Baby Girl Doe (Stephanie Chalice Thrillers Book 5) (22 page)

“Cam, do you think this is a good idea?
I’m really nervous.” Kaley tugged down on the brim of her baseball cap and looked in the car vanity mirror as she fidgeted with her long, blond hair until it was all contained within it. She turned to Camryn, who sat behind the wheel of the car performing exactly the same task. “Cam? I mean, really, can I get an answer? I see our faces every time I turn on the TV. Half the cops in America are searching for us.”

“Would you relax? They’re looking for two women, not two guys having a few pops at the local watering hole. Would you prefer that we tuck ourselves away like a couple of moles? He’s not going anywhere. We took plenty of precautions.”

“How much longer are we going to hold him? I’ve never done anything like this before, and I’m scared to death they’ll find us and then . . .”

Camryn adjusted her cap and gave Kaley a smooch on the cheek. “It will be over soon. I’m just tying up a few loose ends.” She looked at Kaley pointedly. “And then we’ll do what we have to do.”

“Holding a cop hostage is not a loose end. If they catch us—”

“They won’t! By tomorrow night we’ll be on a plane to Dubai, and all our worries will be over. I told you we’re just buying a little time while the cops are out chasing their tails. I’ll take care of the last item on my list tomorrow, and from there on out, it’s clear sailing.”

“What is this list of yours? You go out. You come back. I’m your partner. Shouldn’t I know what’s going on in your life? What’s with all the secrecy?”

“You don’t want to know.”

“I do!” Kaley’s eyes filled with tears.

My life has been a fucking mess, and now I’m getting even with everyone that screwed me over, including that nosy cop and her husband. I’ll fix her wagon. I’ll fix it good
. Camryn reached down deep and found a smile to mask her true feelings. “I’ll tell you everything—all in good time.”

“I still don’t get it. Why are we taking a chance like this, knowing that we’re leaving the country?”

Camryn’s eyes glazed over.
None of this would have happened if you hadn’t opened your big mouth and told them about Alana and Sarah. You idiot, you sweet oblivious idiot!
“You want to go back to the marina? Go ahead. But I’m walking into that bar and getting hammered. I need it.”

Kaley wiped away her tears. “You promise?”

“Promise what?”

“That you’ll let that cop go home unharmed. They were so nice to me, Gus and his wife.” Tears sprang forward. “They let me hold their baby.”

“Yes, we’ll let him go.”
Whatever you need to tell yourself.

Kaley stared at her doubtfully. “Promise!” she insisted.

“Yes, I promise,” Camryn said, bringing forth all the false sincerity she could muster. She pulled the door release handle and stepped out of the car. She leaned in before shutting the door. “Coming?”

Kaley huffed loudly before unbuckling her seatbelt. “I’ll hate you forever if something goes wrong.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Camryn said as she sauntered through the parking lot with Kaley a few steps behind.
Sure I’ll let him go—over my dead fucking body.

Search for Gus Lido: Day 3

I didn’t want to go to sleep, but I forced myself to lie down knowing I’d fall on my face if I didn’t.
I went out hard but was awake by five a.m., my mind frantic with the idea that Camryn Claymore was Bill Alden’s orphaned daughter.

I showered and dressed and was about to rally the troops when Ambler knocked on my door carrying coffee and what smelled like a fried egg sandwich. He reached into his pocket and handed me a half dozen packets of Heinz ketchup, so I knew that my instinct was correct—if nothing else at least my sense of smell was up to snuff (no pun intended).

Ambler had flown in late the previous evening. He hadn’t gotten much sleep either, but that’s standard operating procedure for him—it’s as if he runs on batteries or something.

“You look better,” Ambler said.

“Yeah, it’s amazing what half a night’s sleep will do for you.” I sat down at the desk, and Ambler plunked down on the edge of the bed. I gulped down some hot coffee hoping the caffeine would charge through my bloodstream like Usain Bolt on a one-hundred-meter sprint.

“Bring me up to date. What did you learn from Prescott?” he asked.

