“Oh, well. Now I understand. And that wasn’t complicated at all.”
Jamie was pacing now.
“I will explain the whole thing. I just need to talk to her first. Because I don’t have a clue what happened. I told you her name. Let me talk to her for a few minutes, and then I’ll tell you what I know.”
Donald Trump nodded.
29
Ryan Mattson was dead. He’d been trying to get his life together. He read the Bible and seemed close to believing.
A tear leaked out.
The door opened. Enrique stepped through.
Jamie jumped up and ran into his arms. To her horror, a sob escaped.
His strong arms tightened as one hand caressed her hair. “You’re safe. Just relax.”
“I don’t…I didn’t…I can’t…” She had no power to stop the sobs.
“Don’t try to talk. Just breathe.” His voice was warm and comforting in her ear as he whispered. His hand moved from her hair to slow comforting circles around her back.
Finally, the tears slowed and the crying shuddered to a stop. Still, she didn’t move out of his hug. Instead, she laid her head on his chest.
“I looked for you all afternoon. I knew something was wrong. I even called Marcus, but he told me I was overreacting. He said to give you the space you needed to work.”
She stepped out of his arms. Her words were quiet, meant only for his ears. “I’m sorry I fell apart. Probably the drugs he gave me.”
“Do you need to go to the hospital?”
She shook her head.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
Enrique motioned for her to sit. “What’s going on, Jamie?” His voice was soft.
“I was so close to finding Andrew. I know I was. What am I supposed to tell Zink? I let her ex get away again.”
“How do you know that? Did you see Andrew or Michael?”
“I saw his toys. I’m sure they were Andrew’s.”
“Where did you see them?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’re not making much sense, Jamie. What happened?”
“Do you want me to start at the beginning or the end and go backwards?”
“Let’s start at the end. Do you know who the vic is?”
“It’s Ryan Mattson.”
Enrique’s eyes widened as he sat back in the chair. “Why did he come here?”
“According to him he borrowed a friend’s plane and flew here. He just happened to see me when I checked into the motel. I was leaving the motel to meet you. When I opened the door, he got the drop on me. The next thing I know I wake up in a log cabin somewhere.”
“And you killed him to escape?”
“I didn’t kill him. And it wasn’t the same place where they found his body. I’m sure of it. I didn’t know how to explain the situation to them. I wouldn’t tell them anything until you got here.”
“I’m not following you.”
“Don’t feel bad. I’m just as confused, and I lived it.”
“OK, maybe you better start at the beginning.”
30
Enrique stood up. “But before you do I have to bring in Commander Trump. We need to tell him everything.”
“Everything?”
“Don’t worry, Jakowski. I’ve got your back. That’s what partners do. Our mission—if that’s what you want to call it—is over. So there’s no reason not to tell him everything we know. And besides, honesty is definitely the best policy this time around. They do believe you killed him.”
“I didn’t—”
“I know that. We’ll get this mess cleaned up. Don’t worry.”
“I didn’t want to tell him anything until you got here. He would think I was nuts.” She grinned. “Maybe I am.”
Enrique winked at her as he opened the door. “You’re not, Jakowski.”
Moments later, a tall blond man walked in. He held out his hand to Jamie. “I’m Commander Donald Trump. And you are?”
“Jamie Jakowski. I’m sorry for not telling you sooner, but I thought it was better to wait for Enrique—Agent Rodriquez to get here.”
“So, are we ready to un-complicate matters?”
“We’ll do our best.” Enrique pulled out a chair for Jamie.
Grateful, she sat down. Her knees were shaky and she didn’t feel well at all. They must have given her more drugs than just the ether. “If I tried to tell you the story without Agent Rodriquez you might have trouble believing me,” Jamie said.
“That bad, huh?”
“Not bad. What was the word you used? Complicated.” Fatigue, and probably as an aftermath of the drugs, fog had descended in her brain. She needed to be alert and clear about what happened. “If it’s OK with you, I’ll start at the beginning and tell you what I know about the dead man in that shack.”
“Let’s start with his name.”
“He’s Ryan Mattson from Columbus, Ohio. “
“Why did you kill him?”
“I didn—”
“We aren’t going there, Commander.” Enrique interrupted. “There’s no reason to be antagonistic. Jamie didn’t kill him.”
“So you say. I have a dead body and an uncooperative witness, or possibly even the perp. Don’t tell me—”
“Look Commander, let Jamie tell her story first, and then you can ask questions.” Enrique’s voice remained calm. “She said she didn’t kill Ryan Mattson, and I believe her. You asked me before if Jamie works for the FBI. She works as a consultant with the FBI from time to time.”
The two men stared at each other locked in a battle of wills.
This is why she preferred to work alone. Although this time, she was glad to have Enrique defending her. Still, the men were giving her a bigger headache.
“You won’t find her name on any employee roll.” Enrique continued. “We’re working an active case that’s led us here. Jamie was working undercover. That’s why she didn’t want to tell you her name. It had nothing to do with being guilty.”
“And I’m supposed to take your word for it.”
“I am an FBI agent. I have no reason to lie.”
“Through the window it looked like there might be a reason.”
