The Elizabeth McClaine Thriller Boxed Set

by Catherine Lea

  She crossed the street, stepped up the front stairs, and peered through the medallioned glass in the front door. No sign of life on the inside.

  Please be home. Please, please be home.

  The first light knock drew no response. She gave it a minute or so, then pounded on the wood panel with the side of her fist. Then she turned on the spot hugging herself while she checked the street again. Right across from her, Kimmy stared back from the front passenger’s seat.

  “You stay there, Missy,” she mouthed, and pointed a mock threatening finger at her sister. She was reaching for the brass bell ready to shake the thing, when a light popped on inside the house and the door opened.

  Janelle stood framed in the doorway, fury radiating off her like a heat wave. Wearing a shabby checked bathrobe, brassy blond hair sticking up in the front, scowl on her face, she glowered out at Laney.

  “What are you doing here? You know what time it is?”

  “Hey, Janelle.” Laney shuffled uncomfortably and shrugged. “I was…y’know, passing by.”

  Janelle lifted her wrist high, squinting at her watch in the dim light of the hallway behind her. “At what, 2:30 in the morning? I don’t see you for over three years and suddenly, middle of the night, you’re passing by and you have to see me?”

  Laney unfolded her arms and slid her hands into the back pockets of her jeans, chewing her lip while she searched for words. “Okay, so that’s not exactly accurate. I wasn’t just passing by.”

  When she looked up, Janelle had her arms folded, eyebrows arched, waiting. “Well, go on. And boy, this better be good.” She angled her head as if to hear better.

  “Yeah, well…um,” Laney turned to check the car again, then blew out a breath under Janelle’s fiery stare. “I kinda need some help. And I didn’t know who else to go to,” she said quickly.

  Her aunt’s shoulders dropped and she huffed into the air. “What did you do now?”

  “I didn’t do anything,” Laney complained. “Why does everyone always think I’ve done something?”

  No response. Just a callous glare.

  Laney’s mouth dropped open. “Oh, come on. That wasn’t my fault. Lyall had the key. He said the guy gave him permission to take that stuff.”

  “Same old story, huh? Always someone else’s fault. Elaine Donohue, you are nuthin’ but trouble. Were from the day you was born. I don’t know what your mom ever did wrong. Things you done these past five years would make her turn in her grave.” She shook her head slowly.

  “That’s not true.”

  “Oh, really? So, where you been the last six months? The Caribbean? The Bahamas? Or maybe you were spending your days in sunny Honolulu, working on that white prison tan you got there, huh?”

  “Geez, and you wonder why you never see me.”

  “Well, go on, let’s have it—what do you want?”

  Laney slid her hands into the front pockets of her jeans this time, sucked briefly on her upper lip.

  “Okay. I, ah…” She directed her gaze over Janelle’s shoulder and shrugged. “I need you to do me a favor.”

  “A favor, huh? At two o’clock in the morning. You got the nerve of the devil.”

  “I need you to take care of Kimmy for a while.”

  “What? When?”

  “Like…now?”

  Janelle’s jaw dropped. “Why? Where is she? I thought she was in that fancy-shmancy care facility you stuck her in.”

  “I didn’t stick her in there,” Laney cut in sharply, then turned a glance back at the car, lowered her voice. “Anyway, she’s not there anymore. She’s in the car.”

  Janelle lifted a horrified look at the car out on the street, then shoved past Laney onto the porch. “What the hell is she doing in your car? At this time of night?” she asked, pointing angrily.

  “I can explain.”

  Nostrils flared, Janelle stood tall, glaring down at Laney. “You better hope so.”

  Janelle had left Laney and Kimmy in the living room while she went upstairs. She’d come back with an old pair of pajamas for Kimmy and an old sweater and pants for Laney, while her clothes spun in the drier. Now Laney sat on the sofa with her feet tucked up beneath her, Kimmy curled up at her side, head in her lap, fast asleep with a rug over her.

  Janelle reappeared from the kitchen with two steaming coffee cups, handed one to Laney, who reached out and took it.

