Shattered Mirror

by Iris Johansen

  He smiled. “I believe he’s a wonderful lad. I believe that you believe. I’ll be there when you need me.” He lifted his hand and moved away. “And when Cara needs me. I’ll take her and Darcy home now. They wouldn’t leave until you did.”

  She watched him go as Joe pulled out of the parking lot and got on the road. “Very diplomatic answer. He probably doesn’t believe me.”

  “He might. He’s a Scot. Even if he doesn’t, as he said, he’ll be there for you. He’ll be there to rejoice or to comfort.” He paused. “Or to go to war for you. Can’t ask more than that, Eve.”

  “No.” She looked back at the fire, now in the distance. “It’s a horror story, Joe. All those little boys who had everything to live for, all those innocent people just going about their day. We’ve got to stop him from ever doing anything like that again.” She leaned back on the headrest and wearily closed her eyes. “But first, we’ve got to get our Michael back from him. We can’t let him win that battle.”

  “You’re already on your way to winning it,” Joe said gruffly. His hand left the wheel to cover hers on the seat. “I saw you start when you came back to me after I thought I’d lost you. I don’t know if it was Michael, I hope it was, but I’d never seen a despair like that. But you came back, and I’m going to keep you here until we find Michael. No matter what it takes.”

  “You’re what it takes. You and Michael.” She closed her eyes again. “I’m not even sure that you believe me, Joe. That’s okay, except that you’d know there was hope. That’s what’s keeping me going, and I want to share it with you…”

  “Then I’ll try to share that with you. You may have to help me a little.”

  “I’ll help you. We may all have to help each other.” Even with her eyes shut, she could still see that inferno she’d just left. Still feel the panic that Michael had wanted to save her from. I’m holding on, Michael, she told him. I’ll find a way to get to you. But it’s a horror story …

  * * *

  Dense leaves hiding the sky, cypress roots reaching deep into the water clutching like giant teeth. A small hand reaching into those dark waters as the canoe passed those roots. Michael’s hand …

  Eve gasped and jerked upright in bed. “Michael!”

  Joe was beside her, holding her. “I’m here, Eve.”

  She drew a shaky breath. “So was Michael.” She ran a hand through her hair. “Or it might have been a dream or a nightmare, but he could feel the water on his hand. He was curious about the water underneath the tree roots and wanted to—” She stopped. “You know how curious he is, Joe.”

  “Yes, I know.” He was holding her. “But you also know it’s natural for you to have dreams about him right now. Try to go back to sleep, Eve.”

  “Not right now.” She swung her legs to the floor. “I’m going to go get a breath of air. I won’t be long, Joe.” She shrugged into her robe and put her hand up as he started to get out of bed. “Don’t come with me. I’ll be fine. I just want a little time to myself.” That was the truth. After they’d reached home last night, Joe had helped her to bed and held her until she’d gone to sleep. So loving, so protective, but she could feel both his pain and her own, and it was overwhelming. If she wanted to stay sane and controlled, she had to let herself face whatever was in store and not be protected.

  It was almost five in the morning and still dark as she went out on the porch. The lake was rough this morning, not like the still, murky water she’d just dreamed about.

  If it was a dream.

  If it wasn’t Michael trying to reach her.

  “Eve?”

  She turned to see Cara standing in the doorway. “Are you okay? Can I help? I’ll go away if I’m a bother.”

  “You’re never a bother.” She held out her arms. “Come here.”

  Cara ran into her arms. “I won’t get in your way. You seemed to want your own space, and that’s fine. I just want you to know that whatever you want me to believe or do, I’ll do it.”

  Eve smiled ruefully. “Even to the point that Michael told me he’s alive?”

  “Whatever.” She leaned back and looked at her, eyes glittering with tears in the moonlight. “You’re a wonderful woman, and Michael is Michael. Why shouldn’t God give you a break? I want so badly to have him back, Eve. If you tell me that it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen.”

