by Harlan Coben
She probably assumed that she was safe and that was understandable. The Goldbergs, a couple who survived by being discreet, had sold her an ID.
No reason to believe that they would ever talk the only reason they had was because of their friendship with Squares and Raquel, plus the fact that they in part blamed themselves for her theoretical murder.
Add on to that the fact that now Sheila Rogers was "dead" and thus nobody would be tracking her down, well, it made sense that she would let down her guard just a bit.
The credit card had been used to withdraw funds from an ATM yesterday in Union Square. From there it was just a question of hitting the nearby hotels. Most detective work is done through sources and payoffs, which are really one and the same. The good detectives have paid sources at phone companies, the tax bureau, credit card companies, the DMV, whatever. If you think this is difficult that it would be hard to find somebody who will provide confidential information for cash you do not read the papers much.
But this was even easier. Just call the hotels and ask to speak with Donna White. You do that until one hotel says "Please hold" and connects you. And now, as I took the steps into the lobby of the Regina Hotel, I felt the jangle. She was alive. I couldn't let myself believe that would not believe it until I saw her with my own eyes.
Hope does funny things to a brain. It can darken as well as lighten.
Where before I had made myself believe that a miracle was possible, now I feared that it might all be taken away from me again, that this time, when I looked into that casket, my Sheila would be there.
Love you always.
That was what her note said. Always.
I approached the front desk. I'd told Squares that I wanted to handle this alone. He understood. The receptionist, a blond woman with a hesitant smile, was on the phone. She shot me the teeth and pointed to the phone to let me know that she would be off soon. I gave her a no-rush shrug and leaned against the desk, feigning relaxed.
A minute later, she replaced the receiver and gave me her undivided attention. "May I help you?"
"Yes," I said. My voice sounded unnatural, too modulated, as if I were hosting one of those lite-FM programs. "I'm here to see Donna White.
Could you give me her room number?"
"I'm sorry, sir. We don't give out our guests' room numbers."
I almost slapped myself in the forehead. How stupid could I be? "Of course, my apologies. I'll call up first. Do you have a house phone?"
She pointed to the right. Three white phones, none with keypads, lined the wall. I picked one up and listened to the ring. An operator came on. I asked her to connect me to the room of Donna White. She said and I noticed that this is the new all-purpose, hotel-employee catch phrase "A pleasure," and then I heard the phone ring.
My heart crawled up my windpipe.
Two rings. Then three. On the sixth ring, I was transferred into the hotel's voice mail system. A mechanical voice told me that the guest was not available at this time and what to do if I wanted to leave a message. I hung up.
Now what?
Wait, I guess. What else was there? I bought a newspaper at the stand and found a spot in the corner of the lobby where I could see the door.
I kept the newspaper up over my face, Spy vs. Spy style, and felt like a total idiot. My insides churned. I never thought of myself as the type for an ulcer, but over the past few days, a burning acidity had started clawing at my stomach lining.
I tried to read the paper a totally futile act, of course.
I couldn't concentrate. I couldn't muster up the energy to care about current events. I couldn't keep my place while glancing at the door every three seconds. I turned the pages. I looked at the pictures. I tried to give a damn about the box scores. I flipped to the comics, but even Beetle Bailey was too taxing.
The blond receptionist would flick her gaze in my direction every once in a while. When our eyes met, she'd smile in a patronizing way.
Keeping her eye on me, no doubt. Or maybe that was more paranoid thinking. I was just a man reading a newspaper in the lobby. I had done nothing to arouse her suspicion.
An hour passed without incident. My cell phone rang. I put it to my ear.
"You see her yet?" Squares asked.
"She's not in her room. Or at least she's not answering the phone."
"Where are you now?"
"I'm staking out the lobby."
Squares made a sound.
"What? "I asked.
"Did you really say 'staking out'?"
"Give me a break, okay?"
"Look, why don't we just hire a couple of guys from the agency to do it right? They'll call us as soon as she gets in."
I considered that. "Not yet," I said.
And that was when she entered.
My eyes widened. My breathing started coming in deep swallows. My God. It was really my Sheila. She was alive. I fumbled the phone, almost dropping it.
"Will?"
"I have to go," I said.
"She there?"
"I'll call you back."
I clicked off the power. My Sheila I'll call her that because I don't know how else to refer to her had changed her hair. It was cut shorter, flipping up and under at the end of the swan neck. She had bangs now too. The color had been darkened to an Elvira black. But the effect... I saw her and it was like someone punched my chest with a giant fist.
Sheila kept moving. I started to rise. The dizziness made me pull up.
She walked the way she always walked no hesitation, head high, with purpose. The elevator door was already opened, and I realized that I might not make it in time.
She stepped inside. I was on my feet now. I hurried across the lobby without running. I did not want to make a scene. Whatever was happening here whatever had made her vanish and change names and wear a disguise and Lord knows what else needed to be somewhat finessed. I could not just yell out her name and sprint across the lobby.
My feet clacked on the marble. The sound echoed too loudly in my own ears. I was going to be late. I stopped and watched the elevator doors shut.
