“Maybe there is a way,” Nick said. “I just heard about it from Rella.”
“Rella? Isn’t she back east?”
“She is, but she checked in a while ago, and I told her about the unfolding drama with the little piano girl. Rella told me a story about getting hung up crossing the Canadian border with her nephews a couple of years ago when she wanted to take them up to B.C. on vacation.”
“What happened?” I asked, eager for good news.
“When the folks at the border crossing saw kids in her car, she was told to pull over and wait while they did some checking.”
“You mean checking their passports?”
“Turns out kids don’t need passports to cross, but they do need birth certificates. And because they weren’t Rella’s, she had to produce a letter from their father saying Rella had permission to take them across the border. It turns out the officials at the border pay extra attention to children crossing into Canada, and it can take time to sort that out, especially if there’s an active custody issue.”
I suddenly felt light enough to float a few inches above the ground. “Oh, that’s fantastic news. Thank God we finally have something working in our favor.”
I heard Nick’s quiet laugh, then he said, “When you’re finished thanking God, you might want to thank Rella.”
“I will, and you can thank her for me next time you talk to her.”
Next I dialed Quinn’s office with the news about the border crossing and the custody issue. He said he’d see if he could convince the police to follow up with the Canadian and Mexican borders.
“I’m betting on Canada,” I said.
“So am I,” he agreed, “and I’m betting Gailworth is not aware of what it’s going to take to get Natasha across that border.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“We need to think about timing,” Quinn went on. “How long would it take for Gailworth to drive straight through to the Canadian border?”
“I’ve already looked that up. It’s an eleven-hour drive from Timbergate to Blaine, Washington. That’s right on the border. It’s a little past noon now. If Gailworth left at six thirty this morning, he’s probably only made it about halfway, but there’s really nothing we can do to stop him until he reaches the Canadian border.”
“I’m still working on Sybil Snyder,” Quinn said. “And Hector’s still bellowing at her. She’s trying to come up with some medical thing that would hold up in court, but Natasha is two weeks post-op and her hospital care has been flawless. She’s in no physical danger from the road trip itself.”
“What about danger from her stepfather?”
“That’s the problem. Natasha’s mother appears to be in favor of this ‘getaway,’ if that’s what it is. If she doesn’t see her husband as a threat, why should anyone else? There is no law against what they’re doing. Not until ten o’clock tomorrow morning, when they fail to appear in court here in Timbergate.” I heard Quinn sigh in frustration. “You know what scares the hell out of me about this?”
I was pretty sure I did. The same thing was alarming me. “You’re thinking this is an act of desperation out of proportion to a custody hearing.” I took a breath. “Quinn, do you think Abel Gailworth killed Gavin Lowe?”
“I hope not. But if he did, things aren’t looking good for Melissa and Natasha.”
“Then you don’t think Melissa’s in on it?”
“I doubt it,” Quinn said. “If she was unconditionally in love with Gailworth, she was probably willing to go along with his nonsense until Natasha got sick. I suspect at that point Melissa began having second thoughts about him. Cleo told me what you found on Lowe’s flash drive. If Gavin Lowe had lived, he’d have testified at the custody hearing. Suppose Lowe had already told Natasha’s parents what he planned to recommend. Maybe Gailworth balked at the prospect of strict oversight of Natasha’s health as a condition for retaining custody ….”
“And decided to silence Lowe before his recommended conditions became known?”
“It might have worked if you hadn’t found that flash drive in Lowe’s briefcase. Now Lowe’s requirements may be considered by the judge, no matter what Sybil Snyder recommends. Melissa and Gailworth probably know that with or without Lowe’s testimony at the hearing, there will very likely be strings attached if they win continued custody.”
“You’re right,” I said. “Child Protective Services would be breathing down their necks indefinitely.”
“And if Hector Korba isn’t granted custody, he’ll be doing the same. One health checkup or lab test that isn’t up to par, and he’ll drag them back into court.”
“At that point, Melissa might decide to walk away from Gailworth and the whole vegan routine if it means she can keep her daughter.”
“Which would infuriate Gailworth,” Quinn continued, “since their marriage is his only possible hope of controlling Natasha’s career.”
“Not to mention her income,” I said. “But why take off with Natasha? It’s illogical for Gailworth to think he can simply leave the U.S. and continue to exploit Natasha’s career in another country. Do you suppose he’s never heard of extradition? Hector Korba would jump on that in a nanosecond.”
“True,” Quinn said. “If that’s his plan, he’d have a hell of a time finding a foreign country that would serve his purpose. I think he’s skipping out for a different reason. He’s acting like a desperate man.”
“Then you do think he killed Gavin Lowe?” Aware that I sounded agitated, I made an effort to calm down, “But how would Gailworth gain access to your office, much less lure Lowe in there?”
“That’s what has me puzzled. I can’t imagine how either of them got in. Neither would have known about the third-floor passageway. Neither had keys to my office, and neither was seen on the fourth-floor security cameras that night.”
“What about the third-floor cameras?” I asked.