  Cara. So full of love and youth and faith where there should be no faith. Eve kissed her cheek. “Thank you, Cara. All I can tell you is that I don’t believe Michael died back at that square. And we’ll get him back because we have to do it. I don’t think any of us can stand to lose Michael. We’ll just have to go from there.”

  She nodded. “Whatever you say. But don’t try to do everything yourself. We can’t afford to lose you, either.” She hugged her quickly and turned toward the door. “I’ll let you have your space. Call me if you need me. Anything, Eve.”

  “I know. The best thing will be to try to be normal, and just hold ourselves together. Because if—” She instantly corrected the word. “Since Michael is alive, it’s because Norwalk wants him to be alive, and I’ll have to wait for him to call.” Eve turned back to look at the lake. “But right now, I just need to think.”

  Think about still, murky water, jagged tree roots disappearing below the surface.

  And a small curious hand dipping down into the water near those roots to explore …

  * * *

  The call came at noon that same day. Eve was still sitting on the porch, but Joe had come to be with her and was standing looking out at the lake.

  No ID.

  Her hand was trembling uncontrollably as she reached for the cell phone.

  He’s alive. He’s alive. He’s alive. She was saying it over and over again to herself as a desperate mantra as she accessed the call and pressed the speaker button.

  “Hello,” she said. Even to herself the word was only a breath of sound.

  “You’re answering your own phone,” Norwalk said. “You’re stronger than I thought. I was afraid you might have collapsed, and I’d have to go through Quinn to make you take my call.”

  She saw Joe tense to rigid attention.

  “Norwalk. What kind of monster would do that?” Her voice was shaking as badly as her hands. “Innocents … Children…”

  “There are no innocents in the world, Eve. There are just people who haven’t had opportunity to reach out and grab. I learned that as a child myself.”

  Tell me he’s alive.

  She couldn’t ask him. It might be a weapon she could use. He had to believe he was totally in control, that she was as without hope as he’d wanted her to be. He’d use anything to twist the knife.

  “They’ll catch you,” she said harshly. “It’s not only Michael, over fifty people died in that square. Every law-enforcement agency in the country will be after you. They’ll hunt you down and kill you. There’s no place you can hide.”

  “Do you think I’m an amateur? I’m very good at hiding, and I’ve had a long time to plan. No one will catch me.” He paused, and said softly, “And I have no intention of going on the run until I finish what I started. Sean would never forgive me. The square was just the opening shot, Eve. Did you know I had a few choice photos taken of you on the scene and sent to me? No, of course, you didn’t. You’ve been devastated by all this, haven’t you? You looked as if you were being tortured on the rack. I enjoyed those photos enormously.”

  “Bastard.”

  “Now you mustn’t make me angry with you. Be polite. I hold all the cards, Eve.”

  Tell me he’s alive. Why didn’t he say the words?

  “The game’s over as far as I’m concerned,” she said hoarsely. “All I have left to do is to bury what’s left of my son and find a way to help the police hunt you down.”

  “You don’t want the police involved. That would be a mistake. And the game is far from over, this move was just to position all the players conveniently in place.”

  “
Fifty-two deaths?”

  “You’re being overemotional, Eve. You mustn’t fall apart like this. Your son has much more control than you do. I wasn’t expecting that, but it’s far more convenient for me.”

  She went rigid. She couldn’t breathe. Was it coming? Tell me. “Are you insane? My son is dead. You murdered him.”

  “Did I? Then I wonder who’s staring at me right now with those huge brown eyes. He doesn’t talk a lot, but he stares at me all the time. It’s beginning to annoy me.”

  “You’re lying.”

  “But there’s the tiniest bit of hope, isn’t there?”

  Dear God more than that. She was dizzy with hope. “No, because I realize that you want to bring me up so that you can crash me down.”

  “True. But that comes later, after you’ve gone through hell trying to get this fine lad back to your loving arms.”

  “You have to be lying.”

  “No, I was in the back of the Emporium watching all the joy and frivolity. When the time came to put an end to it, I knocked the boy out with an injection and took him out the back way. We were out of the square a few minutes before it blew.” He added regretfully, “I didn’t really get a good look at my handiwork. It’s lucky that I have the photos.”