  “Thank you.”

  “Mind you don’t spill it on her.”

  Laney frowned, annoyed by the implication. “I won’t.”

  Janelle crossed to place her cup on the coffee table, then dropped heavily in the armchair opposite. “Those bruises look like hand marks. Who would do something like that? To someone with Kimmy’s disabilities? What the hell is going on in that place?”

  “I don’t know. But I’m gonna find out.” Laney took a sip of the coffee. It was good and hot. She felt it flush her with warmth. She hadn’t realized how cold she’d been until now.

  “You think it’s this Wendy woman? You think she’s been abusing her?”

  Laney pushed a lock of her sister’s hair back from her sister’s face, felt the softness of her skin. “I don’t think so. Wendy sent me regular letters, telling me how Kimmy was doing. She was the only one really looking after her. When I called Sunny Springs, they said Wendy doesn’t work there anymore. Said she suddenly left yesterday.” She lifted her gaze to meet Janelle’s, gave her a skeptical look. “One of the girls that works there said she left with some rich-looking guy, and it didn’t look like Wendy’s idea.”

  Janelle frowned. “Maybe it was her father. Maybe there was some family dilemma and that’s why she didn’t look happy.”

  “So why leave me this?” Laney dug in her pocket and pulled out the tiny note. She passed it across to Janelle, who leaned forward to take it, put on her eyeglasses, and frowned down at it.

  “Kimmy had it in her hand when I picked her up. It’s Wendy’s writing.”

  “You think it was meant for you?”

  “Who else? Otherwise, why give it to Kimmy?”

  Janelle handed the note back. “So, what are you planning on doing?”

  Laney’s stroked Kimmy’s hair back. “I’m going to find Wendy. She looked after Kimmy when I couldn’t. If she’s in trouble, I want to help her.”

  “You make damn sure of your facts. Last thing you need is another stretch for assault.”

  “I’m not going to cause trouble. Just find her. Make sure she’s okay.”

  Janelle lifted her cup, cradling it in both hands while she watched the two sisters. “So, why’s Kimmy even in this place—this Sunny Springs? Why didn’t they ask me? If I’da known she needed somewhere, she could have come here.”

  “I told them that. The day I got sentenced, I told them you’d take care of her. But the lady from social services said the funding application said she had to go there. She said they have all the facilities and therapists and shit…I mean, stuff.”

  A frown from Janelle. “And you didn’t tell them I had all the facilities? That I could care for her?”

  “I tried. Seriously, I did. They wouldn’t listen. They just made the decision, said it was the best for her. The judge signed the form, and that was that.”

  Janelle tweaked back one side of her mouth. “I find it a little weird that some care facility gets preference over family.”

  “So did I. I mean, that’s what I told the judge. But seriously, what was I gonna do? Argue, and get an even longer sentence for contempt?”

  “Pfft. That’s all those smartass bureaucrats for you. Couldn’t make a rational decision if you hung ’em by their heels and beat it out of them.” Janelle took a thoughtful sip of her coffee, put the cup down, and sat back with her arms laid along on the armrests of the chair. “So, what’s the plan? How are you going to find this Wendy woman?”

  Laney looked up, held her gaze.

  That look must have said everything because Janelle threw up one hand and said, “Nope.
Don’t tell me. I don’t wanna know. But when you find her, you be sure you don’t do anything stupid.”

  “I know, I know.”

  “Don’t you even think about doing anything illegal, you hear? You’ll wind up straight back inside.”

  “No, I hear you.” She did a double take as Janelle angled her head at her, suspicion etched into every crease. “I said I wouldn’t, didn’t I?”

  For a second, Janelle glared at her, then let out a weary sigh. Laney didn’t blame her. Knowing Laney’s history, even she wouldn’t have believed her, either. But Janelle was family. She wouldn’t let her down.

