by Jody Klaire
Aunt Bess shot her a big beaming smile back. “Thank you.”
Renee took her hand, the bag, and dragged Aunt Bess out of the door. They hurried across town, ducked around a corner, and to her car. “I’m not sure if I should be impressed or have you checked out?”
“You pretty much covered any losses and then some.” Aunt Bess shook her head as she got in. “I ain’t gonna ask why you got so much loose change hanging around the car.”
Renee handed Aunt Bess the wipes they’d just bought. Aunt Bess studied her the whole time she wiped the gel and paste off her hands. She was expecting an answer.
“You just gave the woman enough money not to work for a few years,” Aunt Bess said, eyeing her.
Renee shrugged. “She works hard.”
“So why’d you look like you seen a spook?” Aunt Bess said with a confused smile on her face. She was so much like Aeron.
Renee pulled out the medication and stowed it in the trunk. She took out iron tablets for Aeron.
“Nan,” she mumbled. “I’m experiencing some odd side effects.”
Aunt Bess wasn’t surprised by the smile on her face. “In that case, I’m glad we just robbed her.”
“Not robbed . . . I paid for them.” Renee took a long shuddering breath as she noticed Aeron passed out. “Let’s get to the airport before we make any other unsuspecting people rich.”
Chapter 39
JESSIE HELD HER breath as her chest and throat tickled. The guard, or whoever it was, had taken up residence in the waiting room and wasn’t moving. Miss Locks was semi-conscious, slumped against the wall. Jessie wasn’t sure if she was going to cough, Miss Locks was going to faint, or the alarm would be raised first.
“Nan,” Jessie whispered in her lowest whisper. “Nan, are you there?”
“What’s up, Mousey? Oh.” Nan tutted and Jessie felt her near Miss Locks. “She need another wake up?”
“There’s a guard.” She pointed to the screen in front of her. “We’re stuck.”
Nan tutted again. “You know how to get out if he ain’t lurkin’?”
Jessie glanced at Miss Locks. She had said there was a fire door in the office. They could get through the door in this room . . . if they could get past the guard. Jessie nodded. Not sure if her continued whispers would make her wheeze louder. Her chest was getting worse. She needed her inhaler soon.
“Take it, Mousey, and get ready to move.”
Jessie pulled out her inhaler and did as told. She was going to start coughing if she didn’t. “What are you going to do?”
“Something I ain’t meant to but I ain’t watching you get stuck.”
Jessie took hold of Miss Lock’s arm and her eyes fluttered open. “Nan is going to help.”
Miss Locks smiled.
Bam.
Jessie jumped, only stopping herself from squealing by covering her mouth.
“What the . . . ?” Jessie heard a man mutter. He sounded like he walked toward the door.
Crash.
Jessie jumped again. Frei held onto her this time. The crash was near them. She tensed as the man walked toward them. His footfalls loud.
Bam.
Crash.
Bam.
“Hey, Jeff, we got rats or something?” the man blurted.
“In this dump? I’d say so.” Another voice, crackly, like it was on a radio.
Bam.
“Any ideas?” He sounded tenser by the minute.
Jessie smiled.
“You want to feed them cheese? What do I care, just don’t set off the alarms.” Jeff, whoever he was, crackled the speaker with his sigh. “I got some traps up here, come get them.”
The man carried on muttering as it sounded like he opened the door. Jessie breathed out her relief as the door shut and his voice faded.
“Thanks, Nan.” Jessie hauled Miss Locks up and she stumbled forward.
“You’re welcome.”
The breeze faded and Jessie headed up a ramp into a pokey office. She spotted the fire door and glanced up at Miss Locks. “It’s alarmed.”
Miss Locks nodded. “No bypass.”
Jessie sighed. They couldn’t stay here. They’d set off alarms anyway. She took a deep breath, pressed the bar, and shoved the door open. A red light flickered. She pulled Miss Locks outside and slammed it shut.
“My car isn’t far.” Miss Locks staggered alongside her as they slipped and slid their way up the metal steps. “If I pass out, stick my thumb on the steering wheel.”
