Found Wanting

by Joyce Lamb

  Norm's chair gave a squawk as he leaned back. "When Alaina took off with Jonah, Keller convinced his in-laws that the matter needed to be handled within the family. No law enforcement, no glaring media attention, no embarrassment. He knew how much Paul Chancellor hated bad publicity. Keller said he'd take care of everything and hired a couple private eyes to file bogus reports about their progress, keeping the feds out of it and ensuring that Alaina and her son would never be found."

  "But why?" Mitch asked.

  "Mainly, the kid would have been some major league competition."

  At the dubious arch of Mitch's brow, Norm said, "Paul Chancellor was an old-fashioned guy. He had two daughters, but he wanted a son, bad. Layton Keller comes along, and he's everything a man like Chancellor could possibly want in a son. He's smart, he's handsome, he's interested in the family business." Norm smirked a little. "He likes golf. Chancellor loved his golf. At any rate, a grandson would have compromised Keller's 'only son' status. Plus, consider the fact that the kid's mother is Keller's sister-in-law, and it all gets very messy. He didn't want the kid around to remind anyone of his indiscretion with the sister, and he didn't want to share Chancellor." He stroked his jaw, as if checking for razor stubble. "It's tough to wrap your brain around it, but we did some background on Keller and turned up some interesting stuff."

  "Such as?"

  The FBI agent shuffled through the piles of papers spread across the table and came up with a manila folder, which he flipped open. "Never knew his father. Raised by his mother until he was ten. She was a real piece of work. Not physically abusive, as far as we can tell, but she messed with his head, constantly telling him what a pain in the ass he was, how he didn't deserve anything she gave him, which wasn't much to begin with. Filled his head with all kinds of crap about how kids are nothing but a drain on a parent's resources." Flipping through the folder, he stopped at a page and read from it. " 'All they do is suck you dry and give you nothing in return. They're worthless parasites.' "

  "Damn. Where'd you get this stuff?"

  "He spent eight years in the system after his mother abandoned him when he was ten. Just took off one day and didn't come back. He was shuffled from one foster home to another. Apparently, he never clicked with any of the families, and eventually, they stopped trying to place him. Lived in a home for kids until he was eighteen. Got tons of counseling, though it's doubtful it did him any good. That quote I just read came from his last session before he was released from the orphanage."

  "Jesus."

  "He did incredibly well regardless. Straight-A student. Earned a scholarship to MIT and worked his way through. After graduation, he spent some time at a couple different companies before landing on PCware's doorstep at twenty-eight. Worked his way into the boss' good graces, and next thing you know, he's meeting the big guy's oldest daughter and supposedly falling head over heels."

  "He found the family he always wanted," Mitch said.

  "More likely, he found the father he'd always wanted."

  "He must have been devastated when the old guy was killed."

  "Well, that's where there's a glitch and, we're assuming, the trigger for what's going on now," Norm said. "When Chancellor died, it looked like Keller stood to inherit the entire company, or at least a majority of it. But Chancellor left a third of everything, including PCware, to Alaina and Jonah. We think that's why Keller wants them found now. Not to hand over their inheritance, of course, but to make sure they don't get it."

  "But they were missing for years," Mitch said. "It was highly unlikely that Alaina was going to come out of hiding with Jonah and try to claim their third of the company. Couldn't Keller have had them declared legally dead?"

  "You'd think that would have worked, yes."

  Something else puzzling occurred to Mitch. "Why's the Bureau on a case that would normally be handled by authorities at the local level? It's not a kidnap case because Keller never reported his son missing. And the death threat against Alaina -- that's a police matter."

  Norm met his gaze steadily, as if trying to decide whether Mitch could be trusted.

  "Does Alaina have information on Keller?" Mitch asked, impatient.

  "Not that we're aware of," Norm said.

  "So you're going to a lot of trouble to track down someone who doesn't have something you need. What's the deal?"

  "I've already told you too much."

  "Yes, you have. And you obviously don't think I'm a threat or you wouldn't have been sharing all along." Mitch had already surmised that would come at a price later. "So tell me the rest of it."

