Terraformed Skies

by Anna Lewis

  “Oh. You brought the baby,” Lilly said.

  “I’m not off maternity leave yet, but when Adam called me I couldn’t resist. And I’m so glad I let him con me into coming in.”

  She stood, flipping on an overhead projector and moving the files around on her computer’s screen so that everything was visible at one time. She turned off the lights and Lilly stepped forward so she could get a good look at the screen.

  “The one on the left is your sample, and the one on the right is the DNA you got from your suspect.”

  “They’re identical,” Lilly said, her heart sinking.

  “Funny you should use that word, but no, they’re not technically identical, though they look a lot alike.”

  “I don’t see it,” Adam said.

  “Neither do I. It all looks the same, Ella.”

  “What? Are you two kidding? You don’t see that?”

  “Nope,” they said in unison.

  “It’s right there,” Ella said, attempting to point at both places, but her hands were full.

  She turned, thrusting the infant into Lilly’s arms and going back to the screen before Lilly could protest. Lilly held the infant, at arms-length, looking to Adam for help.

  Adam rolled his eyes, taking the baby from Lilly and tucking her in one arm against his chest.

  “When I started fifteen years ago, we didn’t have the technology to see what we can see today. So, if this had come through my lab then, I would have missed it. I still almost missed it, but if you’ll look here and here,” she pointed on the screen, first to the left sample then to the right, “you’ll see that this allele and this one aren’t quite the same.”

  “Couldn’t that be explained by the breakdown of the DNA that we found? The sample at the murder scene wasn’t a very good one.”

  “No. This is a very specific difference. The sample on the right isn’t your killer.”

  “What?” Lilly asked in shock.

  “Jason Hathaway didn’t kill Leroy Baird. But Jason probably knows our killer.”

  “What makes you say that?” Lilly asked.

  “The killer is related to Jason.”

  “Really?” Adam asked.

  “Yes. And not just any relation; our killer is the identical twin of Jason Hathaway.”

  “Hathaway doesn’t have a twin,” Adam said.

  “He might,” Lilly said, looking a little uncomfortable.

  “He most certainly does have a twin,” Ella said.

  “What do you mean, Lilly?” Adam asked, still looking a little lost.

  “Jason doesn’t know he has a twin, but it’s completely possible. He’s adopted.”

  “If he’s adopted, wouldn’t he know he was a twin? I mean, don’t most families take both twins when they adopt?” Adam looked shocked.

  “Not always,” Ella offered. “Sometimes, they just can’t, and sometimes, the twins are split up before the prospective adoptive parents even meet their future child. It’s possible that the Hathaway’s didn’t know about the twin. There are a million explanations for why they didn’t take both babies, but the fact remains; Jason has an identical twin, and he’s a killer.”

  “We need to go,” Lilly said as Ella flipped on the lights and retrieved her baby from Adam. “Thank you, Ella. And your baby is beautiful.”

  Ella gave Lilly a knowing smile.

  “Someday, Lilly, you’ll have your own and they won’t make you uncomfortable anymore.”

  Adam laughed heartily.

  “Yeah right, and maybe fish will start flying too,” he said.

  They said goodbye to Ella and Adam raced behind Lilly as she strode out the door. She stopped in the hallway and spun around.

  “You go tell Sarge,” Lilly said.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I have to tell Jason.”

  “We’ll go together.”

  “No. That will take too long. You know Sarge. It will take him forever to figure that DNA evidence out, even with Ella spelling it out. We’re going to need him on our side and we’re going to need him to try to convince the state to unseal adoption records so we can find the family that adopted the other twin.”

  “Then we’ll do that, together.”

  “No, I need to get to Jason.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know. Something tells me that I need to tell him right now. If he doesn’t know that he has a twin and that twin is a murderer, he’s in danger.”

  “Fine, but bring him back to your place and I’ll come by later so we can take him somewhere safe.”

  Lilly nodded.

  “Thank you, Adam.”

  Book 4:The Takedown Tackle

  Jason held tight to the dressing on his side, breathing through the pain as he jogged down the easement that led to the highway.

  Eventually led to the highway. When he was younger, their isolated home in South Arlen had been something he cherished. Now that his parents were gone and someone else’s life depended on him getting to the road and on his way to Brook Ridge, the isolation was a burden.

  He could have cut through and gone straight to the highway, but he knew he wouldn’t get a ride that way. Plus, the terrain was rough and it dropped you off onto the southbound side of I-35. In his weakened condition, there was no way he could cross eight lanes of traffic to get onto the shoulder of the northbound side.

  If he made it to the road in the opposite direction, he was sure he could flag someone down on highway 174. It was less traveled than the interstate, and the people were passing through town at a much slower pace. His best bet was going into South Arlen and hitching a ride there.

  The sun floated through the air, the wind chilly and the sunlight just warm enough that he was comfortable. At least he had that going for him.

  “Keep going, Jason. You can do this. Just one more mile.”

  He was struggling, but he kept pushing. It was only one more mile to the nearest house. One more mile until he had a chance that he would find help, or at least a phone to use.

