by Kathi Daley
“What is it?”
“According to this statement, it appears that Isabella was a teenager living on the streets when she met Garcia. After she became pregnant, she decided she didn’t want her baby to be raised by the man who she’d realized had violent tendencies, so when he brought her to the United States for a short visit, she ran. After she escaped Garcia’s compound, the girl somehow was able to connect with a police officer and convinced him that she had something to offer in exchange for sanctuary. According to this document, the police officer she had turned to put her in touch with the DEA.”
“So, if she made a deal with the DEA, who killed her and why are they after the baby?”
“I don’t know. Maybe they aren’t after the baby at all. Maybe they are after the thumb drive or the ledger and assume whoever has the baby is in possession of those items as well.” Michael opened another file. It contained a video of the man who had been driving the car I found, which was also carrying the dead woman and the baby. He identified himself as Agent Beaverton and stated that he had been assigned to guard Isabella Fernandez until she gave birth. Apparently, she had not been willing to provide the DEA with the information they were looking for until after her baby was born. She wanted to ensure the baby’s American citizenship by making certain that he or she was born on US soil. The baby was born several hours before the video had been recorded, according to Beaverton’s testimony. He took down Isabella’s statement, which included the location of a ledger that he assured his superiors would provide all the hard data they needed to find and arrest Garcia.
“Is there any information in the file as to where the ledger is?” I asked.
Michael shook his head. “No. I don’t think so. There are three more files, though.”
He opened the next file, which contained a frantic video made by Beaverton saying that he had received intel that there was a mole in the DEA who was working for Salvador Garcia. According to his source, the life of the witness was in danger. He wanted to be sure there was a record of the agreement that Isabella had with the DEA and his actions upon learning of the leak, which was why he had transferred all pertinent information to the thumb drive. The video indicated that he planned to move the mother and child and would figure out what to do and who to trust once they were safe.
“I guess he never did make it to that safe haven,” she said.
“I guess not.”
“So, Curt Loughlin, the CHP officer who killed Beaverton, might be working with the mole in the DEA.”
“Perhaps. If there is a mole in the DEA, that person might be responsible for the other CHP officers looking for you and the baby. I think that we are going to need to act with even more extreme caution from this point forward. From what I’ve seen so far, it appears that Salvador Garcia is a powerful man who could very well have moles in other key agencies. I think I have to agree with Beaverton when he said not to trust anyone.”
“What is in the other two files?”
Michael opened the fourth file. This one had copies of names, addresses, bank accounts, and other contacts, informants, and information that Garcia was certain to want to keep under wraps. Michael’s frown deepened. “I don’t think that Garcia would give a second thought to killing anyone he even suspected was threatening to reveal information I am sure he is desperate to see buried. At this point we have no way of knowing if Beaverton sent a copy of the information Isabella provided after delivering her baby to anyone else, but if this is the only copy of that information, it should be considered invaluable.”
Fantastic. “If Garcia is the baby’s father, why would he want her dead?”
“As I said before, he may not,” Michael answered. “He may simply be trying to secure the information the mole most likely told him Isabella planned to turn over to the authorities. If the baby is missing, he may assume the person who has the baby also has the information he is worried about. Still, I don’t think we should assume that he is not interested in the baby. Beaverton said to keep her safe and that is what we are going to do.”
“What about the last file?”
Michael opened it. “It looks to be some kind of map.”
“A map to what?”
Michael frowned. “I’m not sure. Maybe to where the ledger is hidden. I suppose that if Isabella found a way to steal the ledger before she ran away, she may have hidden it.”
“Hidden it where?”
Michael shrugged. “I don’t know. The map is vague, and the directions included with it appear to have been written in code.”
“We know that Isabella was in California. The map must coordinate to a location there.”
Michael shook his head. “Isabella was found dead in California, but we don’t know where she started out. She could have hidden the ledger anywhere. So far, I’m not sure what state or location the map coordinates with. But given some time, I think we should be able to figure it out. I don’t think we should take the time to do that now, though. Staying in one place makes us easier to find should someone pick up our trail.”
“So where do we go?”
“I think we head toward Moosehead, but in a nontraditional fashion. We won’t want to be predictable. Maybe we head east from here rather than continuing north. I have to assume that if the bad guys have your ID, they eventually will be able to figure out that you might have been driving to Minnesota.”
“Do you think my family is in danger?”
Michael appeared to consider her question carefully. “I doubt it, but we’ll talk to Ben about keeping an eye on things the next time he calls.”
Harper got up and walked over to the window. She would be sad to leave this place. She’d actually felt safe for a few hours. “Ben has a lot of contacts in the FBI and other agencies. Maybe we should get help.”
“Maybe. That may be an option we are forced to take. But for now, let’s just keep moving while Ben does the detective thing. He might be able to narrow in on exactly who Beaverton and by extension we are dealing with. Once we know that, we’ll have a better idea of who to turn to. I’ll go out to pick up something to eat, some more diapers and formula, and a few additional supplies for the road.”
“You’re leaving?”
“For a couple of hours. It could be a long night, so try to get some sleep. And, as before, secure the privacy latch behind me.”