  And right now, if Wendy was in trouble, she wouldn’t let her down either.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  DAY TWO—12:54 AM—ELIZABETH

  Elizabeth was surprised to find Penny’s car parked in the driveway when she got home. Sure enough, as soon as she pulled into the garage, her PA was standing in the doorway with one hand on her hip, and a chastising look on her face. Like the mother of a teen home long after curfew.

  “I hope it was worth it,” Penny said as she waited for Elizabeth to get out of the car.

  Elizabeth closed the car door and started for the house, deliberately ignoring the scowl on her PA’s face. “What? The trip? I think so.”

  “Trip, my sweet patootie,” Penny grumbled as Elizabeth stepped past her and into the house. “I’m talking about whatever dragged you away from the party. Kyle was asking after you. Charles called you out for a speech. I had to stand in for you. Do you know how that made me feel?”

  Elizabeth marched through into the kitchen with Penny hard on her heels like an attention-starved spaniel.

  “Kimmy Donohue’s sister took her out of her care home without permission and now no one knows where they are. I thought that was somewhat more important.”

  Penny’s attitude did an immediate shift. “What? Just took her off-site and never told anyone?”

  “Correct. Just walked out. A young woman with serious disabilities. I don’t know what her sister’s thinking.” She put her purse on the countertop and went to the coffee machine. “You want some?”

  “Sure. Where did she take her?”

  “I have no idea. Then David Whitcliff tried to tell me I should just go home and forget all about it. As if I could.”

  “Of all the nerve.”

  “I know. Anyway, I’ve been racking my brain for a connection—trying to think why I remembered Laney Donohue. Then it hit me.”

  “And…?”

  “David told me Laney Donohue was in Carringway Prison. If I’m right, she was one of the women who applied for the early release program.”

  “Uh-huh,” Penny said and briefly drew down the sides of her mouth in a facial shrug. “Small world. So, it turns out you interviewed her?”

  “Nope. Come upstairs while I get changed. These shoes are killing me.” Elizabeth kicked off one shoe, then the other, and headed upstairs, speaking over her shoulder to Penny, who followed. “If Laney Donohue had gotten through the initial application rounds, I would have interviewed her. But she wasn’t eligible because she was applying to care for her sister, not her own child.”

  “And the program was for young mothers.”

  “Exactly.” Elizabeth entered her bedroom, tossed her shoes into the closet and turned for Penny to unzip her dress. “But I’ll go back through the applications when I get a chance, see if I can learn anything from them.”

  While Elizabeth shimmied out of the dress and picked it up off the floor, a mental light went on for Penny. “Oh, I see. So, you think maybe there’s a clue as to where she’d go?”

  Elizabeth grabbed a pair of slacks and a cashmere sweater from the closet and threw them on the bed. “It’s a long shot but that’s what I’m hoping. Wait just a sec.” Elizabeth pulled on her pants, picked up her phone, and dialed while Penny held up the sweater like a mother dressing a toddler.

  “Who are you calling?”

  “Delaney.” She held the phone clamped between her shoulder and her ear while she slipped the sweater on, then grabbed the phone as she tugged it down. “No one from Sunny Springs has even bothered to call the police. I don’t know what’s wrong with these people.”

  “You talked to David Whitcliff though, right?”

  The call clicked through and Delaney’s voice came down the line. “Elizabeth, nice to hear from you. Even at…this time of night.”

  Ignoring the comment, Elizabeth launched straight in with, “I’m sorry, I know it’s late but I had a call tonight to say a young woman out at Sunny Springs has disappeared.”

  A brief silence spooled out over the phone. Elizabeth imagined Delaney’s eyes narrowing in thought while he digested the implications.

  “Lance, are you still there?”

  “I’m here. Are you talking about the residential care facility? The one that looks like a private hospital?”

  “Correct. I got a call earlier this evening to say that she was taken offsite, without permission, by her older sister, and they haven’t been seen since. She’s disabled, Lance. No one’s done a thing,” Elizabeth told him, before he could jump in and tell her that a person has to be missing for 24 hours before the police would issue a missing persons report, which Elizabeth already knew. “She has very limited communication and she’s extremely vulnerable. I have no idea why it hasn’t been reported.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Elizabeth waited while the silence echoed down the line, then turned a puzzled look on Penny. “Did you hear me?”

