by Amy Shojai
Tee’s freckles stood out in stark contrast to her pale cheeks. She rolled her neck, and pulled at the bottom of her lip as she waited for the electronic doors to swish open. She hurried them back to her car. “Somebody came after September. She led them to you.” She looked at him, raised one eyebrow.
Teddy struggled to limp in pace with her. “Agreed. He took the thumb drive, tried to kill me, and went after September.”
She pushed hair out of her face, and nodded. “No sign of her or Shadow at the cemetery, but looked like a struggle. Then her car ends up at the airport. He wants us to think she ran. That’s what the police think, anyway.” Tee unlocked her rental, and helped Teddy climb back in. “Maybe she’s okay. Shadow wouldn’t let anyone hurt her.”
He squinted, not wanting to consider the alternative—that they both could be dead. Teddy waited until she loaded Karma into the back seat, and Tee climbed behind the wheel to ask, “Who knew about the cemetery visit?”
“Detective Steele.” Her expression icy, she started the car. “He talked to Redford about September’s car being found here at the airport. Couldn’t be Steele at the cemetery. He’s been tied up with the fire at Southgate’s place.”
“Speaking of Judge Southgate, I found the connection there.” Teddy shifted his weight to take the pressure off his wound. “Although I still don’t understand what all this has to do with September.” He paused, and added, “You can take me home now.”
“So? What’s the connection?” She started the car, pulled up to the exit, and paid the parking fee.
“Judge Southgate had kids, right?”
“Yes. Steele talked to his daughter, the only survivor of the fire. There was a younger son. Paul. Some kind of genius, started at Notre Dame a couple of years early.”
Teddy pulled up the notes he’d made on his phone. “Okay, Southgate paid the cat adoption fee the same month as Paul’s birthday.”
“Okay. So they bought a high-dollar kitty as a birthday gift?”
“For an infant? And for that kind of money?” He winced, and adjusted his leg again. “That’s not the only one. I tracked the last five sales. They’re payoffs.”
“For what?” She glanced at him. “How much farther to your house?”
“My son’s house. Another five blocks. I’m camping in the driveway. Oh, Theo’ll be so pissed off at me!” He laughed, feeling more alive than he had since Molly passed. “I looked up the names connected to the last five cat sales. They live all over the country, but have several things in common. The purchasers are well off. They’re in positions of influence or authority—lawyers, politicians, business owners. And they each have at least one kid.”
“And they like cats?” She arched an eyebrow. Karma barked at her irked tone.
“Just like Southgate, each of ‘em bought a high-dollar kitty in the birth month of their child. September’s only link, though, is Victor Grant and Macy.”
Chapter 49
ROSE JANUARY HAD PUT off calling September as long as she could, still embarrassed about losing control during their last encounter. Rose smiled sadly. Her youngest daughter had been a challenge from the start. If she’d had her way, Rose would have stopped with her first perfect child, beautiful April, who now lay dying in the hospital. The family dinner had been too much for her fragile health.
Rose had insisted that Lysle stay at the hospital to comfort Steven and be strong for April’s husband. He’d let her know should something change. “My poor beautiful girl.” She dabbed her eyes, careful not to disturb her makeup. Over the years, she’d perfected the art of hiding her emotions. Or of showing what emotions others expected. She’d survived the hard years, but at what cost?
This wasn’t the life she’d envisioned, that she’d wished for. That she deserved. She gritted her jaw, and took a deep, cleansing breath. One made the best of choices thrust upon them. Dwelling on such things helped no one. You could let life crush you, or fight back and win the next round. And the next. Rose had always been a fighter. She fought for her kids, for all of them. Accidental families could be as fiercely loved as those planned.
Rose had fully expected September to call and apologize for upsetting her. September always apologized, even for things not her fault. They were so much alike, both deeply hurt, both having paid awful prices for Rose’s damning mistakes. When September hadn’t called, and April’s situation worsened, Rose phoned several times. She hung up each time it went to voice mail. This conversation must be in person, not a message.
