"Dad, if you'd known about me? If mom had found you? Would things be different?"
"In a heartbeat, Em. I can't say where we'd be or what I'd be doing, but you'd be Emily Watson from the moment I knew where you both were and my family." He kissed her forehead.
"Thanks, Dad. That’s all that matters now, you wanted us."
"Want you, Em."
*****
Charlie and Emily were carrying two gallons of Sea Foam Green paint, rollers and brushes through the lobby of Watson Manor when Julia spotted them.
"Looks like a painting party in the making."
"You heard about my room here?"
"Oh yeah, we're all excited, Emily. Charlie, Jenny's in the office and wants to see you the moment you got back."
"Em, why don't you try your new key and take the bags up, I'll join you with this paint in a few minutes."
"Ok, sounds good."
"Your new key," Julia said smiling. "That makes it official, Emily, you're home now."
"It's pretty cool, Julia." Emily dashed up the stairs.
Charlie carried the two cans of paint into the Watson Investigations office and set them on his desk. "Hot pink, Jenny."
"Right, and you're going to Salinas to put it on her walls there." Jenny walked over and looked at the color sample on the top of the cans. "That's actually a great color, funny guy. I just got off the phone with Special Agent Baker."
"Baker? I thought you were relaying through the Chief?"
"I did and Baker called us on the secure phone. It seems Henry McBride is an FBI agent in the Los Angeles office, and currently on vacation in Belize is the guess in the office there."
"Jenny, we know the car sitting outside is rented to Waverly Enterprises. If McBride lives in the LA area, then they're renting in San Jose. Maybe the same bogus company was used?"
"I can search for that. There's more, the agent inside of Branson is looking at Don Richards as a possible. He's acting strangely, they report. Anyway, his daughter attends Arizona University and is not home over the Christmas – New Year's break."
"Have they contacted her in the dorm?"
"They're looking now. Having FBI offices all over makes things easier. I'll look around San Jose for Waverly Enterprises while you convert the bedroom upstairs to … Hot Pink."
"I almost forgot. I'd done some number crunching of my truck odometer when they grabbed me in Mountain View off the 101 to where I woke up in Stevens Creek is only 8 miles. I'll save you all of the math." He went to the filing cabinet and pulled out a map of California and spread it out on Jenny's desk. "Look for rentals in a ten mile radius of here, Stevens Creek."
"Good, you said it felt like a basement you were in, right?"
"Yeah, it was a basement. I'm thinking mountain home rental."
"OK, mister painter, I'll come get you if I find something. You go now. This is an important time bringing Emily into our lives."
"There's a brush with your name on it, Jenny."
"If I'm pulling my hair out in an hour, I may just come get it."
He kissed her. "I feel really good about this, and I'm happy for Eden and Justin."
"So am I, Charlie." Jenny turned back to her computer screen when he'd left the office and started looking at real estate rentals in the areas within Charlie's ten mile circle.
*****
"Tomorrow we can return to civilization," Brittney said pacing in the living room.
"What's going on in Marina, Brit?" Henry McBride asked looking up from the newspaper.
"Dan and Tom are also fit to be tied, Henry. They report two women arrived today, possibly a mother and daughter, suitcases for an overnight stay. Mr. Watson went for paint. They did confirm the tracking device is still on his truck. No official visits from the police or your FBI brethren. Nothing on his cell phone, either."
"We could use the extra eye's locally. I think Mr. Watson understood the threat. Bring Dan and Tom in. Sandy Richards is en route now and will be in our basement tonight, all of our hired hands here where we may need them."
"You planning to shoot Sandy's video here?"
"I was never going to let you shoot that bullshit video, Brit. You do have a wicked side, my dear."
"Complaining? I thought you enjoyed my kinky side."
"Bringing friends to our parties is not the same as shattering that girl's life."
"You are an odd one, Henry. You think she'll blink and forget about being strapped to that bed for three days?"
"Held for three days, the bed was only for the photo. Minimal invasion and she's been sedated most of that time."
"I would have put her down after her chat with daddy and left her in Arizona."