“Now that you mention it, that footage was only checked to see if anyone was spotted near the laundry cart where the gun was hidden. Apparently, they came up with nothing suspicious. I wasn’t given a chance to view any of the camera footage before I was placed on leave.”
“And you couldn’t ask Sanjay or the police to focus on the area near the alcove and the door with the hazard sign without giving them a convincing reason.”
“They have one now.” Quinn was silent, giving me time for his last revelation to sink in.
His words had the desired effect. “Are you saying you’ve told the police about the passage?”
“I did that when I was put back in charge. Hoping it would build trust. They seemed to accept my reasons for withholding the information, but I’m sure they haven’t ruled me out as a suspect.”
“So have they taken a closer look at the third-floor camera footage?”
“That’s what I’ve been told, but I wasn’t invited to the viewing. It isn’t likely to single out any suspects right away, since everyone who works day or night shifts on that floor has to enter that alcove to get to the restrooms.”
“Do you think the police told Sanjay about the passageway?”
“What I told Detective Kass is that, as far as I know, Sanjay isn’t aware of it and I’d like to keep it that way. He agreed and said that for now, he’ll put the passage on a need-to-know basis.”
“Suddenly I’m feeling better about Detective Kass." My relief produced a nervous little laugh. "Do you suppose Sanjay is on his suspect list?”
“Could be,” he said. “Kass seems good at his job, so he probably hasn’t ruled out anyone just yet.”
“Then as far as the police know, it’s just you and Varsha who know about the passage. You didn’t tell them about Cleo and me or Harry and Nick?”
“No.” The response was abrupt, and he continued in the same vein, “You’d better see that your brother and your boyfriend understand that. I’ve already made it clear to Cleo that her continued employment depends on keeping it to herself. The same goes for you.
”
No more nervous laughter. I was a good soldier. “Understood. Are you going to ask the police what they saw on that third floor footage?”
“No. I want to see it for myself. Now that I’m back, that’s going to be my first priority.”
My cell phone buzzed—a text from Nick.
Quinn and I agreed to keep each other informed.
Chapter 29
Nick’s text was a request to call him ASAP. I did, even though it was almost one o’clock and I’d had a phone to my ear for most of the day.
“We have a sighting,” he said.
“Where?” I switched the phone to my other hand and grabbed for a pen and notepad.
“I gave Buck’s computer posse a description of Gailworth’s vehicle and the license plate number and asked them to monitor traffic cameras in every direction. They just picked up a camera shot of Gailworth’s car on I-5, headed north out of Oregon and into Washington on the Interstate Bridge.”
“When?”
“About five minutes ago.
Energy surged through me. “Then we were right. He must be headed toward Canada.”
“Looks likely. Has the lady doctor come up with a legit reason to issue the Amber Alert?”
“No, but let me get this information to Quinn and Dr. Snyder.”
“You think this will light a fire under the doctor?”
“I don’t know,” I suppressed a groan. “There’s nothing she can do unless she decides to knuckle under to Hector Korba and simply lie about Natasha’s health being endangered.”
“Talk to your boss and let me know what happens. Gailworth is only four and a half hours’ driving time from the Washington/Canada border.”
I locked the library and headed across the complex to Quinn’s office, eager to share my news.
Varsha knew the score and all the players, so she waved me through to Quinn’s office. I expected to see Hector Korba and Sybil Snyder, but Quinn stood alone, staring out his window at the dormant snow-covered volcano that dominated the mountain range east of Timbergate. Maybe he found it symbolic of Lowe’s murder—a violent eruption resulting in a chain of destructive consequences.
He turned when I closed his door behind me. “You have news?”
“Yes. Finally, something concrete.” I told him what Nick had said about the image of Gailworth’s car on the traffic camera confirming that he was headed north and had already crossed from Oregon into Washington.
He moved to his desk and sat. “Good to have that confirmed, but it doesn’t give us legal cause to have them apprehended, and it doesn’t fit the criteria for an Amber Alert." He looked up at me. "Have a seat, Aimee.”
I plopped down across from him. “There must be something we can do, now that we know where they are. Doesn’t leaving the country the day before a custody hearing prove they’re on the run? Wouldn’t the border guards stop them?”
“Unfortunately, no,” Quinn said. “It’s not likely the guards would know about the custody hearing.”
We both sat for a frustrated moment of silence, aware that time was running out and puzzling over our next step. I felt a vibration next to my thigh and realized it was my cell phone buzzing an incoming text message.
I pulled the phone out of my pocket and glanced at the screen. The caller’s number was unfamiliar, but the message was clear.
SOS
An electric current started at the back of my neck and raced all the way down to my tailbone. I read the message.
Help abel is being mean and mom is crying.
“Oh, my God, Quinn. I think this text is coming from Natasha!” I held out the phone so he could see the screen.
“Damnation!” He spoke to Varsha on his intercom, “Get the police on the line. Detective Kass, if you can reach him.”
While Quinn talked to Kass, I sent a text back to Natasha asking where she was. She responded, Backseat with moms phone.
I replied, Does your mom know you’re texting?
She answered, No she thiks im playing games
I told her help was on the way and to keep the phone on.