Rose squared her shoulders, and dialed again.
“Hello?”
Had she mis-dialed? “Who is this? I’m calling my daughter, September.” Her brow furrowed.
“This is Officer Teves, of the Chicago police department. Do you know where your daughter is?”
What in the world had September done now? “Of course not.” She snapped at the woman. “Why would I call her phone if I knew—” She cut herself off, bewildered. “Chicago? What’s she doing in Chicago?”
“South Bend, actually. She’s a friend of mine, and lost her phone. We haven’t been able to find her, found her car at the airport.”
Rose slowly sank to perch on the arm of the sofa. “I don’t understand. South Bend?” September’s circle of friends included all kinds of strange people, from police officers to ne’er do wells. Rose stiffened her spine. If September ran off on some police case rather than stay to support her sister, she’d never forgive her!
“Her husband left paperwork she needed to see.”
“Husband? He’s dead.” None of this made sense. “I don’t care why you dragged her off on some wild goose chase, Officer. But she’s needed here. At home. Find her. Tell her she has to come home right away. Her sister April is in the hospital and... it’s very serious.” She couldn’t bring herself to tell this stranger about her precious daughter, dying for want of a kidney match. She’d put off being tested, knew in her heart they couldn’t be compatible—news that would destroy her family—and now...now, the results, even if good news, would come too late.
“I’ll tell her. Please call this number if you hear from her first.” Officer Teves hesitated, and then added, “Christopher Day’s old investigation stirred up a hornet’s nest stretching from Chicago to South Bend, and possibly further afield. We don’t know how, but it involves September and Victor Grant.”
She stiffened. One hand unconsciously rose to her throat. “He’s in jail. He can’t hurt us. I mean, hurt her—not anymore.” She squeezed shut her eyes. She’d had no choice. How long would her children continue to pay for her sins? When would it end?
“If she contacts you, just tell her to be careful.”
The phone disconnected. Rose sat for a long, silent moment, and then shakily accessed the phone’s browser. She searched for South Bend, Indiana news, and began to read.
Horror grew.
The past had found her.
(29 Years Ago)
AFTER FIVE YEARS, HER new name and life felt more real than her previous fifteen years as Latana Ojo. Circumstances forced her to grow up fast, and what started as an act—pretending to be older to match her new persona—became reality.
At first, she’d lived frugally off the money left from her sister’s grudging payoff. She never stopped looking over her shoulder, though. They moved every six months just in case someone from her past reappeared. Once she found a theater job she loved in Chicago, she started to relax. A little.
She lived for her girls. The twins, now six years old, loved school. Their golden-haired younger sister hated the regimentation, and begged to stay with Mom at the theater, trying on sequined costumes and performing for an empty house. When coworkers commented how alike they were, she just smiled with wistful longing.
Her dream of stardom died with Latana Ojo. Her face hadn’t changed, after all, and she couldn’t risk an audience member recognizing her. Now she supported other performers, helping with costumes, selling tickets, planning dinner theater meals�
��wearing a hairnet and dumpy apron like she’d previously scorned—so that someday Rosalee Dixon’s little girl received all the applause Tana had missed.
Then he showed up again, a hornet circling to get in yet another sting. The one-time errand-boy driver professed to be an itinerant actor, pestering the house manager and director for auditions. She recognized him, of course, sure he still hustled for Kali.
She prayed he hadn’t seen her, or if he had, didn’t recognize her as the same skinny, sick, and desperate runaway. He couldn’t hurt her without implicating himself. Still, she left work early to pack up her girls and run—where? Anywhere!
But he was waiting for her, already inside her tiny apartment, and not alone. An infant and a dark-haired toddler slept in two carryalls atop the sofa. He ranted about a business deal gone sour she must help him fix. And unless she agreed, he’d tell the cops everything.
Tana had no choice. She couldn’t go to her sister again so she called her parents. And prayed they’d forgive her.
