The White Lily

by Susanne Matthews

  Everybody had secrets.

  She frowned, unable to curb her wayward thoughts. It was damn coincidental that the case seemed to break open the moment Jacob arrived in town. Even his question about last night’s kidnapping-murders could be meant as a ruse to make him seem innocent. Exactly what did they know about Jacob Andrews? Sure, he had an excellent background, but backgrounds could be faked, and this case had been full of red herrings from the beginning. With as much money as he supposedly had, Jacob could buy whatever bogus identification he wanted, just as the Harvester had done for the Williamsons when they’d first arrived in the Boston area to do whatever dirty work he’d assigned them. Trevor Clark wasn’t convinced of his innocence. He’d been on and off the phone with a friend of his in Australia since her suggestion they invite Jacob to help them. How did she know that man she’d spoken with yesterday had really been the Australian prime minister?

  God! She had to stop second-guessing herself or she’d go crazy. She was getting to be as paranoid as she’d been five years ago. There was no way Jacob could’ve feigned his reaction to seeing his siblings. He’d run the gamut from anguish to rage, and his face had clearly displayed each stage of his grief. No. As she’d told Trevor yesterday, Jacob was one of the good guys.

  He has to be. My instincts can’t be that wrong.

  Lost in her confusing thoughts, Lilith almost missed the excitement on Trevor’s face when he and Rob entered the bullpen. The detective looked like the proverbial cat who’d swallowed the canary. The man had no poker face whatsoever.

  “What?” she asked, moving closer to them. Surely their expressions meant they had a lead. “Has someone found something to help us?”

  “As a matter of fact, they have. The DA has issued that subpoena, Tom,” Rob addressed his partner. “It’s being faxed over to them right now. You should hear from that charming gorgon, Mrs. Douglass from CPS, at any time. She’s to give you full disclosure. But the best news is I was talking to the lab, and the forensic team found a blue pacifier caught between the mattress and the crib frame. They’re sure they can pull DNA from it.”

  “That’s great,” Lilith said. “We’ll be able to eliminate or confirm one of our theories. Any idea how long it’ll take?”

  “They should have something soon. They’ll test it against the sample we sent.”

  “Regardless of what we find, we have to stay on our toes. Someone has those children, and if it isn’t him ... Trevor, where can I interview Mr. Andrews?

  “Room Two. I’ve got a couple of questions I’d like to ask if it’s okay.”

  “Whatever I can do to help,” Jacob answered. “I blame my uncle for all of it. I want that bastard to burn in hell.”

  “I have a couple of things to deal with and a call to return,” Trevor said. “Why don’t you get started, and I’ll join you when I can.”

  “Okay. Shall we go?” Lilith asked more sharply than she’d intended, causing all the men except Jacob to look at her quizzically. On his face, she read disappointment.

  “This way.”

  She escorted him down the hall, confused by the sadness she felt. Why did Jacob’s opinion of her matter so damn much?

  Water bottles and a bowl of fruit had been placed on the table in Room Two. While Trevor might not be sold on her idea of asking Jacob for help, he was doing his best to erase the negative impression they’d made yesterday.

  “Make yourself comfortable, and help yourself to whatever you like.” Pulling the shreds of her professionalism around her, she hated the fact she felt as if it wasn’t working. The sooner she figured out what the hell was wrong with her, the better.

  Jacob sat directly across from her and reached for a bottle of water, almost draining it. While he appeared to have recovered from the shock of seeing James and Eloise, his hands trembled slightly.

  “Tell me,” she said, curiosity getting the better of her. “Did seeing James bring back any fond childhood memories?”

  Okay, so she wanted to recapture some of that closeness they’d shared downstairs and erase the dismay from his eyes. There wasn’t anything wrong with that, and it might be easier to get him to cooperate. She just had to make sure he didn’t get under her skin.

