.”

Twenty minutes later, all four O’Neil men walked into one of the three precincts in Rockaway. The sergeant at the desk recognized them not only because of Bailey’s notoriety but also because Pat had worked with them on community things. “Hey, guys, what’s going on?”

Taking a breath, Pat braced himself. “I need to see the highest-ranking official on duty tonight.”

“You got it.”

In minutes, a captain he knew, Eric Lewis, came out. “Hey, there.” He scanned the four tense men in front of him. “What’s wrong?”

“Brie’s missing. All day. We need some help.”

“Of course.” Lewis studied Pat for a minute. “But I’m not sure we should be in charge of this.”

“Why?”

“Because Brie is the sister-in-law of the president of the United States. You should
call him right away. He’ll send in the FBI.”

Pat stumbled back and Liam grasped his shoulders. Brie’s connection to Bailey had never occurred to him as a reason for her missing. “Dear Lord in heaven.”

Sinead moaned and Pat slid his arm around his son.

“Hell,” Aidan said. “We were briefed by the Secret Service on safety, but I didn’t think of this possibility, either.”

“I’m sorry,”
the captain told them. “Come on into the back, and I’ll set you up in a room.”

Bailey heard the knock on their bedroom door and extricated herself from the spoon position she and Clay slept in. She sat up as Clay awakened, too. Since they’d come to live at the White House, they’d become light sleepers. “Ms. O’Neil, it’s Michaels.” Her agent for the night spoke from outside
the room. “We need to talk to you.”

Bailey bounded out of bed, threw on a robe and whipped open the door. “Are the kids all right?” Midnight interruptions had never happened to her, though Clay had been awakened for national emergencies.

“The kids are fine. But we got a call from your brother Pat.”

From behind her, Clay settled a hand on Bailey’s shoulder. If Pat was calling, it could
be about Ma and Pa.

“Tell us outright what he said, Kip.” Clay sounded concerned.

“His wife, Brie, is missing. Since she’s your sister-in-law, sir, this could be politically motivated.”

Bailey sank back into Clay.

“How long has she been missing?” Clay asked.

“All day and evening.”

“Then something’s wrong. Brie is the most responsible person I know, especially where her
family’s concerned.” She looked up at Clay. “I’m sure of it, Clay. Besides, Pat has gut feelings about the family that are usually right.”

After they threw on some clothes, Bailey followed Clay to the West Wing. Outside the Oval Office, he said, “Call Pat, honey. Tell him I’m getting the FBI on it right away.”

Worry settled inside of Bailey like a rock. Something had happened to
Brie
?
She’d been in their lives forever. Once in her own office, Bailey phoned Pat. He picked up immediately. “Paddy, it’s Bailey.”

“Thank God.” His voice was shaky—her stalwart, steady brother who took every knock from life in stride. “Brie’s missing and it isn’t good.”

“We believe you. Clay’s calling in the FBI. His best people will be at your house within the hour.”

“That’s good.”

“Hang in there, Pat. We’ll find her. I swear.”

“I’m still hopin’ she just shows up with a logical explanation. We had a bad fight yesterday, Bay.”

“She’d never do this to you intentionally, no matter how upset she is. I know that in my bones.”

“I want to believe it, too.”

“Then do. If we don’t hear anything by morning, I’m coming home.”

“Okay.”

Bailey closed her eyes. If
he agreed that easily to her making the trip, her big brother must be in bad shape.

Around two a.m., Liam, Aidan and Pat waited in their living room for the FBI to arrive. Patrick couldn’t believe this was happening. He just couldn’t believe it.

“Did Sinead finally turn in?” Aidan asked.

“No, he called Laurie. They’re up in his room right now. He needed somebody.”

“I’m glad he has her.”

Pat added, “The rest of the kids are asleep.”

Headlights flooded the driveway and Pat stood. He strode to the door, opened it and stepped outside. Two men came up the walkway in their dark suits. Clay promised to send his best local agents. When they came into view, Pat’s whole body tensed.

“Hello, Patrick.”

Pat managed to eke out, “Carson.”

Phillip
Carson turned to his colleague. “Thomas, I need a word with Mr. O’Neil, alone.”

“I’ll wait down the walk.”

When the man moved away, Carson turned back to Pat. In the light from the lamppost, Pat noted the gravity on his face. “Before you object to me being here, listen to what I have to say. I’m head of the kidnapping division for the city. I’ve worked fifteen years of cases. I know what
I’m doing. I’m sure I’m the last person you want to see, but I’m the best. And Brie deserves the best.”

