Cold Truth

by Mary Stone

  Ellie moved around the bedroom, looking, but careful not to touch anything. Until she had proof that the body found in West Ashley Park was Tabitha Baker, the room technically wasn’t a crime scene. Still, she didn’t want to contaminate any possible samples. The case had been botched enough already.

  “It’s ready!” Mrs. Baker called out.

  Ellie followed the sound of the woman’s voice, leaving the door open behind her. She found Mrs. Baker in the kitchen with a tall glass of amber liquid in her hand. The older woman pointed to the counter where the picture sat on the clean surface. “I thought a bigger one would help, so I grabbed you an eight-by-ten. We had those made right before they left on their trip. Mabel didn’t know it, but Tabitha planned on popping the question once they landed in Ghana. We warned her against it. Foreign countries can be a dangerous place to be open with things like that, but Tabitha wanted to do something bold.”

  “She sounds like an amazing woman.” Ellie studied the woman, finally seeing the real her, with gorgeous blonde hair and eyes that sparkled. Dark-haired Mabel sat next to Tabitha, all of her limbs intact.

  “She was amazing.” Mrs. Baker downed a swig of the alcohol and stared off into the distance.

  Ellie noticed Mrs. Baker used the word “was” this time, and her heart broke a little more. Far from admitting it out loud, Mrs. Baker had clearly already started to accept Tabitha’s death. In her eyes, there was a deep sadness that was more profound than anything Ellie had ever witnessed. And the quiet acceptance of a fate she’d fought against for so long left Mrs. Baker looking years older than she had when she’d first met Ellie at the door.

  Desperate to tear her eyes away from the grieving mother, she looked down at the picture and did a double-take. “Mrs. Baker, did Tabitha and Mabel have matching watches?”

  “They’re not watches, they’re bracelets.” She opened a drawer filled with odds and ends, handing Ellie a magnifying glass. “Thank goodness for the junk drawer.” She sighed. “Look closer and you’ll see they have a wide silver plate with the words ‘I love you for always’ inscribed in the front. In the middle is a picture of the two of them.”

  Leaning close to the picture, the magnifying glass enlarged the details in startling detail. She could clearly see the words etched on the silver plate and felt her excitement growing. “Thank you for your time, Mrs. Baker. Are you sure I can’t call someone for you?”

  Mrs. Baker shook her head. “There’s no one,” she said quietly. “I’ll be all right.”

  “I can stay with you for a little bit if you’d like.”

  Mrs. Baker stared at Ellie with eyes cold as steel. “Not to be rude, but I wish you’d leave.”

  Ellie recoiled inwardly, but she managed to stop herself from reacting in response to the woman’s harsh words. She’d just found out her daughter was more than likely murdered; the least Ellie could do was not take her words personally. Ellie forced a gentle smile and gathered her things. “I’ll leave my card on the table by the door.”

  Mrs. Baker nodded without looking at Ellie.

  Hurrying through the house, Ellie tossed a business card on the small coffee table then let herself out. She caught the curtains fluttering in the window of the house across the street and made a split-second decision. Crossing the empty road, she knocked on the door and waited impatiently.

  The door opened a crack, and an older lady peeked through the gap with the chain still attached.

  “Miss Harris?”

  “Can I help you?”

  “Mrs. Baker is going to need a friend,” she said without explanation. “Please keep an eye on her and don’t leave her alone.”

  The door closed, and there was the sound of the chain sliding. The woman threw the door open wide and was out of the house and off the porch so fast she wasn’t much more than a blur of gray and white house dress. When Miss Harris knocked on the front door across the street, Mrs. Baker answered, then wailed and collapsed into the neighbor’s open arms.

  Clearly in her element, Miss Harris ushered Mrs. Baker into the house and shut the world out. The sound of Mrs. Baker’s sobs through the closed windows tore at Ellie’s heart. Tears stung her eyes as she struggled to keep her emotions in check.

