“Maybe she doesn’t discuss that with the family.”
“Maybe. I’ve still got the bug in her office and bedroom. So there are opportunities. I wonder if we should put a bug in Agent Kang’s home.”
“We’ll need approval. How much longer are you staying there?”
‘They’re getting ready to watch an hour of The Voice. I think I’ll call it a night. I’ll see you shortly.”
Lucy, Po Po, and I retired to the entertainment room to watch TV. Po Po usually doesn’t come up to the third floor, but she’s addicted to The Voice, as we all were, except Ryan. It was the show’s semifinals, and we favored the same singer—a girl from San Francisco named Riley.
“I hope Riley has a better song,” Lucy said. She plopped down on the sofa with Dim Sum, her stuffed panda, in her arms. She deemed it Riley’s good-luck charm. “Last time she almost got told to go home.”
“Come on, Riley,” I said as I rubbed Dim Sum’s belly and then threw the magical luck at the TV screen.
“Maybe I’ve given away too much of Dim Sum’s luck,” she said.
“What do you mean, honey?”
“I let Xiaolian have her while she was here, and maybe Dim Sum hasn’t fully charged yet.”
“Oh, I see. I don’t think you have to worry about that. Dim Sum has a big belly. Speaking of, there’s a chance Xiaolian might be coming to stay with us again.”
Mentioning her name prompted Po Po to sit up and turn to me. “She come again?”
“Yes.” Lucy pumped a fist.
“Some details still need to be worked out, but I think it’ll happen.”
A smile formed on Po Po’s face as she leaned back and placed her hands on her lap. That night, we never did bring up the topic of Xiaolian again—the power of The Voice.
Chapter Thirty-One
The following morning, I arrived at the Bureau and faced two empty desks. Every now and then, I actually beat Kang into the office. I dropped my things off at my desk and made a beeline to the breakroom to fix myself a cup of tea. When I returned, he still hadn’t shown up. I glanced at my watch; it was ten after nine. I took a seat, sipped my tea, and turned on my laptop. Kang showed up while I was answering emails.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said. “I hit the sack late last night and had a hell of a time getting out of bed this morning.”
“What kept you up?” I took a sip of my tea.
Kang slipped his jacket off, swung it over the back of this chair, and sat. “Last night I couldn’t shake the thought of what we saw up on Mount Sutro. I decided to dig deeper into this missing-person thing we’re looking into, just to see if there were more filings similar to Barnes’s and Hammond’s. First, I kept it to the Bay Area, but eventually I expanded my search to the state of California.” A smile stretched across Kang’s face.
“And…?” I let the word trail.
“I found two more filings.”
“Yes!” I slammed my palm down on my desk. “Go on.”
“Well, until we talk to these people, we can’t be sure. But basically these two individuals were reported missing. One report was withdrawn after ten hours, and the other after twelve hours.”
“Who were the victims?”
Kang removed his cell phone from his front pants pocket and tapped at the screen briefly. “One is an engineer who lives in Long Beach. The other is an angel investor living in Silicon Valley. We should definitely talk to the investor because, in the report, there’s a notation that he insisted he wasn’t missing but was abducted.”
“What happened?”
“I’m not sure what happened. There wasn’t any information noted in the file on whether it was pursued. On my way in this morning, I left a message for the detective assigned to the case. I should hear back from him sometime today.”
“Excellent work, Sherlock. Now let’s see what talking to this investor does for us.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Evaristo Damiani was the private investor we wanted to question. He worked out of his home in Atherton, California, probably one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the Bay Area. When we'd called earlier, asking if we could speak with him, he'd been more than happy to meet with us. In fact, he pleaded that we take on his case.
“Welcome to La Vecchia Dimora,” Damiani said with a smile as he opened the door to a home that resembled a villa plucked straight off the rolling hills of Tuscany.
“I’m Agent Kane. This is Agent Kang. We appreciate you taking the time to speak to us.”
“Why would I turn down the personal help of the FBI?” He shrugged. “I’m having coffee by the pool out back. Join me.”
Damiani wore all white and kept his jet-black hair slicked back. He looked to be in his mid-fifties, was physically fit, and walked a fast pace. He constantly clasped his hands into muffled claps as he spoke.
A rustic stone patio extended to an Olympic-sized pool, surrounded by manicured lawns and potted topiaries.
“I just finished my morning swim. I do fifty laps every day.” He flexed his biceps and raised an eyebrow at me. “Espresso? Cappuccino?” Damiani motioned for a servant who stood nearby.
“I’ll have an espresso,” Kang replied.
“Just hot water. I have my own tea,” I said as I removed my tin from my purse.
Damiani grinned as he shook his index finger at me. “You strike me as someone who is always prepared.”
If carrying my own tea around qualifies, then yes. “I’m particular, that’s all.”
“What have you done so far with my case? Tell me; I’m eager to hear the results.”
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Damiani—”
“Please, call me Evaristo.”