Lordy, what had she gotten herself in to?
After Michael left, she decided to call Ben. She took out the number of the burner cell Ben had sent to communicate with him and dialed.
“Harper. How are things going?”
“Have you spoken to Michael about the information on the thumb drive?”
“He called to fill me in. I know about the mole in the DEA, Agent Beaverton’s role with them, and the ledger. I assume you are planning to go after it. While I agree that obtaining the ledger might be the best way to get Garcia off your back, I continue to be worried. From what I’ve been able to uncover from here, Salvador Garcia has connections in high places. There is no doubt in my mind that a rogue CHP officer isn’t the only law enforcement official he has in his pocket.”
“So what are we supposed to do? Run forever?”
“No. Michael isn’t wrong that your best bet is to find the ledger that seemingly will lead to the apprehension of the man who appears to be behind everything. My primary concern, though, is to make sure that you and the baby are safe.”
“I can take care of myself, but I am worried about the baby. What’s going to happen to her? She is so tiny. This shouldn’t be happening.”
“If the baby was born shortly before Beaverton whisked her and her mother away, then it is possible that you and Michael are the only two people alive to even have seen her. Maybe it would be best to separate the two of you. If the rogue CHP officer has your ID, he will be looking for you, but he may not know for certain that you have her, and I doubt he knows what she looks like.”
“Separate us? How?”
Ben paused, as
if to consider the situation. “Maybe I should meet you somewhere and bring the baby home with me. Holly and I have foster kids coming and going all the time. No one would give a second look at a new baby in the mix. I know you are taking excellent care of her, but she might be in more danger traveling with you than she would be if you and Michael went on alone.”
Ben made a good point, especially if Michael’s plan was to find the ledger. If Isabella had hidden it, we could very well be the only people alive with any way to track it down. “All right. As much as I will miss her, I agree that she will be safer with you. How should we go about this?”
“You are now about two thousand miles from Moosehead. I could fly to Portland and meet you there, but it is likely that Garcia will be watching the airports. It will take longer to drive, but I think that might be our best bet. I’m thinking we should meet halfway. Somewhere off the usual route between Moosehead and your current location.”
“Okay, I like your plan. I’ll talk to Michael and have him call you as soon as he gets back.”
Chapter 7
Harper was surprised when Michael got back to the hotel less than an hour later. They ate Chinese food, and then she fed and changed the baby while Michael fed and walked the puppy. When everyone had eaten and was cared for, they loaded up the SUV with the baby snuggled safely in her car seat and the puppy curled up in the dog bed in the cargo area. “Where are we headed?”
“East to Idaho. Once we arrive there, we’ll head north on Highway 95 into Montana. We are going to meet Ben in Wolf Point the day after tomorrow. Once we hand Princess off to Ben, we’ll focus on tracking down the ledger, which, in my mind, is going to be the only way to be sure Garcia is off your back.”
“Maybe he is already off my back. Nothing suspicious has happened since we left California. Maybe Garcia doesn’t know about the thumb drive. Maybe now that Isabella is dead, he has simply gone back to work supplying the US with illegal drugs.”
The road Michael had chosen to travel east was a backcountry one, with little traffic. In fact, they hadn’t passed a single car in almost thirty minutes. “I hope that is true, but my gut tells me that we are a long way from being in the clear.”
“Yeah. My gut is telling me that too. When I spoke to Ben today, he said that we should settle on a temporary name for the baby. A name we can use to refer to her in public if need be. He and I agreed it would be best to act as if the baby is ours until we can hand her off to Ben.”
“I think that is a good idea. What should we call her, other than Princess, of course?”
Harper turned her head slightly to look at the sleeping infant. “I would say Isabella after her mother, but that doesn’t seem like a good idea. I think we should probably name her something with an American flair. Something that starts with a letter other than an H.”
Michael turned slightly toward her. “You have something against names that begin with the letter H?”
“After growing up with Hayden, Harper, Haley, Harlow, and Haven, I think I’ve had enough of H names.”
“I get it. I have three sisters: Macy, Megan, and Marley.”
She laughed. “Really? You aren’t just making that up to make me feel better?”
Michael held up his right hand. “I swear.”
“I believe you. So, tell me about Macy, Megan, and Marley. You said you were from New York originally. Do they all still live there?”
Michael sped up to pass a lumber truck. “No. Macy is a pilot, currently running a charter service in Alaska. Megan is a third-year resident at Boston General, and Marley, who graduated college last spring, lives in Italy, where she hopes to find herself.”
“Any brothers?”
Michael’s mouth tightened. “One. Matthew.”
“Does he still live in New York?”
“He did until two years ago. He married a woman whose family lives in New Hampshire, so when she wanted to move closer to her parents, he relocated with her.”
“That’s nice. I’ve only been to New England once, but I loved every minute of it and plan to go again someday. Are you and Matthew close?”
“Not really.”
She was surprised by his answer. “I’m sensing a conflict of some sort, although it is none of my business and I probably shouldn’t even ask about it.”
