Faye Kellerman - Decker 11 - Jupiter's Bones Read online

  'Yes, like. What do you enjoy doing?'

  'I enjoy everything.'

  Marge paused. 'You enjoy everything?'

  'Correct.' She still maintained her rigid posture.

  'Do you like any one thing... something special?'

  The girl gave the question some thought. 'Our Father Jupiter was an expert at science. I suppose I like science the best.'

  'Science is a big category. What part of science do you like the best?'

  'Perhaps particle physics - the different colors of the electromagnetic spectrum that are elicited when atoms are excited then fall back to their resting states. This week, Guru Bob is to teach us about the different family of mesons, bosons and tau mesons. I think that should be very interesting.'

  Marge tried not to stare with an open mouth. 'Very interesting.'

  For the first time, the girl gave a half-smile. 'So you must also like quantum physics. I see we have much in common. You would like it here, too. Perhaps you can become one of our beloved teachers.'

  Marge felt a sharp ping inside her chest - this little, stilted and stifled girl, trying to relate to her. It was hard to fathom that she was fourteen. When Marge had worked juvey, the teens she had pulled in were cynical and world-weary. This one was so naive, it hurt. Just a kid, begging to be liked. 'I would like that, Vega, except I'm not trained as a teacher. I'm trained as a policewoman. You do know what that is, don't you?'

  'Of course.' She remained grave as she spoke. 'You protect and maintain the outside disorder from falling into absolute chaos. But you only make temporary, remedial solutions. The outside society is far too entropic for any permanent state of rest.'

  Obviously spitting back lines she had learned from her fearless leaders. But the assessment wasn't all that far off. 'If we could get back to Lyra and Andromeda now?'

  The girl nodded in sincerity. 'Certainly. Whatever is your wish.'

  Marge tried not to sigh. 'You said that Terra came into your classroom at around nine in the morning.'

  'Correct.'

  'And then what happened?'

  'She asked where our teacher Andromeda was. Of course, no one knew. We were all confused.'

  'And then what happened?'

  'She told us to go meditate with her class - with the younger children - while she sorted out the confusion. We waited with our teacher Terra's class of younger children.'

  'Now this is very important, Vega. Do you remember if Lyra came with you into Terra's class?'

  'No, I do not remember if Lyra came. The last time I distinctly remember seeing Lyra was at breakfast.'

  'Vega, did Lyra seem happy here at the Order?'

  'Of course.'

  'So she never complained to you about the Order?'

  'No, never.'

  'Did she ever talk to you about her grandparents?'

  'I did not even know that she had living grandparents.'

  'Do you have living grandparents, Vega?'

  'I do not know. My true family is in the Order of the Rings of God.'

  Marge forced herself not to pass judgment. It wouldn't help the case, and it could cause her stress. She said, 'So Lyra never spoke to you about her grandparents.'

  'Correct.'

  'And you don't remember if she went with you over to Terra's class?'

  'Correct. I do not remember.'

  'The last time you remember seeing her was at breakfast.'

  'At breakfast. That is correct.'

  'Do you have any idea where either Lyra or Andromeda might be?'

  'No.

  Marge looked deep in the teen's flat eyes, projecting her own emotions back through the vacant mirrors. 'Vega, are you worried about Lyra? Or about Andromeda?'

  The teen bit her lip. 'It would be nice to locate them. I like Vega. And I like our teacher Andromeda very much.'

  'Why did you like her?'

  The girl's bottom lip quivered. The first hint of honest emotion. 'She was very kind. And she has a very nice and wide smile. If you do not find her, I will miss her.'

  Slowly, a real tear rolled down her cheek. She made no attempt to wipe it away.

  'She read us a book about a little prince boy once. He flew all over the galaxies and had many adventures.'

  'The Little Prince?' Marge asked. 'By St Exupery?'

  'Correct. That is the book.'

  Marge smiled. 'You know, Vega, we do have much in common. I loved those stories, too. I had to read them when I was around your age in French class.'

  'We read them in English, but Andromeda said that maybe one day we would learn them in French.'

  'So she read you The Little Prince, huh?'

  'Correct.' A sigh. 'They were very silly stories and eventually Guru Pluto took the book away, saying it was too fanciful - which it was. Still...' Another deep sigh followed by another tear. 'They were beautiful stories.'

  When it became clear that Lyra wasn't anywhere in the compound, Pluto called a meeting in the temple. Decker showed early, with Oliver and Marge following a few minutes later.

  Oliver said, 'I don't see what good a meeting's going to do.'

  'Agreed,' Decker said. 'What about talking to Lyra's mother?'

  Marge said, 'She doesn't talk, Loo. She rocks on her butt and babbles. I don't think she's faking, either.'

  Oliver added, 'Looks like the real labonza.'

  'Well, then we've exhausted our use here,' Decker said. 'If we think Lyra was genuinely kidnapped by her grandparents, interviewing them is the next step.'

  'Do we think that Lyra was kidnapped?' Marge asked.

