Blood Sisters

by Melody Carlson

  Judith closed the Bible and thought. She remembered the basket of fresh produce she had picked in Aunt Lenore’s garden just yesterday—produce she had meant to give to Ellen to share with Aunt Lenore, hoping to extract some information. All this had fallen to the wayside with the unexpected invitation to come out to the lake. But who would water the garden while Judith was away? Perhaps this was just the excuse she needed to return to town and somehow let Adam know what was up and what she had learned about Jasmine. A trip to town to water the garden seemed a flimsy excuse for an escape, but it was all she had and it was worth a try.

  Finally, she heard someone moving about in the kitchen downstairs, and she rose, quickly dressed, and went down.

  “Good morning, dear,” said Ellen brightly. “I’m just making some coffee.”

  “Sounds good,” said Judith.

  “Did you sleep okay?”

  “Well, mostly. But I am a little worried about something.”

  Ellen turned and looked at her. “Oh, dear, what’s got you worried?”

  “It’s kind of silly, but I just remembered Aunt Lenore’s garden and how I’ve been watering it every day. And it’s supposed to be quite hot today, and now it will have no water for three days. And I’m terribly worried it will all dry up and die.”

  “Oh, I hadn’t thought about that.”

  “And then I got to thinking how disappointed Aunt Lenore will be to come home and find all her pretty vegetables dead. I feel just horrible.”

  “Oh my.”

  “And Burt is so busy with his meetings and you have your women’s group.”

  “Well, that’s not until noon.”

  “But the church service?”

  “That’s not until ten.”

  Judith looked at her watch. “But Burt probably doesn’t have time to run me to town this morning.”

  Ellen frowned. “Burt’s already gone off to the morning meeting. They started at seven with breakfast and everything.”

  “Oh.”

  “Well, now, there must be something we can do. It’s not even eight o’clock now. Of course, Hal and everyone else is busy with their silly old meetings. It’s too bad I don’t drive anymore.” Ellen’s eyes lit up. “I know! How about if I let you drive me into town. I don’t think Daddy will mind if I use the car this time since I’m not really doing the driving myself.”

  Judith let out a relieved sigh. “Oh, that would make me feel so much better. You really don’t mind, Ellen?”

  “Not at all. I certainly don’t want Aunt Lenore’s pretty garden getting ruined either.”

  “And then I can get that basket of produce that I picked to share with you and Aunt Lenore. Do you think you’ll be able to get some of it to her?”

  Ellen grew thoughtful. “I don’t know, but I think maybe so.”

  “Do you think I might be able to see her too?”

  “Now, I’m not too sure about that, dear. We’ll have to check with Daddy. He’s the one taking care of all this right now. He knows how stressful these things are to me. But I’ll ask him.”

  They ate a quick breakfast and then started their trip to town. Judith was a little worried about getting through the tight security system, but just the same she had brought along her bag of Jasmine’s things, including the wedding rings now tucked into one of the loafers. She had set this bag on the floor of the back seat, explaining to Ellen that it would be one less thing to take home later, and Ellen had said that sounded “real smart.” Then to Judith’s relieved amazement, Ellen just directed her straight to the gates where a man wearing what looked like a khaki uniform just smiled and waved them through. Judith tried not to reveal how deliriously happy she felt to be on the free side of those awful gates once again, but she literally felt her heart lighten as they drove further and further away.

  “I’ll just wait here for you,” said Ellen when Judith pulled into the driveway.

  “Are you sure? It sometimes takes me awhile to get everything nicely soaked.”

  “No, I’m fine. Just put the windows down and I’ll lean back and enjoy the fresh morning air.”

  “Okay. I’ll try to hurry then.”

  Judith couldn’t believe her luck as she climbed from the car. She went straight to the backyard, taking the bag of Jasmine’s things with her. First she turned on the sprinkler and giving one quick glance behind her, she streaked through the yard and toward the lilac bush in the corner. She let herself through the hole in the fence and went and knocked on Adam’s back door, the bag still in her hand.