  When Ellie drove past the house, she could see the outline of the two women through the whisper-thin white lace on the front window. They were sitting side by side with their arms around each other while Mrs. Baker leaned on the older woman. She couldn’t bring Tabitha back, but Ellie felt better about leaving now that Mrs. Baker wasn’t alone.

  In the center console, her phone flashed an icon that told her she had six missed calls. It was no surprise they were all from Fortis. Groaning, she dialed Fortis’s direct number, and guiding her car toward the highway, she held her breath while waiting for him to answer.

  “Where are you?” he asked without preamble.

  “Lincolnville.”

  “You need to let me know if you’re following a lead outside the office like that.” He paused, his breath shuddering as he inhaled. “Before you leave to question anyone outside the precinct. Is that clear?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Good.” He sounded surprised, like he’d expected her to argue. “Did you find anything?”

  “I have a positive match on the names.”

  “Names?”

  “There were two Jane Does found close to one another during the same timeframe.” Her fingers tingled, itching to get the DNA to the crime lab.

  “I didn’t know there were any connected cases still in cold cases.”

  “These weren’t previously connected.”

  He was silent for a moment. “What made you connect them?”

  “A hunch and a bunch of little coincidences.”

  “Were you able to get a DNA sample?”

  Ellie took a turn and merged onto the highway. “I have samples for both victims. I also was able to get a recent photograph, and I can tell you without a doubt that these victims are the same women. The mother of victim one confirmed the police sketch was her daughter.”

  “How was she when you left her?”

  “Her neighbor is with her. She’s distraught, of course, but I got the feeling she was expecting something like this.” She blew out a loud breath. “I was less prepared than she was.”

  “Was that your first notification?” Fortis asked, his tone softening.

  “No, but when I’ve notified before, the relatives were in shock.” She cleared her throat and swiped at the tears that had spilled over her cheeks. “It’s a surprise, and they’re not prepared, so they just listen and nod. But Mrs. Baker just lost her husband, and she’s been traveling overseas to look for her daughter for the past five years. She thought she was missing in a foreign country, and she still had hope she would find the woman and her girlfriend, so when she saw the sketch, she just lost it.”

  “You never know how people are going to react, which is why we always send two people to notify.”

  Ellie nodded in total agreement. “I’m sorry, sir.”

  “What’s done is done. How long until you’re back?”

  She did a mental calculation, buying time to construct an argument for this case. “Twenty minutes. Sir?”

  “Yes?”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t notify you before I chased this lead, but I need a couple more days on this. This was a big break, and it’s only a matter of time before I solve it. I want to bring this monster to justice and get him off the streets.”

  “Remember what I told you, Kline? You can’t make this personal.” Fortis’s volume grew louder as he continued. “Just because you have bodies and names doesn’t mean you’ll find out who did this. The case went cold because there was a lack of physical evidence, not because we didn’t know who the victims were.”

  “But this is closer than we’ve been on this case.” Ellie didn’t bother mentioning Detective Jones. She was on thin ice with Fortis as it was, and putting another detective down was not the way
to ingratiate herself with her new department.

  “And the case could stay cold. I want to make sure you’re prepared for that possibility. This is real life, and things aren’t always wrapped up in nice, neat little bows at the end.”

  “I know that, and I am prepared.” She gripped the steering wheel, not near ready to give up the fight for these women. “I just need a little more time to make sure I’ve done everything I can. Mrs. Baker deserves closure.”

  “Did you talk to the other family?”

  “Not yet. Tabitha and Mabel were living in the Baker’s house for a few weeks before they were supposed to travel abroad.” She forged on, wondering if he would see through her but not really caring. “I got the distinct impression the Vicente household wouldn’t be as welcoming, due to the nature of the women’s relationship, so I decided I should talk to you before I go there and maybe take someone with me.”

  He chuckled. “I hope you don’t think I buy that.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.” Ellie smiled at her own quip, but her muscles were tensed to the breaking point.