Chapter 50 (Present Day)
TEDDY BUSTLED TO READY his RV for the road. They’d stopped by the hotel for Tee to check out and collect September’s stuff, which Teddy would store.
“Help me get the cats situated. With two of them I will need to get more food and maybe another litter box, too.” He turned around. “How long can a cat cross its legs? I think they’ve been locked up for too long. Should I let ‘em out? I’ve only had dogs before.”
Tee looked up from the phone. “I have no idea. Karma’s my first dog, and I’ve never had cats, either.” She gestured with the phone. “The call came to September’s cell phone.”
He stopped fussing. “Wait, what? Was that September? Is she okay?”
“No. Her mother called looking for her.”
He made a face. “Rose January.” She’d never struck him as the motherly type. September had a strained relationship with her.
“September’s sister April is in the hospital.” Tee rubbed her eyes. “Did they really name all their kids after their birth months?”
Teddy grunted as he moved one of the carriers across the RV. “A little help here? These cats ain’t lightweights, ya know.” He’d only met two of September’s siblings. “She has a brother named Mark. Only the girls got those kitschy names. You can ask Rose why, the next time you talk.” He grinned as she caught up the other cat carrier and set it beside the first.
“I doubt we’ll be chatting. The woman sounded...odd, a little off, you know?” Tee sat on the tiny bed. She rubbed and flexed her leg.
He noticed. She’d done that a lot on the car ride. “Does it hurt?”
Tee shook her head. “Feels asleep. Needles and pins. I think it’s the cold weather. It started a week ago. At least my headache’s gone.”
“Hope you get a doctor to check that out.” Teddy checked his refrigerator. Empty. He limped to the front, and noted the gas tank also needed freshening.
Tee watched curiously. “What are you doing?”
He met her eyes. Maybe she’d help him out. He knew better than to ask his son. Theo would shut him down. “Time for me to go back to Texas. I gotta return these cats to September. You up for a drive? We can drop off your rental, and you and Karma can join my rolling ark.”
“I can’t. My boss called me back to Chicago, Teddy, I told you that. Besides, we don’t know for sure September went home. She could be—” She bit her lip when his scowl silenced her.
“Don’t you dare say it.” Teddy refused to consider that September could be dead.
She bit her lip. “My boss gave me one job: to collect the records from Sissie Turpin.” She hesitated, then pressed on. “You sent the electronic files on—”
“—but Steele may not be forthcoming.” He nodded. “I know jurisdiction can get tangled, and delays won’t help your cause. And you still want to make points with Redford. I get it.” He’d seen that before, and didn’t want Tee’s efforts penalized for something out of her control. “I can send another copy to your Detective Redford, how’s that? Get me a contact email, and how I should explain the message. I don’t want to step on toes. Or get you cross-ways with your superiors.”
She smiled with gratitude. September’s phone buzzed again, startling them both. Tee showed the caller ID to Teddy. He limped toward her, holding out his hand to answer the call.
“This is Teddy Williams, answering September’s phone for her. How’re ya doing, Detective Combs?” He raised a hand, shushing Tee when she would have interjected. He switched it to speaker, and put a finger to his lips.
“Teddy? Are you back in Heartland? Good to hear from you.”
Tee could hear loud festival sounds in the background, and raised her eyebrows. Teddy shrugged. “Hard to hear you, Detective. You on a stakeout at a carnival?”
Combs laughed. “Didn’t September tell you? I’m at the Magic Kingdom with the kids. She insisted we make it just the three of us.” He paused. “Is September around? I got some news she’ll want to hear.”
“About her sister, April?” He hesitated. “September’s away for the moment.”
“April? No, what’s up with her sister?” It sounded like he tried to block the phone with his hand to yell, “Willie, you do what your sister says. I’m not telling you again.” Then he came back to the conversation. “Sorry. He’s wired, wants to do the rides again but it’s Melinda’s turn to choose. Look, I’ve got to run. But tell September I got a call from the department. The news hasn’t hit the networks yet, but they’ll probably come to her for comments, and I don’t want her blindsided.” He didn’t hide the satisfaction in his voice. “They found Victor Grant dead, hung in his cell. Just saved the taxpayers the cost of a trial. I’ll call September later.” The call disconnected.
