by Alex Barclay
‘Well, thank you, Kohler, that was suitably creepy,’ said Ren.
‘And thank you for the litter drive,’ said Kohler. ‘Heads will roll.’
‘Oh,’ said Ren, ‘did you find twenty-five thousand dollars in Laura Flynn’s checking account?’
‘Twenty-seven,’ said Kohler. ‘And five in a savings account. The twenty-five in the checking account was a lump sum that came from Robert Prince’s personal account.’
‘That was the first surrogacy payment,’ said Ren.
Ren and Janine walked down the hallway. ‘OK, I shall take my leave,’ said Ren. ‘Mr Rader is back. I need to get the hell out of the office at five.’
Ben Rader didn’t look like an FBI agent. He looked like he trashed stages with a guitar, that beneath his clothes he was tattooed and pierced. As an undercover agent, he had been the perfect chameleon, because his looks could be dirtied up and his charm was never far from the surface.
He walked in the door of Annie’s house when Ren opened it, dropped his bag, slid his arm around her back, and kissed her as he pushed her to the end of the hall and against the wall.
You are the sexiest man alive.
‘Hi,’ he said. He stared into her eyes.
He does this in real life.
‘Hello, there,’ said Ren.
‘I like this,’ he said, touching the small black bows on her shoulder strap, running his hand down the black corset. ‘Oh,’ he said, ‘it unhooks here … at the front.’ He started at the bottom and popped the clasps achingly slowly, without dropping his gaze until it had fallen to the floor.
‘Hello to you too,’ he said. ‘I have missed you.’
‘They’ve missed you too,’ said Ren.
‘Well, they’re getting an extra three days with me,’ he said. ‘I did a switcheroo.’
‘Get nekkid.’
23
Ren drove into Safe Streets Monday morning.
It’s nice to have Ben Rader back.
Very nice.
Too nice.
It will end.
Stop.
He is incredible.
I will make the most of the incredible sex.
Before it all ends.
Because it will end.
That’s the credible part.
Shut ……………………………… Up.
Ren released a breath she was unaware she’d been holding.
Discontentment is a scourge.
She started to think about Laura Flynn and whether she had ever had a sense of contentment in her life. Her family life was tough, her parents died, her sister died, then she was left alone in a strange city. Ren wondered if the Princes had put Laura under any pressure to be their surrogate. Did they feel she owed them because they had taken her in? Did she feel she owed them? Or was it as simple as they chose her because she was a young, healthy employee who they trusted and who trusted them?
Could a couple entrust the most precious of life to someone … and something change so drastically they would later have her killed?
What if something had shown up in the baby scans? The baby was healthy according to Dr Tolman. But what if for some reason the Princes thought there was a problem?
Ren called Dr Tolman.
‘Barry, it’s Ren. I know you said the fetus was viable, so I was wondering is there a possibility that a fetal abnormality might have shown up erroneously on a scan of the Flynn baby? Like, could a scan be misinterpreted easily? When would the last scan have happened?’
‘Probably at twenty weeks,’ said Tolman.
‘And what’s the twenty-week scan?’ said Ren.
‘Well, it checks fluid levels, organ and bone development. They take a lot of measurements, give the gender if they can and if the parents want to know.’
‘So it would show up any problems with the baby …’ said Ren. ‘And is there a chance that an error could be made?’
‘I would imagine this couple and their surrogate were getting the highest level of treatment with the most advanced technology and experienced staff. I don’t think a mistake was likely. I couldn’t say for definite, obviously.’
‘OK,’ said Ren.
‘There is the possibility that your surrogate saw a 3D image of the very healthy baby inside her and wanted to keep it for herself …’
Maybe with no one left in her family, and a succession of crappy boyfriends, she found a different way to create a family …
Safe Streets was slowly coming to life when Ren arrived in. As she sat at her desk, the phone started to ring. She picked up.
‘Hello, is this Special Agent Ren Bryce?’ It was a woman’s voice, an English accent.
‘Yes,’ said Ren.