They reached the top of the steps. The large truck loading bay was between them and the gate to the street.
She pulled Miss Locks into motion and handed her the pistol she’d pinched from the guard in their cell. “I don’t think I can fire it.”
Miss Locks smiled. “Let’s hope I don’t have to. I can see two of you.”
They stumbled their way from truck to truck. She expected guards and guns like back in Caprock but it was quiet. “I don’t understand.”
“Guards haven’t seen the light yet. Keep moving.” They made it to the metal gate. The chain locked it in place. Miss Locks pulled out something from her waistband. “You remember our sessions?”
Jessie nodded. She took the picks and started on the lock. It clunked and fell loose. “I did it.”
“Good. Make sure you keep it.” Miss Locks held open the gate, ushered her through, and held out the lock for her. “Trophy.”
Jessie took it. A light flashed in the window of the warehouse.
“Looks like they’ve stopped looking for rats.” Miss Locks shoved herself forward and gripped Jessie’s arm. She hadn’t had the energy to stand a moment ago, now she was moving faster than Jessie could keep up with. “I don’t have a lot in the tank.”
“You’re sick.”
Bam.
Bam.
Gunfire.
Miss Locks started sprinting. “I meant the car.”
Jessie stumbled, her chest heavy. “I can’t keep up.”
Miss Locks yanked her upward and Jessie gripped onto her shoulders being carried piggy-back. “You know how to drive?”
“No. I rode a bike . . . once.”
They headed into a small section of warehouses and Miss Locks dropped her. “Under the cover.”
Jessie helped her yank off the cover, a sleek red sports car underneath. Even she knew the badge. Miss Locks got in the passenger side so Jessie took the driver’s seat. She could barely touch the peddles.
“Adjust it, here.”
Jessie followed the instruction. The seat moved and dipped.
“I drive a manual.” She met Jessie’s eyes. “It’s got an automatic function, so press that.” She pointed to a button on the dash. Jessie pressed it and the dashboard lights turned green. “Left to stop, right to go.”
She could do that.
Miss Locks put her thumb to the dash. “We have a quarter of a tank. Follow the instructions the car gives you till then.”
Her voice sounded heavy. Jessie could see she was in a lot of pain.
She hit the gas and the car lurched forward. She yanked at the wheel to stop them smashing through the opposite wall into the river.
“That’s it.” Miss Lock’s smiled as Jessie hit the gas again and they shot down the road. “You’re a natural.”
Jessie hoped so. “Can we call someone?”
Miss Locks reached over and pressed something on the dash. A ringing sound filled the car.
“Hello?” a woman said.
Miss Locks’s head rolled to the side. Jessie held on as she burst through a red light. She didn’t want to stop. Cars swerved and honked but she zipped through before they hit.
Phew.
“Hello?” The woman was still on the line.
She took a deep breath, gripping onto the wheel. “Are you a friend of Miss Locks?”
“Who is this?” She could hear voices in the background. “Jessie, Jessie is that you?”
She sighed with relief. It sounded lik
e Miss Samson. It wasn’t her but it made her feel safe. “Are you her friend?”
“I’m agent Lilia Lorelei, Jessie. I’m Aeron’s mother . . . and her boss. Are you with . . . Miss Locks?”
Jessie blew out a breath. “Yes. She’s sick.”
“I know she is. Aeron and . . . Professor Worthington are on their way to you.”
“Professor Worthington?” another voice, a woman, asked.
“Never mind,” Lilia said. She grinned. Aeron’s mom. Cool. “Jessie, are you alright?”
She nodded then shook her head, tears in her eyes. “She had to come rescue me. I messed up.”
“No, no, you didn’t.” Lilia’s voice was gentle. “I want you to reach into the middle console and pull out a small plastic object.”
Jessie did just that. “It’s a tracker.”
“Yes, it is. Aeron and . . . Professor Worthington . . . are going to follow it to you, okay?”
She sucked in her breath. “Professor Worthington?” She shook her head. “She likes being called Renee better.”