"You remain short term minded, my dear. I figure daddy needs another chat with Sandy to strengthen his dedication to his mission here. Get Dan and Tom rolling from Marina and until we leave town tomorrow, let's get local reports hourly from our guys."
Chapter 19
Announcing I was Jenny Watson of Watson Investigations, a private investigator was not loosening tongues in my search for both descriptions of the rental cars and the rented house by Waverly Enterprises. I needed to get creative. It fascinated me that a short time ago, I didn't recognize a pull to investigating if saving children was not the motivation. It became abundantly clear, like waiting for the next crossword puzzle with pen in hand, this was a calling for me. As the Chief Financial Officer, CFO of Waverly Enterprises, I was able to confirm car rentals from two different car rental agencies in San Jose, but needed Chief Walker's clout to get colors and models of those specific cars rented.
My fifth pass at home rental agencies, posing as Mrs. Waverly was successful in obtaining their location. "Hello, Abbot Realty, this is Jane, how may I help you?"
"Hello Jane, this is Eve Waverly. You'll have to excuse my excitement, I just got off the phone with our daughter, Melanie and they are coming to surprise her dad for his fiftieth birthday. Little Amy was cleared to fly and he hasn't seen her in ages. It'll be such a great surprise having them all together tonight. I'm running to catch my flight at LAX now and …"
"Excuse me, Mrs. Waverly. We're talking about Frank Waverly of …"
"Yes, my husband, Frank. He's picking me up in San Jose at four-fifteen and our daughter's family is flying in later tonight. I couldn't call Frank without blowing the surprise for the address of the rental and need to give it to Melanie before I get on my plane. All I remembered was Abbot Reality and with Frank picking me up at the airport, I didn't need the address before I got this wonderful call that Amy was cleared to fly. I must sound like a real air-head, I'm just so jazzed it's all working out. They're calling my flight now, Jane. Can you give me the address for our daughter's surprise?"
"Normally we can't give out …"
"Please, I just need one more minute," I said with my hand muffling my voice slightly over the phone. "Sorry, Jane the flight attendant is at the door, can you help with our surprise?"
"1246 Bear Trail Rd, Stevens Creek. Have a wonderful surprise birthday party Mrs. Waverly."
"Thanks, Jane, you've made the surprise possible, gotta' run, bye."
I sat back in my chair and took a deep breath through a victory smile. I knew I needed to get this information out, but wanted to let Charlie know what we'd found. I went upstairs and it stung a little as I opened the bedroom door. Eden was also helping Emily and Charlie with the painting of Emily's new bedroom. I saw the separate family, father, mother and daughter laughing as paint went on the walls. I'd expected to see my husband and his daughter working together. I wasn't prepared to feel like an intruder in my own home.
I realized this vision would have been the reality if my car accident had taken my life, not just my memory. I'd want the husband I'd left behind to find love again, but this family was in the wings, the love already flourishing without need of search and discovering. I didn't miss the symbolic stab that mother and daughter were wearing my old paint covered sweatshirts. It hit me like Dickens's
Christmas Carol and this was a scene of their Christmas future. I hated my reaction and even more selfishly thinking my replacement was so close. If Maddy had been in the room, I would have lost it. I knew Justin was Eden's second choice and the revelation that they were pursuing a future together seemed to lose it assurance as I entered the scene.
"Looks pretty good, don't you think, Jenny?" Charlie said, stopping mid stride up the wall with a roller and looked at me. I needed desperately to change the channel in my head.
"I love it. Feels like home already," Emily said beaming.
I forced a smile and stumbled through the first thought I could return. "I was kinda' hoping for that hot pink."
Emily laughed. "Dad was pulling those swatches out, but I promised you, Jenny."
"Charlie found this old shirt so I could help. I hope you don't mind, Jenny?" Eden said.
"Of course not. I should have been here as well, a part of this homecoming."
"Any success in your search?" Charlie faced me setting the roller in the tray.
"Actually, yes. Looks like you're almost done here, Charlie. Do you want me to wait for you in the office to call it in?"