  He answered, saying, “Can you describe this young woman?”

  “Which one?”

  “Either of them.”

  The solemn tone sent a chill down Elizabeth’s spine. “Are you opening a missing persons report?”

  “Nope. I’m asking because we’ve just received a report of a young woman found dead a couple of miles from Sunny Springs.”

  “Oh, my God. And you think it could be Kimmy or her sister?”

  “We don’t have an ID yet.”

  “Where was she?”

  “Lake View Cemetery. I’m on my way over there now.”

  “I’m coming, too.”

  “Where are we going?” Penny whispered.

  Elizabeth covered the mouthpiece. “You don’t have to.”

  “There’s no need, Elizabeth.” Delaney sounded as though he was now regretting telling her. “The whole place is cordoned off. You won’t be allowed in.”

  “But what if it’s one of these two young women? I could identify her.” Elizabeth let the suggestion hang in the air a second, then said, “It’ll take me twenty minutes to get there.”

  “You could identify her at the morgue.”

  “Is she in the morgue now?”

  A telling silence stretched. Then he said, “The Crime Unit has the area cordoned off. They have to investigate first.”

  “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

  The heavy sigh told Elizabeth she’d worn him down. “If I told you that wasn’t necessary, and to stay home, would you listen?”

  “I think you know me better than that,” she said.

  “Why would I think otherwise?” he said in a resigned voice.

  ***

  The Associate

  He was exhausted. Ever since this whole thing started, he felt like he was up to his neck in quicksand: the harder he tried to escape, the more he sank.

  He’d just gotten into bed when the phone rang. He plucked it up, flung the bedcovers aside, and quickly tiptoed to the bathroom. Just before closing the door, he peeked back to check his sleeping wife. The sound of her soft, regular breathing emanated from somewhere under the covers. Still asleep, thank God.

  So he closed the door and answered.

  “What now?”

  “Let’s not get testy,” she said. “It’s you that wants the favor, not me.”

  “Then what do you need?”

  “You want a diversion? I need some files. I believe you’ll hav
e access to them. Can you send them to me?”

  “What for? I told you what to do.”

  “Yeah, well, I’ve got a better idea,” she said. “Or would you like an exposé featuring your name?”

  His heart sank. No matter which way he turned, someone was set to destroy him. But he’d come this far.

  “What files do you need?” he asked.

  “I’ll send you a list,” she replied. “There’ll be a note attached telling you exactly how I want them.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  DAY TWO—12:24 AM—LANEY

  Laney had waited until Janelle had tucked Kimmy into the bed in her spare room, where she had awoken briefly, said something about Wendy, then gone back to sleep.

  Twenty-five minutes later, here she was, parked on the side of a darkened back street that ran parallel to the western perimeter fence of Sunny Springs. Through the swaying trees lining the driveway, she could clearly see the front of the facility awash in the cold blue light of the exterior floodlights. A few cars were in the parking lot. Probably night staff. Otherwise no signs of life.

  She got out of the car, locked it, then dropped into the shadows along the fence line. Ten-foot-high fences. Laney wasn’t one of those who had spent their time in Carringway’s gym, pumping iron and developing a six-pack. She’d spent most of those six months on work duty, packing work gloves into boxes and sealing them up. Long days and lousy food. Last thing she wanted was to wear herself out on a treadmill. As a consequence, she’d never been so unfit. So even considering attempting the fence was out of the question.

  Instead, she moved silently through the overgrown grass edging the street and crept on towards the open driveway. When she got to the entrance, she fell into a crouch and checked the area. No one around. Creeping in through the open gateway, she ducked into the shadows again, following the tree line all the way up the driveway to the east side of the building. Dropping to a crouch under the nearest window, she lifted her head and peeped in to find a communal living area furnished with sofas, a piano in the corner, a large bouquet of flowers on the table.