“I can live with that.” He didn’t add “for now.” Laney needed to make peace with her parents in her own time and her own way—after they caught the pervert trying to wreck her life. Until then, their barely budded relationship needed to stay on hold, too.
An hour later found him seated across from Laney in the motel office on his cell phone with Laney’s dad. His laptop computer lay on top of the coffee table between them. The Facebook pictures had turned out to be a bust, and it looked as if the inquiry about Adelle was going to result the same.
“I have no idea what her maiden name was,” Roland said. “How’s my little girl holding up?”
Noah’s heart throbbed. Daughters never outgrew being their daddy’s little girl, and this daddy was hurting for his child. “Shell-shocked,” Noah answered. “She’s sitting here scowling because I’m talking about her. But she’s a strong woman. Give her space, and she’ll rise above the circumstances with the grace that she’s always shown.”
Laney blinked rapidly and turned her head away.
“Her mother and I are counting on that resilient spirit,” Roland affirmed. “I’ll let you talk to Loretta. She may know the answer to your question. Women chat about that sort of thing.”
Seconds of muffled conversation passed on the other end, then Laney’s mother came on the line. Her greeting was husky, as if tears had taken a toll on her voice.
“Roland says you’d like to know Adelle’s maiden name. You can’t really believe she could have had anything to do with Grace’s disappearance.”
Noah sought for the right words. This woman’s pain was as great as Laney’s, and it would grow a thousand times worse if it turned out that her affair spurred someone to hurt not only Grace, but Laney, as well.
“I haven’t reached any conclusion yet,” he told Loretta. “But this is an angle we must explore.”
A harsh exhale came from the woman on the other end. “I suppose that’s true. I’m going to have to disappoint you though. To my recollection, Adelle never told me her maiden na—oh, wait! She did mention that she graduated from high school in Ames, Iowa, if that’s any help.” She told him the year Adelle graduated.
“Cases have been cracked on less.” Noah smiled. “Thank you. And one other thing. Your family is going to get through this. I’ve seen too much love between you to doubt that for a minute.” Laney’s gaze was hot on him, but not with anger. Unless he missed his guess, he was seeing a fierce resurgence of hope—a very good sign. “If Adelle turns out to be a party to the crimes against your family,” he continued to Loretta, “remember that her evil actions were her own choice. Nothing you’ve done justifies hurting innocents.”
A sob answered him. “Isn’t that what the phone caller said? Players pay when innocents suffer? If that was Adelle’s goal, then she’s succeeded. Please stop her before she hurts another innocent. Please!”
“I’ll do everything in my power. You can count on that.” Noah’s fingers dug into the chair upholstery. May God make him able.
“Good. We’ll be praying.”
“Thank you. I’ll take all the divine assistance I can get.” He nodded. “Now Laney would like to talk to Briana.”
Loretta exhaled a soft sigh. “I understand. I’ll get her.”
While Laney chattered with false brightness to her daughter, Noah clicked on the computer to Web pages on Ames, Iowa, schools. Researching the alma mater was a long shot to find Adelle Addison’s current name and address, but right now he’d take any shot at all.
While she talked to her daughter, Laney watched Noah search for answers. Jaw set, lips pressed together, cold gaze intent on the computer screen, this was Franklin Ryder, hunter of men, not Noah, the warm, strong school principal she’d known. Did she like what she saw? A tremor wafted through her. She didn’t blame kidnappers for fearing this man.
Right now, there was no one she’d rather have on her side. But was he husband and father material? She didn’t want to consider a Jekyl/Hyde personality for those positions. Her mother had stepped outside the bonds of marriage and done the unthinkable. Everything she thought she knew about the woman was now in question. How could she possibly consider trusting her heart—and her daughter’s—to a man she knew less well than a parent she’d considered next to perfect?
“What was that, sweetie?” Lost in her turmoil she’d missed something Briana said.
Her daughter made an aggravated noise. “When you come to get me, I want Mr. Ryder to come, too. Promise?”