“Matthew is my twin, and the woman he married was my fiancée until she met Matthew three years ago and decided that she would rather be married to a teacher who worked close to home than a business owner who was away much of the time. Not that I really blame her. Matthew is perfect for her. Still, it stings a bit, so do you think we can change the subject?”
“Of course. I’m sorry. I’m sure the situation has been very difficult for you. Let’s keep thinking of a name for Princess. How about Bella? It could be considered to be short for Isabella.”
“I like it. I think it is perfect, although in my mind, she’ll always be Princess.”
She smiled. “Yeah. She will forever be Princess in my mind as well.”
The conversation paused, and, given the awkward dialogue regarding Michael’s brother, Harper felt the need to fill the silence. She didn’t think talking about their families any more was the best way to go, though, so talking about someone else’s family seemed like a wise switch. “I understand that Ben and Holly not only have six foster children and three adopted children, they have two biological children as well.”
Michael nodded. “Joe DiMaggio Holiday and Reggie Jackson Holiday.”
“I remember him mentioning that he’d named his sons after famous Yankees. They must be three or four by now.”
“They will be four on their next birthday.”
“Holly and I are the same age, so we were in the same class all through school. I wouldn’t say we were best friends, but we hung out some, and I would say I knew her pretty well. I remember that she couldn’t wait to get out of Moosehead after graduation, same as me, and we both left the area before the ink on our diplomas was dry. Neither of us had children or families on our mind at the time, and both of us wanted very much to make a name for ourselves. Now here we are, fourteen years later. She is married but has the fantastic career she dreamed of and eleven children, counting the foster kids, while I am still single but without a job or even a prospect of one on the horizon. How did that happen?”
“I guess people’s lives evolve along different timelines, even if they start out in the same place. I wouldn’t worry too much about not having a job at this moment.” Michael glanced at her. “Something tells me that you are destined to do great things.”
She was going to respond, but their conversation was interrupted by the ringing of a phone. “Ben?” she asked when Michael picked it up and looked at the caller ID.
“No. It’s not the burner phone.” Michael answered using Bluetooth. “Maddox here.”
“Mr. Maddox, it’s Ray.”
She remembered that Michael had told her that Ray was the name of the very nice desk clerk at the hotel they’d just stayed in.
“You told me to call you if someone came in looking for a woman with a baby.”
“Yes, I did. Was someone there?” Michael asked.
“Yes, sir. A tall man with dark hair and a crooked nose. He asked if a woman with a baby had checked in during the past twenty-four hours. I told him that I hadn’t had a woman with a baby check in during the two years I have worked here, which is actually true.”
“What was the man wearing?” Michael asked.
“A dark-colored jacket. Black, I think. He had on jeans and dark-colored boots.”
“Did you tell him anything other than that no woman with a baby had checked in?”
“No, sir. I didn’t say a word.”
“Excellent. You did well, Ray. Very well.”
“Happy I helped. It’s not every day someone gives me a five-hundred-dollar tip. It is going to come in real handy. Thank you again.”
Michael hung up and then turned to glance at her. “It sounds
like the man who stopped by the hotel fits the description of Loughlin, the CHP officer who shot Beaverton.”
“Except for him wearing street clothes and not a uniform, the description fits exactly. Should we be worried?”
“Probably not. He’s most likely going to continue up the coast until he hits Highway 90, if he has indeed decided that you were heading for Moosehead. If we were actually going straight there, that is the route we’d be taking. Even if he hasn’t uncovered the Moosehead connection yet, the road we are traveling is not one anyone but a local homeowner would be likely to travel. I think we are safe for now. Still, the visit from the shooter does demonstrate that he is still looking for you and the baby. I think we need to keep our eyes and ears open.”
She couldn’t agree more. Going after the ledger was a risky mission, but she’d been assigned to just as risky ones before. There had been a time in her life when risky missions were simply part of her job. Of course, she hadn’t been traveling with a baby when she was in the Army. She was pretty sure she’d be better able to relax and focus on the task at hand once they’d passed Bella off to Ben. She would be safe and well cared for with him and Holly. And once the mission was over, she was sure they would work to find her parents who would love her forever.
Chapter 8
Harper raised her arms over her head in a slow stretch as Michael pulled into a motel parking lot shortly after the sun came up. It was small but cute, in a tiny town she hadn’t caught the name of. They’d steadily climbed in elevation and were now somewhere in the mountains. There was snow on the ground and the temperature picked up from the vehicle sensor had dropped below freezing.
“We’ll check in, have some breakfast, and get some rest. We are well on track to meet Ben at the rendezvous at dinnertime tomorrow. Wait here and I’ll get us a couple of rooms.”
She could see that Bosley needed to get out and stretch his legs, so she clipped the leash on his collar and let him out the back door. To say it was freezing was putting it mildly. Despite the fact that she had grown up in cold and snowy Minnesota, she had spent more than a decade in warm climates and wasn’t used to the bracing cold anymore. She could see Princess’s arms and legs moving slightly, so she knew she was awake. She would need to be changed and fed. Harper just hoped she’d hold off letting her know with loud tears until Michael had returned with the room key.