“Renee?” The lady in the background sounded shocked.
A light bounced off the mirror into her eyes. “I have to go. The police are following me.”
She spotted the button with a phone on the wheel and pressed it.
Police.
Right.
How did she outrun the police?
Chapter 40
I’D SAT NEXT to Frei for what felt like months. The doctor had been protecting her the whole time. Over and over I watched her teach Frei everything she would later use in CIG.
From the surroundings and the people present I figured the place for Caprock. Huber had been calling the school. I assumed he had wanted to take her out to steal for him but the academy wasn’t telling him Frei was hurt.
When we’d talked in Caprock, Frei had said Jäger had hurt her and that Huber had never known. I hated that it had all been covered up and wondered why she’d stayed silent. Seeing the damage he’d done to her made my stomach roll, and once again I was watching how a person could scar everyone around them. Like Renee with Yannick, like me with Sam, Frei shared our common pain.
It sucked. It really sucked.
I knew that all three of the people who’d hurt us were guys, which seemed like a trend, but I knew enough from Serenity to know that it had nothing to do with gender. It was all about angry, bitter hearts raging at anyone who strayed near. People so broken inside that they wanted everyone else to suffer too. It just made me sad, real sad. It was such a waste of energy.
Frei, the present day Frei, I could feel close by. I focused on her, wondering if maybe I could reach her.
“Can you hear me?” I said as the memory played on around me. I hoped I could tell her she wasn’t alone. I was here for her.
“Stuck.”
I heard the displaced voice. It was in German but somehow I could understand. “Stuck where?”
“Here,” Frei said.
I searched for her, for a trace, but she was too faint.
“Can’t find the key.”
Something tingled through to my fingertips. “The lock is the key.”
“Aeron?” I frowned as Renee wandered into the ward. Her shock twinkled in her eyes as she took it all in. Then they lighted on Frei and welled up. She hurried over but I stopped her touching.
“It’s a memory. You can’t do nothing.” I took her arms and hoped my smile was strong enough to ease her worries.
“Renee?” Frei’s voice flowed with relief.
“We’re looking for you, Urs, just hold on, okay. We’re heading to Baltimore. We think you’re there.” Renee stared at the beaten kid version of Frei on the bed.
“Huber. City. Ocean.” I looked for the voice, it was weaker, fading. Like Nan when she used too much energy. “Tired.”
“Jessie needs your help, Urs, so suck it up. Don’t you dare quit on me.” Renee’s tears trickled down her cheeks.
The pulse of energy from her rolled through the room, through me and I felt a rolled up jacket under my head. My head throbbed, pounded, and pulsed.
“Shorty, you look like I feel after drinking the well dry.” Aunt Bess peered over me, a can of pop in one hand and some tablets in the other. “Iron.”
Renee shook her head, rubbing her hands over her face. She took the offered can in shaking hands.
“Anythin’?”
“I only went to wake you.” Her gray eyes glimmered with worry. “I don’t understand.” She shook her head again. “How did we see that, how did we feel her?”
I pulled myself to sitting and groaned. The car swayed around me even when we weren’t moving, my head felt like a nut store Mrs. Squirrel was assaulting and my arms were weak like I’d been overtraining. “You still having trouble, huh?”
She flexed her hand, the one that had been on my knee. “I don’t know how you cope with it all. I don’t know if what I saw was real. It’s too strange, too out there, I just can’t—”
“Baby steps.” I snapped open my can and drained it. “Just like you always talk me through. Don’t think too much ’bout it.”
She smiled. “She’s not with Huber. So why did she mention him?”
“Maybe he’s the one who has her?” I hoped not. He was on her side. At least it had felt like he was. Had that changed?
“But she’s in Baltimore. Huber has a weekend estate out near Ocean City.” Renee chewed on her lip. “Maybe we’ll need his back-up on this one.”
“Ocean City has its own airport,” Aunt Bess said, watching us both like she wanted to put thermometers in our mouths and wrap us in blankets. Instead, she settled for making sure I’d taken the iron and handed us two chocolate bars. “We could fly there?”
