crouched beside her chair. “It’s going to be okay, hon,” she said softly, taking Marie’s hand. “We’re going to do everything we can for you.”
Marie nodded, still not speaking. Keller followed Healy as she stood up and walked into her office. She seated herself behind a large, expensive-looking oak desk and motioned Keller to an equally expensive-looking chair. She spoke before he was fully seated.
“I’ve gotten a call regarding Alyssa Fedder,” she said.
“From who?” Keller asked.
“The people that have her,” Healy said tonelessly.
Keller rubbed his chin. “You call the cops?”
She shook her head. “They made it very clear I was not to do that. They said they’d know if I did and no one would ever see Alyssa Fedder again.”
“So,” Keller said, “why tell me?” He was beginning to feel distinctly uneasy about the answer.
“They want to turn the girl back over to me. They gave me directions to a place near where they say they have her. It’s in the mountains.”
“So go,” Keller said. “Or take your chances, call the cops and let them go.”
She shook her head again. “I’m not stupid, Jack. I’m not going up there by myself, in the middle of nowhere, with men I’ve never seen. I’ve been called a lot of things, most of them ending in ‘bitch’, but I don’t think anyone thinks I’m that crazy.” She picked up a pack of cigarettes. Her hands trembled as she took one out and lit it. She offered the pack to Keller. He thought for a moment, then took it.
“I’ve been trying to quit,” she said.
“Probably a good idea.”
“So?” She took a long drag on the cigarette.
“I’ll go,” he said. “That’s what you’ve been leading up to, right?”
She nodded, looking surprised. “I thought I’d have to talk you into it.”
“There’s a condition,” he said.
She blew out a long stream of smoke and grinned at him. “If it’s sexual favors, honey, you had me at hello.”
“Thanks,” he said, “I’ll keep it in mind. But it’s about Marie.”
She turned serious. “You want me to take her case. For free?”
“No,” he said. “She’ll figure that out and she’ll never accept it. But she’s practically broke. Keep the price low, and let her pay it off over time. She’ll do it.”
“I know she will,” Healy said. “You’d do this for her?”
“Yeah,” Keller said.
Her smile this time was wistful. “Why couldn’t I have met you fifteen years ago?”
“Because I was a complete head case,” Keller said. “And I wouldn’t lay odds that I’m not headed that way again. Now, how are we going to keep these guys from knowing I’m there?”
“They know you’re coming,” she said. “I told them I was scared to come alone. I wanted someone with me. I brought up your name, and they said okay. Seems they know you from TV.”
Keller grimaced. “Great,” he said.
“Well, they know for sure you’re not a cop. And they know your face.”
He rubbed his chin. “No way are these guys professional criminals,” he said. “Pros would never agree to something like that. I figure it’s Lundgren’s buddies. Powell and Riggio. Lundgren took the girl and left her with them. Now Lundgren’s dead, they want to get rid of her. Fast.” He looked back at Healy. “He’s their buddy’s daughter,” he said. “I don’t think they’re going to hurt her. Or you.”
“I want you there anyway,” she said. “If I bring the cops, they might run. I need to get that little girl back.”
“Does Carly Fedder know what you’re doing for her?” Keller asked.
“Not all of it,” she said. “She just knows I’m working on something. She’s sitting tight. She won’t go to the cops.”
“And when you get the girl back,” Keller said, “you’re going to hand her over to her mother.” His voice was expressionless.
“Yeah,” Healy said. “I am. Because that’s the only choice, Jack. Her father’s dead. Who else do you suggest giving
Marie nodded, still not speaking. Keller followed Healy as she stood up and walked into her office. She seated herself behind a large, expensive-looking oak desk and motioned Keller to an equally expensive-looking chair. She spoke before he was fully seated.
“I’ve gotten a call regarding Alyssa Fedder,” she said.
“From who?” Keller asked.
“The people that have her,” Healy said tonelessly.
Keller rubbed his chin. “You call the cops?”
She shook her head. “They made it very clear I was not to do that. They said they’d know if I did and no one would ever see Alyssa Fedder again.”
“So,” Keller said, “why tell me?” He was beginning to feel distinctly uneasy about the answer.
“They want to turn the girl back over to me. They gave me directions to a place near where they say they have her. It’s in the mountains.”
“So go,” Keller said. “Or take your chances, call the cops and let them go.”
She shook her head again. “I’m not stupid, Jack. I’m not going up there by myself, in the middle of nowhere, with men I’ve never seen. I’ve been called a lot of things, most of them ending in ‘bitch’, but I don’t think anyone thinks I’m that crazy.” She picked up a pack of cigarettes. Her hands trembled as she took one out and lit it. She offered the pack to Keller. He thought for a moment, then took it.
“I’ve been trying to quit,” she said.
“Probably a good idea.”
“So?” She took a long drag on the cigarette.
“I’ll go,” he said. “That’s what you’ve been leading up to, right?”
She nodded, looking surprised. “I thought I’d have to talk you into it.”
“There’s a condition,” he said.
She blew out a long stream of smoke and grinned at him. “If it’s sexual favors, honey, you had me at hello.”
“Thanks,” he said, “I’ll keep it in mind. But it’s about Marie.”
She turned serious. “You want me to take her case. For free?”
“No,” he said. “She’ll figure that out and she’ll never accept it. But she’s practically broke. Keep the price low, and let her pay it off over time. She’ll do it.”
“I know she will,” Healy said. “You’d do this for her?”
“Yeah,” Keller said.
Her smile this time was wistful. “Why couldn’t I have met you fifteen years ago?”
“Because I was a complete head case,” Keller said. “And I wouldn’t lay odds that I’m not headed that way again. Now, how are we going to keep these guys from knowing I’m there?”
“They know you’re coming,” she said. “I told them I was scared to come alone. I wanted someone with me. I brought up your name, and they said okay. Seems they know you from TV.”
Keller grimaced. “Great,” he said.
“Well, they know for sure you’re not a cop. And they know your face.”
He rubbed his chin. “No way are these guys professional criminals,” he said. “Pros would never agree to something like that. I figure it’s Lundgren’s buddies. Powell and Riggio. Lundgren took the girl and left her with them. Now Lundgren’s dead, they want to get rid of her. Fast.” He looked back at Healy. “He’s their buddy’s daughter,” he said. “I don’t think they’re going to hurt her. Or you.”
“I want you there anyway,” she said. “If I bring the cops, they might run. I need to get that little girl back.”
“Does Carly Fedder know what you’re doing for her?” Keller asked.
“Not all of it,” she said. “She just knows I’m working on something. She’s sitting tight. She won’t go to the cops.”
“And when you get the girl back,” Keller said, “you’re going to hand her over to her mother.” His voice was expressionless.
“Yeah,” Healy said. “I am. Because that’s the only choice, Jack. Her father’s dead. Who else do you suggest giving
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