Damn.
I pressed the call button. Another elevator opened immediately. I started toward it but pulled up. Wait, what good would that do? I didn't even know what floor she was on. I checked the lights above my Sheila's elevator. They moved steadily. Floor five, then six.
Had Sheila been the only one in the elevator?
I thought so.
The elevator stopped on the ninth floor. Okay, fine. Now I pushed the call button. The same elevator was there. I hurried inside and pressed nine, hoping that I would get there before she entered her room. The door started closing. I leaned against the back. At the last second, a hand shot through. The doors banged against the hand and then opened. A sweaty man in a gray business suit sighed his way in, offering me a nod. He pressed eleven. The door closed again and we were on our way up.
"Hot out," he said to me.
"Yeah."
He sighed again. "Good hotel, don't you think?"
A tourist, I thought. I had been in a million New York City elevators before. New Yorkers understood the rules: You stare up at the flashing numbers. You do not engage anyone in conversation.
I told him that yes, it was nice, and as the doors opened, I dashed out. The corridor was long. I looked to my left. Nothing. I looked to my right and heard a door close. Like a hunting dog on point, I sprinted toward the sound. Right-hand side, I thought. End of the corridor.
I followed the audible scent, if you will, and deduced that the sound had come from either room 912 or 914. I looked at one door, then the other. I remembered an episode of Batman where Catwoman promises that one door will lead to her, the other to a live tiger. Batman chose wrong. Well, hell, this isn't Batman.
I knocked on both doors. I stood between them and waited.
Nothing.
I knocked again, harder this time. Movement. I was rewarded with some kind of movement emanating from room 912.. I sli
d in front of the door. I adjusted my shirt collar. Now I could hear the security chain being slid to the side. I braced myself. The knob turned and the door began to swing open.
The man was burly and annoyed. He wore a V-neck undershirt and striped boxers. He barked, "What?"
"I'm sorry. I was looking for Donna White."
He put his fists on his hips. "Do I look like Donna White?"
Strange sounds emanated from the gruff man's room. I listened closer.
Groans. Quasi-passionate groans of faux pleasure. The man met my eye, but he didn't look happy about it. I stepped back. Spectravision, I thought. In-room movies. The man was watching a skin flick. Porno interruptus "Uh, sorry," I said.
He slammed the door shut.
Okay, let's rule out room 912.. At least, I hoped like hell I could.
This was crazy. I raised my hand to knock on 914, when I heard a voice say, "Can I help you?"
I turned and at the end of the corridor, I saw a no-neck buzz cut wearing a blue blazer. The blazer had a small logo on his lapel and a patch on his upper arm. He puffed out his chest. Hotel security and proud of it.
"No, I'm fine," I said.
He frowned. "Are you a guest of the hotel?"
"Yes."
"What's your room number?"
"I don't have a room number."
"But you just said "
I rapped the door hard. Buzz Cut hurried toward me. For a moment I thought he might make a diving tackle in order to protect the door, but at the last moment, he pulled up.
"Please come with me," he said.
I ignored him and knocked again. There was still no answer. Buzz Cut put his arm on mine. I shook it off, knocked again, and yelled, "I know you're not Sheila." That confused Buzz Cut. He frowned some more. We both stopped and watched the door. Nobody answered. Buzz Cut took my arm again, more gently this time. I did not put up a fight. He led me downstairs and through the lobby.
I was out on the sidewalk. I turned. Buzz Cut puffed his chest again and crossed his arms.
Now what?
Another New York City axiom: You cannot stand in one place on a sidewalk. Flow is essential. People hurry by and they don't expect to find something in their way. If they do, they may veer but they never stop.
I looked for a safe place. The secret was to stay as close to the actual building as possible the shoulder of the sidewalk, if you will.
I huddled near a plate glass window, took out the cell phone, called the hotel, and asked to be connected to Donna White's room. I got another "a pleasure" and was patched through.
There was no answer.
This time I left a simple message. I gave her my cell phone number and tried not to sound like I was begging when I asked her to call.
I slid the phone back into my pocket and again asked myself: Now what?
My Sheila was inside. The thought made me lightheaded. Too much yearning. Too many possibilities and what-ifs. I made myself push it away.
Okay, fine, so what did that mean exactly? First off, was there another way out? A basement or back exit? Had she spotted me from behind those sunglasses? Was that why she hurried to the elevator?
When I followed her, had I made a mistake about the room number? That could be. I knew that she was on the ninth floor. That was a start.
Or did I? If she spotted me, could she have stopped at another floor as a decoy?
Do I stand out here?
I didn't know. I couldn't go home, that was for sure. I took a deep breath. I watched the pedestrians race by, so many of them, one bleary mass, separate entities making up a whole. And then, looking through the mass, I saw her.
My heart stopped.
She just stood there and stared at me. I was too overwhelmed to move.
I felt something inside me give way. I put my hand to my mouth to stifle a cry. She moved toward me. Tears stung her eyes. I shook my head. She did not stop. She reached me and pulled me close.
