by Lois Kay
“That’s what we’re trying to find out, Fiona,” Trishia answered gently. “We have reason to believe Alice has been through something that has been so traumatic, she lost her memory. What, we don’t know, but we do have a few ideas. Of course, I cannot disclose those.”
“I understand,” Fiona mumbled. “Damn! Now I know why all of you were so frantic this morning. You thought we both had been kidnapped and killed, didn’t you?”
Jody looked at her mother and saw the anxiety on her face. Fiona had a way with words and had just bluntly, but accurately put her finger on a very tender spot.
“That possibility did cross our minds, yes,” Sam answered calmly.
“I’m sorry, Sam,” Yarra apologized. “I had no idea. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have snuck up to the house, but—.”
“Don’t worry about it, Yarra,” Jody interrupted. “We know it’s a game between you and Fiona. This morning it…well, let’s just say the timing was a bit off.”
“So, what are we going to do now?” Fiona asked. “We need to catch that psycho.”
“You won’t be doing anything, Fiona McDonnell,” Joan scolded. “All you’ll be doing is listen to Trishia and do as you’re told. Let the police do the catching.”
“Yes, Fi, this is not an episode of Blue Heelers, you know,” Yarra sighed. “This is for real.”
“It definitely is,” Trishia said. “However, I could use your help, Fi.”
Fiona’s eyes widened, but then she slumped back in her chair. “I know; Fiona, be quiet, Fiona, don’t ask too many questions, Fiona, don’t get in the way, Fiona, do as you’re told, Fiona, don’t talk to strangers.”
Trishia let out a laugh. “And, Fiona, please, help Trish do some research on the internet.”
Fiona looked up. “For real?” she asked, not able to hide the excitement in her voice.
Trishia nodded. “For real. I’d like you to find out if Alice has a social media account.”
“Good idea.” Yarra elbowed Fiona in the ribs. “We know her name now.”
Fiona got up from her chair and punched Yarra’s shoulder. “Alright, CJ. Let’s do this.”
“You can use the computer in my office,” Sam offered.
“No offense, Sam, but that’s a dinosaur.”
Trishia laughed at the stunned expression on Sam’s face.
“Excuse me? That computer is barely two years old,” Sam said.
“That’s what I said; a dinosaur,” Fiona answered. “I’ll grab my laptop.” She patted Sam’s shoulder when she passed her. “It’s alright, Sam.” Before Sam could respond, Fiona had disappeared.
Jody bit her lip when she saw the expression on Sam’s face. It was hard not to laugh because it was clear Fiona’s words had insulted her. Sam’s eyes narrowed when she caught Jody’s gaze, and Jody couldn’t stop herself from laughing. “It’s nothing personal, honey,” she said. “You know my baby sister is a full-blown computer geek and I do have to admit, her laptop is pretty neat. Especially after she upgraded the hard drive to a solid state and increased the processor speed and RAM.” Jody leaned in a kissed Sam’s cheek.
“You do know you’re a nerd as well, don’t you?” Sam said, playfully poking Jody’s side.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Jody said, trying to dodge Sam’s hand and feigning innocence.
“You just used geek talk to explain why Fi’s computer is so much better than mine and you even seem to know what you’re talking about.” Sam grinned. “I married a nerd.”
“And that’s a good thing,” Fiona said, returning with her laptop. “At least one of my future nieces and nephews’ parents will know how to help them with their coding homework.”
Jody’s gaze traveled from Fiona back to Sam and she chuckled when she saw the raised eyebrow.
“Coding?” Sam asked. “You know how to code?”
Jody shrugged. “Maybe.”
Sam leaned in closer, her hand hovering over Jody’s side where she was most ticklish. “Maybe?”
“A little?”
“Is that a question or confirmation?” Sam grinned.
Jody grabbed Sam’s hand before she could dig her fingers into her side. “Yes, I know some coding, nothing fancy.”
“Define ‘fancy,’” Sam encouraged with a grin.
“She’s not bad at it, actually,” Fiona said without looking up from her keyboard. “If she’d practice more, she’d be great.”