“That was my fault, Commander,” Jamie said. “I’m under the influence of something. I generally don’t cry like that. I’m still feeling foggy.”
Trump looked at her. “Then maybe you should go to the hospital and get checked out first.” The first sign of concern from him. Perhaps, he was more reasonable than she’d first thought.
“I don’t think it will be any clearer later.”
“Are you ready to listen to her?” Enrique interrupted.
“Fine. Go ahead.” Trump nodded at her.
“Suzanne Zinkleman is a police officer in Sunberry, Ohio. Two years ago, her husband kidnapped her son and disappeared. He’s wanted on embezzling charges and kidnapping. For the past two years the FBI couldn’t find her ex-husband or her son, so I decided to look for them myself.” Jamie paused.
“My bosses decided I should keep Jamie company.” Enrique picked up the tale. “They have the utmost trust in her, but her focus was the son. Mine is Zinkleman. I was told to accompany her, but let her do her thing her way. If we located them I would take over at that point and arrest Zinkleman.”
“And I would reunite my friend with her son. It wasn’t all that complicated, at first.”
Jamie gave a quick rundown of how she’d met Ryan. “Enrique and I arranged to meet at the diner. As I opened the door of my motel room to leave, Ryan was there. Before I could react, he pushed me back inside the room. He put a cloth over my nose and mouth and I passed out. He was much smarter than I gave him credit for. I can’t believe he found me. Anyway, I woke up in a cabin.”
“The cabin where we found his body,” Trump said.
“No, that wasn’t the cabin I was in. I’m absolutely sure about that. The cabin I was in had two twin beds with comforters on them. Ryan was o
n a king size bed with a sheet. It wasn’t the same place.”
“Are you sure you aren’t confused? The drugs?”
“I’m absolutely sure it’s not the same place.”
“So, what happened then?”
“He was really angry at me and kept asking who I worked for. When I told him I wasn’t a cop he told me I must work for the bad guys. He was angry, but he was scared, too. “
“Maybe there’s more people involved in this than we first thought.” Enrique mused.
“You mean the embezzlement?” Jamie looked at him.
“Yeah, why else would Ryan think you were working for someone else if Zinkleman was the only player?”
“So, how’d you get loose?” Trump asked.
“I didn’t. Someone knocked on the door. Before he went to answer it, he knocked me out again. I woke up in a ditch and started walking. The last time I saw Ryan he was putting a cloth on my face. And he was alive.”
“How’d the blood get there?” Trump pointed at her blood-soaked shirt.
“I have no idea.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it. The first time I saw that other cabin was with your officer.”
Trump looked at Enrique. “I’ll need to make a few phone calls to verify what you’ve told me. Do you have any contact numbers?”
“Sure do.” He rattled off names and numbers. After Commander Trump left, Enrique turned to Jamie. “Don’t worry, we’ll get this figured out in a bit, and then you’ll be free to go.” Enrique laid a hand on Jamie’s shoulder. “And the first thing we do will be to take you to the hospital.”
“I don’t need the hospital. I need to sleep.”
“We’ll see.” He stood and left the room.
She was alone. With her failure.
Ryan dead, and Andrew and Michael Zinkleman gone.
How would she be able to look Zink in the eye?
31
Enrique held Jamie’s arm as they walked down the steps of the police station together, mildly surprised that she actually let him. Night had fallen. It had been daylight when he’d entered the station.
Donald Trump had been very clear that she wasn’t off the hook, but Enrique assumed that was more about saving face than not believing Jamie.
Jamie collapsed into the car seat making no effort to move.
He leaned in and fastened her seat belt. His hand brushed her cheek as he straightened up. Normally, she would have slapped his hand away and made a sarcastic comment.
“Jamie, are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital? I’m thinking it might be a good idea.”
“I’m fine. Just exhausted.”
He drove in silence. She wasn’t the same person he’d first met. This Jamie was more vulnerable and despite her initial animosity about having him as a partner, she appeared to appreciate him being there. His mind drifted to the case.
One of the reasons Jamie was so good at undercover work was because she had a knack for meeting the right people. He thought of their missed meeting in the diner. “You need to eat something.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Well, I am.”
She didn’t say anything but laid her head back, her eyes closing. Her face softened as she relaxed into sleep.
He went through the fast food drive-through and picked up some food.
At the motel, he walked around to her side and opened the door. He knelt to unlatch the seatbelt.
Her eyes opened wide. “What in the world…”
“It’s OK. We’re back at the motel.”
“Oh. I must have fallen asleep.” She reached down to unbuckle her belt.
He scooped her up and lifted her from the seat.
“I can walk, Ricky.” Even as she protested, her head fell back on his shoulder. As he crossed over the threshold of his motel room, she whispered, “Did we get married while I was passed out?”
“That sounds like a fine idea, Jakowski. Shall we?” Images of life with Jamie flashed in his mind’s eye.
“No we shall not.”
He gently laid her down on his bed.
“This isn’t my room.”
“True enough.” He pointed at the door. “That’s your room. While you were missing in action I moved to the adjoining room.”
