Pied Piper

CHAPTER 67

“Bradley?” a suspicious Chevalier repeated curiously, stepping away from the window.

“Cindy’s way of putting me in my place,” Boldt told the man, vamping. “One of those husband and wife things, that goes back to a childhood story I wish I’d never told.” Looking at Daphne, Boldt said for the benefit of the attorney, “No one but the teachers ever got my name right in school. It was always ‘Bradley’ this and ‘Bradley’ that. It really got on my nerves after a while. I came to hate the name. Still do. No one ever seems to get Bradford.”

“Bradley gets your attention, sweetheart,” she said without hesitation, picking up the ruse beautifully. “And you know how I just love to have your full attention.” She tugged on the hem of her shift, lifting it a little more open than necessary, well aware of how to win Chevalier’s attention as well.

Chevalier sucked on the cigarette, his small eyes flitting between his two clients.

Boldt felt a tear of sweat charge down his ribs. He knew that Trudy Kittridge’s keeper had arrived when footfalls in the hall drew Chevalier to his office door.

Daphne jumped up, ran an open hand down her shift and headed straight for the car seat-the baby! — catching herself at the very last moment and thinking to introduce herself to the woman. The woman responded, “Susan Chambers.”

The woman who called herself Chambers passed the baby seat to Daphne, set down a baby bag slung over her shoulder and gingerly removed her sunglasses. Her left eye was badly blackened and considerably swollen.

She preempted any questions. “Slipped, standing up out of the tub.” She touched the scarf. “Pretty stupid, you ask me.”

“You’ve seen a doctor, I hope,” Boldt said, stepping closer, studying every line in her features, every bump, blemish and bone. He would never forget that face; he made sure of it.

“I’m fine.”

Boldt couldn’t help himself. “A blow to the head like that can give you real trouble,” Boldt said. “Headaches?” With an eye like that she would be living on pain killers-aspirin at the very least.

Chevalier agreed with Boldt, nodding. He said pointedly, “You should have it looked at.” He added strongly, “Hear?”

The woman clearly didn’t like the conversation aimed onto her. Maintaining her composure, looking down at the child, she asked them all, “She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”

Daphne repeated her introduction. She spoke in a breathy, slightly hysterical voice, slipping at once into baby talk as she dropped to one knee to greet the baby girl. Daphne’s performance, the use of the altered voices, was essential because the social worker-in all likelihood, Lisa Crowley-had spent the most amount of time in phone conversations with Cindy Brehmer. With only the few calls made over a protracted period, it was doubtful Lisa Crowley would identify the voice as that of another woman, but Daphne was taking no chances. She focused her attention on the child and left the documentation, paperwork and chitchat to Boldt.

“May I?” Daphne said in a girlish voice, indicating the baby seat.

“Please,” Lisa Crowley answered, “and I’m here to answer any questions you or Mr. Brehmer may have about parenting the child.”

Boldt felt a sudden fit of rage unlike anything he had ever experienced. Triggered initially by simply the woman’s presence-his daughter’s kidnapper in the same room with him, for there was no mistaking Lisa Crowley-it struck to his core as she spoke so evenly, so controlled, so generously. She was a social worker, not a woman playing a role. Her professional calm and authority were an affront to his own professionalism and authority. He could picture her in a police uniform at the door to Millie Wiggins’ day care. This woman had physically touched Sarah, had trained a video camera onto her while she screamed for her daddy. Boldt wanted desperately to hurt this woman.

“Sir?” she asked.

“Yes?” Boldt returned.

“I asked if you have any questions on the caring and feeding of the child.”

“No, I don’t think so. We’ve been through the parenting classes as you know,” he said, pointing to the documents. The Brehmers had briefed them on the requirements they had fulfilled in order to take possession of the child. The nationally sanctioned parenting classes, offered by a Houston hospital, included a certification diploma that accompanied the Brehmer paperwork. After two kids of his own, Boldt could have given the parenting classes himself.

Something in him stirred, and Boldt couldn’t avoid confronting her. He looked directly into her eyes and said, “Do you have children of your own, Ms. Chambers?”

All color drained from Lisa Crowley’s face.

Daphne looked up sharply from the baby. “Bradley!” she chastised. “What possible business is that of ours? Please excuse my husband, Ms. Chambers. He can be impertinent and obnoxious in the most unexpected situations. And I assure you our little angel will learn nothing of the kind from her daddy. I nearly have him trained for the dinner table, after all, don’t I, Bradley?”

“None,” Crowley whispered. Regaining herself quickly, she added, “Which is one reason this work is so rewarding, so fulfilling for me.” She met eyes with Boldt; for a moment he believed she might have seen through their ruse. Her subsequent smile, patronizing though it was, relieved him of this fear.

“Of course it is,” Daphne said, supporting him. “I’ll bet you want to go home with every one of the children you and Mr. Chevalier place.”

“Mr. Chevalier places them, Mrs. Brehmer,” she corrected. “I merely oversee the transfer for the benefit of the children and the state. Though, yes, every child is precious and a wonder under God.”

Boldt felt a knot in his throat. He fought against it but broke into tears. They spilled down his cheeks.

“Well, looky there!” Daphne said sarcastically. “I don’t think I’ve seen my husband cry since the Rockets lost the finals.”

Chevalier smirked as he busily sorted through the remaining paperwork, a cigarette pinched tightly between his moist lips.

Daphne approached Boldt, kissed him gently and said, “We’re a family now, sweetheart.”

Boldt nodded, recovering quickly.

Daphne said, “We’re so eager to get her home.”

“Yes,” Crowley replied, “you’re very lucky.” She glanced at Chevalier.

“A few signatures is all,” Chevalier piped up anxiously. “Now that Miss Susan is here, she can witness for us.”

A thunderous rain crashed down on the roof of the building without warning, sounding more like a small explosion. The baby cried out.

Daphne reached down, unfastened the seat’s restraints and scooped Trudy Kittridge into the safety of her arms.

The first of the children had been recovered.