  “What are you doing back here?” asked Jack as he came around the corner.

  She jumped and dropped the bag, spilling some items to the ground. “Oh, Jack, you scared me.” She scrambled to pick up the bag and its contents. “Is Adam home right now? I only have a minute and I’ve—”

  Just then the door opened. “Judith!” Adam stepped out and looked at her. “Where in the world have you been?”

  “It’s a long story, and I only have a couple of minutes.”

  He pulled her into the house and back toward his office, speaking in quiet tones. “I’ve been worried sick about you. I suspect you’ve been out at the lake.”

  After he closed the door she set the bag on his desk. “Yes. Ellen begged me to come out with them, and I could tell I was really winning their trust—”

  “Judith, it’s too dangerous. I wanted you wired.”

  “I know. But you should see the security check they put me through. I’ll bet they would’ve found a wire, and then where would I be? I mean, they use body scanners and everything.”

  “I know.”

  “You know?”

  “Yes, we have a wire that’s undetectable.”

  “But I don’t know if I even have time. I’m supposed to be watering the garden right now. We’ve got to be back for church at ten.”

  “Church?”

  “Well, you know, whatever it is they do. But first let me tell you what I’ve found. It’s all in this bag.”

  “They let you walk out with a bag of evidence?” He looked clearly puzzled.

  “Not exactly. Sort of. Anyway, it’s Jasmine’s things. But I mean, really her things. Not like the stuff her mom bought. I think these are the only things Jasmine brought with her from her other life. And I think she came from some sort of money and that she was married and who knows what else. But I thought if you had them, you might be able to figure something out—track something down. And I know she’d been living in the Seattle area. And I’m trying to find out where Aunt Lenore is and, oh, dear, I better go finish my watering.”

  “Slow down.” He made her sit down in a chair. “I’ll water for you. Now, first off, I’m not so sure that we can let you go back in there.”

  “But I thought you wanted—”

  “My first priority is to keep you safe. And I have reason to believe that situation could get dangerous.”

  “You mean like Waco or Ruby Ridge?” She laughed. “I’ll admit these guys are stupid, but they’re not crazy. I don’t think they’d pull something like—”

  “You don’t know what they might pull, Judith.” He looked into her eyes. “I mean, once they get pushed.”

  “Pushed?”

  He nodded. “I’ve just learned there are a couple of BATF guys who’ve infiltrated with the others.”

  “BATF?”

  “Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. These guys have reason to believe there are a lot of illegal firearms out there, as well as other things.”

  “Yeah? Well, they should see Hal’s armory then.”

  “Hal’s not stupid. He almost always buys and sells his guns according to the laws. In fact, he’s something of a cover for them. But there’s another couple guys out there who aren’t so smart. And it’s possible they could get caught with the goods this weekend. And you never know, the whole thing could just blow up. I don’t want you out there, Judith.”

  “But what if I wore a wire? What if I could get some hard e
vidence that has to do with Jasmine or maybe even James Paxton—”

  “It’s too risky right now.”

  “But how will I explain it to Ellen? I mean, I’ve worked so hard to establish trust. Good grief, she thinks I’m like part of her family now. Burt practically offered me a job. I could probably get Hal to propose!”

  He ran his hands through his hair and groaned. “I can’t let you do it, Judith.”

  She stood up now. “But you don’t understand. I mean, last night I was scared witless. I just wanted to come home and never go back again. But suddenly, now that I’m safely here, I realize how far I’ve gotten—how close I might actually be. And then I get this opportunity to come back here and talk to you. And you could wire me up, and we might catch them, Adam. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

  He stared at her. “Of course. I’m just as eager as you are to break this thing wide open. But it’s getting too risky. And I don’t know if you noticed or not, but I kind of like you.”

  Her mouth still open, all ready with her next plea of resistance, she paused for a moment as she considered the meaning behind his words. Or was she just imagining things? “Well, I like you too,” she continued. “But what does that have to do with anything?”

  He smiled. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt. It’s not worth it.”

