���The twins and Hayley.��� He held up three fingers, then he added two more, and grinned. ���And Ava and Justin.���
���Leave Hayley alone.��� Her eyes went hard.
���We’ll see.���
���No, she’s just a kid, J.J. You leave her out of this.���
���And when she figures out she’s the last man standing? Then what?���
���You leave that to me. But you give me your word, you don’t touch her.���
���Fine.��� He held up both hands as if in surrender. ���Hayley’s untouchable. Not that I would have. As you say, she’s just a kid. I really do have some standards, you know.���
���Right. I seem to recall those standards going right out the window when it came to Jessica. She wasn’t much older than Hayley.���
���Jessica looked like she was twenty.��� He waved her off.
���Yeah, well, that’s what started this whole mess. You couldn’t keep it in your pants, and the next thing I know, you’re coming back from Florida with a dead girl in the trunk of your car.���
���She was the one who insisted that we get together,��� he reminded her. ���I wouldn’t have thought of-���
���Spare me. You couldn’t wait to get your hands on her once you saw her picture.���
���She was pretty hot, you have to admit.���
���I bailed you out of that one. Now I’m wondering if I should have.���
He laughed out loud. ���I have to admit, ���My dad just got transferred to France and we’re moving to Paris��� was a pretty good cover. Which of course would not have worked if I hadn’t brought her laptop back with me so that she could occasionally check in with the group.���
���That’s quite a collection you’ve got, isn’t it? Jessica’s, Belle’s, Lori’s.���
���And Ali’s. Don’t forget Ali’s. You have to admit, they’ve come in real handy.��� He smiled. ���It’s sort of my version of keeping my friends close and my enemies closer.���
She pushed at his chest and walked to the door. ���When you get serious about figuring out what we do next, you let me know.���
���I already have it figured out,��� he told her calmly. ���Sit yourself back down and listen. I’m going to need you to set this up������
TWENTY-FIVE
Okay, what was the first thing you noticed about that photograph of Gardner’s daughter?��� Emme turned to Nick as soon as they were in the car.
���That the silver frame it was in was probably worth more than your car?���
���Funny man.��� She turned the key in the ignition. ���Who did she look like?���
He thought it over. ���Like Belle. Hayley. And the picture Ali sent us of Lori.���
���And the son. He reminded me of one of the other boys. The first thing I’m going to do when we get back to the office is pull up those photos on my laptop.���
���Well, one thing you can say for the guy, his gene pool is pretty damn consistent. There is a resemblance among those kids. But what did you think of him? Do you think he was telling the truth?���
���I do. I think he was totally caught off guard about the whole thing. I think he really expected us to be envoys of some sort from Robert, and I think this was the first he’s heard about these kids looking for him. I believed him when he said he did it for the money and then promptly forgot about it. I don’t think he ever spent two seconds wondering what might come from all those donations he made way back then.���
���So you don’t think he’s involved in Belle’s disappearance?���
���No, I don’t. I know you were hoping we’d find the answer in that house, but everything tells me the man knew nothing about all this until we told him.���
���Did you think his reaction was strange? About the kids disappearing?���
���No, I think it was spot-on for a man in his position. Look, something he did twenty or so years ago, with little or no thought to its consequences beyond the obvious financial benefit-except maybe to do something good for someone else, someone like your sister, for example, who wanted a child-has just come back, big time, into his world. I’m sure he was shocked to hear about the kids getting together and trying to find him, and I’m sure he was shocked to hear that so many of them have disappeared. But he’s a man of considerable means and stature. He’s not going to open his doors to these kids. He’s going to stay as removed as possible, and frankly, I don’t know that I blame him.���
She turned onto Route 50 and headed for the bridge.
���He has a lovely family and a high-profile career to protect. He’s going to protect those things. But my gut tells me he didn’t know about any of this until we told him.���
���So where do we go from here?��� Nick asked.
His phone rang before she could respond. ���Hold that thought,��� he said as he answered it. A minute later, he hung up and asked, ���What number should I call to get Robert on the phone?���
���You can use the same number you call for me, then when it asks you for an extension, just put in R-O-B.���
���Give me the number again, please.���
While he tapped in the number, she slanted a glance in his direction. He caught her eye and said, ���I located a car that Robert might want to look at.���
She smiled. If she knew Robert as well as she thought she’d come to know him, Robert would want to look now.
Listening to Nick’s side of the conversation proved her right. Once he completed the call, he turned to her and said, ���Robert wants to see the car first thing tomorrow. To say he sounded enthused would be an understatement.��� He put his phone back into his pocket and leaned back against the seat.
