The Face of Deception

by Iris Johansen

  He was obviously accustomed to instant acquies-cence, and annoyance surged through her again. No.

  His smile faded a little. I may have a proposition for you.

  I know. Why else would you be here? But Im too busy to take on any more work. You should have phoned first.

  I wanted to see you in person. He glanced at the lab. We should go in there and talk.

  Why?

  It will tell me a few things about you that I need to know.

  She stared at him in disbelief. Im not applying for a position with one of your companies, Mr. Logan. I dont have to go through a personnel check. I think its time you left.

  Give me ten minutes.

  No, I have work to do. Good-bye, Mr. Logan.

  John.

  Good-bye, Mr. Logan.

  He shook his head. Im staying.

  She stiffened. The hell you are.

  He leaned against the wall. Go on, get to work. Ill stay out here until youre ready to see me.

  Dont be ridiculous. Ill probably be working until after midnight.

  Then Ill see you after midnight. His manner no longer held even a hint of his previous charm. He was icy cool, tough, and totally determined.

  She opened the door. Go away.

  After you talk to me. It would be much easier for you to just let me have my way.

  I dont like things easy. She closed the door and flicked on the light. She didnt like things easy and she didnt like being coerced by men who thought they owned the world. Okay, she was overreacting. She didnt usually let anyone disturb her composure, and he hadnt done anything but invade her space.

  What the hell, her space was very important to her. Let the bastard stay out there all night.

  She threw open the door at eleven thirty-five.

  Come in, she said curtly. I dont want you out there when my mother comes home. You might scare her. Ten minutes.

  Thank you, he said quietly. I appreciate your consideration.

  No sarcasm or irony in his tone, but that didnt mean it wasnt there. Its necessity. I was hoping youd give up before this.

  I dont give up if I need something. But Im surprised you didnt call your friends at the police department and have them throw me out.

  Youre a powerful man. You probably have con-tacts. I didnt want to put them on the spot.

  I never blame the messenger. His gaze traveled around the lab. You have a lot of room here. It looks smaller from outside.

  It used to be a carriage house before it was a garage. This part of town is pretty old.

  Its not what I expected. He took in the rust and beige striped couch, the green plants on the windowsill, and then the framed photos of her mother and Bonnie on the bookshelf across the room. It lookshellip; warm.

  I hate cold, sterile labs. Theres no reason why I cant have comfort as well as efficiency. She sat down at her desk. Talk.

  Whats that? He moved toward the corner. Two video cameras?

  Its necessary for superimposition.

  What is Interesting. His attention had been drawn to Mandys skull. This looks like something from a voodoo movie with all those little spears stuck in it.

  Im charting it to indicate the different thick-nesses of skin.

  Do you have to do that before you

  Talk.

  He came back and sat down beside the desk. Id like to hire you to identify a skull for me.

  She shook her head. Im good, but the only sure ways of identification are dental records and DNA.

  Both of those require subjects to match. I cant go that route until Im almost certain.

  Why not?

  It would cause difficulties.

  Is this a child?

  Its a man.

  And you have no idea who he is?

  I have an idea.

  But youre not going to tell me?

  He shook his head.

  Are there any photos of him?

  Yes, but I wont show them to you. I want you to start fresh and not construct the face you think is there.

  Where were the bones found?

  Marylandhellip; I think.

  You dont know?

  Not yet. He smiled. They havent actually been located yet.

  Her eyes widened in surprise. Then what are you doing here?

  I need you on the spot. I want you with me. Ill have to move fast when the skeleton is located.

  And Im supposed to disrupt my work and go to Maryland on the chance that youll locate this skeleton?

  Yes, he said calmly.

  Bull.

  Five hundred thousand dollars for two weeks work.

  What?

  As youve pointed out, your time is valuable. I understand you rent this house. You could buy it and still have a lot left over. All you have to do is give me two weeks.

  How do you know I rent this house?

  There are other people who arent as loyal as your friends at the police department. He studied her face. You dont like having dossiers gathered on you.

  Youre damn right I dont.

  I dont blame you. I wouldnt either.

  But you still did it.

  He repeated the word she had used with him. Necessity. I had to know who I was dealing with.

  Then youve wasted your efforts. Because youre not dealing with me.

  The money doesnt appeal to you?

  Do you think Im nuts? Of course it appeals to me. I grew up poor as dirt. But my life doesnt revolve around money. I pick and choose my jobs these days, and I dont want yours.