“I’m pretty damn sure that Camryn Claymore is not who she says she is. We found two women’s driver’s licenses stapled to the back wall of her closet. One belonged to Sarah Fisher, the girl who at one time lived in the house we’re renting, the girl who went missing. The other one was Camryn’s. The picture was accurate, but the date of birth makes her forty-four years old, and I can tell you straight out the woman I met is years shy of thirty. I think the driver’s license has been altered.”

“Not uncommon. So who do you think Camryn really is?”

All of a sudden I was ravenous. I tore the aluminum foil, uncovering half the sandwich and doused it in Heinz. “All right, follow me—when I was at Alden’s house, I saw a bent fork and thought little of it. When we went through Camryn’s house, I found a drawer full of bent flatware.”

“And?”
Ambler was looking at me as if I was crazy. Perhaps I was.

“Alden had a bad life. I mean this man had seen some
shit
. After years and years of trying, his wife finally got pregnant but—” I had to catch my breath. I was talking and wolfing down my food too quickly. “His wife and son died soon after childbirth; only his daughter survived.”

“Jesus,” Ambler swore. “Talk about being born under a bad sign.”

“The poor guy couldn’t handle being a father and convinced Frank Prescott to take his infant daughter into the Air Force program. They fudged the baby’s records, and she became part of the government’s experimental program. Her birth certificate was altered to read Baby Girl Doe.”

“You’ve lost me, Stephanie. What do bent forks and spoons have to do with this child?”

“Prescott struck me as a straight shooter. He looked me dead in the eye and told me that Alden had genuine psychokinetic powers.”

“What?” Ambler grimaced expressing doubt. “I’ve seen that kind of stuff on TV but I’m sure it was all fake. You’re telling me he was able to bend spoons and forks with his mind?”

“Yes, and if I’m right . . . so can his daughter who I think is Camryn Claymore.”

Ambler ran his fingers through his short stiff hair. “That’s a lot to swallow, Stephanie. Even if this psychokinetic stuff is true, how do you tie her to the abduction?”

My head dropped. So much had happened that I’d forgotten or perhaps had intentionally forgotten to tell Ambler about the spy cams and videos. It violated me so deeply. I just wanted to forget about it and pretend it never happened. I reluctantly related the details to Ambler and watched him fume. Ambler was unmarried and without children of his own. I was the closest thing to a daughter that he had ever known. He was so hot I think he would’ve killed Kaley and Camryn if he could’ve gotten to them. It took a while, but he eventually cooled off.

“Do we know what happened to this child after the government shut down the program?” he asked.

“Not yet. Prescott retired when the baby was two. The project was taken over by a guy named Kleeb, a guy Prescott described as a ‘venomous piece of shit.’ This all happened last night—Detective Pulaski is trying to locate the child’s adoption records.” The egg sandwich was gone, and I busily licked ketchup off of my fingertips, after which I raced into the bathroom to wash my hands. My cell phone rang. “It’s Pulaski,” I announced as I answered the phone. It was barely six a.m. and Pulaski was already hard at work again. I was proud to be a part of this strong cop family.

“Steve, I’m here with Ambler. I’m going to put you on speaker. I guess the early bird catches the worm.”

“Not the early bird, Chalice . . . the coon dog,” Pulaski said.

“It’s too early for me, Steve. What are you talking about?”

“Some kid was hunting upstate. His dog chased a woodchuck into a hole and scratched up a human skeleton. Hoosick Falls, Chalice. Do you remember who came from up there?”

“Moore, Alana Moore, but I thought—”

“Right, that she died when someone pushed her in front of the Long Island Rail Road train. This only happened yesterday, but I got a call from a detective who was working the case all through last night. He said the skeleton has distinguishing characteristics: healed compound fractures of the ulna and radius. The train victim’s skeleton was completely pulverized on impact, so we couldn’t check for the identifying fractures. They’re bringing in a forensic odontologist to see if dental records match. It’s not conclusive, but I thought you should know.”

