Chapter 13
When he pulled to a stop in front of the Table Coffee House on Main, the bright red painted brick second story caught his attention, just like Clayton Marshall had said it would.
He parked and walked inside to find red chairs that matched the red brick, casually arranged near a window.
Several tables with wooden chairs were scattered throughout the store, and he spotted Clayton seated at one with two mugs in front of him.
The man stood, still as lean and muscular as he’d been when they’d both played college football, and shook Todd’s hand. “Heard from Brandon lately?”
“Not since he and Carolyn got back from their honeymoon. Last I heard, the marriage and his foster home are keeping him busy.”
Clayton sank back to his chair. “Grabbed a black coffee for you. If you want a fancy drink, you’ll have to order it.”
“Black is fine.”
“So tell me about why you made the drive.” Clayton settled back and took a sip of his coffee, but while he projected a relaxed air, he was fully alert.
Todd quickly filled him in on finding the girl in the alley and their suppositions that she was Eliza Brandenberg. “Principal Hayes indicated that her brother Ryan overdosed a year ago. And then the family moved about six months ago.”
Clayton glanced around as if to make sure no one was too close, and then he leaned forward. “That’s what people were supposed to think.”
Todd frowned as he leaned closer to the table. “What do you mean?”
“Ryan stumbled into something in his circle of friends. We’re not sure what, but the kid had never done drugs.”
“Come on. You know as well as I do that too many young people try once, and that experiment ends tragically.”
Clayton nodded but tapped the table. “Sure. But there was something more to this. His girlfriend was with him that night, right up until the hour before he died. She said they weren’t doing anything like that.”
“And you believed her?”
“Yeah. I did. You could tell she kept running through the timeline in her head and was genuinely confused. She kept talking about how he didn’t have time to go get drugs if he even knew where to find them.”
“Where was he living?”
“He’d started taking classes at the college and moved into an apartment.” Clayton clasped his hands around the mug. “The kid had everything going for him, but as I retraced his steps the last couple days, it didn’t add up.”
“If it was an overdose, why retrace his steps? You wanted to find his dealer?”
“Maybe. And his parents were as insistent as his girlfriend that he wouldn’t use.
” Clayton sighed then took a sip, as if to buy himself time.
“I couldn’t find anything to suggest he had or was ready to experiment.
Instead, I found a couple people who said he was poking around as if he wanted to find someone who sold the drugs.
But it wasn’t to buy them, it was to find the person responsible for selling his friend drugs.
His friend who did OD on the drugs because there was fentanyl in them. ”
“So you think he got too close to the truth.”
“Not only do I think so, but his parents did too. I directed them to a friend in the FBI after it became clear the case was closed here.” Clayton sighed. “Next thing I know the family’s moved.”
“No word why?”
“My friend would only tell me it was for their protection.”
“That sounds ominous.”
“Yeah.”
Todd leaned back and let his mind rove over what Clayton had told him. “So you think they what, disappeared into witness protection?”
“Maybe? It seems a little crazy that something like that would happen in Wayne, but I’m not sure what else it could be. When I tried to probe, I was stiff-armed.”
“Huh.”
Clayton nodded. “Look. I don’t know what happened.
All I have is strong suspicions. I don’t think that young man used drugs.
He was the definition of the clean-cut kid next door.
” He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket.
“I also couldn’t get anything out of the FBI, but maybe you can since you have an emergency.
If something happened to her parents, then you need to figure out where she’s been, because I doubt it’s been a good situation. ”
“That concerns me, too.” Todd took the paper and snapped a picture of it. “Can I use your name?”
“Sure. I don’t know if it will help, but if we can get answers for the family and justice for Ryan, I’m in.” He glanced around the coffee house. “Wayne is a safe, quiet town. We don’t have big crime here, and I want to keep it that way.”
“Understood. I’ll let you know what I learn.”
“Thanks. I have to get back to the station.” Clayton stood and pulled on his jacket. “Be careful.”
“You, too.” After Clayton left, Todd glanced around, then placed a call to the agent. He left a message emphasizing the importance of a quick return call. Then he headed to the school. Time to see what else he could learn from the principal.
The ICU waiting room felt empty when Bridget reached it. She texted Dani.
Where are you?
Caleb took me down to the cafeteria. I needed a minute.
I need to talk to you.
Call?
Umm. Face 2 Face.
I’ll be there in a minute.
