Jacob's Grace

by C. P. Rowlands

  The sound of hoofs echoed through the stable. Grace and Crow raced around the ring in an ever-tightening circle. Grace was golden in the sun against Crow’s shinning black. She pulled the reins and the horse skidded to a stop, but Grace’s agile body hardly moved. She rubbed the horse’s ear and then nimbly dropped to the ground. Crow’s ears perked up. Grace patted the horse’s neck and turned, shielding her eyes against the sun.

  “Hey,” she called out.

  “Having a workout?” Tag grinned.

  “Long day at the computers and I needed some fresh air. How was your day?”

  “Lots of people, but I had some quality time on Jay’s office computer. Not a bad day but busy. I’m on my way to shower and change clothes. AJ wants a seven o’clock meeting. I’ll order pizza. Do we have beer?”

  They walked back to Crow’s stall and Grace shoved the horse inside. “I made a run to the little grocery store down the road and picked up some things, including beer. Hope you like apples.” She jammed her gloves into her back pocket and turned with a smile that left Tag breathless.

  “You know I do.” She rubbed Crow’s nose, letting the horse get her scent. “Can I give her an apple?”

  “She’d love it. Go ahead.”

  Tag laughed as the horse snapped it up. She picked up a second apple, and Crow shifted toward her, pushing Grace into her, a full-on body slam.

  “Darn it, Crow,” Grace said and reached for a brush with another lean against Tag.

  Tattooed by the firm body and breasts against her, Tag’s heart stuttered. “I’d better go clean up,” she said, stumbling a little.

  “Don’t use all the hot water.” Grace grinned, turning to the horse with the brush.

  * * *

  AJ swung the delivery van across the road into the motel parking lot. She’d intentionally scheduled this as the last stop of the day and engaged the van’s security camera. She placed cartons on her pushcart and entered the lobby and office. A plump matron, older with gray hair, stood up behind the desk as she entered.

  “Can I help you?” she said with a friendly smile.

  “Adams Delivery,” AJ said and placed the clipboard on the counter.

  “Where’s our regular driver?” the woman said as she checked the order on the clipboard.

  “Oh, I don’t know. I’m new.” AJ shook her hand. “Anne James.”

  “Donna Seesom. I own this place. We’ll see each other a lot. Adams Delivery is my lifeline.”

  “I’m new to the area and the job,” AJ said as she checked the cartons with her tablet.

  “Are you staying in town?”

  “No, at the resort, but we’re looking for a place. Any recommendations?”

  “Are you interested in buying?”

  “Well, maybe. We wanted to leave the city, so it’s a possibility.”

  “I have a place between here and Niagara. Four-bedroom ranch with a nice big yard.” She pointed out of the window behind her. “I’m redoing this place so I can live here.”

  “Just starting, I see.” AJ looked at the grassy area behind the motel that backed into the forest. There were piles of new lumber and construction equipment.

  “We’ve begun on the inside of this place.” She signed the papers and handed the clipboard to AJ. “I was born here, moved away, married, and now I’m back. Must be karma.” She grinned. “The house I’m selling belonged to my parents. I came back from Green Bay after my husband died.”

  “It’s a beautiful area,” AJ said and grabbed the handles of the cart. “If we want to see your house, who do we contact?”

  “Oh. Me, of course.” Donna laughed. “I’m not a real estate agent, but there’s a For Sale sign in the front yard.”

  “Write down the address for me and your number on there. We’ll take a look at it.”

  The woman wrote the information on a notepad and handed it to AJ. “I’ll look forward to it. I put both of my numbers on there.”

  AJ backed the van out of the lot and drove toward Adams Delivery to clock out. That woman looked like someone’s grandmother, not a part of anything as dark as trafficking, but who knew? She’d talk to Henry Adams and his wife before she left work. Grace would have the video with the new car’s license plates on her computer.

  * * *

  Sam opened a beer and slouched into the chair. Grace sat in front of the computers, and Tag stretched her long legs onto the coffee table. They were waiting on AJ or the pizza, whichever came first.