  “But I’m so close, Adam. I can just feel it. It’s like Jasmine is there leading me along. I mean, first with the ring that was stuck to the back of the underside of the bathroom sink.”

  He blinked. “Man, you have been busy. I sure hope there’s not surveillance in that house.”

  “Yeah, I’ve been wondering the same thing. But so far I don’t see any sign of it.”

  A knock on the door interrupted them. “Sorry,” said Jack as he stuck his head in the doorway. “But do you want me to keep an eye on the Morrison broad out in the car?”

  “Huh?” they both said in unison.

  “Well, do you want her traipsing over here to look for Judith?”

  “No,” said Adam, standing up. “Pops, just how much do you know?”

  “Enough,” grumped Jack. “I’ll go keep a watch on her.”

  “Want to move the sprinkler while you’re at it?” asked Judith hopefully.

  “Sure.”

  Adam shook his head as he closed the door behind his dad. “See, that’s just what I was afraid of with him.”

  Judith couldn’t help but laugh. “He’s a sweet guy.”

  “Yeah, and I don’t want him getting hurt either.”

  “Well, Ellen’s harmless. And speaking of Ellen, how would I explain to her and everyone else why I’ve suddenly decided not to come back to the lake. And how will she get home? She doesn’t drive, you know. Did you want to drive her? I’m sure no one would get suspicious about that.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Let me think a minute. If I could just think of some way to safely get you out if trouble develops.”

  “There’s the fire exit,” said Judith. “It’s on the west side of the lake, not far from the Morrisons’ house. Couldn’t I get out through there?”

  “Maybe.” He made a note. “Although I’m sure it’s heavily gated too. But maybe not guarded.”

  She looked at her watch. Already twenty minutes had gone by. “Adam, you’ve got to let me go back.”

  “I suppose I can’t really stop you, can I?” He looked hopefully into her eyes.

  “No, you can’t. But I’d sure appreciate it if you’d back me in this.”

  “And wire you?”

  She nodded. “Do you mind?”

  He sighed. “It goes against the grain, Judith.”

  “I’m sorry. But it goes against the grain for me to give up right now.”

  “I didn’t realize you were such a fighter.”

  “Usually I’m not. It’s just all this crazy praying I’ve been doing lately.”

  “Yeah, that’ll do it to you, all right.”

  “So, you’ll let me go back.”

  “Yeah. Now, I’m going to tell you something that I hadn’t planned on. It’s usually dangerous to give away somebody’s identity like this. But I’ve got a guy on the inside.”

  “A BATF guy?”

  He shook his head. “No, this guy’s with me.”

  “A policeman?”

  He shook his head again. “FBI.”

  “You’re with the FBI?”

  “Undercover. I don’t usually tell because it puts me and others in danger. But right now I’m more worried about you than us. So, I’m letting you in on it. And I trust you won’t blow our cover.”

  “Wow, FBI. I had no idea.”

  “It’s no big deal. Anyway, my guy’s about 6’ 8” with red curly hair. Kinda hard to miss, if you know what I mean. He talks real rough and looks like a redneck, but he’s okay. He goes by Hank. Don’t do anything to give him away, but if you’re in trouble and Hank’s around, you can trust him to take care of you.”

  “He knows who I am.”

  “Of course. You think I’d let you go in there all by yourself?” He smiled as he reached into a drawer and pulled out a packet, then emptied the contents onto his desk. A tiny plastic transistor, thin wires, and some medical tape.

  “Anything else I should be aware of?”