  He shook his head. “If you’re expecting me to be all broken up about seeing him, then I’m sorry to disappoint you. James and I weren’t close as kids, and as we aged, we drifted farther apart. We looked alike back then, but nothing like we do—or rather did—now. He was the youngest son by about twenty minutes and felt he deserved more because of it. I guess the term sibling rivalry would apply to us. We competed for my mother’s and father’s attention, but once Eloise was born, everyone doted on her. I had no problem with it, but there were times when I felt James might have resented it. Still, as we got older, he defended her as staunchly as I did.”

  “How old were you when she was born?” She’d always wondered if Ruby-Ann had begrudged her arrival. Her sister had been ten when Lilith, a wonderful surprise as her mom had always said, had come along. Because of the age gap, they’d never been friends. Ruby-Ann had been like a second mother to her, and Lilith had adored her.

  “We were eleven, old enough to appreciate how hard that pregnancy and birth were on our mother. She never really got her strength back. James wasn’t what you’d call a happy child, although I don’t really know why since we had everything exactly the same. He was timid and withdrawn around others, which is why committing those crimes makes absolutely no sense to me. Did I mention my uncle and father were twins as well? Duncan, like James, was the younger of the two. Maybe they felt a kinship because of it.”

  “It’s possible. With your father dead and you presumed dead, they might have felt an affinity because they’d each lost a twin, a relationship said to be one of the strongest possible. I’m surprised that you weren’t closer to your brother.” In fact, it seemed to go against everything she’d learned about twins, but most of the studies she’d read involved identical rather than fraternal ones.

  “My mother used to say we were affectionately known as Pete and Repeat as toddlers, but as we got older, that changed. James was more prone to colds and infections than I was. We shared different interests, and as much as possible given the size of the community, we had different friends. The fever hit him hard, harder than it did most kids. If he’d been difficult before, he was impossible after—more demanding, less understanding. I hadn’t remembered that until now. He was moody. Memories are selective, I guess. After Dad died and my uncle adopted us, James grew closer to him and to my cousins, while I did the opposite. I resented my uncle for trying to take my father’s place. I spent my time with the other boys who were interested in farming and animal husbandry. When Mom died, I did my best to stay as far away from my uncle as I could. I hated him and made no secret of it.”

  “That would make for awkward family meals. So, your uncle’s name is Duncan Colchester?” Lilith asked, drawn to the ring on Jacob’s hands—musician’s hands Ruby-Ann would’ve wanted to draw—gesticulating both to punctuate his words and hide his agitation.

  “No. He’s Duncan Lucius. Colchester was my aunt’s name. Marriages were a little different in the cult, even back then. Children usually carried their mother’s name. Ours was changed after our father’s death.”

  The name sounded familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it. As far as taking the mother’s name, lots of matriarchal societies functioned that way, but given this cult’s dynamics as she understood them, it was odd.

  “What was the commune like before your uncle replaced your grandfather?”

  Opening a bottle of water, she took a drink and sat up straighter. On the one hand, she wanted to maintain distance between them, a space that had shrunk when she’d touched him earlier downstairs, when she’d confided about Ruby-Ann and felt a jolt of electricity run through her. On the other, she craved that closeness she’d felt, something she hadn’t realized she needed, and the desire to reach out and touch him once more was a
powerful one.

  “I think the easiest way to describe the commune would’ve been relaxed, happy, but poor. There were about seventy of us. Keep in mind, New Horizon was an anachronism. It might have been the eighties and nineties, but for the elders living there, the sixties never ended. Boys and girls shared classes until the boys went away to college or university in Utah—my grandfather had some kind of arrangement there with reduced tuition or something.”

  “Well, if they’re in the sixties now, it’s the 1860s. They make their own garments, dress like the pioneers did, and for the most part, eschew modern technology.”

  He frowned. “That makes no sense. If you asked me to describe their clothing, I’d say they were flower children in jeans, tie-dyed t-shirts, and army surplus. I don’t think I ever saw my mother in a dress, except on the day she was buried.”