���Where’s the car you’re going to look at?���
���Indiana. Robert said he’d line up a plane if I can make the arrangements with the owner.��� He smiled. ���It must be nice.���
���I heard he has his own plane. No surprise. He can afford it. He doesn’t seem to travel a whole lot, though. Mostly stays around the house or does things with Kevin. Father Kevin, his cousin. They golf and stuff like that.���
���It must be tough, losing your wife and child. Not knowing.���
���He may never know,��� she told him. ���I think it’s going on two years since they disappeared. That’s not good. After a certain amount of time has passed, it’s unlikely-���
She stopped, biting back the words before they could leave her mouth.
���It’s all right, Emme. I know the odds about finding Belle. I just hope we can get to the bottom of it.���
���Me, too. For both your sakes.���
He glanced over at her and in response to his unasked question, she added, ���Yours and Belle’s.���
***
���I can’t remember when I last saw Robert so excited about anything.��� Trula wandered into Emme’s office around lunchtime the following day. ���He just called a few minutes ago; they’re on their way home. He bought this car Nick found for him and he sounded so happy. He said that Nick is going to fix it for him.���
Emme smiled. ���Restore.��� She corrected Trula as Nick had corrected her. ���Nick would tell you that he restores cars, he doesn’t fix them.���
���Whatever he’s going to do to it, Robert is just so enthused. It’s good to see him interested in something again. Even if it is just a car. He’s been at such loose ends for so long now.���
���It was nice of you to send them off with such a great breakfast this morning.��� Emme put her pen down
and turned from her computer. ���Even nicer of you to have made enough for the rest of us, too.���
���Well, I couldn’t very well have fed the three of them and not the three of you growing girls-Suse, Mal, and yourself.��� Trula draped herself over the back of one of the wing chairs near Emme’s desk. ���I know that Kevin likes bacon with his eggs, and I know that Robert likes pancakes, so it made sense to keep them both happy. Your Nick seemed to like everything.���
���He’s not my Nick.��� Emme averted her eyes and turned back to her laptop.
���Well, he’s the Nick who’s involved in that case of yours. He’s what we used to call a handsome devil.���
When Emme didn’t respond in any way, Trula sat in the chair. ���Don’t you think he’s a good-looking boy?���
���Very.��� Emme pretended to read her email.
���Nice, too. Polite. Chloe sure likes him a lot. She told me all about the trip to the zoo. I’ll bet she didn’t leave out one second of the day. Said he took you both out to dinner on the way back and promised to take her to one of those amusement parks where they have all the wild animals roaming around.��� Trula smiled. ���She also said he came back to your room and-���
���He came back to the hotel with us so he could carry Chloe upstairs. She fell asleep over dinner.���
���No need to be so defensive, Emme.���
���I just wouldn’t want you to think that������
���Why? You’re a lovely young woman, and he’s��� well, we’ve already established what he is. And Chloe likes him. What’s the problem?���
���The problem is that Chloe likes him.��� Emme gave up. When Trula wanted to talk about something, damn it, you were going to talk. ���Look, since I adopted Chloe, I’ve made it a point to not get involved with anyone.���
���Are you telling me you haven’t had a date in four years?��� Both of Trula’s eyebrows rose almost to her hairline.
���No, I’m not saying that. I’m saying I haven’t gotten involved with anyone in particular because I didn’t want her to get attached to someone who wasn’t going to be around.���
���Don’t go so fast. You haven’t met anyone you liked in four years?���
���I’ve met a couple of guys that I liked over the past few years, yes.���
���But you didn’t give any of them a chance because you were afraid your daughter might like them?���
���Not that she might like them, but that she might get used to having someone around, and then when they weren’t, it would be hard for her.���
���Why did you assume none of these men would care enough about you to stay?���
When Emme didn’t answer, Trula said, ���That’s the real issue, kiddo. At least as I see it.���
Emme’s throat constricted, and she wanted nothing more than for Trula to leave, but the woman made no move toward the door. Choosing her words carefully, Emme said, ���I didn’t have a very stable childhood. I want better for Chloe.���
���Understandable. Admirable, even. But don’t assume that everyone is going to leave you, Emme.��� Trula stood and brushed a tiny bit of flour from her sleeve. ���There are people in this world who will love you, who will care about you, who will stand by you and who will not let you down, no matter what. I think that’s something Chloe already knows. It seems to me that you could learn a little something from her.���
When Emme finally composed herself enough to turn around, Trula was gone, and her phone was ringing.
���Oh, shit,��� she muttered as she wiped her eyes. Clearing her throat, she answered the call.
���Is this Miss Caldwell?��� a young woman’s voice asked.