  'I don't know,' Decker said.

  Oliver said, 'You know, it's like someone's trying to dismantle the place - first Jupiter, then a missing woman and child.'

  'What do the missing persons have to do with Jupiter's suicide?' Marge said.

  'I don't know if they have anything to do with it,' Oliver answered. 'It could be like Pluto claimed - that someone took advantage during all the confusion to kidnap the kid, or the woman or both.'

  Decker said, 'Does anyone have the names of the grandparents?'

  Marge shook her head. 'Too busy interviewing adolescent girls.' She sighed. 'God, I feel for them. They're trapped here, living in a lifeless world of particle physics and Einsteinian relativity. What ever happened to proms, dances and Friday night football games?'

  Decker nodded, often having similar thoughts when he scrutinized his own sons' school. The boys attended classes from seven to five-thirty, and two nights a week were filled with evening lessons. The school was mixed, but the classes were single-sexed. No big surprise that a 'wired' kid like Jacob would cut school to steal a quick feel. But Decker would never voice his opinion to Rina. Certain things were immutable and had to remain so if the marriage was going to survive. Rina's religious lifestyle was as programmed in her as her genes for black hair.

  Oliver said, 'None of the kids I talked to remember Lyra going into Terra's class. Which means she'd been missing since... what... around nine in the morning?' He turned to Decker. 'When did you get the call, Loo?'

  'Around twelve-thirty.'

  Marge said, 'About four hours and no one notices she's gone?'

  Decker said, 'They were focused on Andromeda, not on the kids.'

  'Still...'

  'I agree,' Decker said. 'Something's funny.'

  A moment later, Guru Bob arrived with a deferential Terra in tow.

  Marge said, 'Hi, Terra, we meet again.' She introduced the girlish woman to the others.

  Guru Bob said, 'Terra worked with Andromeda. I thought she could give you nice people here some insight.' He urged her with a pat on the back. 'Tell them if Andromeda would just pack up and leave the Order on her own.'

  'No, she would not!' Terra's voice was ethereal. 'Never would she leave us.'

  Bob circled Terra, sizing her up as if she were on the witness stand. 'What about Lyra? Would she leave on her own?'

  'Lyra would never leave. She was a child, and unlike Andromeda, she
had no resources. She was clearly taken - kidnapped.'

  Bob looked at Decker as to say, 'There you go.'

  Well, that solves everything, Bob. Decker said, 'Do you have any ideas where she might have been taken?'

  Bob stated, 'She was taken by her grandparents-'

  'So you've said,' Decker answered. 'You've mentioned threatening letters that the grandparents sent the Order. I'll need to see them-'

  Pluto burst into the temple, charging down the aisle. 'What is she doing here?' He pointed to Terra, stabbing her with his cold eyes. 'Who did you leave in charge of the children?'

  In the same ethereal voice, she said, 'They are at dinner, Guru Pluto.'

  'And who is supervising dinner?'

  'Brother Ansel and Brother Bear,' Bob said. 'With those two in charge, things will be under control.

  Pluto seemed barely mollified. But he didn't add anything.

  Bob said. 'Terra, tell them what you told me... about Andromeda.'

  Terra talked as if programmed. 'Andromeda had grave concerns about being abducted by Reuben Asnikov-'

  'That monster!' Pluto spat out. 'When is he going to be held accountable for his crimes?'

  'We're getting to that,' Bob answered. 'Go on, Terra.'

  The young woman said, 'But Andromeda was equally worried about Lyra. Her grandparents - Moriah's parents - had been writing her letters. The letters stated that they had hired Asnikov to return her to them-'

  'Wait a minute, wait a minute!' Decker interrupted. 'The grandparents had written letters to their grandchild?' He turned to Bob. 'I thought you said they'd written threatening letters to the Order.'

  Bob said, 'Maybe they were writing letters to everyone.'

  'Can someone please show me these letters?' Decker asked.

  Terra said, 'Lyra showed the letters to Andromeda. Later on, Andromeda confided in me and said-'

  'Who has the letters?' Decker interrupted.

  No one spoke.

  Decker said, 'I take this to mean that no one has them?'

  'I don't have them,' Bob said. 'But I remember reading them. That's how I know the contents. Maybe Venus has them.'

  Decker tried to keep his face neutral. 'How'd you get hold of these letters in the first place, Bob?'

  'Jupiter showed them to me,' Bob answered.

  'Jupiter?' Pluto bellowed. 'He showed you letters written to the Order?'

  'Yes, he did, Pluto. Anything else I can answer easily?'

  'Did Jupiter routinely go through the mail here?' Decker asked. 'I take it you censor mail on a regular basis?'

  'I don't censor anything,' Pluto said.

  'Well someone must censor it,' Decker said. 'This isn't a public institution. It's a private place and you have strict rules. Something's not adding up. You would never allow Lyra to read a letter from her grandparents that spits out plans for her abduction.'

  'It could have been hand-delivered without our knowledge,' Bob said.