  Norm sighed, rubbed the back of his neck. "The Bureau is assisting the Justice Department in an investigation of Keller."

  "Justice," Mitch repeated, surprised.

  "I'm not going to give you the details."

  "But Alaina's not a witness."

  "No," Norm said.

  "And neither is Jonah."

  "No."

  "Then why go to the trouble to find them if they're irrelevant to the case? You could just have the cops handle it so you can concentrate on the Justice --" He broke off as it began to click. "How'd you find out Keller wanted Alaina dead?"

  Norm shifted, as if uneasy. "We got a tip."

  "From someone close to Keller."

  "I'm not at liberty to say."

  "His wife?" Mitch asked.

  "Dammit, Mitch."

  "Come on, Norm. You've already told me way too much."

  Stalling, Norm took his time sipping coffee.

  "Come on," Mitch prompted.

  Norm scratched his head, rubbed his chin, then finally sighed. "All right. Yes, Mrs. Keller tipped us off. We're helping each other out. We agreed to find her sister and nephew and protect them from Keller in exchange for her help on the Justice investigation."

  Mitch sat back. Finally, something that made sense. "She must be majorly pissed right now."

  "How do you mean?"

  "Well, you found her sister and nephew all right, but now one of them is on the run and the other is in enemy hands. Not to mention the guy who got shot and the kid who got roughed up. I'd say you dropped the ball on the protection part."

  "No one expected Alaina to make a run for it."

  Mitch thumped a finger on the table, unable to squelch his growing irritation. "She thought she was wanted for kidnapping. As far as she knows, she's been on the run for fourteen years. What did you think she would do when you walked into her workplace flashing badges?"

  "We didn't think she would run."

  "What about the kid?"

  Norm's brow wrinkled. "What about him?"

  "What are you doing to get him away from Keller?"

  "For now, Jonah stays put. We have no reason to believe he's in any danger."

  "His father wants his mother dead," Mitch said, his jaw clenched.

  "Yes, but Keller has shown no such inclination toward the boy. If we make any move to interfere, it would compromise the larger investigation."

  That didn't surprise Mitch, but it did nothing to cool his rising fury. "Where does that leave Alaina?"

  "In what way?"

  "Assuming the feds find her before Keller's hit men do, she's going to want her kid back. If there are no kidnapping charges, she's in the clear. If Keller wants custody of Jonah now, he'd have to file --"

  "I'm afraid that will have to wait," Norm cut in. "We can't have anything distracting Keller right now."

  "So she's just left out in the cold without her kid."

  Norm's face flushed with annoyance. "She's not innocent, Mitch. She did indeed kidnap him, and there's no statute of limitations on kidnapping. Plus, if she killed a man, like you told me, she's undoubtedly wanted for questioning in that case. The simple fact that she fled the scene of a crime is enough to put her in jail. If we have to, we'll go after her to keep her out of the way. The simple fact is: I can't afford distractions on this investigation. It's too big."

  "So you'll protect her and her kid as long
as it buys you help from Keller's wife, but if they get in the way, you'll mow them down without a second thought. Does Mrs. Keller know how this deal works?"

  Norm tossed up his hands. "What do you want from me, Mitch? I've got a job to do."

  Mitch rose, went to the door. "I think I've heard enough."

  "Mitch."

  He turned, his hand on the knob. "What?"

  "I've shared quite a bit of information with you. I have a request in return."

  Mitch gave his former colleague a humorless smile. "I know what you want, Norm. You wouldn't have been so loose-lipped without a plan. And you can forget it. I don't work for the son of a bitch anymore."

  "Mrs. Keller is shaky at best. The Bureau needs someone inside who Keller trusts."

  "Yeah, well, good luck on that." Mitch left, slamming the glass door behind him.

  * * *

  Alaina woke to a hand on her arm.

  "We're there," Rachel said.

  While Rachel hopped out of the car and unlocked the front door, Alaina eased out slowly, her body protesting every move. She supposed she should be happy she could move at all.