���Yes. Who’s this?���
���This is Ava, Miss Caldwell.���
���Ava������
���Yes. I’ve been away at school and really tied up with work at the end of the semester. I read your emails-I know you’re looking for Belle. I was so sorry to hear that she’s been missing.���
���Unfortunately, she’s not the only one.���
���Hayley called me. She told me about Henry, Ali, and Lori disappearing. I know it has something to do with our donor, with Donor 1735. I know Belle figured out his identity,��� Ava said, her voice choked with emotion. ���I never should have let her contact him on her own. I should have followed my instincts and-���
���Wait, Ava. Are you saying that Belle was in contact with Congressman Gardner?���
���You know it’s him, then?���
���Yes. Are you telling me that Belle contacted him?���
���She did. And now she’s missing. And Henry is dead and Lori and Ali are who knows where.��� She sobbed. ���I can never forgive myself for not being more involved in this. I really didn’t think these kids would be able to figure out who he was. If only I’d������
���Why do you think you could have changed things?���
���Because I’m older, and supposed to be wiser. I should have just taken this on myself. I would have approached him in a different way. I would have done a lot of things differently, and my sisters wouldn’t be missing. Henry wouldn’t be dead.���
���You know, the police investigating Henry’s death don’t believe it’s connected to any of this. They don’t believe that Lori’s disappearance has anything to do with Belle being gone.���
���Really?��� Ava paused. ���I would have thought they’d want to investigate the similarities. Especially with Ali being gone now.���
���It makes no sense to me, either.���
���The reason I called is I’m going to go talk to Congressman Gardner. I was wondering if maybe you’d come with me.���
���I already met with him, Ava. He denies knowing about the donor siblings and he made it quite clear he had very little interest in meeting any of you. I’m sorry, I know that isn’t what you want to hear.���
���I don’t think it matters to me whether he’s interested in meeting us or not. I need to see him. I need to ask him about Belle.���
���Why are you so certain that she contacted him?���
���Because the night of that art museum get-together, she drove down to his house to talk to him.���
���How do you know that?���
���She told me she was going. I wasn’t able to make it to Philadelphia that day, so I called her later in the afternoon. She was in her car, on her way to Maryland. She told me she had his address and was going to his house to talk to him.���
���Was he expecting her?���
���No, I think she was going to surprise him.���
���So you don’t know if she actually spoke with him.���
���No, but I’m going to find out.���
���Ava, if you’ve known this all this time, why didn’t you tell someone?���
���Because, like I said, I was off the board most of this year because of school. I’m working on a doctorate in education, and most of the time, my head is spinning, there’s so much work to do. I wasn’t aware that Belle was missing until recently.���
���If you knew Donor 1735’s identity, why didn’t you follow up with Belle to find out if she met with him?���
���For one thing, I didn’t really care about him. I have a father, Miss Caldwell. I come from a very happy and secure home. I had no interest in this man just because he happened to donate sperm to my mother. I feel no connection to him whatsoever. I don’t feel that I have any right to intrude in his life and I don’t want him in mine.���
���Because three of my sisters are missing, and one of my brothers is dead.���
���You feel a connection to them even though you feel no such connection to him.���
���Yes,��� Ava said, after a moment’s hesitation.
���Ava, Congressman Gardner has assured me that he knew nothing about the children who were born as a result of his sperm donation.���
���I would like him to look me in the eye and tell me that.���
���He’s agreed to see you?���
���Yes.���
Emme sighed. ���When are you planning on meeting with him?���
���In about three hours. I’m on my way there now.���
���That’s about how long it would take me to get there.��� Emme looked at the clock. It was already one.
���I know it’s an imposition, but I’d just feel safer if you were there. It would be more official, since you’re investigating Belle’s disappearance, and since you’re a cop or something and you probably carry a gun.���
���Ava, I’m a private investigator, not a cop. I don’t carry a gun, and even if I did, I wouldn’t go into the home of a state congressman with a concealed weapon. If you’re worried about him, why not call the police?���
Ava laughed. ���Miss Caldwell, he’s a congressman, and I’m a grad student from Boston. Besides, what would I say that wouldn’t backfire on the other kids if he really doesn’t know anything about Belle, and the others really want to meet with him?���
When Emme didn’t immediately respond, Ava added, ���Besides, I need a little moral support. I’ve never grilled a congressman before.���
���All right. I see your point. And I understand why you’d rather have someone with you, so yes, I’ll be there. I should be able to get there by four if I leave now.���
���Super. Thanks, Miss Caldwell. I really appreciate it.���
Emme hung up the phone. She would have to leave within the next fifteen minutes. She slipped her feet back into the sandals she’d earlier kicked off and grabbed her bag and went directly to the kitchen.
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