Teddy felt his face drain of color. He sat down hard, and winced with the sore leg.
“His name’s on the cat sale list. He got the cat for September. Right?”
“Macy.” Teddy whispered the name, and the coffee-colored cat meowed back. “Victor Grant was a family friend. He did terrible things to September, and later tried to kill her.” He pulled off his glasses, polishing them on the hem of his sweater, as he stared back at Tee. “How many does that make, Tee? A lot of people on that pricey cat list have died. Seems like someone’s washing the slate clean.”
Her face looked as pale as his felt. “September’s on the list. If she’s still alive—” Teddy scowled but she kept on, “—and I really want to believe that, then maybe she’s keeping her head down. Could be she left the phone so nobody could track her.” She stared pointedly at his computer set up. “If you can work magic with technology, she knows others can find her, too.”
Teddy put his glasses back on. “She’s changed. Not the same scared girl I first met. Before, she’d run and hide, but not anymore.”
Tee zipped up her coat. “Redford expects me back in Chicago. Nice to meet you, Teddy, but I’ve got to go. Karma’s waiting in the car, still upset I wouldn’t let her in here with the cats.” She paused, worried about him. “You shouldn’t be driving anyway, especially not by yourself. Not with a bullet hole in you. Does your son even know you checked yourself out of the hospital?”
He shook his head. “And don’t you tell him, either.” He stuck out his hand. “Wish we’d met under different circumstances, Officer Teves. But a friend of September is a friend of mine. Call me with any updates, and I’ll do the same.”
Smiling, she shook his hand. “Email me the computer files so I can share them with Redford as soon as I get to Chicago. And don’t try to drive to Texas by yourself!”
“You got it. You and September already have me coloring outside the lines.” Teddy waited until Tee’s car disappeared down the road before he quickly typed on his computer keyboard and sent her the bookkeeper’s files. He checked that the cats were comfortable, then carefully backed up the motor home, and drove away from his son’s house.
A quick stop at a neighborhood grocery provided cat food, an
d more sand to put in the litter box. Next he drove to his favorite taco place and ordered a to-go box with a dozen burritos and tacos. Finally, he topped off the tank at a gas station, and purchased energy drinks and candy bars. “Brain food,” he told himself, just like when he pulled all-nighters back in his hacker days. From there, he tooled Nellie-Nova back to the hospital, and hobbled inside, wincing with each step.
The girl at the gift shop counter recognized him. “Did your granddaughter like her sweats outfit?”
He grinned back. “Guess I’ll find out. I’m here to pick her up. While I’m waiting, could you give me a bottle of aspirin or something? Oh, and this is nice.” He picked up a cane with an eye-buster metallic 3D design. He paid for his purchases, and took a seat in the lobby area, and made a quick call to the ward. “Ready if you are.” He hung up.
Charlie emerged from the bank of elevators, hoodie covering her purple hair and most of her face. She didn’t speak, and kept looking over her shoulder.
Teddy took her good arm, while testing his new cane with the other hand. They made their way back to his rolling home. She climbed inside, and exclaimed with happiness at the sight of Sherlock. He let her cuddle the white cat for only a couple of minutes before interrupting the reunion.
“Charlie, ever handled one of these RVs?”
She shrugged. “How hard could it be? Lots better than my junker.” Charlie tipped her head to one side. It reminded him of Shadow puzzling out something new. “Road trip?” She kept the hoodie up, still hiding most of her expression. “Far away, I hope. Anywhere but here.” She shivered, and hugged Sherlock.
“Right now, that’s not important. But we made a deal. I got you out of the hospital, and even paid your bill.” He hoped she hadn’t blown smoke just to get his help.
She gasped. “You did that? For a stranger?” Charlie’s tone changed to suspicion. She squeezed the cat so hard, Sherlock hissed. “What do you want from me?”