  The house smelled faintly musty inside and was chilly. "No heat," Rachel said with an apologetic shrug. "But there's electricity, go figure. Aunt Rita's kids aren't the most organized when it comes to taking care of utilities. But I can start a fire in the fireplace and close off the rest of the house."

  While Rachel threw some wood into the brick fireplace, Alaina lowered herself to the sofa in front of it. The clock on the mantel said it was after one in the morning.

  "Are you hungry?" Rachel asked over her shoulder. "When was the last time you ate?"

  Alaina remembered the burger she had choked down in Mitch's car. That had been about four hours ago, and it seemed like days. In fact, it felt as if an entire week had passed since that moment when federal agents had asked for her at the newspaper.

  "Alaina?"

  She blinked up at her friend standing before her. It was so strange to hear Rachel say her given name. "I'm sorry?"

  "Are you hungry? I can fix you something. I'm sure there's soup in the cupboard."

  Alaina shook her head. The thought of food turned her stomach. The thought of living turned her stomach. How could she go on without Jonah? There was no point.

  Rachel sat beside her, groping for her hand. Her fingers grasped Alaina's, squeezed, and her chin trembled as she tried to smile. "It's going to be okay."

  Alaina lowered her head, fighting the emotion that crowded into her aching throat. How many times had she peered into Jonah's sweet face and said the same thing?

  "Aunt Emma had an accident, so we have to move. But it's going to be okay, honey."

  "The bad people found us, so we have to go somewhere new and start over again. But it's going to be okay."

  "What can I do?" Rachel asked. "Please tell me what I can do."

  Hearing the tears in her friend's voice, Alaina didn't dare look at her. She needed to hang on. Letting go now would be a mistake, and she couldn't afford any more mistakes. "I'm tired," she said. "I need to ... I need ..."

  Rachel held her hand another moment, then rose. "I'll get you a pillow and blankets."

  * * *

  Mitch took several deep breaths, trying hard to get the helpless anger under control. He was surprised Norm had let him walk away, but he had. Now, Mitch was in a cab on his way back to the hospital where he'd left his car to go with Norm to the Bureau offices. He had to do something to help her, he thought. Something to make things right.

  His hands shook when he called his partner. "I lost track of Alaina," he said without preamble.

  "How'd you manage that?" Julia asked.

  "Long story. I need you to work your online mojo to find her. I'm on a tight schedule."

  "What kind of stuff should I be looking for?"

  "Credit card transactions, e-mail, cellphone calls, whatever you can tap into."

  She sighed as if he were hopelessly stupid. "She's too smart to be using any of the stuff under Alex Myers' name. She's probably already moved on to her next identity."

  "Not Alaina. Track Rachel Boyd."

  * * *

  Addison gripped the phone in her clammy hand, scanning her surroundings for potential witnesses to her call. She was at a pay phone outside the Macy's at Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, Virginia, at least 15 miles from Alexandria and her home with Layton. She'd told her husband that she was going shopping, that she needed some new clothes to celebrate her new role as Jonah's mother. Layton had found that amusing and had still been laughing when she'd walked out into the garage and got into her Mercedes SUV.

  That giddy laugh haunted her as she dialed Norm Potter's cellphone number.

  "Potter."

  "It's Addison Keller. We've got Jonah."

  "Yes, I know."

  That made her pause, until she realized the feds had heard everything Jonah had told her because of the listening devices she had planted. "Have you found Alaina?"

  "I'm afraid not, but we will. I promise you that."

  "When you find her, I want to see her." Silence answered her, and she began to think they'd been disconnected. "Are you there?"

  "I don't think that's a good idea," he said.

  "I'm not asking you to think it's a good idea, Mr. Potter. I want to see my sister." She didn't know what had compelled her to want this, but the need had come on strong. Maybe it was meeting Jonah. He was so much like Alaina it made Addison's chest ache. And suddenly there were a million things she wanted, and needed, to say to her sister.

  "I'll see what I can arrange," Norm said. "But --"

  "I know where all the bugs are, Mr. Potter," she said. "I placed them, remember? I can just as easily go back and collect them all."