  “How does your eye feel?” Tag said.

  “I saw the doctor the day after we settled in here and had the stitches out.”

  Grace turned so Tag could see. The black eye had faded, and her skin shone as it had when Tag first met her. The stitches were gone, leaving a thin red line intersecting the eyebrow in their place. Tag remembered Grace’s body against hers at the stables and swallowed hard. “It’s almost gone. What do you think, Sam?”

  “I agree, but remember I’ve only known you with a black eye.” He squinted at Grace. “Probably all that time in the sun with Crow.”

  “And while I was enjoying that sun today, I met your sister.” Grace grinned at Tag. “Why didn’t you tell me Emma is the Crooked Lake Resort veterinarian?”

  Tag straightened. “I didn’t know. We were all so happy to see each other that all I know is that she’s got a new boyfriend. He’s a vet too but from Iron Mountain.”

  “She’s shorter than me,” Grace said. “Her eyes are really dark, like yours, but her hair is about the same color as mine.”

  “It’s her hairdresser,” Tag said with a laugh.

  “No way,” Grace said. Sam laughed at them as AJ walked in with two boxes of pizza. She set them on the long table in the middle of the room.

  “What’s funny?” she said, opening one of the boxes. “I met the delivery guy in the elevator. Now he thinks I’m you, Tag, but he’ll never know. I paid in cash.”

  Grace leaned over the food with a happy sigh. “We were laughing because I met Tag’s sister today at the stable. She’s the resident vet here.”

  AJ opened another box and raised an eyebrow at Tag.

  “I didn’t know, but no harm done.” Tag grabbed a slice. “Emma only knows I’m working for Jay. Grace was laughing because Emma’s a blonde. I teased her at the family dinner, so I got to hear all about her hairdresser.”

  “After our experience with Katie’s sister and our hair, I’ll believe anything,” AJ said.

  Tag checked AJ’s appearance. It definitely was a different look. Less business, certainly more casual.

  “How’s things at Jay’s?” Sam said, leaning over the pizza.

  “He has me out in the country. It’s a week-long mini-poll for the state as the governor ramps up for another run.”

  AJ shook her head. “I haven’t met a single person that likes him.”

  “Jay didn’t have a choice, and he’s not happy. He said I came along at a perfect time. When it’s over he’ll find something else for me.”

  “What kind of questions are you asking the people you interview for the poll?” AJ took another slice of pizza. “Anything our group can use up here?”

  “Not really. Just general questions like how each home is doing, are they happy with the economy, what about education and health, those kind of things. Oh, and do they have any suggestions to help Wisconsin.” Tag laughed. “Most say they’d like a new governor.”

  Grace put her pizza down and turned to a computer. “There’s an online questionnaire from the newspaper too. Several other groups are doing these questions as well, and they’re publishing the results.”

  AJ balanced herself on one knee on a chair, reading the article. “The newspaper is published once a week, right?”

  “I bought a paper today to read later,” Sam said.

  “Grace, what did you find out about the tags on that new car at the motel?” AJ sat down next to her.

  “You won’t believe it. It’s a rental under the names of our parking lot
guys, the ones we think burned our vehicles and Home Base. I forwarded everything to the chief. They used the same fake names they were using in Milwaukee. Here’s the rental information. They used John Owens’s house for an address.”

  AJ studied the screen. “Damn. That means they’re tied to Frog’s group.” She took another bite. “The chief is still working on that.”

  Grace hit a few keys and checked the motel surveillance.

  AJ took a beer from the well-stocked refrigerator. “Here’s what I found out at the motel.” She related the conversation with Donna Seesom. “Put this information on the computer,” she said and handed Grace the handwritten note the woman at the motel had given her. “Sam and I talked with Henry Adams and his wife when we clocked out. They knew the owner of that house that’s being sold, John Badger, and they don’t believe Donna Seesom is his daughter. They thought the daughter had died.” She looked at Sam. “Didn’t Henry’s wife say there was a car accident years ago? The husband owned a construction company and died in the nineties. The widow, Mary Blanche Badger, was a nurse at the local hospital, so you should be able to track her easily. Tag, work with Grace on this. You can casually ask Jay about this woman and her house and her so-called parents. I don’t want to alert anyone we’re looking at her.”