‘Are you dealing with the Laura Flynn murder investigation?’
‘Yes,’ said Ren.
‘I … might have some information. I don’t know if it means anything, but I thought I’d let you know. My name is Simone Spencer, I’m friends with the Princes. Laura’s sister, Saoirse, used to be our nanny.’
‘Oh,’ said Ren. ‘OK. What can I help you with?’
‘I wanted to let you know that I found some strange internet searches on my computer,’ said Simone. ‘Sometimes, Laura called by to use it. I came across a search from back in February … about second-trimester abortions.’
WTF? ‘And are you sure it was Laura who searched for that?’
‘Well, I’m not sure, no … I just know that Laura used the computer and … she’s the only person I know who’s pregnant. The searches were deleted, but my husband discovered by accident that the computer automatically captures page views and stores them. He was looking for something else and he found a record of these searches.’
‘Were there others?’ said Ren.
‘Just about what states carry them out,’ said Simone. ‘It’s illegal here in New York, but not in Colorado. Where Laura was found … there’s a clinic within about fifty miles of there. It’s called The Stoneford Clinic. She had looked through their site.’
‘Thank you for this information,’ said Ren. ‘Simone, were you friends with Laura?’
‘I would like to think so, yes,’ said Simone. ‘I was very fond of her, as I was of Saoirse.’
‘Did she mention anything to you about a termination?’ said Ren.
‘No,’ said Simone. ‘Obviously, she may have been looking it up for a different reason or … I’m not sure. I know that she was having this baby for Ingrid and Robert … to help them. That was the kind of girl she was.’
‘Did Laura use your computer a lot?’ said Ren.
‘Now and then,’ said Simone. ‘But usually just if she was up to something sweet, like buying a surprise birthday gift or printing off a special recipe. I mean, Ingrid would do the same for Robert’s birthday or whatever.’
‘Did Robert monitor their internet searches?’ said Ren. ‘Could they not have just deleted the history on Ingrid’s laptop?’
‘I guess so,’ said Simone. ‘I can’t imagine Robert trawling through the computer to check up on them. He’s not that kind of guy.’
Conflicting reports …
‘Maybe it all just added to the excitement, sneaking down to our apartment,’ said Simone.
‘We’d like to take a look at your computer, if that’s OK?’ said Ren.
‘Of course.’
‘We’ll send someone from the FBI office in New York,’ said Ren. ‘Please keep this confidential. And thank you for your call.’
Ren sat in stunned silence. She called Janine to fill her in.
‘And I have something for you,’ said Janine.
‘I can hear the edge of excitement in your voice …’
‘Are you sitting down? The lab picked up a partial print from Laura Flynn’s rental car. We got a match. Kohler arrested a young man in the Ace-Hi Tavern in Golden January 8th; he had gotten into a bar fight. His name is Conor Gorman. Do you want to know who he lives with?’
‘I do …’
‘A Mr and M
rs Robert Prince.’
‘What?’
‘He was one of the Faules’ trusted runaways,’ said Janine. ‘And his aunt is Laura Flynn.’
24
Ren could feel her blood pressure soar. ‘What the fuck is wrong with the Princes?’
‘We’re going to hear it all,’ said Janine. ‘They’re protecting him, he’s grieving …’
‘Oh, he knows something and they know he knows it – he’s sixteen, he could say anything to us. Has he been at the ranch since January? Was he sent there to get him away from whatever was going on in the house?’
‘If Laura was thinking of having a termination,’ said Janine, ‘she might have gone to him for help.’
‘And someone stopped her before she got there …’ said Ren. ‘But would you confide in a teenage boy about something like that?’
‘It’s a harrowing decision to make … if that’s what happened,’ said Janine. ‘And he’s the only family she’s got.’
‘It’s a dangerous decision to make, more to the point,’ said Ren. ‘This is not her baby to abort. Plus we know Robert Prince has to be anti-abortion if he’s a staunch Catholic.’