She responded, K pls hurry
Quinn hung up from talking to Kass just as I read Natasha’s final plea.
“Kass is on it,” he said. “He’s looking for anything in Gailworth’s past that might prevent him crossing the Canadian border.”
“Like what?”
“He mentioned a criminal record—either misdemeanor or felony. The problem is time. He wasn’t sure how long that would take.”
“I told Natasha to leave her cell phone on. I’m not sure, but maybe they can use it to track Gailworth’s progress toward the border.”
“Good idea.” He pressed a button on his intercom and asked Varsha to summon Korba and Dr. Snyder to his office STAT. While he did that, I called Nick, who answered on the first ring.
“What’s the latest?”
I caught him up on Natasha’s text and what Quinn and I were doing and asked Nick if he had any other suggestions.
“I can think of one. I’ll get permission to use one of Buck’s planes in case this results in the girl and her mother needing a ride home from wherever the police catch up with them. If the timing works out, we could have them back in time for that custody hearing tomorrow morning.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. Good idea.”
“If I do fly up there, you’d better plan to ride along. The mother and daughter don’t know me, but they obviously trust you. At least the little girl does.”
Nick’s last words filled me with apprehension. Natasha Korba was counting on me as a lifeline for herself and her mother. I couldn’t bear the thought of failing them. I waffled between doubt and determination while Quinn and I waited for Korba and Snyder to show up.
Korba arrived first, bursting into Quinn’s office like a mad bull, nearly knocking the door off its hinges.
“Where is my Natasha?” he bellowed. “What is this new development?”
Quinn stood and held his hands out, hoping to placate the desperate grandfather. “Hector, try to stay calm. This is good news. We know they’re all right and the police are doing all they can to—”
“Jared, what’s happening?” Sybil Snyder rushed into Quinn’s office and stopped in her tracks when she saw Korba turn and glare at her.
“You! You traitor,” Korba barked at her. “A word from you could have started an Amber Alert hours ago. Now God knows if I will ever see my baby girl again.”
Sybil turned to Quinn, who explained the events of the past half hour, starting with Natasha’s text to me.
Korba shot a glare at me. “She texted you? Why not me? What have you done to turn her from me?”
I was shocked at his accusation. “Nothing. I barely know her or her mother. I have no idea why she thought I could help. Maybe because she knows I work at the hospital.”
Quinn tried again to gain control over the chaos erupting in his office. “Hector, please, give us a chance to do everything we can to help your granddaughter and her mother.”
Korba drew in a deep breath, shook his head, and said, “All right. Tell me everything you are doing to rescue my Natasha.”
Again, as always, he referred to the girl as his property. Maybe that was why Natasha had chosen not to contact him for help. At ten years of age, she may have already realized his love for her was controlling and possessive—that he had been molding her into the image of his choice since she was a toddler, rather than encouraging her to explore options beyond the piano keyboard.
Quinn’s phone rang. He picked up immediately, listened, made quick notes, and then told his caller about Natasha’s text. He listened again, then hung up and looked at the three of us who stood waiting.
“Okay, here’s the good news. Kass has checked the IAFIS database and determined that Gailworth has criminal misdemeanors in his past back in Arkansas. A couple of speeding tickets and one DUI twelve years ago. That should be enough to alert the border guards. Whether those char
ges will keep him from crossing into Canada is up to them.”
“What did he say about Natasha’s text?” I asked.
“He said you should call him direct if you hear from her again.” He handed me a sheet from his notepad. “Here’s the number.” He glanced at his watch. “That’s the good news. The bad news is that Gailworth could reach the Canadian border in three hours.”
“But we’re not even positive that’s where he’s heading,” I said. “He could take off in another direction. Maybe cross over into Idaho.”
“Then Sybil must tell the police we need an Amber Alert.” Korba looked at Dr. Snyder as if he’d gladly throw her professional career and medical license under a bus, along with Snyder herself, if she refused again.
“I think the situation has changed enough to warrant an alert.” Snyder, who would not look at Korba, maintained eye contact with Quinn. “Under the circumstances, the child could be considered too medically fragile for extended travel. She was discharged with the understanding that she would continue to recuperate at her home with the opportunity for immediate readmission in the event of a relapse.”
“There!” Korba pounded his fist on Quinn’s desk. “You see? Call your police detective and get this done.”
Quinn threw Snyder a grateful look and picked up his phone. I glanced at the time on my cell phone while he spoke again with Detective Kass. Almost two o’clock. Most of an hour had passed since Nick called about sighting Gailworth’s vehicle. Depending on traffic, Abel and his reluctant passengers could be less than three hours from Canada. How long to get the alert up? And what would Gailworth do if he happened to see it? Would it make him more desperate? The thought made me queasy. It also made me hope Natasha’s stepfather hadn’t caught on to what the girl was doing with her mother’s phone.
I left the tense atmosphere of Quinn’s office and took an elevator down to the relative calm of Cleo’s first floor office to fill her in on the latest developments.
“Quinn promised to keep us updated,” I said, after finishing my blow-by-blow account.
Breach of Ethics Page 24