Upside Down

66

Winter dialed Faith Ann's cell phone as soon as they were inside. She didn't pick up.

“I'll take the main ramp. Take the elevator to the top floor of the parking deck and come down. And be careful. That couple is probably in here.”

“Number One?” Nicky's voice said.

“Here,” Winter said into his radio.

“I have Mr. Fashion outside Brooks Brothers, talking on a cellular. Okay, he's moving. Turned the corner, I think he's heading back to their car. What do you want me to do?”

“Is he moving fast?”

“No.”

Winter couldn't be sure Suggs had informed him of their presence, but it would explain why he was retreating. “Then hold your position.”

He put the radio into his pocket and started up the ramp. “Faith Ann! It's Winter Massey!”

He heard nothing but the plaintive whistle of the ferry at the base of Canal Street.

It was impossible to predict whether Faith Ann would stay in the deck, maybe hide in or under a car, or if she had gone into the main complex, which was what he would have done. He didn't think the police could get her out of the building without Nicky seeing the activity, but he doubted Suggs would risk having the Feds catch them at it. Suggs was either going to be very cautious now, or act in the rash manner of a desperate man. Winter hoped the captain wasn't feeling desperate yet. But since he didn't know the man, nor how dirty Suggs's hands might be, there was no way to judge what he might do.

There were a lot of places for Faith Ann to hide, but if she tried to exit the building the cops would get her for sure.

On the first parking level, after he had yelled out several times, he spotted a backpack next to the stairwell door. There was nothing on its exterior to indicate that it belonged to Faith Ann, but he knew it was hers. As soon as he saw the dark red sweatshirt and zoo cap inside, he radioed to tell Adams and Nicky that Faith Ann had changed her clothes. He had no way of knowing why she'd abandoned the pack where it would be found, unless she'd decided that it had become part of the description of her that her pursuers were going by. He wondered if she had done it to lead her pursuers in the wrong direction. If she was older, more experienced, he would have assumed it was calculated misdirection.

There was nothing else in the backpack of help, and nothing to indicate that she had been lugging it for any reason other than to hold a change of clothes. He lifted out the new Walkman-the one whose packaging he had found under the porch. He opened the battery compartment and saw that the batteries were the same brand as the two she'd left behind under the house. He put it back. Before standing, he turned his head and spotted the earphones beneath a nearby car. He reached under and lifted them out. Why had Faith Ann thrown them there?

“Adams, if you spot her, don't frighten her.”

After calling Faith's name out again, Winter dialed Kimberly Porter's cell phone again. This time Adams answered it.

“Third level. Inside the stairwell.”

Winter ran up the stairs and found Adams holding the phone in his raised hand.

“It was just sitting on the steps.”

“She left a false trail,” Winter told the federal agent. “She's long gone. I think she planted the pack on the floor below, then came up to dump the phone and went out or doubled back. She could have gone into the building next door.”

“She could be anywhere,” Adams said. “We need a psychic.”

“Exactly. Go down and tell Suggs we would like a K-9 and a handler.”