  He heard the truck before he saw it. There was a brief moment where he considered hiding in the brush, but it was too late. The truck was there, and a man was getting out of the truck with a rifle.

  “Hands up, son,” the old man said with little inflection.

  Jason held his hands up and immediately, the world began to spin. He looked down at the ground, trying to get his bearings before he passed out.

  His knees hit the ground at the same time the gun did. The old man ran forward with a quickness that belied his advanced age. Strong, work worn hands grabbed him, pressing hard on his wound and stopping the flow of blood.

  The man was kneeling beside him, his face filled with concern.

  “What’s yer name, son?”

  “Jason…Ha…Ha-” he said, trying to breathe and struggling.

  “Are you Hathaway’s boy?”

  Jason nodded.

  “Son, you need to get to a hospital,” the man said, hooking his arms under Jason’s and dragging him towards the back door of the extended cab truck.

  “Lilly,” Jason said.

  He shook his head no, but the man had the door open and was dragging Jason onto the bench seat.

  He was so strong.

  He must be a farmer, Jason thought, then chuckled at the ridiculous thought. Of course the man was a farmer. Jason couldn’t remember his name, but he knew this man.

  “Hold on, son. Don’t let those Angels talk you into to letting go before yer time.”

  Jason rocked side to side with the movement of the speeding truck. He watched the dust fly outside the windows, trying to put his muddled thoughts into perspective.

  Hot blood oozed out of the wound and onto the seat. How long had he been bleeding like that? It was a wonder he got as far as he did.

  His eyes were feeling heavy, and he was in so much pain. He needed to close his eyes and rest, if only for a moment. Jason fought it, tried to keep his eyes open and to stay awake, but he�
�d lost too much blood. The fight was lost, and Jason’s eyes closed despite his best efforts.

  He awoke a long time later, machines whirring and beeping around him. He looked down and was surprised by the hospital gown he wore. Even more surprising was the old man, sitting quietly in the chair beside him.

  “Oh good,” he said. “I was afraid you weren’t going to wake up.”

  “How long have I been out?”

  “Not long. I reckon about an hour. Yer lucky I found you when I did. The doctor was talking about that wound of yers getting infected and all the blood loss.”

  “Thank you. You saved my life.”

  The man nodded.

  “Yer daddy saved my life once. I was out working the fields when I ended up pinned by a bale of hay. Somehow that man managed to use a t-post to move eleven hundred pounds of hay off me and free me. I swear, if yer daddy hadn’t come when he did, I would have taken my last breath crushed against that wall.”

  Jason smiled.

  “It looks like you’ve returned the favor. Thank you for bringing me here.”

  “Not hardly. My leg was broke and my wife had just had a baby. I couldn’t work and she couldn’t work in my place. Yer daddy worked my farm and his for six weeks while I healed, and yer momma helped my Hattie while she took care of our kids.”

  He leaned forward, his voice low.

  “I don’t know who Lilly is, but it looks like yer needin’ to get to her.”

  “I am.”

  “Good. My Hattie is bringing you a change of clothes. Yer about the size of our Zeke, and he left half his things when he left for college in the fall.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’m not done.”

  He pulled the keys out of his pocket and handed them to Jason.

  “Now I want it back, Son. But you take my truck and you get to yer lady friend.”

  “I can’t—”

  “Son, don’t spit on my help. Yer daddy and I helped each other out. That’s what neighbors do.”

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  “Call me Silas,” he said, a bright smile on his face. “Just make sure you get that blood out before you bring it back. My Hattie can’t handle seeing something like that.”

  “Understood.”

  There was a knock at the door and a pretty woman with curly gray hair poked her head in.

  “Is that little Jason? My how he’s grown.”

  She rushed into the room and handed Jason the clothes she’d brought.

  “My lands, child, what happened to you?”

  “He’ll explain it later,” Silas said quickly. “Where are the nurses?”

  “I sent the one on a wild goose chase and the other lady stepped outside for a smoke.”

  Silas looked at Jason.

  “Get dressed, Son. They’re not going to be gone long.”

  Hattie left the room, standing watch outside the door while Silas helped Jason slip his clothes over the fresh dressing. He grabbed a bottle off the counter and shoved it in Jason’s hand.

  “They already gave you a shot of antibiotics. The nurse thought you were kin I guess, and she told me that you need to take this exactly on time.”

  Silas opened a drawer and pulled out some gauze and tape, as well as little packets of ointment.

  “This should hold you over until yer able to save that woman of yers.”

  Silas knocked on the door and Hattie pulled it open.

  “The coast is clear,” she said, giddy with the excitement of helping Jason break out of the hospital.

  Jason almost laughed, because he was sure he could leave on his own. But he knew that there would be a delay of at least a few hours, and he didn’t have that kind of time. Lilly needed him. And it was possible that she didn’t even know it.

  ***

  “Jason has an identical twin, and he’s a killer.”

  Ella’s words played over and over in Lilly’s head. This whole time, Jason had been telling the truth. Lilly felt like an ass, trying to hold her anger and self-loathing down until she got to her car. She had to talk to Jason. She had to tell him that she was sorry and let him know that she believed him.