“Thanks, Steve. That sounds important.”

“No sweat. I’ll call you after social services locates the other records we’re looking for.” Pulaski hung up.

“You heard?”

Ambler nodded and then placed the heel of his hand against his forehead. “Sometimes I wish I was smarter. What the hell does any of this mean? Can’t someone just draw me a map showing where we can find Gus?”

The G-Man, as I affectionately called him, was not prone to frustration, but I understood that he was feeling a measure of the same fragility that I was feeling. “Keep cool, my friend. You’re all that’s separating me from a rubber room.”

My phone rang again. I had the sense that I was about to hear something vital even before I checked the caller ID. Like a safe cracker with his ear to the door of a safe, slowly turning the dial in one direction and then the other, I listened for the tumblers to fall into place.

It was Pulaski again. He had just received a fax with a list of invitees to the wedding of Lindsay Rothchild and Ryan Michaels, the couple who had given black and white cookies to their guests as wedding favors. Alana Moore was not among the list of invitees, but Sarah Fisher was.

CLICK!

Raven: April 2013

Sarah Fisher gazed up at the heavens and saw stars blazing vividly in the dark sky above her.
A crisp breeze ripped by—it felt cold against her cheeks as it rushed toward the East End of Long Island. She checked the length of the train platform and saw that there was no one around. She didn’t like being alone in such a secluded place and her heart was beating quickly from nerves. She looked down the line, hoping to detect the muted glimmer of the train’s headlamps in the distance. There was only pitch black in that direction, an immense rift that separated East Hampton from New York City. The breeze died suddenly, and the night became silent. It was so quiet that she noticed her ears were still ringing from the loud music that had been played at the wedding. She checked the length of the platform again and saw that she was still alone.