  “Just that my hands are cold.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  GOD, IT’S ME AGAIN, your little Pearl. And I ain’t run away yet. And that’s just ’cause Miss Molly downstairs made me promise and cross my heart that I wouldn’t. She say before I run away, I better just run to her. She say she’ll take care of me. But I don’t know what Carmen would think about that. Not that she be thinking much of anything these days, not since Larry runned off. Now, what I wanna know is why she be so sad about losing Larry? I mean, he used to beat her and yell at her and take her money and make ugly messes and eat what little food we got. But now that he’s gone, she just mopes around and cries all the time. But me, I’m glad he’s gone. Miss Molly say the Bible say we ain’t s’posed to hate no one, but I think I hate Larry. Every time I see his big white face in our door, I know it means trouble’s coming. Now, Miss Molly say the Bible say we s’posed to love everybody no matter what color they be. And so I gotta say, God, that I don’t hate Larry because he be white, I just hate him because he be mean. The truth of things is when I remember my mama, she got a white face just like Larry. Well, not just like Larry, ’cause my mama’s face is pretty and she’s got long dark hair that tickles my face. I remember that.

  And I remembered something else last night, God, at least I think I did. When I was just a laying in my bed, almost asleep, I think I remembered my daddy! I think I saw him laughing and playing with me, and he asked if I wanted a horsey ride. And he looked like Carmen and Miss Molly and Sharista and me. He be a black man! At least that’s what Miss Molly call folk like us. But I don’t get that, God, ’cause when I look at Carmen, I think she look just like chocolate—you know, that yummy kind that isn’t so dark. But then Miss Molly, she look more like that chocolate that’s real dark, like the one I found behind the couch one time, it was real dark but kinda dusty gray ’round the edges. Funny thing is I like that light-color chocolate lots better, but I like Miss Molly way better than Carmen. But back to that thing Miss Molly say about how we be black and all. Now, I know all my colors, God, well most of them. And I know black is like the color of my shoes and the color of Carmen’s CD player (before Larry stole it) and the color of the inside of the oven. And I look in the mirror, and I don’t see no black like that. Fact is, my face is even lighter than Carmen’s, it’s more like the color of that mocha-nut ice cream that Carmen loves so much. So what’s up with this black thing, God? What color do you say I am? What color are you? And while we be on the subject of colors, God, what’s up with this white thing anyway? I know what color white be, not that I see much of it in Carmen’s dirty apartment, but now Miss Molly she keep her things nice and white. She got a nice, shiny white bathtub and sink. But that a
in’t the color of my mama’s face or Larry’s face—so why we call them white? Now, Carmen’s bathtub is s’posed to be white but it looks more kinda grayish yellow and if you ask me, that look more like Carmen’s face. Now my mama’s face? Well, I think that be more pinkish, but her eyes are dark brown like mine. I can’t remember what color my daddy’s eyes be.

  But am I right about my daddy? Was that him I remembered last night? And is he dark brown too? And by the way, God, where did he go to? At first I got real happy when I remembered him, and then I got real sad. I asked Carmen if she remembered my daddy and she just rolled them big, gold eyes of hers and say, “No way, Jose.” Then I asked her if she remembered my mama, and she got real mad. She even said a bad word. Then she say, “All I ’member ’bout your mama is she broke her promise. And if it weren’t for your Aunt Constance, I’d just throw you out the front door right this minute!”

  Now, I’m thinking that’s pretty weird. I don’t remember no Aunt Constance at all. Not ever. Who she? And fact is, I don’t much care if Carmen does throw me out the front door. Maybe then I could go live with Miss Molly and play with Sharista anytime I want to, and maybe then I can go to real school and learn how to read and stuff. But I don’t think that’s gonna happen, ’cause Carmen be acting like she brewing up some kind of plan right now. Like she think she gonna get lucky somehow. I mean, every time she look at me lately she be a rubbin’ her hands and saying stuff like, “You gonna make me rich, little girl. Cause o’ you I gonna be sitting pretty before too long! There’s people out there that’d pay good money for a nice little girl like you.”

  Now, I gotta ask you, God, what’s up with that? Miss Molly say you got your eye on me. But I ain’t so sure ’bout that. You got your eye on me right now, God? Right this minute? You know what Carmen be up to right now? ’Cause I ain’t so smart, and I’m only five years old, but I think she gonna sell me to someone who got some money but ain’t no better than her. Maybe someone a lot worse. And I be saying, hey, God, can you hear me?