"It's okay," she whispered.
I closed my eyes. For a long while we just held each other. We did not speak. We did not move. We just slipped away.
Chapter -Two.
"My real name is Nora Spring."
We sat in the lower level of a Starbucks on Park Avenue South, in a corner near an emergency fire exit. No one else was down here. She kept her eyes on the stairs, worried I'd been followed. This Starbucks, like so many others, had earth tones, surreal swirling artwork, and large photographs of brown-skinned men too happily picking coffee beans. She held a venti iced latte between both hands. I went with the frappuccino.
The chairs were purple and oversize and just plush enough. We pushed them together. We held hands. I was confused, of course. I wanted answers. But beyond that, on a whole higher plane, the pure joy splashed through me. It was an amazing rush. It calmed me. I was happy. Whatever I was about to learn would not change that. The woman I loved was back. I would let nothing change that.
She sipped at the latte. "I'm sorry," she said.
I squeezed her hand.
"To run out like that. To let you think" she stopped "I can't even imagine what you must have thought." Her eyes found mine. "I never wanted to hurt you."
"I'm okay, "I said.
"How did you learn I wasn't Sheila?"
"At her funeral. I saw the body."
"I wanted to tell you, especially after I heard she'd been murdered."
"Why didn't you?"
"Ken told me it might get you killed."
My brother's name jarred me. Nora turned away. I slid my hand up her arm and stopped at the shoulder. The tension had knotted her muscles.
I gently kneaded them, a familiar moment for us. She closed her eyes and let my fingers work. For a long time neither of us spoke. I broke the silence. "How long have you known my brother?"
"Almost four years," she said.
I nodded through my shock, trying to encourage her to say more, but she still had her face turned away. I gently took hold of her chin and turned her to me. I kissed her lightly on the lips.
She said, "I love you so much."
I felt a soar that nearly lifted me off the chair. "I love you too."
"I'm scared, Will."
"I'll protect you," I said.
She held my gaze. "I've been lying to you. The whole time we've been together."
"I know."
"Do you really think we can survive that?"
"I lost you once," I said. "I'm not going to lose you again."
"You're that sure?"
"Love you," I said. "Always."
She studied my face. I don't know what she was looking for. "I'm married, Will."
I tried to keep my expression blank, but it was not easy. Her words wrapped around me and tightened, boa-constrictor-like. I almost pulled my hand away.
"Tell me," I said.
"Five years ago, I ran away from my husband, Cray. Cray was" she closed her eyes "incredibly abusive. I don't want to go into details.
They're not important anyway. We lived in a town called Cramden. It's not far from Kansas City. One day, after Cray put me in the hospital, I ran away. That's all you need to know, okay?"
I nodded.
"I don't have any family. I had friends, but I really didn't want to get them involved. Cray is insane. He wouldn't let me go. He threatened ..." Her voice trailed away. "Never mind what he threatened. But I couldn't put anyone at risk. So I found a shelter that helps battered women. They took me in. I told them I wanted to start over. I wanted to get out of there. But I was afraid of Cray.
You see, Cray is a town cop. You have no idea .. . you live in terror for so long, you start to think that a man is omnipotent. It's impossible to explain."
I scooted a little closer, still holding her hand. I had seen the effects of abuse. I understood.
"The shelter helped me escape to Europe. I lived in Stockholm. It was hard. I got a job as a waitress. I was lonely all the time. I wanted to come back, but I was still so afraid of my husband,
I didn't dare.
After six months, I thought I'd lose my mind. I still had nightmares about Cray finding me...."
Her voice broke off. I had no idea what to do. I tried to scoot my chair closer to hers. The armrests were already touching, but I think she appreciated the gesture.
"Anyway, I finally met a woman. She was an American living in the area. We started cautiously, but there was something about her. I guess we both had that on-the-run look. We were also lonely as hell, though she at least had her husband and daughter. They were in deep hiding too. I didn't know why at first."
"This woman," I said. "It was Sheila Rogers?"
"Yes."
"And the husband." I stopped, swallowed. "That was my brother."
She nodded. "They have a daughter named Carly."
It was beginning to make sense.
"Sheila and I became close friends, and while it took him a little longer to trust me, I grew close to Ken too. I moved in with them, started helping them take care of Carly. Your niece is a wonderful child, Will. Smart and beautiful and, not to get metaphysical, but there is such an aura around her."
My niece. Ken had a daughter. I had a niece I had never seen.
"Your brother talked about you all the time, Will. He might mention your mother or your father or even Melissa, but you were his world. He followed your career. He knew all about your working at Covenant House. Here he had been in hiding for what, seven years? He was lonely too, I guess. So once he trusted me, he talked to me a lot. And what he talked about most was you."
I blinked and looked down at the table. I studied the Starbucks brown napkin. There was some stupid poem about aroma and a promise on it.
Made from recycled paper. The color was brown because they did not use bleach.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"I'm fine," I said. I looked up. "So what happened next?"
"I got in touch with a friend back home. She told me that Cray had hired a private detective and that he knew I was in the Stockholm area.