“Oh, honey.” Laney sighed. “I don’t know if that’s going to be possible.” Maybe she should have encouraged Pierce Mayfield’s attention and let her daughter get to know him instead of attach to Noah. Pierce was a safe sort of person with a safe occupation—and no second career as a human bloodhound. She ignored the little voice that said the city bus driver was also boring and predictable. “Won’t you be happy just to see me?” she said to Briana.
“I’ll be happy to see you, Mama, but I’m going to wake up and see Mr. Ryder, too.” Utter confidence flowed from the little voice.
“Wake up?” Laney chuckled. “Do you mean like Sleeping Beauty?”
“’Xactly,” Briana affirmed.
Laney shared a giggle with her daughter. As dark as circumstances got, Briana could always brighten her day. But Laney would have to disappoint her little princess. After this investigation was over, it was probably best if Noah and she went their separate ways. Memory of that glorious kiss in the meadow nudged her, but she shoved the thought away. A solid relationship had to depend on more than a pulse-pounding moment. She’d learned that big-time with Clayton.
“Jackpot!”
Laney jerked at Noah’s outburst. Triumph glowed from his face.
“I’ll have to let you go now, sweetie,” she told her daughter. She lowered the phone from her ear, pulse jumping. “What is it?”
He turned the computer screen her direction. “The Ames High School Web site is complete with alumni association pages. Apparently, a reunion is pending for those who graduated the year Adelle did. See here?” He pointed to a short list of names. “These are the people the committee is still trying to locate. There’s only one Adelle on the list.”
Laney leaned forward and peered closely. “Adelle Birkstrom?” She straightened. “Okay. Maybe that’s her maiden name, but if her old classmates can’t find her, what makes you think you can?”
Noah smirked at her. “They may have her name, but they don’t have a locality to search.”
“And we do?”
He rose from his chair and sat down beside her on the couch so they could both see the computer screen. “I’m sticking to my theory that she lives near Cottonwood Grove. If I don’t find an Adelle Birkstrom living in that area, then I could be all wet, or maybe she’s remarried—in which case we’re back to square one. But if I’m right…” His words trailed off as he brought up a map of west central Minnesota. “She probably doesn’t live right in Cottonwood Grove, or you might have encountered her.”
Laney nodded. “I think I would have recognized her.”
He clicked open a fresh tab and went to the white pages directory. Tedious minutes passed as Noah entered various towns in connection with the name Adelle Birkstrom without success. Laney suppressed a yawn. She’d gotten little sleep last night and even less genuine rest.
Suddenly a result popped onto the screen.
Laney’s brows climbed toward her bangs. “Adelle Birkstrom lives in Wellesly? That’s only twelve miles from Cottonwood Grove.”
Noah shook his head. “She doesn’t necessarily live there, but she works there.” He pointed to the column that said Helpful Info. The address given was listed as Job: followed by a business name. “This particular Adelle Birkstrom works at the Buffalo Bar and Grill.”
Laney’s eyes widened. “I’ve heard of the Buffalo, but nothing good. It’s a dive.” She pointed to the information. “Why wouldn’t her home address come up?”
“Either sh
e doesn’t live in the town where she works, or she operates off a cell phone for personal calls. Only directory-available locations are listed in the white pages.”
Rubbing her hands together, Laney watched Noah exhaust a search in every town within a sixty mile radius of Cottonwood Grove with no further results. “What now?”
He met her gaze. “Looks like we’re going to see the Buffalo.”
Laney’s breath snagged in her throat. If Adelle Birkstrom was really Adelle Addison, would Laney soon stand face-to-face with her sister’s murderer?
SIXTEEN
They were on the road in an hour. Overcast skies reflected the mood in the car. Noah glanced at his passenger out of the corner of his eye. Laney sat silent, studying her hands in her lap. She’d retreated to some place deep within herself.