Or was she?

~~~

Raven had been watching Sarah for several minutes, hidden by the shadow that covered the platform staircase. There was something about Sarah that fascinated her enough to make her want to act out. She focused on the contour of Sarah’s nose and cheek, which were softly illuminated by the station lamplight.
She’s so pretty.
A moment passed while she evaluated the opportunity. She extended her hand past the shadow so that lamplight fell on the printed train schedule and read that the next train to New York was just minutes off. Her heart thumped, and it seemed like seconds passed before it beat again. She looked around and saw that no one else was on the train platform with them.

Raven gazed across at the barren parking lot to make sure that no other cars were approaching the station. Off in the far distance, the glimmer of approaching train lights came into focus. She felt uncertain and tentative—her hastily formulated plan required bold action.
Now
, she thought,
go now
. But she could not will her feet to move. She had killed before, but those acts had required much more premeditation. A moment passed and she still had not ventured out of the shadow. The overhead clock ticked off another minute—a minute lost forever. Would she allow them all to tick away?
Now!
It was the blast of the eastbound train whistle on the opposite track that finally set her in motion.

The eastbound train had taken Sarah by surprise, Raven noted as she approached. Sarah had jumped nervously, which made Raven snicker quietly.
A bundle of nerves, are we? Perfect.
“Hi,” Raven said in a timid manner.

On edge already, the sound of a stranger’s voice startled Sarah and stole her breath for a moment. “What the hell?” Sarah clutched her heart. “You scared the shit out of me.”

Raven did the same, pressing her hand to her chest mimicking the action of her intended victim. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to . . . I’m just happy that I’m not alone. I tried to catch you on the way out of the reception hall—I thought we could share a cab to the train station.”

“You were at the wedding?”

She nodded. “Uh-huh. I thought you’d never leave.”

“Excuse me?”

“If there was an Olympic event for saying the longest round of goodbyes at a wedding, you’d be a gold medalist.”

Sarah’s cheeks rose and formed a smile that replaced the look of apprehension on her face. “I’m happy to have company. It’s a little creepy out here . . . I’m Sarah.”

She studied Sarah’s face while she thought about the name she would offer her in return. She had not been given a name at the birth. Her birth certificate had simply read:
First Name: Baby Girl. Last Name: Doe.
She had gone through most of her life as Raven Gallagher, but had spent the last several months posing as Alana Moore, a college student from upstate New York.

“Call me Alana. I’m a friend of the groom. Oh my God, it was
such
a gorgeous affair. I can’t believe that I was invited to a Hamptons wedding. Everything was so beautiful. Do you believe how many guests they invited? There must have been five hundred people at least.”

“Lindsey and Ryan make such a great couple, don’t they? I feel like they were meant to be together,” Sarah said. “It really was an incredible wedding. I guess what they say is true:
it’s
good to have money
.”

Raven shrugged. “I wouldn’t know.”

“I know what you mean—I won’t be home until after two in the morning, and I have to be up early for work tomorrow. No rest for the weary, I guess.” Sarah was quiet for a moment, as if deciding whether or not to say what was on her mind. Finally, she added, “I have to tell you, Lindsey’s father really surprised me.”

“What do you mean?”

“For a man with so much money . . . I mean he really doesn’t make much of an appearance.”

“I know what you mean—he’s not the best looking.”

Sarah nodded. “Best looking? You’re being polite. He looked so sloppy . . . and that beard?” She rolled her eyes. “He looked like he should be swinging from a tree.”

Raven giggled. “Eccentric people. I guess you can’t judge a book by its cover. Look at that Richard Branson guy.”

“The guy who owns Virgin Airlines?”

“Virgin everything—throw some pelts on his back, and he’s a Neanderthal.”

Sarah chuckled. “Oh my God, I just pictured him—you’re so right.” Sarah turned and saw the New York-bound train lights in the distance. “Oh great, the train is coming. I thought there would have been more people headed back to the city after the wedding, but I guess they’re all staying over for the night.”

Raven forced herself to sigh—she nodded simultaneously. “Thank God it’s on time. I hear the Long Island Rail Road is always late, especially on the weekends.”

“True that,” Sarah said. “The LIRR sucks. So you’re Ryan’s friend?”

“Yeah. We went to school together. Can you believe how well he’s doing, marrying into all that money like that? Meanwhile, down on the farm . . . I’m still working at a temp agency and looking for my first real job. ”
Good, you’re doing good,
Raven thought.
Your bullshit is killer.

“He’s a great guy and
so
focused—he’ll rule the world one day,” Sarah said. “I don’t remember seeing you at the wedding—which table were you at?”

“Oh, I was at the orphan’s table. You know, the one reserved for the distant friends . . . the ones they never expect to attend. Actually, I spent most of the night on the dance floor. The band
rocked
.” She paused for a moment as if uncertain as to what to say next. “
You
certainly stood out. Your dress is fabulous, and I love the pink shoes. You have to tell me where you got them; they’re to die for.”

“DSW.”

