Chrystal Bones (Finding Home Book 1)

by Billie Jo Hanlin

  It was a part of her, just another organ like her heart. Faint scars surrounded it from when the doctors at the labs had tried to cut it out of her. As soon as they had started cutting around it her body had shut down and flatlined. They hadn't tried again, didn't want to lose their specimen she thought forcing her mind away from the memories and back to studying the chrystal. She touched it lightly feeling the slight heat coming from it.

  “Why are you glowing and what does it mean?” she asked herself softly.

  A small voice answered in her mind, whispering the long buried hope. Maybe someone was coming for her and she could go home, wherever home was. She knew she wasn't from this planet. She didn't remember much from before the labs which was odd since she had a very good memory but she did have her dream and she remembered every day she had spent in the labs. She never spoke and the scientists had talked freely in front of her, not knowing that she could understand everything they said.

  Physically she was not that much different from the humans around her, just enough to make her stand out and caused people to take a second look. That was why she stayed behind the scenes and let Riley deal with the clients when she could and when she couldn't there were hats, sunglasses and makeup. She could blend in when she had to. Today was one of those days when she had to.

  Fortified with coffee and cheesecake Blue and Riley sat on the couch in the living room. Blue pointed her fork at Riley and told her, "You are evil, pure evil. You know I can't resist cheesecake."

  "I know,” Riley said smugly before dissolving in a fit of giggles. It was true Blue never turned down cheesecake, ever. She had been known to pack it through jungles with bullets flying around them. “Okay," she said sobering up. "What have you found out so far?"

  "Our target is a seven year old boy taken by his father six days ago as a way to extort money and get even with his ex for having the brains to finally divorce his lying cheating ass,” Blue began. "She had the good sense to be born to a wealthy family who owns their own law firm. They insisted on a prenup before they would give their blessings to the happy couple. They also handled the divorce,” she said with a sardonic smirk.

  “The lying cheating ass, who will be referred to from now on as the LCA, received only what was agreed to in the prenup. Despite his and his lawyer’s, who he was sleeping with by the way, best efforts to get more. He claimed he needed spousal support and a bunch of other crap that the judge didn't agree with. He did walk away with a cool half million dollars. He proceeded to go through that in less than two years.”

  Riley broke in, “Let me guess. Gambling?”

  “Right the first time. He tried to use his charm to get more from the gullible ex and when that didn't work he disappeared with the boy on one of the few times he bothered to show up for his court ordered visitations. Visitations he fought so hard for, but hardly ever managed to show up for.

  Anyway, when the ex went to pick up the boy all she found was a note telling her he would be in touch and not to call the cops. She freaked out and called big brother, who in turn called our friend Jake. Who just happens to be one of his childhood friends. Jake in turn called you yesterday." Blue paused.

  Jake was with the FBI and was one of the few who knew how to contact them. Blue was just a voice on the phone but Riley had met and worked with him several times. Whenever the government in any form was involved in any of their cases Blue stayed behind the scenes, way behind the scenes. She would not take any chances on being captured again.

  They didn't usually take cases involving custodial disputes unless they thought the child was in danger. But Jake had asked them if they would help as a favor to him. Since they owed him a couple of favors, Riley, of course, said yes.

  "The LCA is being smart.” Blue continued, "No activity on his credit cards or bank account and his social security number hasn't popped up on any database. I have the facial recognition software running through the system at both the Seattle and Portland Airports. I will get tagged if he tries to leave the state that way. But I don't think I will find him there.”

  The program was her own work and was significantly better than the ones used by both the government and private security businesses around the globe. It had been child’s play for her to hack into the airport’s network and attach her program to theirs without any one finding it.

  “According to the private investigator’s report from the divorce proceedings he does gamble a lot. You hit the nail on the head with that. I am also checking with all the casinos. Vegas was his destination of choice then and I am betting it still is. If he leaves the state that is where he will go,” Blue finished.

  Riley was silent for a couple of minutes digesting the information Blue had found. It always amazed her just how much information could be found when the right person went looking. She was pretty good. In fact, she was better than most. Blue was better. When she did speak it was to say, "We are meeting with the ex and big brother this afternoon. We can get more of a feel for the situation then."

  “No," Blue said emphatically. "You are meeting with them. Jake is going to be there remember? I don’t want to be anywhere near him if I can help it. I'll go talk to the LCA's neighbors and go through his apartment while you meet with the clients.”

  Riley sighed but didn't argue. It would do her no good. She and Blue had this argument before many times. She understood Blue’s reasoning, even if she did think her friend was more than a little paranoid. You would be too if you had gone through what she did. She told herself.

  Her gifts, while not as strong as Blue’s, should be enough for this initial visit. She could tell if someone was lying to her or holding back some information she needed, and she could connect with the child's mind when she got a hold of something of his. If she needed Blue’s stronger gifts she could have her go and talk to Janie, the boy’s mother when Jake wasn't there. "We can drive to Portland together. I'll rent a car and head to the ranch while you go to on to Seattle." She sighed. It was going to be a long day.