‘Surely that would make him protective of all life,’ said Janine. ‘Killing a woman and her unborn child, because she was planning to kill her unborn child …’
‘I know … it doesn’t add up,’ said Ren. ‘The question is – why would she have wanted to have an abortion?’
‘The only thing that makes sense is that she discovered there was something wrong with the baby …’ said Janine.
‘Or if the Princes made up the surrogacy story after she went missing,’ said Ren. ‘What if the twenty-five thousand they paid into her account was the first of a payment to keep quiet about an affair with Robert Prince?’
‘Innneresting,’ said Janine. ‘I can imagine Ingrid Prince going along with that to protect their image.’
‘It’s him,’ said Ren, ‘Robert Prince. There’s something about him. He’s concerned that I’m treating them like bad guys, but then they’re lying? If they have nothing to hide, then why are they lying?’
‘It might be motivated by something else,’ said Janine. ‘It’s not necessarily because they have something to do with Laura Flynn’s death.’
‘We’ll see what our next little chat reveals,’ said Ren.
‘I’m not going to the fancy rental this time,’ said Janine. ‘I’m hauling their asses in here.’
Ingrid Prince sat alone in the interview room of the Sheriff’s Office. She was dressed in jeans, a loose orange T-shirt and an oversized beige cardigan. She was fidgeting with one of the buttons. Fear flickered in her eyes.
Janine and Ren sat in silence for some time.
‘You’re sure you’re happy to talk without your lawyer present?’ said Janine.
‘Yes,’ said Ingrid. ‘I’ve nothing to hide.’ She paused, wide-eyed. ‘Not that Robert does, but … lawyers are part of his world … it’s just how it is.’
Hmm. Lawyers aren’t part of yours? As a former celebrity model with an agent and endorsements?
‘Mrs Prince, why didn’t you tell us about Conor Gorman?’ said Ren.
‘Please … call me Ingrid.’
Yes … now’s a good time for that shiz.
Ingrid shifted forward in her seat. She took a deep breath. ‘We were trying to protect him.’
‘Protect him?’ said Ren.
‘Conor is a troubled young man,’ said Ingrid. ‘He has a tough family history, as you know. His father died when he was a baby. Then his mother died when he was just eleven years old. He had no one else. Laura wanted to adopt him, but we figured that would be a big ordeal. It was all very difficult. Laura blamed herself for Saoirse’s death – because it happened at her twenty-first birthday party. Of course, it was not her fault at all. When it happened, Robert and I talked and we decided that we would take Conor in.’
‘There were no other relatives …’ said Ren.
‘No,’ said Ingrid.
‘It was very kind of you to do that,’ said Ren.
‘You would have done the same,’ said Ingrid. ‘We had the means. We were already very fond of Laura. Saoirse Flynn had been working as our friends’ nanny, so that was how the connection was made.’
‘Which friends?’ She asked innocently …
‘Simone and Alistair Spencer. They live on the second floor of our building.’
‘So … you took Conor in,’ said Ren. ‘How did that work out?’
‘Well, he was already showing signs of trouble, even though he was so young. Obviously we allowed for the fact that he had just lost his mother. But … even as time passed, we could see that he had issues. His mother was young when she had him, his father was an alcoholic, and never really on the scene … apparently he died before Conor’s first birthday. No one spoke about him. I don’t think he was a great loss. To be honest, I think Saoirse had a drink problem too – a weekend problem, you could call it. But she was a wonderful nanny. She was amazing with the Spencers’ kids. But … Conor … there’s no denying he had issues.’
‘How long has he been at the ranch?’ said Ren.
‘Since January.’
‘He was arrested in Golden the same month – is that right?’ said Ren.
Ingrid nodded. ‘Yes – he got into a bar fight. I was staying in Golden at the time, Robert was away on business, so I went to pick Conor up. I brought him back to the ranch. I told him … there’s a Swedish proverb, like, if you lash out, you’re going to get hurt. Angry cats get scratched skin. I told him that. I feel for him. I really do, but he needs to get a handle on his anger. That’s what we’re hoping for. I care about Conor.’