“You’re kidding, the discount warehouse? Those? Really?”

“Yeah, they sent me a coupon for my birthday— it was too big a bargain to resist, and they dress up the cheap outfit.”

“I have to learn where to find the bargains—I’m only in the city a couple of months. I’m crashing at a friend’s place on Bleecker until I can afford a place of my own.”

“You’re in The Village? It’s so fabulous down there—I wish I could afford a place downtown. I’m in a basement apartment right near the entrance to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel on 34th. It’s a rat hole, but at least I’m in the city.”

“No roommates?”

“No. It’s just me. I’m from out here, but I moved to the city last year. I’m trying to spread my wings a little.”

“I’m envious—you have your own place
and
your privacy. What more could a girl can ask for? I’m from the sticks, and my roommate is a party monster. She’s got something going on every night. I can’t get a minute’s peace.”

“Oh, I have privacy all right. I hardly see anyone. My apartment is like a bunker. So, where are you from?”

Where am I from?
Raven thought. Her mind raced through possible scenarios. She recalled a road trip and visualized a nondescript section of countryside that bordered the New York State Thruway. “Upstate,” she said. She smiled sweetly. “I’m a country girl.”

“Oh that’s right; Ryan got his bachelor’s at Bennington—got it. I hear it’s a great school.”

She shrugged. “Yeah, not bad. You know what I mean. I wanted to go to Marist, but it wasn’t in the cards. Bennington was across the Vermont border, but close enough to home that my parents didn’t need to spring for my room and board.”

Raven saw the westbound train lights getting closer.
Maybe a minute away,
she thought. She lifted her foot and rubbed her heel. “These heels are killing me. Thank God I brought another pair of shoes.” She opened her bag and took out a pair of flats. She tried to balance on one foot while she changed out of her black pumps but lost her balance. “Say, would you mind—”

“Holding your bag? Sure. No problem.” Sarah held Raven’s bag while she walked a few steps across the narrow platform so that she could steady herself against the railing to change her shoes.

“I’m a dummy,” Sarah said, “I didn’t bring a pair to travel in.”

Raven was in the shadows while she changed her shoes. She wriggled her toes and smiled contentedly. “That’s
so
much better.” She waved to Sarah. “Come over here, okay?” she said, “I don’t like standing so close to the tracks.”

“Sure.” Sarah shrugged and walked closer to Raven. She continued to hold her bag while Raven slipped her black pumps into it.

Raven lifted her foot and deliberately dragged the sole of her shoe across the top of one of Sarah’s pink pumps.

The lighting was poor but not so poor that Sarah could not see the fresh smudge on her shoe. “Hey, what the—I love these shoes.” She bent over and tried to remove the spot. Only part of it brushed away. “That was pretty rude.” Sarah looked up unhappily. “Why’d you do that?”

“They make you stand out.” Raven looked through Sarah as if she wasn’t there. The train was approaching fast. The whistle blew to announce its imminent arrival. “You wore them to stand out and now look at what’s happened. You’re so pretty, but in a minute, I’ll be the pretty one.”

“What do you mean? What the hell is wrong with you?” Sarah asked. She attempted to hand Raven back her bag. “Here,” she said. Sarah’s expression showed that she couldn’t wait to get away from Raven. “Nice meeting you. Good luck finding a job.”
Why am I being polite?
she thought
. What a crazy bitch.

Raven reached out but instead of grabbing her own bag grabbed Sarah’s. “Now I’m you.”

“The hell is wrong with you?” Sarah said. She tightened her grip on the handle of her bag and tried to wrestle it away, but Raven’s grip was incredibly strong.

Raven grinned wickedly when the railroad crossing arms lowered, and the warning signal began to clang.

Sarah jumped when the train whistle blew. She could feel the platform rumble beneath her feet. “Let go!” Sarah shrieked as she tried again to yank her bag free.

Raven stomped down on Sarah’s foot.

Sarah cringed and looked up in horror. “Get off of me,” she demanded. She tried to free her foot, but Raven pressed down with her full weight, pinning Sarah’s foot to the platform.

Sarah tugged one last time, lost her balance, and teetered.

Raven angled her head until her eyes bore into Sarah’s.
She mine.
“You’re clumsy, Alana.”

“What?
Why did you call me Alana?
”
Sarah asked with bewilderment.
“Help!”
Her scream echoed and then disappeared into the lonely night.

~~~

A chill raced up Sarah’s spine as she looked into Alana’s cold and lifeless eyes.
She’s crazy
.

Sarah’s face contorted with panic and then she went numb as she sensed what was about to happen. She tried desperately to free her foot as the multi-ton train rumbled toward the station with devastating velocity. She began to tremble, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. “Don’t,” she pleaded. “Please don’t.” Sarah searched Raven’s eyes for a sign of human compassion, hoping against hope, knowing that she was about to die. It felt as if the blood had drained from her heart. It felt hollow and lifeless.

Sarah heard the girl’s hateful tone as if she were far away: “Is that all you’ve got? You should be happy I’m taking over now—I’ll do a much better job with your life than you did.” Sarah’s mind then went completely numb, her ears filled with the echo of those words as the train . . .

She watched in horror as the girl thrust out her hands and pushed.