“If Frei is stuck in her memories, how do we get her out?” Renee looked up at me as if I had a clue.
“The lock is the key,” fell out of my lips like somebody else had said it.
Huh?
“What lock?” Renee asked.
I pulled the one in my pocket out, careful not to touch it. “Every time I go looking for her, I touch it. I see a memory instead.”
Renee eyed it like it would bite her. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
I shrugged. “Got us this far.”
“An’ drained you for tryin’. Maybe Blondie here is right. Your friend, or boss, or whatever she is ain’t gonna want you hurtin’ yourself.” Aunt Bess nodded when I frowned at her.
“I have to. If I follow the memories, they will lead us to where she was when she got caught.” I folded my arms. “Which is my job.”
“Aeron, it’s dangerous.” Renee touched my arm, her hands still shaking. “You’re already weak, what if we can’t get you back?”
“I ain’t givin’ up on her. Even faith the size of a mustard seed can move a mountain.” I smiled at myself. That had been a reading that week. I got it. I loved it when a light dinged on.
“Can’t argue with that,” Aunt Bess mumbled, crossing herself. She smiled, reached out, and touched my shoulder. I got the flash of the drugstore and cocked my head, staring from Renee who averted her eyes, to Aunt Bess who shook her paw from the static shock.
“Toothpaste?”
Chapter 41
LILIA FELT THE blood drain from her face as Jessie said Renee’s name. It wasn’t Fleming behind her, thank goodness, but Sally, the nurse, was just as bad.
She couldn’t keep her tongue still even if it was set in concrete.
“Is Renee alright?” Sally had a good heart, gossip or not.
“Yes, it’s fine. I can take it from here.” Lilia tapped the medical files that Sally had brought over. She was quite certain that she’d sent Sally on vacation but apparently Sally didn’t go. “This is between us.”
Sally’s brow dipped. “Ma’am, Jessie is a minor, she has a condition . . . General,” Sally glanced at the door, “Frei has a—”
“I know.” Lilia held up her hand. “As I said, this conversation is confident
ial.” She held Sally’s gaze. “Am I clear?”
Sally nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
“And Renee is not to be mentioned. You understand why?” Lilia didn’t want to do this. That’s why she’d sent them on holiday. It was an offense for them to lie or withhold evidence from Fleming.
Sally smiled. “Yes, ma’am. Wouldn’t want Abby Fleming finding out how your girl has eyes on—”
She stopped as Lilia glared at her.
Sally shrugged. “If that’s all.”
“It is.” Lilia caught sight of Fleming wandering over to the canteen through the window. “Wait . . . How would you feel about a fact-finding mission?”
Sally’s bouncy hair jostled as she perked up.
“Good. Agent Fleming got married . . . his name is Martin. It’s a bit of a contrast, don’t you think?” And, she was still keeping her maiden name, not even hyphenating with his. Had he taken hers instead?
Sally’s eyes lit up. Juicy gossip.
Lilia fought the urge not to laugh. “Be nice to learn why.”
Sally winked and headed out of the door. Lilia waited for her to shut it then she got to her feet, armed with a German dictionary app on her cell phone. She ducked across the corridor to the office Fleming was using. Now to find those files.
Chapter 42
RENEE WAS QUIET as we pulled into the Blue Ash Airport in Cincinnati. She stared out of the window as Aunt Bess drove. I watched her taking in the light planes dotted around the hanger. I could feel her poignant mood.
“Tell me,” I whispered to her.
Renee smiled a dreamy smile. “One of my earliest memories is of visiting dad on base. I assume we were living there but it was the first time I remembered seeing him around airplanes.”
I peered out the window, trying to imagine the mini-Renee seeing all the planes. I had no doubt it would have been love at first sight for her. “Did he fly them ’cause of the military?”
Aunt Bess pulled the car into the parking lot and Renee turned to me. “I think he’d flown them since he was a boy. I know my granddad was a commercial pilot.”
“I gotta go find a ladies.” Aunt Bess shot a grin over her shoulder and left us alone.