  Fortis’s full, rolling laugh came over the line. “You’re something else, Kline. But good call. If they weren’t accepting of their daughter’s relationship, there’s no telling how they’re going to react to the news.”

  She waited, her lips pursed together, steeling herself for his refusal.

  “One more week,” he finally said.

  It took a minute for the words to sink in. She grinned. “Yes, sir. One more week.”

  “Then you’re on my list, you got it? And you get a week per case unless you make some significant headway in that first week.”

  “Got it, sir.”

  “Good. And Kline?”

  The way he said her name made her want to squirm in her seat. “Yes, sir?”

  “Excellent work.”

  23

  Ellie’s bedroom was pitch-black when a loud knock at the front door had her on her feet before she was fully awake, reaching for her service revolver. She glanced at the clock, shocked it was only four in the morning. Heart racing, she crept through to the living room without turning any lights on, gun at her side. There was another knock, then the handle jiggled.

  Time slowed to a crawl as the doorknob turned slowly one way, then the other as Ellie waited for the door to be kicked in. She knew would-be robbers often knocked first to make sure a dwelling was empty before they picked the lock or broke down the door and let themselves inside. She raised her gun, pointing the barrel center-right at the door. When they did, she’d have one hell of a surprise for them.

  Frantic knocking jolted her pulse into overdrive. “Ellie!” a familiar voice called through the door.

  The air whooshed out of her lungs, and her shoulders sagged with relief. It was Jacob. She lowered the gun. But as soon as the realization hit, the relief was replaced by dread. Nothing good could come from Jacob pounding on her door before sunrise.

  “Coming,” she called out, slipping her revolver into the nearest drawer and running the last few feet across the apartment. She checked the peephole out of habit, then yanked the door open and came nose to nose with her former partner. “What’s going on?” she demanded, already shaking from the adrenaline that had flooded her veins.

  Jacob smiled, his eyes glassy. “They have a heart.”

  She stared at him for a beat, then her knees went weak. He pulled her against him and entered the apartment. It only took a few steps before she regained her footing. Stepping out of his arms, she grabbed her purse and fished in it for her keys.

  “Nick sent me to pick you up. He’s already on his way to the hospital with your mother.”

  “I thought she was at the hospital.” Ellie shook her head. Nothing Jacob was saying was making sense. “Where was she?”

  “Home. Nick stayed at the hospital so she could go home and shower, and she fell asleep.” He was talking fast, almost sputtering and far from calm. “Luckily, he was there when the doctor came in, so he called me, then rushed to your parents’ house to pick her up.” She’d never seen Jacob like this. “Get dressed and pack a bag. I brought the cruiser, so we’ll be there in no time at all, just hurry.”

  His urgency had her springing into action, the last bit of fog that had clung to her brain slipping away. “A heart!” she cried, a little too loudly for the middle of the night, but she didn’t care. By some miracle, her father had finally been matched with a donor. That was something to shout about. Her neighbors would get over it.

  She packed the necessities in record time and rushed out of the apartment so fast she almost forgot to lock the door.

  Jacob caught her arm. “Slow down there. They’re prepping the OR and the donor, so it’s going to be a bit before they’re ready for your father. We have time. Lock your door and watch where you’re going. We don’t need another family member in the hospital right now. I don’t think Nick could handle it.”

  Ellie laughed, turning back to carefully lock the door. “I thought you were going to say my mother, but you’re right. Poor Nick has got his hands full.”

  “Tell me about it. I’m glad he went to get your mom, and I got stuck with you. I don’t think she likes me very much.” At street level, he opened the side door for her and disarmed the cruiser, opening the front passenger door.

  Duke was stretched out in the back, snoring softly. When his nose caught the scent of someone new, he lifted his head, gave a soft woof, and looked at Jacob. Though the dog was built like a German Shephard, his hair wasn’t quite as thick. She could barely see his face, other than his teeth, in the back seat because his facial markings were so dark.