  Silence again. She imagined his face turning a shade that matched his hair.

  "I'm assuming your lack of response is confirmation that you're agreeing to my new terms," she said.

  Norm cleared his throat. "Once your sister is found, she'll need to be transported immediately to a safe house. That's what we agreed to, remember? Your cooperation in return for her safety."

  "I can tell Layton the feds are investigating him," Addison said. "That would damage your investigation, wouldn't it?"

  "Mrs. Keller, I can have you taken into custody as a witness --"

  "To what? A death threat? That won't help you in the big investigation, will it?" She paused, giving him time to digest that. "All I want is to see my sister for a couple of hours." She paused, listening to him breathe. "Arrange it, or I'll tell him." She hung up.

  Chapter 17

  Alaina woke to a dead fire and sun streaming across her face. She sensed right away that she was alone in the house. And there was heat. Sitting up, she groaned as aches and pains blared reminders of the abuse her body had taken the day before. She sagged back, tempted to stay put, but then she scented coffee in the air.

  Pushing aside the multiple layers of blankets piled on top of her, Alaina set her feet on the floor, surprised that her shoes were off. She didn't remember removing them.

  Gingerly, she rose, gritting her teeth and wishing she had some of that heavy-duty pain medication they'd pumped into her at the ER the night before.

  "Ray?"

  Alaina wandered into the tiny kitchen and found a note on the counter next to a full coffee pot, a new bottle of Advil, a pile of fresh bagels and a gun. The note was written in Rachel's doctor-like scrawl:

  Ran out to get a few things earlier and called the gas company -- there's hot water! Put new clothes and clean towels in the bathroom for you. You were still snoozing, so I went for a run. Save me some coffee.

  Ray

  P.S. Found the gun between Aunt Rita's mattresses. She used to call it her watchdog Brutus. Just in case. R.

  Ignoring the gun, Alaina poured a cup of coffee and sipped. It was easily the best thing she'd tasted in two days. After she downed three Advil and half a bagel, the fog in her head dissipat
ed some.

  She yearned for Jonah. Prayed he was okay. She imagined his eyes, wide and blue and clear. She hadn't seen fear in them in years. Since they'd moved to Chicago from Colorado, he'd grown to be so brave and stoic that she hadn't even seen him cry since Emma died.

  Swallowing back the rush of emotion, Alaina began to wander the house, as much to distract herself as to loosen aching muscles.

  The home was small, but it was also warm and cozy, from the yellow sheers in the kitchen to the old-fashioned blue-and-yellow plaid sofa she'd spent the night on. A matching loveseat and curtains made the country appeal complete.

  Aunt Rita apparently had been a voracious reader, because books were stacked everywhere there was space. The dusty old books reminded Alaina of Emma, and she turned her back on them to survey a curio cabinet of Precious Moments figurines. Emma, she recalled, had collected owls and displayed them in a similar manner.

  "Why owls?" Alaina had asked her once.

  "Because they're wise."

  Alaina and Jonah had both bust out laughing at the way she'd said it, as if Alaina's skull were the thickest Emma had ever encountered. Emma had ended up laughing, too, and it was at that moment that Alaina had realized how truly happy she was. The fact had amazed her, and left her feeling a bit smug. She'd beaten Layton, she thought. She'd beaten him, and she was happy. In her head, she'd done a victory dance.

  A week later, Layton's detective had shown up in Emma's kitchen.

  Alaina turned from the curio cabinet. She supposed she'd begun to feel a bit smug in Chicago, too. Five years had passed, and no thugs had appeared. She'd had a good job, a good friend and a solid, adoring relationship with her son. Now, a good man had been shot and his son hurt because of her, because she had tried to beat Layton again. Now, Jonah might be forever lost to her.

  She found herself in the doorway to the bathroom, not sure how long she'd been standing there. If she didn't get busy, she was going to fold. Setting aside the coffee cup, she stripped out of Rachel's blouse and the scrubs bottoms that Rachel had helped her don the night before.