  Tag watched AJ again. She hadn’t just changed her appearance. There was a softer way she interacted with people. The way she walked, almost always behind Sam.

  “I didn’t see Greg’s or Jeff’s vehicles at the motel. They’re not there now either,” Tag said.

  “They’re meeting with the DHS in Iron Mountain, but they’ll stay at the motel. Have you talked to the DHS, Sam?” AJ turned to him.

  “Yes, in Park Falls,” he said, “but this is different. I’ve never seen a truckload of kids. It’s like they’re waiting for something to happen. Maybe they were waiting for these two guys?”

  AJ nodded. “Remember what Maddie said, how they gather their victims? What if that’s what these two men do? Find and abduct people?”

  “And make a lot of money off the abduction,” Sam said and shook his head.

  “I saw it in Afghanistan.” Tag made a disgusted sound. “That money’s everywhere. I’ve seen kids like Maddie’s victim, Happy, or women like Sandra. We can’t feed people, but by God we always find money for sex. Or weapons of mass destruction.”

  “How much of what you did in the military was involved with this?” AJ said.

  “It wasn’t our focus, but I saw it constantly. It was their country, not mine. Intel says America’s one of the top destinations for the world’s sex trade. That so disgusts me.”

  AJ nodded and yawned. “Girls, get on Donna Seesom. Sam, scour the newspaper. It’s right in front of us, but we just haven’t recognized it.” She picked up her bag. “Tag and Grace, remember to leave your inside doors open so you can both get to the computers.” She smiled at them. “I need a shower. See all of you tomorrow.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Worn out, AJ tossed her phone on the bed and left a trail of clothes all the way to the shower. She let the hot water pour onto her face, across her tired muscles, and let go of the “Sam’s girlfriend” personality.

  The charade had worked. People at Adams Delivery Service saw her and Sam as a couple, exactly what they’d intended. They’d worked through this on the drive to Niagara. Sam probably knew more about Katie than he should, and she certainly knew a lot more about Maddie. If she’d ever had a brother, she’d have wanted someone like Sam.

  She settled by the window studying the lake. Someone was having a party at the beach bar, and laughter drifted up through her open windows. Even the little lighthouse at the far point of the lake was operational tonight, something that made her smile. She and Katie had taken a boat out there to see the decorative building, a smaller version of the real deal. The house behind it looked like a beach house on the Atlantic, something she’d grown up around.

  She thought of the suite where Grace and Tag were staying. Everything fit. It was perfect for the computers with the big middle meeting room, long table and desks.

  Last month, she and Katie had made reservations at the last minute and it had been the only space available. They’d stepped inside with their bags and just stared. It was huge. And empty. They’d both laughed, going across the kitchen with the industrial-sized refrigerator, sinks and cooking bar, not to mention the king-sized bedrooms and—

  Katie. Her mind rewound and she grabbed her personal phone. There were three unanswered texts, including one from yesterday. The first two simply said Around? but the one sent less than an hour ago was not happy. Where are you? she read.

  “You promised,” Katie said, picking up right away.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I miss you and worry. Are you okay?”

  “It’s still quiet, but we may have caught a break today…and, again, I’m sorry.”

  Katie sighed and then her voice brightened. “One thing that I know will make you smile. The lawn guys showed up and did a great job. I even gave them a beer when they were done.”

  “That’s good. This place feels so wrong without you. I’m looking at the lake and the lighthouse and just came from the suite where we stayed. I miss you too.”

  “Well, I’m in bed, going over notes for tomorrow’s meeting, and I’m not washing these sheets until you come home.”

  They both laughed at that. “I still have a bunch of work too,” AJ said, staring at her laptop on her desk. “I haven’t even checked my email and I have to call Maddie.”

  “Don’t forget to check in tomorrow.”