Is this what she’d been like after Grace was taken? He understood the protective wall, but that moment in the meadow had encouraged him to believe he was becoming one of the people she’d count safe enough to include within, not shut out. Would he ever be that person, or had he built a sand-castle on a kiss?
Noah focused on the straight ribbon of asphalt weaving between a landscape of rolling fields, green with young growth of corn and soybeans. He needed to keep his head on straight. They were still eyeball-deep in a critical investigation. Now wasn’t the time to explore a relationship. If only his heart understood what his head knew.
Laney shifted position. “Shall I try calling Sheriff Lindoll again?”
Noah shook his head. He’d like to shake that facade of cool professionalism right off her. “He’ll get back to us when he can.”
Noah had called the sheriff’s office before leaving Grand Valley, but Hank was out on an emergency call. The dispatcher said as soon as he got back in she’d give him the message to call Noah.
Laney shifted in her seat. “Should we have notified the FBI about Adelle Addison?
“My police contact is Hank. He can tell Burns anything he considers relevant. We may be on a wild-goose chase, but it can’t hurt to look in on things at home.”
“And while we’re at it, see for ourselves the water damage at the school.” She nodded. “Maybe we can help Miss Aggie set things to rights.”
The concern in her tone lifted Noah’s spirits. That was the Laney he knew—thoughtful and giving. It was a good sign that she could think about something other than her own problems. “We’ll do that.” He smiled at her. “Why don’t you try to rest while I drive?”
She shook her head. “Sleep isn’t going to come right now. I’m too tense.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I can’t figure out why the FBI didn’t pick up on the possible motive in the Addison family.”
Noah slowed the vehicle to pass through a small town. “You have to remember that everything looked fine with the Addisons during the investigation of Grace’s death. George and Adelle didn’t split up until after the investigation had gone cold.”
She wrinkled her nose. “What about when they canvassed the neighborhood again after the backpack was found? They would have found George a wreck just like we did.”
Noah wagged a finger at her. “But they didn’t have you along to wring a gut reaction from him. A marriage breaking up, a son dying and one spouse going to seed isn’t such a startling development over the years. I doubt Burns, or whoever he assigned to the canvas, thought to ask him if your family had anything to do with his problems, and I don’t think good old George would volunteer that information.”
Laney snorted. “So my presence brought out the worst in him?”
“It brought out the truth.” Noah’s cell phone played a tune, and he pulled it from his belt holder. “Ryder here.”
“Sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner,” Hank said. “It’s been one of those days when everything that can go wrong does.” He huffed. “Say, you’ll never guess what I found out today. Something did go right, after all.” He chuckled.
“You tell me,” Noah answered. “Then I’ll hand you what I hope is a good break to balance the scales on your bad day.”
“Sounds intriguing.” The man’s desk chair squeaked. “I got a tip from a barfly over in Wellesly. Turns out Glen Crocker does have something going on the side.”
“Let me guess the name of that something.” Tingles ran up and down Noah’s spine. “Adelle Birkstrom.”
A beat of silence followed. “How did you steal my thunder?”
“Educated guess based on information Laney and I discovered in Grand Valley.” He sent her a nod. She sat gnawing her bottom lip while he outlined their activities in Laney’s old hometown.
Hank let out a low whistle. “Sorry to have to break it to you, but you don’t have to show up for happy hour at the Buffalo. Adelle’s got a house on the edge of Wellesly. Here, let me give you the address.” He rattled off the information.
“We’re about an hour away. We’ll meet you there.”
“Looking forward to it. Tell Laney good work.”
“Will do. She can use all the encouragement she can get.”
Noah closed the call and sent Laney a glance. “I’ll give you one guess who Adelle Birkstrom’s boyfriend is.”
“Glen Crocker?” Her brows flew up.
“Bingo!”
She smiled. “Finally, the picture is beginning to take a form that makes sense. Glen must be her accomplice—the man who gave Mattie the doll and who hit me from behind. I wonder what’s going on with the guy’s foot?” Her nose wrinkled. “I guess that’s a puzzle piece we’ll have to look for later.” She waved a hand. “Now all we have to do is catch them.” Hope lit her gaze. “It would be so good to know my daughter and I are safe from these crazy people.”
