“At least Agent Camry is still here with us. Let’s check with her to see what she knows,” Katie said. Then the phone rang.
Katie and Scott lurched upright to pick it up, knocking heads, causing Katie to fall back a step.
“Yes, we’re both here,” Scott said. Momentarily he covered the mouthpiece and whispered, “Tony Streeter.”
Katie looked over to Sammie and Jackie, still asleep, thank goodness.
“What’s he want?” she whispered back.
“He’s here, ” Scott said. “He wants us to wake up Sammie and Jackie. He says he —”
Katie leaned into Scott, her heart racing. Why would he say that: wake up the girls?
“Okay,” Scott sounded tentative. “Sure, she’s right here, but we don’t have a speaker. Sure.” Scott pulled Katie closer. “He wants to tell us something. Together.”
“I have a little girl out here who’s very anxious to see her family.”
Scott dropped the phone, and Katie didn’t even try to modulate her scream. “Oh, my God. Thank you. Thank you, God.”
Scott and Katie each grabbed a triplet and pulled them out of bed.
“Is Alex here yet?” Sammie asked.
“We knew she’d be back tonight,” Jackie said. “Right, Sam?”
“I dreamed that she got to ride on a helicopter,” Sammie said, pulling loose from Katie to put on a hospital robe.
“Not fair,” said Jackie. “That’s what I always wanted to do.”
The door opened and Alex, a huge smile on her face, walked in between Agents Streeter and Camry.
“Mom?” Alex sounded so normal. “Mom, are you okay?”
Blinded by tears, Katie ran to Alex. “Alex, oh sweetie, is that really you? We’ve missed you so much. We were so worried. So very scared.”
“I was scared, too, but I’m okay, Mom. Really. I escaped.”
Katie could feel Alex try to wriggle out of her iron hold. She could feel Scott’s arms around the two of them before she felt his hot tears trickling down onto her forehead.”
“Oh Scott, it’s really her,” Katie said relinquishing her hold on Alex.
“Dad, are you crying?” Alex stared at Scott. “Dad, I never saw you cry. Are you okay?”
“You bet. Tears of joy,” Scott said, swiping his arm over wet eyes. “We missed you, kiddo. The Condors have their third baseman back.”
Then Katie and Scott as one, backed away as Sammie and Jackie flung themselves on Alex and in an instant all three were tumbling on a hospital cot.
“I have to call Mom,” Katie said, pulling her cell phone out of the charger. “She’ll get the word out. Oh, I am so happy that I can’t believe it.” She turned to Tony Streeter and Ellen Camry, “How can we ever thank you two. If you hadn’t been there for us, I just don’t think —”
“They’re all okay,” Streeter said, then repeated. “They’re all okay. Just look at the three of them.”
Scott’s voice was hoarse. “How can we ever thank you. You gave us our lives back.” Then he flung his arms first around Streeter and then around Camry.
Once the girls had sorted themselves out, Sammie said, “Alex, I didn’t want to leave you. I just wanted to get help. Hey, you know what? Jackie was really sick. But she’s okay. I mean, she was in the hospital and all.”
“Jackie, you don’t look sick to me,” Alex inspected her sister. “But you do look different from Sammie and me now with our short hair.”
“I’m not kidding, Alex,” Sammie said, “Jackie was in a coma. That’s what Dr. Susan said. Hey, did that Spanky guy hurt you?”
Katie gulped. Alex looked thinner maybe, but not hurt.
“No, not really,” Alex said, but Katie noticed her expression change to near panic. And in an instant change back. “Hey I got to ride in an FBI helicopter. They let me put on the earphones and hear them talk And guess what? I decided. I’m going to be a pilot.”
“See, Jackie,” Sammie said, “I told you about the helicopter. You didn’t believe me.”
Katie and Scott exchanged a grateful look. The triplets were going at it again.
“I hate to interrupt this reunion,” Streeter said, “but the director would like you to do an impromptu press release. The media is already swarming. We could have it right here, if you wish, or in a more formal setting in the hospital conference room. Very brief. Just a thank-you gesture for the efforts that the media made to find Alex and Sammie.”
“That sounds fair,” Scott said.