For a moment, Pat wanted to rage against this coincidence. But he pulled himself together. “You’re right. Let’s put everything aside and find my wife.”

Carson called out, “Okay, Thomas, let’s go inside and get started.”

When they walked into the house, Liam and Aidan greeted the
agents. Pat had never told anyone about Carson and Brie, so that didn’t have to be dealt with.

When they were seated, Thomas pulled out an iPad. Carson said to Pat, “I need a step-by-step of the entire day and evening.”

Once again Pat launched into the story, piecing together things as he went along, wondering why he’d waited to call in the authorities.

“And you’re sure it’s unusual
that she didn’t contact anybody?”

“Absolutely.”

“Who was the last person to see Brie?”

“Our nanny.”

“I’ll need to speak with her.”

Aidan stood. “I’ll wake Irene.”

“I’m sure she’s still up.” The woman loved Brie like a daughter.

In minutes, Irene came into the room dressed in her day clothes. Pat introduced her.

“Sit down, ma’am.” Carson addressed her. “Tell me what
Mrs. O’Neil was wearing this morning when she left.”

Liam held up a paper. “She already told us. I typed up a sheet on Brie. It lists her date of birth, contact information and a description of her clothing.”

“Give me the rundown anyway, Mrs. Jensen. I might hear things most people wouldn’t think of as relevant.”

“I remember what she had on because it was unusual. She was dressed in
a blue jogging suit. Light cotton. Cropped pants.”

“Zippered? Hoodie? What was on her feet?”

“I thought she might be going to the gym, but she wore flip-flops and she always wears sneakers when she works out. Maybe she went to yoga class.”

“We checked,” Pat told them. “She wasn’t at class.”

“How did she seem when she left?”

Irene glanced at Pat. “Not happy. And she looked exhausted.
Like she hadn’t slept.”

Carson turned to Pat. “Did she sleep?”

Patrick shook his head. “I don’t know. I was out the night before.” At Carson’s raised eyebrows, Pat added, “My brother’s fiancé had a miscarriage, and he was out of town. I stayed at the hospital with her.”

“Did you speak with Brie during that time?”

“I tried to call her but her phone was off. Then everything happened
so fast, then when I got around to it again, my battery was dead. I borrowed a nurse’s cell, but Brie didn’t answer.”

Carson turned back to Irene. “Did she say anything about where she was going?”

“No. And she always leaves an address. She seemed distracted.”

Pat knew why. Because of their fight.

“Does she have her cell with her?”

“I called it,” Pat told them. “Several times.
It didn’t ring anywhere in the house, so I assume she has it.”

Turning to the other agent, Carson said crisply, “Get into our database. Request all of Mrs. O’Neil’s cell records and those of the house phone. Check credit card activity and bank statements, too.” He turned to Pat. “Meanwhile, Patrick, you go through her things. See if your suitcases are all here, if her passport is where it
should be; find out if she has her credit cards with her. Also, is she on any medication?”

“High blood pressure. And an inhaler for asthma.”

“Check for those.”

“Why?” Pat asked.

“I know you think she wouldn’t intentionally disappear, but we have to cover those bases before we assume foul play.”

Pat stood frozen to the ground.

“Come on, Pat.” Liam stood. “I’ll help you go
through her things.”

As Patrick left the room, his mind whirled. Could it be possible that Brie had left him and their family?

July 8, 6 a.m.

FBI report:

Gabriella Paresi O’Neil

Missing for twenty-four hours.

No personal items were taken: all medication, passport, suitcases accounted for.

No bank withdrawals in the above time frame.

No credit card
activity.

No friend, family or coworker has heard from her.

Recent clients contacted. None saw her or had appointments to do so. All expressed concern.

Cell phone records show she received a call, but the trace indicates a burner phone.

Conclusion: criminal investigation needed.

Finally it was a fait accompli. Finally he had her back. He watched her all day
as she slept. He frowned. He regretted what he’d had to do to get her here, but in the end, it would all work out. She was what he needed, as she always had been.

Her eyes closed, Brie turned over and buried her head in the pillow. Intense pain shot through her skull and she moaned. Trying to calm her stomach, which had roiled with the movement,
she stayed still. Once her body settled, she noticed the scent of the pillowcase. It was unfamiliar. She struggled to place it, but the intensity of thought only made her headache worse. After a bit, she opened her eyes. Blurry images surrounded her. From deep within, fear sprang up. The door opened.

“Patrick?” she said in what came out as a gravelly voice.

She couldn’t see him clearly,
though, and waited for him to respond.