  “She’s all right,” Jacob assured him.

  His master’s words were enough for Duke, who went right back to sleep.

  “What kind of dog is that?” Ellie turned in the front seat, noticing how his back was a brindle color, glinting in the light of the street lamp.

  “Dutch Shephard.” Jacob flipped the lights on but left the siren off, so he didn’t wake up the entire neighborhood. “Don’t worry. He’s trained not to kill, just subdue.” He flashed her a grin.

  She glanced back at the dog again. “That doesn’t make me feel much better.”

  Jacob shot through the streets, eating up the distance to the hospital. “That was quick, right? Didn’t they just put your dad on the list?”

  She shook her head. “That’s what I thought, but apparently, my parents kept this from us for over a month.” She frowned, watching Charleston zip past, deserted at the early hour. “I don’t know how the registry works, but on Wednesday, the doctor told us he got moved near the top because it was so urgent. After that, it’s just a matter of waiting for a donor.”

  “Don’t they have to match?” Jacob’s voice was calm, despite taking the freeway on-ramp with squealing tires.

  “Daddy’s AB negative.”

  “So what are the odds of him matching someone?” Jacob gunned the engine on the empty highway.

  “Pretty high. He’s universal.” Ellie held on to the door handle, a smile coming to her face. She had to admit she missed the highspeed chases with Jacob. But this was even better.

  “I thought O was universal.”

  “O is a universal donor, but they can only receive organs from other type O donors. Daddy is a universal recipient. A, B, AB, and O are all options for him. Doesn’t matter if they’re positive or negative.”

  “I had no idea.”

  “I’m sure that’s how he got matched so fast. There are a lot of factors, but if the donor is a type the other people on the waiting list can’t match with, they move down the line. Daddy was already near the top.” She sat up a little straighter when she spotted the lights of the hospital in the distance, and the reality of the situation hit her. “There it is.”

  “You sound sad.” He reached across the console and squeezed her hand.

  “It’s not that I’m sad, it’s just that someone suffered a huge loss tonight and they st
ill cared enough to donate.” She sniffled and wiped at her eyes with the back of her sleeve. “We’ll probably never know who they are, but they’re giving me my dad back. There’s nothing we can do to repay them for their sacrifice.”

  Jacob pulled up to the front of the hospital and parked under a tree. Rolling the windows down a little, he looked in the back of the car and sighed. “I think I got a broken one.”

  Duke snorted in his sleep, and his paws jerked, but he didn’t wake up.

  “He’s kind of cute when he’s asleep.”

  Jacob shot her a dirty look and locked the doors as they got out, and they hurried through the lobby and onto the empty elevator.

  “Is Duke going to be all right?”

  “The windows have wire screens so he can’t get out, and it’s not going to get to seventy before midmorning. He’ll be fine for a few hours, but I’ll come check on him in a little bit.” He checked his phone and held it up for her to see. “And I have a K-9 Cam installed.”

  “A K-9…” She snapped her lips shut and held in a snort of laughter. She knew Jacob had already received enough flack about his new partner, so she fought to summon a serious expression as she looked at the video feed. Sure enough, Duke was still passed out in the back, chasing rabbits in his sleep. “It even has a temperature reading on the screen.”

  “It’s a new program they’re rolling out soon. We get to test the prototype.”

  “Exciting,” she teased.

  “Not as exciting as being partnered with you. Even on his wildest day, Duke is no Ellie.”

  She pursed her lips, tilting her head to the side with a mock frown. “I’m not sure if I should be offended.”

  He laughed as the elevator let them out on their floor. “You shouldn’t be. Don’t tell Duke, but you’ll always be my favorite partner.”

  She didn’t have to point Jacob toward her father’s room. It was the only one with the door open and all the lights on so early in the morning. A team of a half dozen medical professionals stood outside the door, each with a different level of excitement on their faces.