Bridget paced as she waited, hand pressed to her mouth, trying hard not to start chewing on a fingernail. The stress was pressing against her as she tried to think about how to broach the ask to Dani. Finally, an elevator pinged and Dani stepped onto the floor.
“Thank goodness you’re here.” Bridget hurried to her and Dani stepped back as the doors closed behind her.
“What happened?” Dani held up her hands in front of her as if to ward off a blow.
“Sydney may have found a way to get access to the adoption paperwork, but it’s going to be hard to do that on a Friday afternoon.”
“Okay.” Dani’s shoulders relaxed slightly. “What’s that have to do with me?”
“Only certain people can petition for the paperwork to be released, and you’re one potentially as a birth parent.
It may not be Eliza's paperwork, but you can petition to have your paperwork released. If it’s a match, then we move forward.
If it’s not, then you’ll know.” Bridget took a breath. “Does that make sense?”
“Not really, but Sydney can explain it to me.”
“She doesn’t know you’re the birth mom I’m working with.”
Dani paled. “She doesn’t?”
“No. It’s not my story to tell. If you want to do this, then you need to call her and tell her the relevant information so she can complete the paperwork and meet you at court as soon as possible.
” Bridget took Dani’s hands and squeezed them, trying to warm them as she anchored Dani in place.
“I wouldn’t tell your story without permission. ”
Dani swallowed as her eyes swam behind tears. “I believe you.” The words were barely a whisper. “I’ll call her now.”
“Thank you.” Bridget pulled Dani into a hug. “I don’t know if Eliza is yours or not, but you’re my hero for being willing to risk this. I know it must be hard.”
Dani nodded then sniffed. “So hard. I need to do this before I chicken out.” Then she scuttled down the hall to a corner.
Bridget took a breath and then placed a call to her supervisor. She needed a Plan B in case this long shot to prove Dani was her birth mom didn’t work. Even thinking that reinforced how crazy a hope this was.
“How’s our Jane Doe?”
“A bit has changed since we talked this morning.” Bridget quickly caught her up. “So that’s why we think she might be Eliza Brandenberg, but we haven’t located her parents.”
Silence stretched from the other side of the line. “That doesn’t help us.”
“But you can check our records. See if anyone’s filed any guardianships for an Eliza Brandenberg.”
“That only works for Lancaster County.”
“There has to be a statewide database.”
Leticia sighed. “You’re assuming everyone updates it as cases come in. Some of these counties make ours look fully staffed. They’ll get reports in, but as they have time. Or once a month.”
Bridget tried to process that. “So there could be a file, but we wouldn’t know about it.”
“Correct. There could be a sizable delay.”
“But Waverly is part of Lancaster County, right?”
“Yes, but if the accident happened somewhere else, the paperwork might have started there.” She sighed. “It might not have ever made it here.”
“That doesn’t make sense. If the address was Waverly, someone would have called our office.”
“Maybe.” There was something cagey in what Leticia wasn’t saying.
“What do you know?”
“I’m not sure.” She paused before continuing.
“There was a situation we talked about in the leadership meeting a few weeks ago. A case where the director got a call but then was told to forget about it the next day. She wasn’t pleased but didn’t have enough information to push back.
She mentioned it so we’d all be aware if something similar happened.
” Leticia hummed a moment. “See, it’s nothing we can do anything with other than keep it in mind. ”
Bridget didn’t like any of this. Something strange was going on, and it all seemed to circle around this poor girl who lay alone in the hospital. “Someone has to be missing her.”
“I hope so.” Leticia cleared her throat. “I’ll check again, but there’s nothing here. Stay close to her, and let’s hope Officer Westmont finds something. I don’t want you to sign for a risky surgery. I don’t like that, and the department won’t want to pay if it can be avoided.”
“Understood, but if it’s what she needs. . .”
“The doctor can make that decision. You don’t have the medical knowledge to do that.”
After the call ended, Bridget went back to Eliza’s room. She shouldn’t have left her alone, but she couldn’t stay in that small room for long periods. How could she balance protecting Eliza by staying, while also getting the information she needed?
She stifled a yawn as she sank onto the recliner. How much sleep did she get last night? Not much. Just a few hours, and none of it uninterrupted. Her brain had fogged, so maybe she could close her eyes for just a few minutes. Get a power nap to recharge.
She needed to stay awake. But her eyes refused to stay open as her head throbbed where she had hit it. She really should get more painkillers.
Bridget fought but felt sleep overcoming her.