  Why not?

  It doesnt interest me.

  Because it doesnt concern a child?

  Partly.

  There are other victims besides children.

  But none as helpless. She paused. Is your man a victim?

  Possibly.

  Murder?

  He was silent a moment. Probably.

  And youre sitting there asking me to go with you to a murder site? Whats to stop me from calling the police and telling them that John Logan is in-volved in a murder?

  He smiled faintly. Because Id deny it. Id tell them I was thinking of having you examine the bones of that Nazi war criminal who was found buried in Bolivia. He let a couple of moments pass. And then Id pull every string I have to make your friends at the Atlanta P.D. look foolish or even criminal.

  You said you wouldnt blame the messenger.

  But that was before I realized how much it would bother you. Evidently the loyalty goes two ways. One uses whatever weapon ones given.

  Yes, he would do that, she realized. Even while theyd been talking hed been watching her, weighing her every question and answer.

  But Ive no desire to do that, he said. Im trying to be as honest as I can with you. I could have lied.

  Omission can also be a lie, and youre telling me practically nothing. She stared directly into his eyes. I dont trust you, Mr. Logan. Do you think this is the first time someone like you has come and asked me to verify a skeleton? Last year a Mr. Damaro paid me a call. He offered me a lot of money to come to Florida and sculpt a face on a skull he just happened to have in his possession. He said a friend had sent it to him from New Guinea. It was supposed to be an anthropo-logical find. I called the Atlanta P.D. and it turned out that Mr. Damaro was really Juan Camez, a drug runner from Miami. His brother had disappeared two years ago and it was suspected hed been killed by a rival organization. The skull was sent to Camez as a warning.

  Touching. I suppose drug runners have family feelings too.

  I dont think thats funny. Tell that to the kids they hook on heroin.

  Im not arguing. But I assure you that Ive no connection with organized crime. He grimaced. Well, Ive used a bookie now and then.

  Is that supposed to disarm me?

  Disarming you would obviously take a total global agreement. He stood up. My ten minutes are up and I wouldnt want to impose. Ill let you think about the offer and call you later.

  Ive already thought about it. The answer is no.


  Weve only just opened negotiations. If you wont think about it, I will. There has to be something I can offer you that will make the job worth your while. He stood looking at her with narrowed eyes. Something about me is rubbing you the wrong way. What is it?

  Nothing. Other than the fact that you have a dead body you dont want anyone to know about.

  Anyone but you. I very much want you to know about it. He shook his head. No, theres something else. Tell me what it is so I can clear it up.

  Good night, Mr. Logan.

  Well, if you cant call me John, at least drop the Mr. You dont want anyone to think youre properly respectful.

  Good night, Logan.

  Good night, Eve. He stopped at the pedestal and looked at the skull. You know, hes beginning to grow on me.

  Shes a girl.

  His smile faded. Sorry. It wasnt funny. I guess we all have our own way of dealing with what we be-come after death.

  Yes, we do. But sometimes we have to face it be-fore we should. Mandy wasnt over twelve years old.

  Mandy? You know who she was?

  She hadnt meant to let that slip. What the hell, it didnt matter. No, but I usually give them names. Arent you glad now that I turned you down? You wouldnt want an eccentric like me working on your skull.

  Oh, yes, I appreciate eccentrics. Half the men in my think tanks in San Jose are a little off center. He moved toward the door. By the way, that computer youre using is three years old. We have a newer ver-sion thats twice as fast. Ill send you one.

  No, thank you. This one works fine.

  Never refuse a bribe if you dont have to sign on the dotted line for return favors. He opened the door. And never leave your doors unlocked, as you did tonight. Theres no telling who could have been waiting in here for you.

  I lock the lab up at night, but it would be incon-venient to keep it locked all the time. Everything in here has been insured, and I know how to protect my-self.

  He smiled. I bet you do. Ill call you.

  I told you that Im

  She was talking to air; hed already closed the door behind him.

  She breathed a sigh of relief. Not that she had the slightest doubt she would hear from him again. She had never met a man more determined to get his own way. Even when his approach had been velvet soft, the steel had shown through. Well, she had dealt with powerhouse types before. All she had to do was stick to her guns and John Logan would eventually get discouraged and leave her alone.

  She stood up and went over to the pedestal. He cant be so smart, Mandy. He didnt even know you were a girl. Not that many people would have.