  They said a bit more and then regretful good-byes. AJ pulled up the photo of Katie on her phone, the one she’d had in Little Crane Lake last spring. She stared at it for a long moment and then opened her laptop.

  This whole thing was going way too slow. Sitting back in the weeds wore on her, but she didn’t miss the anxiety and nightmares. Or the shootings and fires. And there were the girls and Frog. Someone had to watch over them.

  “Crap,” she muttered after reading the chief’s notes. Nothing new there either, especially no information on X-Girl from the Milwaukee trafficking task force. When she talked to Maddie, she’d ask. She was anxious to hear what Maddie had to say about the new car and the two men at the motel. She reached behind her for the group phone to call, still thinking about Katie and the yard guys.

  “What guys?” she said out loud, scowling at the phone. The man down the street said he’d do it personally. She logged onto their home security, backed it up a couple of days, and began to page through. There they were. Two familiar men in an old pickup with a lawn mower and tools. What the hell. It was the two men who were now at the motel down the road. She swore at the video and called the chief, then sent him the security videos.

  She froze the last frame. Katie. Standing on the deck in little purple shorts and gray T-shirt, handing them each a beer and, damn it, they were looking at her like she was a meal. She sent another copy to Grace.

  * * *

  Tag leaned back in her chair. “Got it,” she said to Grace, pointing at the screen showing the death certificate for Donna Seesom.

  Grace looked at the information on the computer. “And here’s the tax information on her so-called parents’ house, the one she’s selling. I don’t know who she is, but she’s not the daughter. That’s just like those men at the motel with the fake names.”

  Tag held up a beer. “Want one?”

  Grace nodded, typing. “I’m sending this and the certificate you found to the group and the chief and Maddie.” She finished and propped an elbow on the desk, studying Tag.

  “What?” Tag said, catching the look.

  “I didn’t hear you come back last night from the motel with Sam. Those were good angles, by the way, and we still haven’t talked about your parents’ meal last weekend. Was it fun?”

  “I really loved the meal with Mom, Dad, and Emma. Jay and his wife were there too. I can’t tel
l you what that meant to me. Will you come down and meet my folks?”

  “Absolutely,” Grace said, but a trace of confusion passed across her face. “This is a first for me,” she continued as if she were thinking out loud.

  Tag understood two things at that moment. This was brand new for Grace but not because she was a woman. It was simply new, and Grace was trying to figure her own feelings out. The scent of the stable and leather and the outdoors drifted around her as she waited for Grace to say more, her heart beating hard.

  Grace took a deep breath. “I don’t even know how to talk about this.”

  Tag took Grace’s hand, but the computer chirped and a little red devil bounced across the screen.

  “What the hell?”

  “It’s my AJ Alert.” Grace opened the file. “Oh my God, look. Katie and those two guys from the motel. It’s AJ’s security video. See the date? Why did those men mow their yard?” Grace reached for the group phone just as it rang. “I see it,” she said to AJ and put the phone on speaker.

  “Want to go to the motel with me and shoot them?”

  “The phone’s on speaker and Tag’s here. Let’s all go.”

  “I’m in,” Tag said. “Why were they at your house?”

  AJ snarled. “The owner of the nursery, our neighbor, said he’d take care of the yard personally. The fucking truth is we can’t do anything. I called the chief and sent this to him.” They heard her take a deep breath. “We think those guys worked for him. What are the odds of that? Remember the information we found that said they worked at a nursery? Damn, I hate this. I have to call Maddie, so talk to you later. Guess I can put my gun away for a while, but when that moment comes, I get dibs.” She disconnected.

  Grace ran the video again, stopping it when Katie handed the men the beer. “No wonder she’s cranky.” She turned, her face a little dreamy. “I was there for their first kiss.”

  “You were…where?”

  “By the exit sign at the Copper Penny. I was with Katie and her sister, watching Michael at the back of the room. Charles had driven AJ and Bonnie back from Little Crane Lake. They were both injured and high on pain pills. I’m not sure AJ intended for that to happen at that moment.” Grace cut Tag a look. “It’ll always stay in my mind.”