“I’ve already been on television,” Jackie said with a smug edge. She flipped her long hair, “And I still have my long hair.”
“Alex, guess what?” Sammie grinned. “We’re famous. They even wanted me to go on TV.”
“Alex, the whole world was so worried about you and Sammie.” Jackie beamed with this announcement. “I even got a letter from the president’s daughters.”
“President Obama?” Alex’s eyes widened. “Jackie, you did?”
“Yes.” Jackie’s smile widened. “I saved it for you to see ’cause you were telling everybody to vote for him.”
“Okay, girls, Jackie, pull on a robe like Sammie, I’ll brush everybody’s hair, including mine. And let’s do it here. But first, Alex, come here, I just need to look you over.”
Streeter watched as Katie did a visual examination of her daughter, checking out scrapes and scratches and bruises. She seemed pleased with the first aid he’d administered during the helicopter ride from Wells State Park to Detroit. Now all three girls were talking at once. Streeter thought that was a healthy sign, but what did he know? He wasn’t exactly the ideal father.
“Alex, you feel so hot,” Katie was saying as she swiped a hand against Alex’s brow.
“Ouch, Mom.” Alex winced and took a step back. “You know how you make us use sunscreen when we go out. Well, I had to walk all day long on the beach. That woman didn’t have any. I asked.”
“Sunburn,” Katie murmured. “Okay, that’ll be okay. Yes, that’ll be okay.”
“We’re going to need forensic samples from Alex,” Agent Camry said. “Right after the press conference. Then you can all get some sleep. All of you. Together.”
“I just want to get us all home,” Katie said.
“We’ve arranged for you to stay one more night here,” Streeter explained. “We still have security issues to work out. Getting Alex to you was our highest priority, but there are other loose ends. But, for you, they can wait until tomorrow.”
Camry had left the family to check with the FBI public relations people. They’d want to milk this for all it’s worth. Streeter would be a star, but all he wanted now was to be surrounded by his own daughters. He had called Marianne, and she had promised to drive the girls from Grand Rapids to Detroit, first thing in the morning. For that he was grateful. Just the vision would get him through another sleepless night.
Camry returned with a change of plans. “There are way too many reporters to fit in here,” she said. “We’re going to have to do this in the auditorium. Even then, it’ll be crowded. That okay, Dr. Monroe? Mr. Monroe?”
Arms enclosing their three daughters, the Monroe parents said as one, “Anything you want is okay. We are just so, so happy.”
Streeter insisted that the press conference be short, and the Monroes promised to include the girls in a more comprehensive one the next day, as did Streeter, speaking for the FBI.
When the family, Lucy, and Dr. Susan now with them, returned to their hospital room, they noticed a new bed had been wedged in. The hospital kitchen had sent up an assortment of sandwiches, cookies, and drinks, and Katie lobbied successfully that Alex be able to snack with her sisters before being led off with Susan for the required forensic examination.
The same young pediatrician who’d examined Sammie came by, and Alex went off with him willingly, all three girls giggling how cute he was. When Alex was returned in fifteen minutes, Streeter could see the relief in Katie’s eyes as she beamed a smile at Scott. Alex had
denied any sexual abuse, and the examination must have just confirmed that.
After Susan volunteered to drive Lucy home, Streeter and Camry adjourned to the field office for a full night’s work. As Streeter closed the door he heard Katie say, “One more thing for tonight, let’s call Grandpa Monroe. It’ll only be ten o’clock in Minnesota. And this news will be the best medicine in the world.”
While with the Monroes, Streeter had turned off all communications. He did not know the whereabouts of Samuel Spansky. Mother Spansky was in custody, and based on her babbling story, would most likely end up in a place for loonies.
CHAPTER 63
Storms Cast Gloom Over Great Lakes.
Weather Forecast, Sunday, June 21
Spanky had trouble navigating the rough lake in the torrential downpour. He’d never been out on Lake Michigan, and he’d never captained by himself on the Atlantic Ocean. The sooner he could dump this boat and get on land the better. He could drive any vehicle over any terrain, that he knew. He had disabled the GPS as a precaution, and now he floundered, unsure of his position. When he came perilously close to a bridge abutment, he decided to hunker down in an inlet until the storm passed. He’d then figure out where he was and be on his way.