"Go Charlie. We can finish this up," Eden said.
"Ten minutes, Jenny. I'm right behind you." I wondered as I left the room if he'd also felt the vision of family I saw. Did he want to hold on to that for ten more minutes? I'd never been a person who needed constant reassurance that I was appreciated, needed or made a difference. I trusted that he loved me and in my love for him, so why did my mind take me where it did?
I stopped by Lisa's unit and Maddy ran into my arms without hesitation, it was exactly what I needed. I simply held her in our lobby discussing her morning as I waited for my husband, not Emily's father, to join us downstairs. What's wrong with me? I wondered, Charlie is both of those things, and more. I heard him coming down the stairs and set Maddy down to greet him at the bottom of the stairs.
"Hey, Maddy. How's my girl?" He picked her up and twirled her around. "Let's go see what mommy found."
"I think we have a location on Henry." I followed them into the office.
"Wow that's really incredible, Jenny! We need to get that information to Baker. How'd you ever pull that off?"
"Posing as Mrs. Waverly. I have to admit it was kinda' fun, Charlie."
He set Maddy down in her play area and pulled me into his arms. "Have I told you today how much I love you?"
I saw the more part of Charlie as he'd sensed that I needed to hear that. "No you haven't, mister. So I'm listening."
"Well, I do and it gives me much pleasure to say it again, I love you, Jenny." I glance at our daughter and then back at him. This was my family future.
"And I'm pleased to say, I love you both with all of my heart." After I'd kissed him it occurred to me it was my choice, as is usually the case. I could choose the scene upstairs or this one to shape my thoughts and mood. I chose the latter and smiled. "Let's call Baker."
Charlie picked up the secure phone, hit speaker and the speed button.
"Special Agent Baker?"
"The Watson's here," Charlie said. "Jenny might have found the location for Henry McBride in the area."
"Really? When can we sign you up, Jenny?"
"It seems he's running this all under the Waverly Enterprises cover and I just got lucky."
"Reports from inside Branson, looks like Richards is their game plan. His wife is verified secure, but daughter, Sandy is still unaccounted for. Her boyfriend is off skiing, don't know yet if she's with him or not."
"Possible kidnapping you think for Richards' cooperation?" I asked him.
"What we know of Richards, money wouldn't tempt him. We're still searching for the boyfriend's location and an all clear that Sandy is with him."
I told him the address and Abbot Reality information I'd found. "So please let us know what you find when you hit it?"
"Jenny, we'll get some eyes on it, but we need the stolen information in Henry's hands before we can move on that house."
"What if she's there, her life in danger if one of your guy's blows his cover?"
"I understand what you're saying, Jenny. It's not that we don't care, but we need to build a solid case. Charlie was kidnapped as well and thankfully, he's OK and was able to give us Brittney Scott. But we don't have McBride yet. Charlie never saw him. We need Henry red handed in possession to put him away."
"We understand that, Baker. We just have different priorities given you can't locate Sandy," Charlie said.
"Waiting for murder charges to pin on him doesn't appeal to me!" I knew that was out-of-line, but needed saying.
"Jenny, I'm not the monster here. If we move to soon, we could lose it all. Sandy went missing in Phoenix, not locally. So, chances are she's not even there."
"We'll wait to hear from you," Charlie said.
"Thank you both for all the assist and I'll let you know when this breaks." Baker disconnected the call.
I reached for the phone and called Chief Walker.
"Walker?"
"Hello Chief. This is Jenny. Did you get the vehicle descriptions on all of the Waverly rentals?"
"Yes, I was just going to call Agent Baker with the list."
"Don't these car rental companies use that Lo-Jack system?"
"Most do, I figured that would be Baker's first move when he got the list."
"Baker told us that Sandy Richards maybe is being held by them for cooperation from her father, Don Richards. Any cargo vans on that rental list?"
"A Dodge Caravan is on the list, Jenny. But it was picked up in Phoenix for a drop-off in Sacramento, not San Jose."