  'Who could sneak inside and hand-deliver letters to a thirteen-year-old girl?' Decker said. 'This is crazy. For all I know, this entire kidnapping is a ruse-'

  'Then why is Lyra missing?' Venus appeared in her full glory. She paused, posed, then promenaded to the front of the temple wearing her festive robe. This one was more elaborate than the other - all sparkles, beads and embroidery. Like a haute couture evening gown. She stopped in front of Decker. 'I've been talking to Moriah-'

  'You're kidding me,' Bob said.

  'No, I'm not kidding,' Venus said. 'The woman talks-'

  'She babbles. She's incoherent-'

  'Coherent enough to cry for her daughter-'

  'You told her?' Bob was aghast. 'I thought we agreed-'

  'I thought she may have some insight as to where the child was taken.'

  'And did she?'

  Venus sat down in the front row of pews and smoothed out her dress. Her gaze fell on the portrait - a stern Jupiter casting his disapproving eyes over his constituents. 'Unfortunately no. We let the poor woman down.'

  'You shouldn't have told her,' Bob stated. 'By the way, has anyone seen Nova? I can't seem to find him.'

  Absent looks all around.

  'You know, I'm getting a really weird feeling about this.' Bob looked at Decker. 'You show up and suddenly people start disappearing.'

  Pluto smiled meanly. 'Well stated, Guru Bob.'

  Bob turned to Terra. 'Go find Brother Nova.'

  She looked scared. 'Me?'

  'Yes, you,' Bob insisted. 'Last I checked, you have eyes and legs. Go find him now!'

  The young woman ran off, the hem of her white robe dragging on the ground.

  To Decker, Bob said, 'You have two missing persons both associated with Asnikov'

  'I beg your pardon,' Decker said. 'We have nothing to tie Asnikov to the missing persons. For all I know, Andromeda and Lyra could have run off together. If you expect me to go after Asnikov, get me something concrete.'

  'Why can't you question him?! What's the hold-up?'

  Decker gave Bob a slow burn. 'Let's get something clear, sir. I am running this investigation. And just like the Order, I have an established procedure. You want to help your own cause, find me those letters.'

  'What letters?' Venus asked.

  'The ones that Lyra's grandparents wrote to the Order, threatening to file suit against us,' Pluto said. 'Do you have them?'

  'I don't have them,' Venus said. 'I don't even remember seeing them.'

  Decker said, 'Where would Jupiter have kept his important files?'

  Venus said, 'I don't recall any files - his or otherwise.'

  Decker said, 'Hey, what about that chicken ranch? Could he have kept files there?'

  Pluto and Bob exchanged quick looks, but said nothing.

  Decker said, 'Mind if we look around out there?'

  Bob said, 'How'd you know about the chicken ranch?'

  Because Webster told me about it, that's how. Decker ignored the question. 'Any objection to us poking around? For all you know, Andromeda may be hiding out there with Lyra.'

  Pluto said, 'Absurd! She doesn't even know of its existence.'

  'I know it exists,' Decker said. 'Maybe you don't keep secrets as well as you think. Can I go out there and look around? Yes or no?'

  'For what purpose?' Pluto said.

  'To find these letters,' Decker said. 'How about this, Pluto. Take Detectives Oliver and Dunn out there with you. If we find the letters, we'll have something concrete-'

  'I don't see why Jupiter would keep files out there,' Pluto said. 'I'm against it... strangers poking around our business.' He looked at Bob.

  The lanky man said, 'Don't matter to me.'

  Venus said, 'The kitchen is getting low on supplies. One of us needs to go out there anyway.'

  'I'll do it.' Pluto threw a distasteful look toward Marge and Oliver. 'Get the inevitable over with.'

  Bob smirked. 'Yeah, you do have a way with Benton.'

  'Who's Benton?' Decker asked.

  'A good man,' Pluto answered. 'Let's get this fiasco over with.'

  Decker said, 'I've done everything I can do here. It's time to hit the pavement. I'll need the names of the grandparents. And I'll need a good photograph of both Andromeda and Lyra.'

  Venus took out a snapshot from her dress. 'Funny you should ask. Moriah just gave me this.'

  It was a black-and-white snapshot of a girl with that preteen crooked smile - big upper and lower incisors followed by spaces and gaps where adult teeth should be. The girl in the picture must have been around ten or eleven. She had big, dark eyes, a broad nose, pronounced cheekbones and thickish lips. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She had a wide forehead and arched eyebrows. Adorable.

  'Is she black?' Decker asked.

  'Half-black,' Pluto answered. 'Her father was black.'

  'So these grandparents... Moriah's folks... they're white?'

  'Moriah's white,' Venus said. 'Stands to reason her parents are.'

  'So if Lyra's in the n
eighborhood, she's going to be noticed. What are their names and address?'

  'Their names are Herbert and Cecile Farrander,' Bob said. 'I've got the address written down in my cell. As far as a photograph of Andromeda, Terra can probably dig one up...'