Noah bit back the question on the tip of his tongue. Does that mean we’re going to have a chance to make a family together? The depth of his yearning for that opportunity haunted him.
“Hey, what?” His head swiveled to watch the FBI sedan that had been following them whip ahead. He chuckled. “Guess the feds got the word about something brewing.”
Noah continued driving at a civilian pace. At last they turned onto a small road on the outskirts of the town of Wellesly, population five hundred and six.
“Whoa!” Noah stared ahead.
Laney sat wordless with her jaw slack.
A sheriff’s SUV, a police cruiser and an ambulance sat in front of a house with their bubbles wheeling. An unmarked sedan also blocked the road—their FBI tail car. Bright crime scene tape ringed the house. Curious neighbors stood out on their lawns, gawking.
Noah parked up the block, and they got out.
“What do you suppose they found?” Laney murmured as they approached the area.
Her hand touched his, and Noah gladly wrapped his fingers around it.
A familiar figure broke away from a knot of law enforcement types near the house.
Hank strode toward them, face grim. “The bad day just went into the basement…literally.”
“What’s happened?” Noah asked.
Laney sidled closer to him, and he squeezed her hand.
Hank hooked a thumb in his belt. “Found Crocker’s body in a basement storeroom. And the medical examiner says that from the level of decomp he’s been dead for ten days to two weeks. Probably since the day he disappeared.”
Noah hissed in a breath. “So he died before that backpack was left on the playground?”
Hank nodded. “Before or about that same time. Adelle Birkstrom is into this up to her eyeballs, but we still don’t know who her accomplice is.”
Laney’s hand went slack in Noah’s. Her breathing turned deep, fast and erratic. Alarmed, Noah wheeled toward her as she folded downward.
The nightmare wasn’t over yet. It wasn’t. Laney was still deep inside its black heart. No way out. Evil danced a step ahead of justice. Darkness curtained her vision. She groped for oxygen as her limbs gave way. Strong, warm arms came around her, preventing complete collapse, but she went stiff against them.
; Somebody—the sheriff?—hollered for EMTs. Moments…or was it minutes?…later a mask closed over her nose and mouth, and soothing words from a familiar voice—a welcome voice—urged her to take deep breaths. Gradually, her lungs filled and her vision cleared. She found herself lying in the road, staring up at a man in a medical uniform. Noah’s drawn features hovered just beyond.
Laney pushed the oxygen mask away. “I—I’m sorry. It was a panic attack. I used to get them, but I thought I had them licked…until all this started happening.”
“It’s all right, honey.” Noah’s gentle tones soothed.
“Perfectly understandable.” The sheriff harrumphed.
Laney made a move to rise, but the EMT’s hand remained firm on her shoulder. “You should let us check your vitals.”
Laney glanced up at Noah, who nodded. “O-okay. But not in the middle of the street.”
Noah and the EMT helped her to a seat on the rear bumper of the ambulance. While the medical technician took her blood pressure and checked her heart and lungs, she stared into the gaping maw of Adelle Birkstrom/Addison’s front door. Any second now a gurney would emerge, bearing another victim of this woman’s twisted vengeance. Bile stung the back of her throat. Laney didn’t want to be here when that happened.
Her gaze found Noah’s. “Take me home.”
“Home?”
“My apartment in Cottonwood Grove. I want to be surrounded by my familiar things right now.”
The EMT nodded. “She checks out good to go.”
With an arm around her shoulder, Noah guided her back to his car. She leaned into his warmth as tiny shivers wracked her insides. On the drive to Cottonwood Grove, Laney hugged herself, and searched for a smidgeon of comfort in the knowledge that at least they’d uncovered one guilty party in this ongoing tragedy, and they had a clear motive for what was going on. These nuggets were so much more than they’d had even yesterday, and yet so much worse than anything Laney ever dreamed possible.
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