“Coming from you, that’s a compliment,” Yarra laughed.
Fiona looked up, and her eyes were dancing when they met Jody’s. “I noticed there were no comments when I mentioned nieces and nephews,” she said.
“And why is that, you think?” Jody quipped.
Yarra’s face split in a big grin and her eyes darted from Fiona to Jody. It was evident she was thoroughly enjoying the banter.
Fiona chuckled. “You haven’t found a way to copy me yet?”
Jody wrinkled her nose. “Why would we want to do that?” She sent Fiona a wink. “We already have two of you, or two of Lucy, depending on how you look at it.” Jody leaned against Sam and felt an arm settle around her shoulders. “We’d like an original.”
“Does that mean there will be nieces and nephews?” Fiona wasn’t ready to give up yet.
The arm around Jody’s shoulders tightened, and she leaned in a little closer, not responding to Fiona’s question because she knew Sam was ready to do just that.
“Fiona,” Sam stage-whispered. “I appreciate your faith in me, but I don’t have superpowers.” She was going to say more, but Jody quickly turned and pressed her hand against Sam’s lips.
“Nope, that’s more than enough, honey,” she said.
Sam’s eyes were sparkling when she brought her mouth close to Jody’s ear. “I’ll keep on trying, though,” she whispered so softly only Jody could hear the words.
Fiona was grinning and opened her mouth to say something, but her mother beat her to it.
“Fiona,” Joan said in a warning voice. “Drop it.”
Trishia had enjoyed the moment, because if had given her the opportunity to briefly forget the reason they were all sitting in Jody and Sam’s kitchen. Even though the banter and teasing had flown back and forth, it was done with warmth, and she knew that even a stranger would be able to feel the strong connection between the different family members. Trishia heard her phone buzz, and inwardly she groaned. She knew it would be work-related and destroy the bubble of normalcy she had just enjoyed. She pulled out her phone and looked at the screen. “It’s Pete, she said when Lucy glanced up at her. “I’ll take it outside.” She gave Lucy a quick kiss and headed to the veranda.
“Hey, Pete. That was quick. What’s up?” she asked as soon as the door closed behind her.
“Hey, Trish.” The tone of Peter’s voice immediately set off alarm bells.
“What’s wrong?” she breathed, not able to hide the tension in her voice. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she was filled with a mixture of hope and fear. She took a seat on the bench and wiped a clammy palm on her shorts.
“Something you wouldn’t have dreamed off,” Peter sighed. “There was a nasty surprise waiting for me when I got back to my desk.”
“Has there been —?” Trishia swallowed hard. She was almost afraid to ask the question.
“No, there hasn’t been another murder, but my guess is the murderer did pay us a visit.”
“What?” Trishia’s response made Kurt stand at attention. He let out a soft whimper.
“Last night, I locked away the emailed reports that were sent to me, plus my personal notes. I put them all in an envelope and stored them away in my desk drawer. I thought they would be safe there. Silly me,” Peter said in a voice full of frustration and sarcasm. “When I came in, my envelope was gone, and it was replaced with a doll, with a knife sticking out of her chest. Oh, and of course a picture of Alice attached to it.”
Trishia was grateful she wasn’t standing because
she didn’t know whether she could have remained in that position after hearing Peter’s words. Her body had stiffened, and she frantically tried to regain her composure when Sam stepped outside on the veranda. She motioned for her to take a seat.
“Is—.” Trishia took a deep breath. “What?”
“A forensic team is already dusting, but I doubt they’ll find anything worthwhile,” Peter sighed. “Whoever smart enough to walk in here, leave me a surprise like that and walk out again probably didn’t leave any fingerprints. But one can always hope, of course.”
“How long had you been away from the office?” Trishia asked, welcoming the fact that her brain was finally kicking back into gear.
“Not that long, Trish. Like I told you, I went home to have a nap, so I guess I’d been gone for no longer than four hours. I left around six and came back fifteen minutes ago. I’m so pissed. How the hell did a stranger manage to walk into the office and pull this number on us?”