  Chrystal Bones Billie Jo Hanlin

  Chapter 5

  Six hours later Riley drove up a long winding driveway lined with beautiful cherry blossom trees in full bloom. The limbs were heavy with pink and white flowers that formed a canopy overhead. It made Riley think she was driving through a tunnel of flowers. The drive ended at a large two story colonial house painted a pale sage green with white trim. It was spectacular, she thought as she parked at the end of the house. Maybe she should have worn something a little dressier than jeans and a t-shirt. Nope, she decided. She wasn’t here to impress anyone with her non existent fashion sense.

  She stepped out of the little black sports car she had rented in Portland and walked to the front door. She rang the ornate bell and waited a few minutes before ringing it again. When there was still no response she stepped off the porch and walked around to the back of the house. She wasn't late so where was everyone?

  She heard voices raised in alarm at the same time she heard an enraged scream echo in her head. She rounded the corner of the house at a run just in time to see a large black horse rear and kick out at the man trying to restrain him with a rope that was wrapped around his neck. The horse kicked the man in the leg and pulled free to race across the distance separating him and Riley.

  There was a lot of commotion with people running after the horse and yelling. Riley didn't pay any attention to the noise, her focus was completely on the horse running towards her as fast as his legs would carry him. She could see the panic and rage in his rolling eyes. She started crooning and sending soothing waves of calming emotion at him. When he would have run her down the horse abruptly stopped in front of her. Eyes rolling and sides heaving he just stood there. Woman and horse stared at each other. Riley continued to croon, "It's ok, no one is going to hurt you. You are safe. I promise." She repeated that he was safe over and over and reinforced the words with her thoughts.

  The yard had gone dead quiet but she didn't notice. All of her focus was ca
ught up in calming the scared horse. After what felt like hours but was only minutes, the horse's breathing evened out and he stepped closer to her. She raised her hands slowly to pet him between his eyes with one hand while the other hand stroked the sweaty neck. The horse laid his big black head on her shoulder and blew out a breath.

  A male voice told her to move away from the horse. He was dangerous. Riley looked up at him and saw he was holding a rifle aimed at the horse. Without changing her tone she said in the same crooning voice, "You back off, he’s not dangerous just scared. And if you think you are going to use that gun on him think again. I will take you down and use it on you if I have to, to protect this horse."

  "I would do it if I were you, because she not only can but will take you down. I have seen her take down bigger men than you,” a familiar voice said with amusement from behind her.

  "Jake it's good to see you, well hear you anyway,” Riley said without taking her eyes from the gun. “Can you get everyone to back off and leave us alone for a bit. He is scared and needs a few minutes to calm down. Then I can take him to his stall."

  A deep, sensual voice said, "He can’t but I can. Everyone go back to work and stay out of this area until I say different." It was the voice of authority and in less than a minute everyone but Jake and the mystery man were gone. Oh man, that voice. Riley thought she could listen to it all day and night. It was soothing and exciting at the same time and sent shivers dancing up her spine. She was willing to bet he could make the phone book sound sexy.

  She turned her attention back to the horse. She had always gotten along with animals of any kind. She had a connection with them and was able to calm them in a way that had earned her the nickname Doolittle during her years of living on the streets of Seattle. She was always being followed by dogs, cats and an occasional bird or raccoon. She doctored the wounds that came with being strays. If things had been different she might have been a veterinarian.

  This was the first horse she had ever been close to and he was big. He towered over her petite form but she felt no fear. How could she when she could see and feel how weary and frightened he was. She would stand here all afternoon if she had to. No one was going to hurt or scare him again. She continued to croon nonsensical words into the horse’s ears while her hands never stopped stroking his neck.

  The two men leaned against the house watching the small woman and horse. Jake didn’t know just how dangerous the situation was but Cole did. The horse belonged to Daniel, a mutual friend of their’s, and he had almost killed his last trainer. Daniel had bought him to keep him from the slaughter house because of his bloodlines.

  Cole had a reputation for taking the wildest horses and turning them around so Daniel had him brought to Cole. Hoping he could work a miracle. It wasn’t working out too well. So far the horse barely tolerated Cole's touch and wouldn't let anyone else near him without trying his best to kill them. He also kicked down the door of his stall on a regular basis. That a small slip of a girl could stand there and calm the horse down when he was in one of his rages was incomprehensible.

  The girl was hugging the horse and talking softly to him and he was not only letting her, he was demanding her touch. Cole looked at Jake and said, "This is the woman you think can find my nephew, really?" he asked in a disbelieving tone. "She's what, twenty maybe. What is she going to do? Talk Nate to death? How is that going to help?"

  "Riley and Blue have found more missing kids in the last ten years than the FBI has. Blue is a genius when it comes to finding anyone or any information she wants on the computer and Riley, let’s just say she connects to kids in ways you and I can't. Kind of like she’s connecting to that horse,” Jake replied calmly.

  "You really think she's psychic don't you? I didn't think you were serious when you mentioned it before,” Cole said.

  "Yes I do. There is no other explanation for what she does or how she does it and frankly I don't care. I am just glad she finds the kids.” Jake kept the implied dead or alive part to himself. "Give them a chance. You are no worse off if they don't find him than you are now, but I am betting that they will. And by the way she is twenty seven not twenty,” he finished.