‘How did he end up at The Darned Heart in the first place?’ said Ren.
‘The first time was November,’ said Ingrid. ‘His behavior had gone out of control. He began drinking heavily, smoking dope, staying out late, not telling us where he was. He wouldn’t listen to any of us. He and Robert butted heads a lot. We really wanted to support him, but Robert was at the end of his tether …’
‘And how did that manifest itself?’ said Ren.
‘Robert told him he’d throw him out – but only to shock him. I can promise you that. Conor is such a bright young man, we couldn’t bear the idea of him wasting that, of flunking out of high school … we wanted to save him.’
‘So, what happened?’ said Ren. ‘How did he end up agreeing to go halfway across the country to a ranch for troubled teens? It seems like quite a leap.’
‘Well, we decided to go to Golden, so we wouldn’t be too far away,’ said Ingrid. ‘But when we were all back in our house in the country for New Year. Conor got drunk, caused a scene, which was embarrassing enough. Then he stole the keys to one of Robert’s cars and crashed it. He was lucky to make it out alive. He just left the car where it was and disappeared for three days. We were out of our minds with worry. Laura was distraught. When he came back, finally, she pleaded with him to get help.’
‘How did he react to that?’ said Ren.
‘Well, I think our reaction scared him,’ said Ingrid. ‘Or maybe it proved that we all cared. It was a combination of things.’ She shrugged. ‘Whatever the reason, he saw the light. Obviously, Robert was particularly furious with him … he’d destroyed one of his prized possessions …’
All this recklessness, all this crashing and burning …
‘But still he was happy to pay for him to go to The Darned Heart,’ said Ren.
Ingrid shrugged. ‘Well, it meant Conor wouldn’t be under our feet … and, if we were staying in the country, Robert’s collection was no longer in danger …’
‘So, you don’t believe your husband did this for Conor’s benefit?’ said Ren.
‘No, no – of course he did,’ said Ingrid. ‘I’m sorry. But, probably, it was more for Laura’s benefit. Robert is … was … very fond of Laura.’
‘And how does he feel about Conor?’ said Ren.
‘Robert
has gone to great lengths for him,’ said Ingrid.
‘Has Conor ever been diagnosed with anything?’ said Ren.
‘Not as such,’ said Ingrid, ‘but over the years he’s been treated for anger issues and addiction issues. He was attending an off-site rehab facility, Wellness Partners, while he was at the ranch. It’s not far from there – it’s at the Denver Tech Center.’
‘And did you have to pay separately for that treatment?’ said Ren.
‘It was included in the cost, but I guess the Faules pay that to the facility.’
‘Where is Conor now?’ said Ren.
‘He’s still at the ranch,’ said Ingrid. ‘We thought it best for him to be there with professionals.’
‘You know we’ll need to speak with him as soon as possible,’ said Ren.
‘Of course,’ said Ingrid.
‘Do we have your permission to do that?’ said Ren.
‘You’ll need to discuss that with my husband.’
Ingrid slid forward in her seat as if she was about to stand up and walk them to the door.
‘Mrs Prince, the next matter we have to talk to you about is a very delicate one,’ said Janine.
Ingrid frowned; a flash across her smooth brow. ‘OK …’
‘We discovered that Laura carried out some online searches about abortion clinics,’ said Janine.
The color drained from Ingrid Prince’s face. She tried to repeat the words, she tried to say ‘abortion’, but she couldn’t. ‘I’m sorry … what?’
Janine and Ren both nodded.
‘She did a search for clinics that carry out second-trimester terminations,’ said Ren. ‘There was one in Jefferson County – The Stoneford Clinic. Does that name sound familiar to you?’
‘Oh my God,’ said Ingrid. ‘No. She wouldn’t have dreamed of doing something like that. Not in a thousand years. That wasn’t Laura. That was a huge part of why we chose her. She would have no reason in the world to abort our healthy baby. She loved our baby. She did everything right. Everything.’