Trishia stared at a fluffy white cloud in the sky and tried to organize her thoughts. Peter’s announcement had shocked her to the core, and she realized their case had grown another layer of mystery and horror. When Peter spoke again, it was just a whisper.
“Sweet Jesus, Trish, I feel like throwing up.”
“You are on your cell phone, right?
“Yeah, I can’t get near my desk now. Not with all those lab people buzzing around.”
“Go outside, Pete,” Trish ordered. “We need to talk in private.”
“On my way,” Peter answered.
Tapping her foot, Trishia waited for Peter to leave the building and find someplace where they could talk without running the risk of being overheard. She glanced at Sam who was looking at her with a worried frown but didn’t prod her for information. Trishia’s legs were stretched out in front of her, and the back of her head was leaning against the wall behind her. She closed her eyes and was trying to calm her racing heart by slowly breathing in and out. From inside, she could hear voices coming from the kitchen, where Jody, Lucy, and Joan were cleaning up the remnants of their breakfast and Lucy and her mother were talking in subdued voices.
Trishia knew Lisa and Alice had not yet returned from Alice’s bedroom and she sincerely hoped that was a good sign. She knew Lisa was known for the way she could get young people to open up to her, but Alice would be a tough nut to crack. Although Trishia did realize that the events that had taken place that morning, might have given the timid teenager a push in the right direction. She hoped she had not just imagined that the expression on Alice’s face had been more relaxed and less guarded. She knew Alice had been drawn to Jody from the beginning, and she hoped the rest of the McDonnell clan and friends had worked their magic and made Alice feel safer and more at ease than she had been in a long time.
“Alright, I’m outside, away from the building and there’s no way anyone can overhear this conversation,” Peter said, startling Trishia out of her musings. “Trish, we’re both thinking the same thing, aren’t we?”
“If that is suspecting the murderer is someone with access to the police station? Yeah, we’re thinking the same thing,” Trishia answered with controlled anger. “Damn, Peter, somebody is doing a number on us.”
“Do you think it could be a sick joke?” Peter’s voice was hesitant.
“No, I don’t believe that,” Trishia sighed. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this, Pete.”
“Me too,” Peter answered somberly. “I’ll check who was at the station during the hours I was away. I guess we can rule out delivery people since it was too early. Besides, they never come upstairs. And it’s Saturday.”
“Did you notify the boss?” Trishia asked.
“Yes, I called her before I called you. She wasn’t happy and…. oh, hell, she just pulled into the parking lot, Trish, she’s fuming. Think she’ll chew my ass?”
Trish chuckled. “Don’t worry, mate, it’s not your fault. Listen, Pete, make sure you get the footage from the surveillance camera and ask the boss if you can bring it over to me. I have a bad feeling about leaving Alice unprotected. We can have a look at it here, in peace, without possible suspects glancing over our shoulder, okay? And tell the boss I would appreciate some increased patrolling in this area. Also, make sure I can—.”
“You can talk to her in private,” Peter interrupted. “Sure, Trish. Anything else on your shopping list?” he asked with sarcasm.
“The mongrel we are looking for, preferably in shackles?” Trishia replied wryly.
Peter snorted, and she smiled. They had been through some tough times together and knew each other well. One thing they both appreciated about each other was their sense of humor. And though they didn’t always agree and, at times, even ended up in an occasional shouting match, their friendship was strong.
“Right, Senior Sergeant Waters.” Peter quipped. “I wish… Well, keep an eye on the girls, and I’ll be there as soon as I can, with the security footage I hope.”
“Watch your tail, Pete,” Trishia warned.
“I will, mate. Don’t worry.”
“I know,” Trishia smiled. “Let’s only use our cell phones from now on, okay?”
“Good idea. I’ll see you soon, partner.”
When Trishia glanced up, Sam was leaning against the railing, seemingly relaxed, but Trishia could easily see the tension in her body. She stood up and walked down the veranda, motioning Sam to follow her.
“What’s up?” Sam asked as soon as they had walked away from the house. Her blue eyes were filled with worry. “He didn’t—?”