As the weather eventually broke, Spanky figured that he was past Sturgeon Bay. While he still had some light, he moved back out into the lake, heading south toward Milwaukee. Checking the chart, he picked Manitowoc, a big enough town in Wisconsin to abandon the boat and pick up an ordinary, older model car and head south on the back roads.
The waves were still gigantic when Spanky took the boat back onto the lake, but the rain had stopped, giving him decent visibility. It was close to eight o’clock and he’d only have another half hour of good light to select a landing site.
He heard the drone of helicopter engines before he saw powerful searchlights illuminate the lake around him. He was a sitting duck. A helicopter dropped to hover just over his boat. Over the crest of waves he heard a deep voice, “Michigan State Police. Samuel Spanksy. Come out on deck. Hands up.”
The pigs had him. He had only one chance. Spanky pulled the .44 Magnum out of his cargo pants. Stepping down from the cabin onto the deck, he took his aim. A direct shot at the head of the operator, but before he got the shot off, a rogue wave knocked him off his feet.
Spanky felt his body, in one prolonged motion, slide across the smooth, wet deck, under the rail, and into the lake. He was going to drown. He knew it. Even so, he struggled to keep his head above water in the powerful wave action. As he took his last gasp of air and his bulky body started its descent to the bottom, he thought of the babies, his half sisters, Jennifer and Jessica. So this is what it must have been like for them.
The nightmare over, Katie didn’t care what happened to Marge Spansky. In a way she felt sorry for her, a woman unable to recover after the drowning of her eight-month-old twin daughters. And now, her son, however evil he may have been, a victim of drowning. If asked for her opinion, Katie would advocate a plea of insanity, followed by psychiatric care. That woman had caused her indescribable pain, but she bore her no ill will. She had not mistreated Sammie and Alex, and in the end she had protected Alex. Truthfully, had she lost any one of her daughters, Katie wasn’t sure if she’d be able to cope with reality and lead a normal, sane life.
Katie had received a letter of apology from Ken Franklin. Poor guy, said he was sorry for involving her in a crime twenty-five years ago and for stalking her recently. He would always love her, but he promised never to try to see her again — unless she wanted him to — like that would ever happen. He wanted her to know that he was living with his mother, just in case.
The Yankee connection had finally been resolved. Of that she was glad. Now Scott wouldn’t have to second-guess some unidentified enemy out there. What would happen to the buff, blond guy that Scott had suspected and later identified in the surveillance video surrounding the ransom drop site in Birmingham, she didn’t know. Cliff Hunter was a bitter, vindictive man. In a way she was relieved that all the crazies that had surfaced could not be traced to her psychiatric practice.
Her sister-in-law, Monica Monroe, had resumed her tour for her new CD release, but only after writing four one hundred thousand dollar checks. One to Sheila Gladsky, who’d described Marge Spanky; one to the Talbotts, who’d led them to the Spansky home; one to Rudy Conover, who’d led them to the state park; and the fourth to Adam Kaninsky. But Adam had not been found. Katie prayed that he was safe.
Now as Katie sat in the bleachers at the little league park in Tampa, mopping the sweat, watching her expanded family take their places around the baseball diamond, she said a silent prayer for all the children hurt by Marge Spansky’s abduction of Sammie and Alex at that movie theatre. Alex and Sammie seemed to be fine, but Jackie still had despondent moods, which worried Katie. But of all the children, she worried most about eleven-year-old Tina Watkins who’d waited so long for her father to be released from prison only to have him so terrified that he, in effect, took his own life. She’d already set up a trust fund for Tina’s college and she would help Connie and Tina the best she could along the way.
Scott had just corralled the team for the pregame pep talk and Katie smiled and waved. She focused on her two adopted sons. The Cutty boys, Jake and Aiden, were adjusting well and had learned to throw and catch a baseball. Maybe with time, they’d give the girls a run for their money. Then there was Scott. There he was out there, face animated, saying whatever coaches say to motivate their players. Scott was a one-in-the-universe kind of guy. She not only loved him beyond words, but after all those years and all those troubles, she was “in love” with him.
Table of Contents
Cover Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
buttons">share
And Then There Was One Page 31