  But would he care? Because she didn’t believe him, she believed the evidence, which exonerated him. That wasn’t the same, was it?

  Lilly got into her car and let her head flop down onto the steering wheel.

  “You made a damn mess out of it, Lilly. You found a guy who is sweet, athletic and funny. And he understands your crazy schedule and your passions, but you threw that away because you didn’t trust your gut.”

  She was tempted to cry but she pushed the tears back. She was a Homicide Detective, not some foolish teeny bopper in her first relationship. He would understand. He had to. Because it was her job to follow the evidence; no matter how much she didn’t’ agree, or what she thought. That was how it worked.

  She still felt awful. Jason went through so much this last week alone and she was a big part of that. She owed him an apology.

  Lilly got into her car and picked up the phone. She’d scrolled down to Jason’s number, finger poised and frozen over his contact. Should she call him? Would he even pick up?

  It was doubtful, she decided. Why would he? She’d all but thrown him to the wolves without apology. She doubted he would answer if she called.

  “I’ll just show up,” she said, trying to inject more confidence into her tone than she felt. “If he doesn’t want to talk to me, then that’s on him. At least then I can say that I tried.”

  She started the car, still feeling unsure about her next move. Jason would be upset, and rightfully so. But she had to talk to him, and at the very least warn him that he was in trouble.

  Trying to drive calmly, heading in the direction of his house, Lilly relived the moment when he’d come to her house, trying to get her to listen to him. Innocent until proven guilty, he’d said, begging her to consider that he was not a murderer.

  She’d scoffed at him. It was so absurd to think that this was all an elaborate scheme to frame him for murder.

  But, that was exactly what it was. All along, Jason was innocent and being framed. And Lilly fell for it.

  She turned off the two-lane highway and onto the side street that led to his house. Her stomach was in knots.

  She parked on the street and walked up to the door. It was now or never. She was here and he was either going to slam the door in her face, or he was going to hear her out and they were going to fight the bad guy together.

  She knocked, holding her breath and counting silently to ten before she knocked again.

  “He’s not home,” someone shouted behind her.

  She turned to see an older gentleman, smiling at her from several yards away.

  “Excuse me?”

  “He’s not home. He hasn’t been home since he was arrested. Damn shame, it is; arrested by those damn cops and—”

  He stopped, tilting his head and really looking at Lilly.

  “Hey. Ain’t you that pretty little lady cop from the murder case? I saw you on the TV.”

  Lilly ignored the man. She didn’t want to go into it right now, especially not with someone other than Jason.

  “So you haven’t seen him?”

  “No. Sorry.”

  His friendly smile was gone, his previously loose lips pursed tightly together. Even though she’d avoided his question, this man was no fool. He knew exactly who she was, and he’d drawn a line in the sand and moved firmly to his side of things.

  Lilly couldn’t blame him. She would lay money that anyone who knew Jason well knew that he was completely incapable of murder.

  “Thank you,” she called out, trying not to sound too cheery.

  “Go to hell,” he mumbled, turning his back on her and going back to whatever he’d been doing before he called out to her.

  Lilly couldn’t get into her car quick enough. Talking to Jason was already going to be an uncomfortable encounter, but the neighbor had only made her feel like
more of an ass.

  “I screwed up, okay. I get it,” she said aloud in the car, staring at the ceiling and lamenting to no one in particular.

  She let her head fall back against the headrest and closed her eyes. This was a disaster. It was a nightmare and she was caught in the middle. Jason wasn’t here and hadn’t been since he was arrested. He was only arrested because Lilly let it happen. It only happened because Lilly didn’t believe him and ignored her gut. Now, she didn’t know where Jason was and she had no way of finding him if he decided to ignore her calls.

  This was it. She was helpless and at his mercy.

  She pulled out the phone and groaned. She so preferred having difficult discussions in person. She wouldn’t know if his words were sincere or if he was mad and just being his normal, nice self.

  Scrolling down through the contacts again, she tapped on his profile and hovered over the phone icon again. This was it, the moment of truth. She hit the button and waited for the phone to ring.

  ***

  Jacob was sitting in Lilly’s house when Jason’s phone rang in his pocket.

  “Hello,” he said, keeping his voice low in case she was near the house.

  This wasn’t how he’d planned this.

  “Jason. I can’t believe you answered. Listen, I’m at your house and I need to talk to you.”

  “So you can tell me why I’m a criminal again?”

  “Oh god Jason, no. I’m so sorry about that. Listen, there’s been some developments in the case. You’re in danger. I need to see you. Where are you?”

  “I didn’t have anywhere to go, so I’m actually pretty close to your house. I can meet you there, if you want.”

  “Oh,” Lilly said, a little stunned that he was almost to her house. “I guess that will work too. Can you just drive to your house and I’ll wait?”

  “Well, that’s the thing. They impounded my car.”

  “Why?”

  “You tell me. I couldn’t get it out, so I just took a taxi to your house and hoped you would be there. Since you weren’t, I was going to walk down to the TRE and try to find a bus that went close to my house.”