"Phoenix is where Sandy went missing. Can you get me the Lo-Jack ID number, Chief?" Charlie asked.
"Probably, but why?"
"Baker is more concerned with getting McBride holding the stolen files in San Jose," I told him. "Maybe we can track the van down to find Sandy in Arizona or Sacramento?"
"Chief, our tracker will look at Lo-Jack frequencies if I can enter the ID code number," Charlie said.
"Even I'd have to work through Lo-Jack," Walker said. "That tracker of yours puts us to shame here, but you need to leave this to Baker. Oh, I wanted to tell you. Your visitors outside were seen heading north three hours ago."
"Things are in motion, Chief. Have any plans for tonight?" I asked him.
"I don't imagine you're offering for Stacy and me to join you and Charlie for a quiet dinner out? One condition, Edwards brings Timmy over for the night and Officer Marks stays in place there."
"My thoughts exactly," I told him.
Chapter 20
Chief Walker verified that the two men and their car that had been parked down the street from Watson Manor were in fact, gone. Satisfied, he pulled into the parking lot in a ten year old, full sized, Chevrolet Station Wagon. He walked into the lobby and was greeted by Julia. "Stan and Timmy are on their way, Chief. Are you sure you don't want him with you?"
"I'm going along to ensure this remains an uneventful surveillance, Julia. That accident didn't rob Jenny of her strong will."
"She lit a fire under Charlie as well with photos of Sandy Richards. Jenny printed her high school senior photo and one from the ASU softball team. I'll never fault her strong will, she found me."
"Sums up my tagging along, her Midas touch. They in the office?" Julia nodded a yes.
"Hello Chief," Officer Marks said walking into the lobby.
Walker looked around the lobby to confirm they were alone and then back at Marks. "The car that was watching from down the street is still out of sight. They may have left, but you'll need to be alert."
"Yes, Chief." He lifted his 'I love California' sweatshirt to expose his holstered pistol.
"Good, Marks. Edwards is on his way and will work out a schedule. The Watson's and me may be gone overnight." Walker turned and headed toward the office. He stopped at the large decorated Christmas tree and turned back to Julia and Marks. "I really do love this tree.
"
"Jenny's Midas touch, Chief," Julia told him. Walker paused a moment, returned a smile to Julia and then turned back toward the office. He opened the door and walked in.
"Hello, Chief," Jenny said handing him the photos of Sandy Richards. "Any word that the FBI has located her?"
"She's still unaccounted for and it's only a guess that she's in that van."
"We appreciate your coming with us, Chief," Charlie said. "Did you get the Lo-Jack code?"
Walker handed the information to Charlie who entered it into the tracking monitor. "I knew you two would go with or without me, so I wasn't left with a choice." He looked at the photos of Sandy. "I still hope that they find her snow skiing or in some love nest with her boyfriend."
"So do we, but we've chosen not to overlook the contingency plan," Charlie said. "The bastard who held me is not going to use her!"
"We're not a commando raid, Charlie. Surveillance and report. We all clear on that?"
"Yes, Chief," Jenny said. "We just couldn't sit here and do nothing."
"Charlie?"
"Until I hear his voice again, its surveillance and report." The Spyware Inc. Model 2750 monitor drew his attention. "The van is on Interstate 5, heading north. They will probably take Highway 152 across to Interstate 101."
"How far south of 152 are they?" Walker asked.
"Maybe seventy, eighty miles. We could intercept them at the 152 and 5 interchange."
"Then let's do that," Jenny said grabbing her coat and heading toward the office door. Charlie grabbed the monitor and followed them out to parking lot. Chief Walker was standing beside the station wagon and said, "Figured this would draw less attention than my police SUV."
"Where did you find that classic wagon?" Charlie asked.
"Went shopping at the impound lot. It just seemed to call my name."
Jenny smiled at the sight of it. "Reminds me of riding cross country with mom and Pete as a child."
Charlie set the monitor on the roof of the station wagon and opened the front passenger door for Jenny. "You up front would look more natural."
Watson Manor My Journey Home (Watson Manor Mystery Series Book 4) Page 10