  The two men fell silent as they watched Riley work with the still trembling horse. When Riley felt that the horse leaning into her was calm enough she asked the mystery voice, "What’s his name?”

  "Atherton's Pride.”

  The horse gave a snort, lifted his head from her shoulder and gave it a shake. "I don't think he likes it,” she said with a laugh. Keeping her hand on the horse’s neck she started walking towards the big stables painted the same pale sage green as the house.

  It was pretty as a picture with the miles of white fencing and the horses grazing in the pastures. Atherton's Pride, she thought with a shake of her head. "How about we just call you A.P. for short?” she asked the horse walking with her. Atherton's Pride nodded his head, so she took that as an agreement. “A.P. it is." Riley swiveled her head to look at Cole.

  "Well come on, you need to show me where his stall is so I can get him settled in. Then we can talk about why I am here. Assuming you are the big brother." She cocked an eyebrow at him. Cole shook himself out of the amazement of watching the big deadly horse walking calmly at her side and caught up with them.

  “Yes. I am the big brother.”

  A.P. started to get upset but before he could bolt she started talking to him again telling him how he was safe and she would make sure he got to go out to the pasture with all the other horses. She assured him that she would be back to visit him all the time.

  When A.P. had calmed back down she said to Cole, "Look, you are just going to have to take me at my word but A.P. is not a bad horse. He doesn't like the rope around his neck and you have to keep the guy with the beard away from him. In fact keep anyone with facial hair away from him to be on the safe side. Do you have any female workers?” she asked.

  "Not at the moment, why? And the guy with the beard is a good guy he would never mistreat a horse,” Cole said when she paused.

  Riley stopped and turned to him explaining, "A.P. is scared of him. It doesn’t matter if he wouldn’t hurt a fly. Either keep him away from A.P. or have him shave. It’s that simple. A man with a beard hurt A.P. sometime in the past and now he expects to be hurt when he sees a beard and he reacts badly. As for the female worker I think it might help him if a woman fed him. You really need to just let him be and let him get used to his surroundings. Have your guys talk to him in an even tone and tell them not get to close. Assign one person to take care of his needs.

  This horse is a mess right now, and a lot of things scare him. Loud noises, men, being enclosed in a small place. He needs peace and quiet and to feel safe and he just doesn't feel safe here. You all are pushing him to do something he can't right now but if you leave him alone and give him time he will get better and not freak out so much,” she stated looking so ernest Cole almost laughed.

  Instead he asked sarcastically, "You know all of this how? Atherton's Pride told you?”

  "He doesn't like that name. Call him A.P. and yes, he did. I know you don't believe me but give it a try, You have nothing to lose and A.P. has everything to gain,” she said not realizing that it was almost an echo of the words Jake had used about her.

  "Fine. I will be the one taking care of him. His stall is the last one on the right,” he said gesturing her ahead of him.

  After making sure A.P. was comfortable and assuring him she would be back to say goodbye before she left, Riley walked into the house to talk to the family she and Blue were going to do their best to help. The boy’s mother, Janie, was beautiful. It was easy to see why she had been a successful model. She was a tall, blue eyed blond that even dressed in wrinkled sweats, no make up and eyes bloodshot from crying, was still gorgeous. Riley gave a mental sigh and thought, It must be my fate to be surrounded by tall, beautiful people today. The strain the woman was under was evident in the tremble of her hands and hoarse voice. Her face
was tight with desperation and hope under the polite words of welcome.

  It was Riley's job to ask hard questions and put her life under a microscope. She would ask what needed to be asked, even though this was not her favorite part of the job.

  She started with the easy questions first. Janie didn’t need to be coddled she needed her son back. She sat in the middle of the couch with Jake on one side and Cole, her brother, on the other side. She answered everything Riley asked about her ex husband. His favorite foods, what kind of movies he liked and other daily activities that would give her a clear picture of him as a man.

  When she asked what kind of father he was Cole spoke first, “He was lousy as a father. He didn't even come to Scotty’s last birthday party and he's barely seen him in two years."

  Janie nodded in agreement and added, "He wasn't interested in being a dad. Even when we were married he ignored Scotty for the most part." Riley thought for a minute then said, "So he wouldn't know what being around a seven year old is like on a daily basis. That may help. Now I have some personal questions to ask so you might want your brother and Jake to leave the room for a few minutes." Both men objected strongly.

  Cole said, "There is nothing you need to ask her that we can't hear."

  Jake chimed in, "Why do you need to talk to her alone?" "Look guys I am sure Janie doesn't want to talk about her sex life in front of her brother and his friend. So suck it up and give us a few minutes here."

  "What the hell does her sex life have to do with getting Scotty back?" Cole demanded towering over her with a fierce expression on his face.

  Riley was sure he was used to intimidating people into doing what he wanted but she was not most people and she got up off the chair forcing him to take a step back and she stepped right into his space. Giving him scowl for scowl and with her head leaning all the way back she looked into his eyes and growled, "Back off. I will ask whatever I think is necessary wether you like it or not."