  Now she could say the words she’d been keeping back. “He’s really alive?”

  “Would I lie to you? Yes, I would, but not at the moment. You have to know what you have to do to keep the boy alive. Michael and I are together and will stay together for the foreseeable future. Your next move in the game is to come after him and try to get him away from me before I get impatient enough to dispose of him. Of course, there would be considerable pain before I got to that point. You wouldn’t want that to happen. Your son appears to have great affection for you. As I said, he seems very controlled for a child, and the only time I saw him cry was when I showed him those photos of you at the square.”

  She could see how those photos would have hurt and disturbed Michael. “That was terribly cruel.”

  “He deserved it. I wanted him to stop—” He broke off and said, “I’m in charge of him. I can do whatever I like. So come and get him, Eve. No police. No FBI. That would mean his immediate death. Step into my parlor. Positioning. I want you here. I want Cara Delaney here.”

  “I won’t take your word for it that Michael is alive. Prove it.”

  “I’m sending you a photo now with the usual boring newspaper to verify date.” He added, “And now I’ll let you talk to the little bastard.”

  An instant later, Michael was on the line. “Mama, it’s okay,” he said in a rush. “No, it’s not okay, but don’t worry about me. Don’t let it hurt you. I’ll be all right. There has to be ways—don’t worry.”

  “I’ll try.” She tried to keep her voice steady for his sake. “I’m coming for you. Keep yourself safe. I love—”

  “Touching.” Norwalk had come back on the line. “Just exactly the interchange that will bring about what I need from you. Good-bye, Eve. I’ll see you soon.” He hung up.

  Joe grabbed her phone and was trying to check on the possible trace he’d set up.

  Eve collapsed back on the swing. She felt weak and dizzy … and grateful.

  Thank you, God. Thank you, God.

  Michael.

  “No trace,” Joe said curtly. “But it was Michael?” He fell to his knees in front of her. “It was really Michael?”

  She nodded jerkily. “You heard. It was him, Joe.”

  “Hey, then why are you crying?” He touched her wet cheek. “You knew it all along, right?” His eyes were also wet. “Just a confirmation…”

  Yes, a confirmation.

  And the answer to a prayer.

  She went into his arms and held him tight for a moment. “And he was worried about me,” she said brokenly. “Yes, it was Michael…” She drew a shaky breath. “The photo. We need to see his photo.” She took her phone back and accessed the photo.

  Michael still in his gold jersey and red shorts. He was standing in front of a tree and holding a newspaper. She zoomed in and enlarged it. “Times-Picayune. Today’s date.”

  “Times-Picayune.” Joe said. “New Orleans newspaper. Unless Norwalk’s trying to lay a false trail.”

  “No, he’s not trying to lay a false trail.” Eve was still gazing feverishly at Michael. He looked pale, there was a bruise on his cheek, but he didn’t look frightened. She hated the idea of that son of a bitch scaring him. “He’s telling us where to come.”

  “New Orleans?”

  “No, not New Orleans, but probably near there.” She tossed him the sketch she’d made last night. “If we believe Michael somehow managed to reach me to let me know he was alive, I have to believe that dream meant something. Swamp, bayou, those cypress trees. We’ve been down there in those swamps, but we’ve never taken Michael. Naturally, he’d be curious about a bayou.”

  “Naturally,” Joe said absently. “There are a hell of a lot of bayous and swamps near New Orleans.”

  “But maybe not that many close to Kaskov.” She met his eyes. “He kept saying the word positioning. He wants all the targets in a row so that he can pick us off in the most painful and efficient way possible. But he has to have Kaskov because he’s the one who gave the order to kill his brother. So Norwalk is bringing us down to Kaskov so that he can also use us to get to him. He knows Cara might be useful since Kaskov killed Norwalk’s twin to protect her.” Her lips twisted. “And we both know why I have to be there. He wants to kill Michael in front of me.”

  Michael. She couldn’t think of him right now. She was getting too shaky. There was too much to do, and it all had to be done at top speed.