“I told you I didn’t want you to have a room beside me.”
“So you did. But that was before you disappeared for hours. Like it or not this is my room. And I’m not moving.” He locked gazes with her expecting an argument.
“Whatever. It probably doesn’t matter, anyway. This whole thing is a mess.” It wasn’t like her to second-guess her actions.
“Ryan got the drop on you.” Enrique said bluntly. “He drugged and kidnapped you. That is not your fault.” He handed her a burger. “Eat.”
“I’m not—”
“Eat anyway.”
After a glare, she took a tiny bite.
It was now or never. Enrique finally had a few minutes to talk with her, really talk. Especially about the past. “Jamie, I can’t tell you how sorry I am for the things I said to you that night. I was stupid and I didn’t mean them.”
“That’s not true. You did mean them.”
“Well, maybe I did, but I was a rookie back then. I didn’t understand. I was wrong. I need you to forgive me for the things I said. I am so sorry.”
“Forgive you? I’m the one who needs forgiven. Or are you forgetting what I did?” She set the burger on the bed. “The things I’ve done…” she whispered, her voice haunted.
“You did what you had to do to stay alive. I’m glad you did.”
“I need to rest. I can’t deal with any of this right now.” She moved to the adjoining door.
****
Enrique followed.
Jamie turned, confused. Had she forgotten something?
He moved closer, his breathing ragged. “Just to be clear, I have no interest in being your friend.” Putting both of his arms above her head and pressing against the door, he leaned down. His lips moved closer until they were almost touching hers.
The doorframe pressed against Jamie’s back. Her heart thumped so loudly she was sure Enrique would hear it. Her body nudged her forward.
Just when their lips were to meet, Enrique stopped. His dark eyes blazed. His touched her cheek with his finger. It left a trail of heat down to her lips. Her heart went wild, and then he gave a gentle smile as he moved away.
He smiled. “I’ll be next door. If you need me, just knock or yell. My side will be unlocked. I can be here in a flash. I’ll always be here for you, Jamie.”
Her knees shook so much she couldn’t move. Jamie stared at the closed door waiting for her heart rate to return to normal. What was that all about? She touched her cheek. It still tingled. Don’t be ridiculous, don’t be fooled again. She’d fallen for Enrique’s good looks once and it hadn’t worked out. Why would this time be any different?
Because they were different people now.
Her eyes filled with tears.
He’d asked her to forgive him. As if he’d been the one who messed up things. Did that mean he could really accept the things she’d done? That he wouldn’t judge her?
She slid to the floor letting the tears fall. She cried for what she’d lost with Enrique, for the lost time with her daughter, and for failing her friend.
If she’d ever been close to finding Andrew for Zink that was no longer the case. No doubt, father and son had disappeared into the wind. And the only link she’d found was dead.
But most of all she cried for Ryan.
A soft knock jolted her back to reality.
“It’s not your fault that Ryan is dead, Jamie.” Enrique’s voice floated from the other side of the door. “Jamie, you don’t have to prove anything to anyone.”
“I have to prove something to God and to myself.”
“God loves you just the way you are.” He paused. “And so do I.”
Her mind went blank. Enrique still
loved her—after she’d betrayed him and herself.
“I know I probably shouldn’t have told you that, but you have a right to know. I loved you then and I still love you. I can accept the fact you don’t feel the same, but that doesn’t change my feelings.”
“How can you love me…after what I did?”
“You did what you had to do to stay alive. Your problem is you think you have to fix every problem for everyone. You think doing a bunch of wonderful, right things will prove to God that you are worthy. But God has already forgiven you. You are not a failure.”
“In this case I am. Ryan would still be alive if I’d not taken this job.”
“You don’t know that. It’s not your fault.”
“If not mine, then whom?”
“How about the person who murdered him?”
“He wouldn’t have been here if it wasn’t for me.”
“He was here because he helped a man kidnap his son and take him away, and he was determined to keep helping him.” A pause. “I’m sorry I came on so strong a moment ago. I was so worried when I couldn’t find you I overreacted. Sorry.”
“That’s OK. It’s been a long day for both of us.” Jamie’s heart lifted. It’d been so long since anyone cared for her. She’d broken off friendships and her relationship with her own twin sister for years to keep all of them safe. That life was lonely.
“It has been. Why don’t you take a warm bath and relax. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
After an extravagantly long bath, she pulled the Bible out of the nightstand—one placed there by the Gideons. Her thoughts returned to Ryan and the Bible she’d given him. Sadness coursed through her.
She rifled through reading a verse here and there, but mostly taking comfort from touching it—holding God’s Word in her hands. It was an awesome feeling knowing that God was here with her. Closing her eyes, she prayed.
Peace poured over her.
Jamie leaned back against the pillows still holding the Bible and slept.
32
A new day with not-so-new ideas.
With Ryan dead, they couldn’t be sure that Michael Zinkleman had left the area on his own.
Jamie wasn’t leaving without checking out the daycares as originally planned.
If she and Enrique didn’t have any new leads by the end of the day they both agreed that would be the end of it. They’d fly back to Ohio to see Zink.
Sisters By Choice Page 48