“We haven’t been investigating your case, but we are here to learn more about the missing-persons report that was filed on your behalf. Why don’t you tell us what happened?”
The servant reappeared with our drinks, and Damiani downed his espresso in one gulp.
“It was about three months ago. I was attending a benefit in the city. I can’t remember what it was for. There are so many, and they’re all the same. After it finished, I walked back to my car.”
“Excuse me, where was the benefit?” I asked.
“The Moscone Center.”
“And you were parked in one of the parking lots?”
He nodded.
“Do you remember which one?”
“No. Is that important?”
“I don’t know yet. Continue.”
“So, I’m walking back to my car. There’s no one else around; I was one of the last to leave. Anyway, just as I’m about to open my door, I hear footsteps right behind me.”
“And?”
“That’s it. From that point on, there’s nothing. Poof.” Damiani made a gesture with his hand.
“You have no recollection from that moment on?”
“None, and it bothers the hell out of me. The next thing I remember is waking up on a park bench at Fort Mason. A groundsman working there woke me.”
“Do you recall the time?”
“Early in the morning, maybe about seven. I still had on the clothes from the night before.”
“Did this worker see anyone with you?”
Damiani shook his head. “Didn’t think to ask. I told him I couldn’t remember anything. You should understand, at the time I was confused and scared.”
“We do. That’s a natural reaction,” Kang said. “You didn’t happen to get this worker’s name, did you?”
“If I did, I can’t remember, but he was a white guy, probably in his forties. He had a mustache.”
“After he woke you, what did you do?”
“I checked my pockets and found my cell phone. There were multiple calls from Dino, my butler. When I didn’t return home, he became worried.”
“You remembered who he was, your butler?” I asked.
“No, at the time I had no idea who he was, but he kept telling me he knew me, so I listened.”
“Was he
the one who filed the missing-persons report?” Kang asked.
“Yes, bless his heart. He spoke to the groundsman to get my location and then came and picked me up.”
“And what about your car?”
“It was still parked at the Moscone Center. I also had my wallet and watch. Nothing was stolen from me.”
“According to the missing-persons report, it’s been three months since this happened.”
“That’s correct.”
“And what about now? You still have memory problems?”
“My memory has come back, but that night is still foggy. But one thing I remembered early on were three men staring at me.”
“In the parking lot of the Moscone Center?”
“No, I think it was indoors somewhere. It’s like I was sitting in a chair with a light shining in my face.”
“Any chance this imagery could be a dream?” Kang asked.
“That’s the same thing the detective who handled my case asked. He didn’t believe me. Look, I know the difference between reality and a dream. This happened.” Damiani tapped the stone table with his finger. “I’m positive.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
There wasn’t much more Damiani could tell us. He had problems recalling the events of his mystery night, much like the others we’d spoken with. The difference? Damiani was convinced the men he remembered were real and they had taken him to some location. We emerged from Damiani’s home thirty minutes later with more information, but no smoking gun.
“We need more,” I said before we got back into the SUV.
“You’re right.” Kang shut his door and started the engine. “Even though Barnes also mentioned seeing men around him, Hammond didn’t.”
“We don’t have enough to go to Reilly just yet,” I said.
“We’ll have to figure something out soon if we want to continue to dual-path these investigations.” He put the car into gear, and we drove away. “With that said, I do think we’re onto something here.”
I began a count on one hand. “All three are wealthy… well, Damiani and Barnes more so than Hammond. All were missing for less than twenty-four hours. All have memory problems, even a bit of psychosis.”
“Barnes definitely,” Kang added.
“The person behind these abductions isn’t finished. They aren’t harming the victims, aside from memory loss—a great way to stay under the radar. Three victims that we know of so far haven’t had their cases investigated. That tells me this individual is calculating and intelligent, and has figured out a way to commit a crime that’s invisible.”
“We need motive,” Kang said. “Money is a common theme. Blackmail is a possibility.”
“All three would need to have a secret that is worth covering up, but Damiani wants an investigation, so it seems as though he has nothing to hide. Maybe it’s about their stature in the community,” I said.
“That’s an interesting angle.”
“All three are in the Bay Area. Maybe the circles they run in overlap somehow.”
“There’s a Long Beach victim. So…”
I turned away from him and stared out my window at nothing in particular, the scenery a blur as we sped along the highway. Kang was right; we were lacking the motivation behind these missing-persons events. Without it, we would continue to spin in circles. To complicate matters in my head, I was still searching for a way to connect them to Xiaolian. Was my obsession with her seriously affecting my judgment?
“Earth to Abby,” Kang said in a robotic voice. “Come in.”
I stretched my arms out in front of me. “Sorry. I was thinking about the victims.”
“And?”
“Well, I was thinking it’s a lot of work for one person to abduct and hold captive three or more individuals at different times and no one investigates. Even just one victim would be a complicated crime. Is this really the work of one individual?”
“A crew, maybe.”
“I think it has to be—a highly trained one, I might add. It’s not as if these victims are being snatched off of a dark and deserted highway,” I said.