  “But that’s not going to happen.” She got to her feet. “I’m leaving for New Orleans today. We have to start right away to make certain we kill Norwalk before he gets too ‘impatient.’”

  He nodded. “But you have to know that this is going to spark a massive manhunt. Homeland Security might even become involved if they think terrorists could be involved.”

  “And I’d be grateful if I didn’t think it might get Michael killed. Michael will die the moment that bastard feels cornered. We have to find Norwalk before they do.” She headed for the door. “Now I’ll go tell Cara and Darcy that I’m not crazy and that Michael is still alive. They’ll be relieved on both counts. Will you call Jock and tell him we have to know everything possible about Kaskov’s estate down there and the surrounding area? Particularly any swamps or bayous?”

  He nodded. “And one of Norwalk’s men was taking photos of the disaster last night. He’s probably not still in town, but if we can find out who he is and a description, it may help to find him.”

  She looked over her shoulder. “And I believe that either you or Jock would be able to make him tell anything he knows about Norwalk, don’t you?” She added grimly, “If not, I’d be glad to do it myself.”

  She shut the door behind her.

  BLACK POOL BAYOU

  The damn boy was staring at him again, Norwalk thought with annoyance. He’d expected talking to his mother would upset him, maybe make him break down in tears. Why hadn’t it done that?

  “Stop looking at me.” He grabbed Michael’s shoulder and shoved him toward the canoe. “You’re going to die, you know. I wouldn’t even have to do it myself. There are so many ways to die in this swamp. Drowning. Coral snakes. Some say there’s even a swamp monster sighted around here called a Rougarou. And what about alligators? How would you like to be eaten by an alligator, brat?”

  “I’ve never seen an alligator except on TV.” Michael looked at Norwalk as he got into the canoe. “They look ugly and mean, but maybe they’re just hungry. Do they really eat people?”

  No fear. Why wasn’t the kid afraid? Since the moment he’d regained consciousness on the plane, Michael had not behaved like any normal kid. He’d started to fight and struggle, but when he realized it wasn’t working, he’d stopped and just stared at Norwalk as if he were some kind
of puzzle he had to solve. Even Norwalk telling him what he’d done to the other boys in that ice-cream shop had not caused him to break. He’d just seemed to draw into himself and gotten very quiet.

  Now the boy was staring at him with those clear brown eyes that held only curiosity and something else that was once again filling Norwalk with frustration and uneasiness. He instinctively struck out. “You’ll find out. Maybe I’ll let you watch me feed your mother to the alligators first, you weirdo. Yes, I think that would be a great idea.”

  “Mama?” Michael tensed as he looked down at the murky waters. “No, I don’t think I could let you do that.” He raised his eyes to meet Norwalk’s again. “Though I would like to see one sometime.”

  “Oh, you definitely will.” Norwalk started paddling through the swamp with long strokes. “It’s only a question of when.”

  “I guess you’re right. A question of when.” Michael looked down at the waters again. “Alligator…”

  LAKE COTTAGE

  “Kaskov?” Cara repeated, staring at Eve. Then she nodded her head. “I can see how Norwalk would think any attack should revolve around him. He’d be the best protected, the hardest to target.” Her lips twisted wryly. “And if he wants us there, it appears the ball is in his court.”

  “No real choice. He has Michael,” Eve said. Cara and Darcy had listened quietly as Eve had told them about Norwalk’s call, but Eve had been able to tell that Cara was thinking, eagerly searching to put together a plan. “You don’t have to be involved in this, Cara,” she said. “I don’t want you in it. Yes, I know Norwalk will want to use you to bait Kaskov. But I might be enough for him.”

  “And you might not,” Cara said. “As you say, he has Michael. Who knows what that monster might do to him to convince you to do exactly what he wants. How could I take that chance?” She added impatiently, “Of course I’ll be involved. I wouldn’t think anything else. I’d be with you regardless of what that son of a bitch wanted. We’ve had a miracle, Eve. Michael’s alive. We just have to follow through to make sure that we get him back.” She smiled. “And that I don’t end my promising career while I’m playing bait.”