  “Why would they take a step back in time?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe my uncle feels that simpler times were better and is trying to capture the innocence of bygone days. You have to admit, the twenty-first century has its share of problems, but I’m sure I prefer the secular world, warts and all, to the hell he’s created.” He paused, took a mouthful of water, and continued. “That epidemic changed a lot of people, and the death of so many of the people everyone trusted and believed left a void. My uncle was a deeply religious man, even before he took on the role of Prophet ...”

  “Prophet!” Lilith screamed so loudly that Rob, Trevor, and Tom raced into the room, guns drawn. She stood, trembling as if caught in a massive earthquake, feeling hot and cold at the same time as her body’s internal controls failed. Her heart raced while her chest felt as if it were being crushed under a massive weight.

  “Your uncle is the Prophet. You lying son of a bitch. Here you had us all feeling sorry for you, and you played me. You bastard.”

  Gasping for air, she heard the words, but didn’t recognize that shrill, angry voice. It couldn’t be hers.

  “Just when were you going to let us in on that little secret? Because from the look on your face, I think you just had an ‘oops’ moment.”

  “Lilith,” Jacob said, his hands raised. She recognized the pleading in his voice. He was still trying to manipulate her. Her fists clenched painfully at her sides.

  “I’m no more dangerous than I was moments ago. Please give me a chance to explain.”

  She wanted to scream no, but the word wouldn’t come.

  “I didn’t lie to you. I was going to tell you yesterday, but then Detective Halliday came in and we didn’t finish speaking. There wasn’t time to discuss it earlier. Besides, I’d told you about my grandfather; I assumed you’d figure out the rest on your own.”

  “Figure it out? How? I’m not a damn psychic! You purposely misled me into thinking his was a civilian authority. He handed down the law, meted out punishment, ran a goddamn stable for rodeo horses. You never said he thought he was God. You didn’t say he was the sick bastard who murdered those women and gave the orders for the deaths of how many others.”

  “I did say he was the one to blame for everything,” Jacob said quietly.

  The walls were closing in on her. She had to get out of here. Shoving her way through the men who blocked the doorway, she ran down the hall and locked herself in the bathroom once more.

  Tears of anger, frustration, and humiliation ran down her cheeks. She’d made another stupid mistake. Trusted a gut as flawed on the inside as it was on the outside. She’d let her guard down, and he’d made a fool of her. She’d wanted to like him, wanted to trust him, and in the end, he’d betrayed that trust, just like Kelly Kirk had. In the hum of the fan, she heard the haunting music that tortured her each night. She’d have to leave before the monsters found her once more.

  • • •

  Jacob lowered his hands when he realized all three guns were no longer pointed at him.

  “That didn’t go well,” Trevor said, sitting on the edge of the table and placing his gun down on it.

  “I really didn’t purposely set out to deceive you,” Jacob began, more than a little confused by the way the other members of the task force were acting, especially in view of Lilith’s reaction.

  “I know that,” Trevor continued. “But you’re going to have a hard time explaining it to Lilith, and there may be some groveling involved. I’m not married, but I know that if a woman thinks you’ve made a fool of her, it’s very difficult to make amends.”

  “I can vouch for that,” Rob said. “Three years ago, my wife and I were engaged, but someone planted false information in a file she thought was from me. She ended up losing a job she loved and broke off the engagement. The Harvester case brought us back together, and as much as I’m thrilled with the way things have turned out, I’d like ten minutes alone in a dark room with your uncle.” He fisted his hands. “I’d appreciate the opportunity to re-educate him.”

  Tom nodded. “I think we’d all like a crack at that bastard and at least one of the people working for him.”

  Trevor chuckled and turned to Jacob.

  “It’s okay, you can relax. We aren’t going to toss you in a cell and throw away the key. I’ll make this quick, so I can get to Lilith.” He shook his head. “I’m damn glad she isn’t mad at me. For a minute there, I thought she was going to pick you up and toss you out that window, and as angry as she was, she could probably do it. She scored quite highly on her most recent hand-to-hand combat drills. For the record, she’s also a crack shot. Long story short, this morning, Lilith suggested we ask for your help dealing with the former members of the New Horizon cult, the people we have in custody in the Nashua Street Jail. At the moment, she probably feels she’s made an enormous error in judgment, and if I hadn’t made a few more calls to Australia, I’d probably agree with her.”