“Okay, so this person has help. We still haven’t determined what the motivation would be.”
We were stuck in a funk. We needed either fresh thinking or fresh information. I’d held high hopes of learning something crucial from Damiani. While we did get the three-men tidbit, it wasn’t enough for us to turn the corner.
I drew a deep breath and then adjusted the seatbelt to relieve the tightness against my chest. What are you doing, Abby? You’re supposed to be focusing on Xiaolian. Why are you wasting time and energy chasing what might very well be nothing? My inner voice spoke the truth. I had no business exploring this hunch. People were expecting me to flip a Chinese spy. How could I approach Reilly with these cases, when he’s expecting an update on Xiaolian?
I had to wonder if this was my attempt to put distance between Xiaolian and myself. Maybe internally, I was against investigating her, against believing what could be the truth about her, so I’d come up with another investigation.
I didn’t hear my cell phone ringing. Kang had to nudge my arm.
“Agent Kane speaking… Really? That’s good news. We’re on our way.”
“What?” Kang asked.
“I have approval to take Xiaolian home. We can pick her up now.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
We parked in the usual spot outside Building D. As we walked to the entrance, Archer appeared out of thin air and intercepted us. What’s with these spooks? Can’t they approach us like normal people?
“Just so you know, I’m against this, even though I made the case for you,” he said.
“I appreciate your honesty and your ability to remain unbiased.”
Kang and I stopped at reception once we were inside. We figured Yates would meet us as usual, but Archer motioned for us to follow him. “Yates is busy. I’ll take you to the girl.”
Archer had a security card that gave him access to every door we needed to pass through. He had the run of the place. Seemed he was a bigger deal than I had originally thought.
Still a spook, and I don’t trust him.
The CIA was forbidden from carrying out operations inside the country. Utilizing me was their way of circumventing the rules. They had found a loophole to exploit.
We didn’t speak another word as we followed him, which was fine by me. Instead of meeting Xiaolian in the recreation room, Archer took us to her bedroom.
“She’s been told you’re coming to pick her up. The conditions were not given to her.”
“What are they?” I asked.
“You’re getting forty-eight hours with her.”
“Two days?” I stopped him in the hall. “You might as well make it two hours. Based on my ability to get information from her last time, I’ll need more time,” I said.
“You’ll have to make it work.”
“I know all you want is for me to fail so you can have your way with her, but she’s just a little girl. Give me four days. If I don’t come up with anything worthwhile, I’ll support whatever it is you want to whomever needs to hear it from me.”
Archer eyed me for a moment. “Done.” He turned and continued walking toward Xiaolian’s bedroom. “She must never leave your sight. Everywhere you go, she goes. You are not allowed to leave her with your mother-in-law, and you will stay within the city limits.”
“Is that it, or shall I start taking notes?”
“It’s up to you whether you want to share this information with her.” Archer grabbed the door handle to her room but stopped short of sliding his card through the card reader. “I know I shouldn’t have to mention it, but I might as well cover everything. No one but Agent Kang, your supervisor, and your family are to know she’s there.”
“That goes without saying.”
Archer slid his card through the reader. It beeped, and the locking mechanism on the door clicked. He pulled it open, gesturing for me to enter first.
Xiaolian was sitting on her bed, with her feet swaying back and forth, inches above the floor. She drew a big breath when she saw me. “Abby, you’re here.” She scooted off the bed and gave me a big hug. “I missed you.”
“And I missed you.”
“Hi, Xiaolian,” Kang said.
She let go of me and gave Kang the same enthusiastic hug.
“I’m ready to go,” she said after releasing her grasp of him.
“Is that all you have?” I asked, pointing at the paper bag on the bed.
“Yup.”
She was still smiling from ear to ear. It didn’t matter that her only worldly possessions were a few pieces of used clothing and some toiletries. I almost asked if she wanted to bring some of the items in the rec room, like the books and the tablet I had seen, but it quickly dawned on me that she would be back in a few days. It broke my heart. She had no idea.
Albert Shi raced over to Agent Kane’s home after a long day at his dental practice. A last-minute root canal for a desperate patient had him running later than usual. By the time he’d parked and turned the scanner on, Abby and her family were just wrapping up dinner.
Shoot! I hope I didn’t miss anything.
For the next fifteen minutes or so, broken conversation followed as Kane moved in and out of the dining room. He could pick up only bits and pieces but concluded she wasn’t talking about work or the little girl. She and Lucy seemed to be discussing nothing in particular. How is it women can talk and talk and talk about nothing?
A little later, Abby went to her bedroom to take a shower. He didn’t expect much from that bug, except he figured she might make calls from there. The dining room, entertainment room, and her office would be the fruit-bearing locations.
And he was right about that. While watching television, Abby and Lucy began talking—and so did someone else.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Albert couldn’t believe it. He turned up the volume and listened closely. There was no mistake. He heard the voice of a young girl, and it wasn’t Lucy’s. Xiaolian?
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