“No, he didn’t strike again,” Trishia was quick to reassure her. “Something happened at the station this morning, though. I don’t know if I’m allowed to tell you this, but I will anyway because it complicates things. Peter just called me and had some disturbing news.”
In her typical, calm way, Trishia explained to Sam what had happened, and in Sam’s eyes, she could see the anger flare. She couldn’t blame her. Trishia felt the same, but she couldn’t allow herself the luxury to give into that because it would cloud her judgment. She needed to stay alert and sharp since too many things depended on her.
“Now what?” Sam asked through gritted teeth.
“Peter will come over here. I asked for increased patrols in this area. If it were up to me, I’d have twenty-four-hour protection around your house. If it’s alright with you and Jody, I’ll bunk in the guesthouse until this is all over.”
“Of course,” Sam immediately responded.
“I want one of our techs to come up here and secure the windows properly. The fact that Yarra had access to Fiona’s bedroom bugs me, Sam. I don’t want any nasty surprises. I’m sorry we have to do this because it will probably add to the stress everybody is already under, but it’s the smart thing to do.”
“I can do that myself,” Sam replied. “Until proven otherwise, from now on, outside of my friends and family, I’ll only trust you, Peter and Inspector Wong. I’ll pick up stuff in town and fix those windows myself. I don’t want anyone I don’t know near the house.” Sam raked her fingers through her hair and angrily kicked away a pebble. “This whole situation is insane, Trish. I feel like we’re trapped in a nightmare. Again.”
“I know, Sam and I’m very sorry about that, believe me.”
“And I understand you’d like surveillance around the clock, but—.” Sam took in a deep breath, and Trishia saw her eyes turn darker. She knew Sam was remembering the two police officers who were killed in their car when keeping an eye on the house of Sam and Jody’s friends.
“I still have the occasional nightmare about that,” Sam said in a soft voice. “I’d rather sit here on the veranda with a shotgun than have anyone else risk their lives again to keep my family safe.”
Trishia nodded. She truly understood the sentiment. “Sam, if necessary, we could relocate Alice, so—.”
“No,” Sam interrupted. “The kid needs to feel safe. She’s been through too much already. Relocating her wil
l not be good for her.” Sam cast a look at the house she and Jody loved so much. When they moved in it was like a dream come true; their own little paradise, where they would live and enjoy each other, their family and friends, and, eventually, raise a family. It was supposed to be a happy place, not the center of another horrible nightmare. She turned to Trishia. “And stop blaming yourself. If you hadn’t taken Alice with you, she could have been dead by now. If we all work together, we can get through this, I’m sure.”
Trishia could see the willpower and determination radiate from Sam. Slowly, a smile worked its way to her face, and she nodded. “Alright, Sam. Thanks. You and Jody are pretty special people and so is your family, you know that, right?”
Sam answered the smile with one of her own and Trishia could see the usual twinkle had returned. “Don’t forget you’re part of that family as well, Trish,” she said. “I believe it’s just a matter of time before you’ll make an honest woman out of Lucy.”
Trishia chuckled and put her hand on Sam’s shoulder. They leisurely walked back toward the house. “Do you think she’ll have me?” she joked, but Sam could hear a hint of insecurity.
“Are you kidding?” Sam laughed. “Don’t be an idiot, Trish. Believe me, I have known Lucy for a long time now. True, I’d been away from them all for eight years, but she hasn’t changed much. I have never, ever seen her act the way she does around you. She loves you.”
“So, you think I should ask her? Or is it too soon?” Trishia asked. Suddenly she felt nervous. Butterflies were dancing around in her stomach, and her mouth had gone dry.
“Do you want to?” Sam responded.
“Hell, yeah!” Trishia answered wholeheartedly. “It’s just that I …I’m scared witless just thinking about it. What if she says ‘no’?”
“She won’t,” Sam replied, full of confidence. “I know how you feel. I was a nervous wreck when I asked Jody, even though I knew how much she loved me. I guess it’s fear sparked by underlying insecurity.” She chuckled. “But trust me on this one, Trish, Lucy loves you deeply.”