  “Good luck calming her down,” said Rob. “I’d suggest body armor before you get within kicking distance. Those shoes of hers can do major damage. And for the record, if Trevor hadn’t talked to us just now, the treatment you got yesterday would’ve been a walk in the park compared to what I’d have done to you. But I’m not surprised by your little bombshell. When Munroe and I talked about this last night, I did point out that heads of state were sometimes religious leaders.”

  “I’ll just give you the benefit of the doubt,” Tom said, punching him lightly on the arm before dropping into the chair Lilith had occupied. “Besides, if I don’t, I’ll have to shoot you, and you know how much paperwork discharging your weapon involves.”

  Jacob gaped before he burst out laughing. “I do. I’ve filled those forms out a time or two. I guess some things don’t change no matter what country you’re in. I assume you went deeper than a standard background check?”

  “I did,” Trevor admitted. “What Lilith wanted me to do was no small thing, and letting anyone near those prisoners made me nervous. We’ve dealt with false identities and forged credentials in this case, so I wanted to be sure yours weren’t just a very elaborate cover. You’re a complicated man, Mr. Andrews. Auxiliary police officer, miner, fruit farmer, philanthropist—where do you find the time?”

  “I’m a part-time APO, called in when they need me. The mining’s more of a hobby now. I’m primarily a fruit farmer and vintner,” he said and shrugged. “I like to stay busy.

  “Well, you did mention you did ‘this and that’ yesterday,” Rob said and shook his head. “You really need to work on your résumé.”

  “I spoke with the Northern Territory police commissioner a little while ago,” Trevor added. “He said to say hello and expressed his condolences for your loss. He also said you were the man he wanted on his side in a fight. I hope you’ll consider sticking around a bit longer and helping us out. If Lilith is right, and I trust her instincts even if she doesn’t at the moment, you could be a big help. Now, I’d better go and find my profiler before she decides to bail on us.” Trevor left the room.

  “Why didn’t you tell us yesterday?” Rob asked.

  “Most of m
y APO work and what I do for the feds is undercover. My credentials don’t show up when you run my name, and even the prime minister knows how to keep a secret. If I’d mentioned it, you’d have assumed I was lying when you ran my ID. As much as you’ve a lovely place here, I prefer the hotel. But you know, I’m not the only one who plays my cards close to the chest. None of this came up when my PI was searching for Eloise.”

  “Speaking of searching, what’s the bastard’s name? I’ll run it through NBCI.”

  “Duncan Lucius.”

  “Got it.” Rob shook his head. “We were told it was Duncan Julius. No wonder we couldn’t find a match.”

  As soon as he was gone, Jacob reached for his water bottle and drained the last of it. This misunderstanding was exactly what he’d hoped to avoid. Good thing he hadn’t set his heart on trying to get to know her better, because this had made a dog’s breakfast of it. He’d stay another week and help them out as much as he could. He wasn’t eager to see anyone from New Horizon. No one had done anything to stop the beating. No one had come looking for him in the desert.

  “I’m curious,” Tom said interrupting his musings. “How did your uncle convince people he was a god? No offense, you’re a decent-looking guy, but divine? Uh-uh.”

  “As I started to tell Agent Munroe, my uncle was a deeply religious man, quite the opposite of my grandfather, who incorporated snippets of whatever faith he liked into his spiritual life. In Grandpa’s case, he followed a lot of the Eastern religions, the ones he’d seen practiced in Vietnam, but Uncle Duncan was as fundamental a Christian as you could find, anywhere. That aspect of his character must’ve warped somehow when he was ill. As far as I’m concerned, his visit from God was nothing but a fever-induced hallucination. Before he got sick, he’d walk around with the Bible and read it to anyone who’d listen. My father used to say he had repentitis.” Jacob laughed bitterly. “If anyone needs to repent for his sins now, it’s him.”