  The desk phone rang.

  Mom? She had been having trouble with the ig-nition on her car lately.

  Not her mother.

  I remembered something just as I reached the car, Logan said. I thought Id throw it into the pot for you to consider with the original deal.

  Im not considering the original deal.

  Five hundred thousand for you. Five hundred thousand to go to the Adam Fund for Missing and Runaway Children. I understand you contribute a portion of your fees to that fund. His voice lowered persuasively. Do you realize how many children could be brought home to their parents with that amount of money?

  She knew better than he did. He couldnt have offered a more tempting lure. My God, Machiavelli could have taken lessons from him.

  All those children. Arent they worth two weeks of your time?

  They were worth a decade of her time. Not if it means doing something criminal.

  Criminal acts are often in the eyes of the beholder.

  Bullshit.

  Suppose I promise you that I had nothing to do with any foul play connected with the skull.

  Why should I believe any promise you make?

  Check me out. I dont have a reputation for lying.

  Reputation doesnt mean anything. People lie when it means enough to them. Ive worked hard to establish my career. I wont see it go down the drain.

  There was silence. I cant promise you that you wont come out of this without a few scars, but Ill try to protect you as much as I can.

  I can protect myself. All I have to do is tell you no.

  But youre tempted, arent you?

  Christ, she was tempted.

  Seven hundred thousand to the fund.

  No.

  Ill call you tomorrow. He hung up the phone.

  Damn him.

  She replaced the receiver. The bastard knew how to push the right buttons. All that money channeled to find the other lost ones, the ones who might still be alivehellip;

  Wouldnt it be worth a risk to see even some of them brought home? Her gaze went to the pedestal. Mandy might have been a runaway. Maybe if shed had a chance to come home she wouldnthellip;

  I shouldnt do it, Mandy, she whispered. It could be pretty bad. People dont fork out over a mil-lion dollars for something like this if theyre even slightly on the up-and-up. I have to tell him no.

  But Mandy couldnt answer. None of the dead could answer.

  But the living could, and Logan had counted on her listening to the call.

  Damn him.

  Logan leaned back in the drivers seat, his gaze on Eve Duncans small clapboard house.

  Was it enough?

  Possibly. She had definitely been tempted. She had a passionate commitment to finding lost children and he had played on it as skillfully as he could.

  What kind of man did that make him? he thought wearily.

  A man who needed to get the job done. If she didnt succumb to his offer, hed go higher tomorrow.

  She was tougher than hed thought shed be. Tough and smart and perceptive. But she had an Achilles heel.

  And there was no doubt on earth that he would exploit it.

  He just drove off, Fiske said into his digital phone. Should I follow him?

  No, we know where hes staying. He saw Eve Duncan?

  She was home all evening and he stayed over four hours.

  Timwick cursed. Shes going to go for it.

  I could stop her, Fiske said.

  Not yet. She has friends in the police depart-ment. We dont want to make waves.

  The mother?

  Maybe. It would certainly cause a delay at least. Let me think about it. Stay there. Ill call you back.

  Scared rabbit, Fiske thought contemptuously. He could hear the nervousness in Timwicks voice. Timwick was always thinking, hesitating instead of taking the clean, simple way. You had to decide what result you needed and then just take the step that would bring that result. If he had Timwicks power and resources, there would be no limit to what he could do. Not that he wanted Timwicks job. He liked what he did. Not many people found their niche in life as he had.

  He rested his head on the back of the seat, staring at the house.

  It was after midnight. The mother should be re-turning soon. Hed already unscrewed the porch light. If Timwick called him right away, he might not have to go into the house.

  If the prick could make up his mind to do the smart, simple thing and let Fiske kill her.

  THREE

  "You know youre going to do it, Mama, Bonnie said. I dont understand why youre worrying so much.

  Eve sat up in bed and looked at the window seat. When she came, Bonnie was always in the window seat with her jean-clad legs crossed I dont know any such thing.

  You wont be able to help yourself. Trust me.

  Since youre only my dream, you cant know more than what I know.

  Bonnie sighed. Im not your dream. Im a ghost, Mama. What do I have to do to convince you? Being a ghost shouldnt be this hard

  You can tell me where you are.

  I dont know where he buried me. I wasnt there anymore.

  Convenient.

  Mandy doesnt know either. But she likes you.

  If shes there with you, then whats her real name.