Mama was on her same wavelength. What if Star reacted to all the law enforcement like a cornered animal? Would she take it out on Ethan?
Aubrey stepped closer to Smolleck. He was turned away from her, but she could hear his side of a phone conversation. “We got the floor plan of the building,” Smolleck was saying. “It’s wood-frame construction with stucco over lath. Two one-bedroom apartments on the second and third floors, one one-bedroom apartment, and a garage on the first floor. The building is owned by Time-Share Dreams but doesn’t appear to have been rented out or occupied in the last couple of years. We’re pretty sure there are no civilians in the building, aside from the suspect and little boy, and possibly the woman who took him from the carnival.” The person on the line said something else. “Good,” Smolleck said. “Did you speak with her boss?” He listened for a while. “Okay, thanks,” he said, then disconnected from the call.
“What’s going on?” Aubrey asked.
“We got a confirmation on the facial-recognition software. Janis Hendrix is a match with the babysitter.”
It wasn’t a surprise, but Aubrey felt a twinge of edginess. They were homing in.
A large dark van pulled up in the street near them. Agent McDonough opened the side door and climbed inside. There were two men sitting at the front. Aubrey could make out electronic equipment, a narrow table against one side of the van, and a couple of chairs. McDonough sat down on one of the chairs and put on headphones.
“I’ll need the two of you to move outside the perimeter,” Smolleck said to Aubrey and her mother. He gestured to where the police cars had blocked off the street.
“What do you mean?” Aubrey said. “Won’t we be able to listen to your conversation with her?”
“No,” he said.
“But my mother and I may be able to help. We know this woman. We have some idea of how her mind works.”
He glanced at McDonough, who was watching them from inside the van, perhaps waiting for a signal from Smolleck.
“Please,” Aubrey said. “Let us help.”
Smolleck filled his cheeks with air, then blew it out. “Okay. Go on in. You can listen, but you mustn’t speak under any circumstances.”
Aubrey and her mother stepped into the van. Smolleck followed, then closed the door after them. He leaned against the narrow table where McDonough sat, while Aubrey and her mother stood in the small space. The two men in the front were involved with what seemed to be communications equipment.
Mama looked pale and wobbly, as though she might pass out. Smolleck must have noticed. He gestured to the other chair, and Mama sat down with a grateful nod.
McDonough pressed a button on one of the machines, and a phone somewhere began to ring.
Aubrey was startled by the sudden clarity of Star’s voice coming through speakers, as though she were in the van with them. “Yes?” Star said.
“Ms. Matin, I’m Special Agent McDonough of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
“Hello, Special Agent McDonough,” she said in her soft southern voice.
“I would like to speak with you,” McDonough said. “Are you comfortable having a conversation over the phone?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Good,” he said. “Is Ethan Lynd in there with you?”
Star hesitated. “He is.”
Mama let out a tiny sound. Smolleck glared at her.
“Ethan’s in there with you,” McDonough repeated. “Very good. Is he in good health?”
“For the moment.”
Aubrey glanced at her mother. Her eyes were wide with distress.
“May I speak with him?” McDonough asked.
“No, I’m sorry. That’s not possible.”
“I understand,” he said. He pushed his glasses up on his nose. “Who else is there?”
Star didn’t answer, as though she were considering what to say. “My daughter,” she said finally.
Smolleck nodded.
“I see,” McDonough said. “Your daughter is in there with you and Ethan. Anyone else?”
“No.”
“Well, you have certainly gone to a great deal of trouble, Ms. Matin. Tell me what it is you want, and let’s see if we can work something out.”
“Thank you, Agent McDonough. I appreciate your solicitude. For starters I will ask you to please have your agents and the police move away from my building,” she said. “And let me warn you, if anyone tries to storm it, I will kill Ethan without hesitation.”
Aubrey clasped her hand over her mouth.
McDonough exchanged a look with Smolleck. The overhead lights showed beads of perspiration on McDonough’s forehead.
“I will have the agents and police move away, Ms. Matin,” McDonough said.
“Thank you.”
Smolleck spoke in a low voice into his phone, then nodded at McDonough.
“They’re moving away from the building, Ms. Matin,” McDonough said. “Now before we continue our conversation, please let Ethan come outside.”
“No,” she said.
McDonough pressed a button that probably disabled the mike on their end and took a deep breath. Then, he pressed it again. “Okay, I understand, Ms. Matin. So tell me what it is you want.”
“Justice,” she said.
“You want justice,” he repeated. “Justice for what?”
She was quiet for a long time. “Justice for what, Ms. Matin?” McDonough asked again.
“Something you’ll never be able to remedy,” she said finally.
“We can try, Ms. Matin,” McDonough said.
“Can you change the past?” she asked.
“What about the past would you like to change?”
“Maybe Di can help you with that.”
McDonough’s head swung around so he could look at Smolleck, who was scowling.
“Who is Di?” McDonough asked.
“Diana Hartfeld Lynd.”
Smolleck fixed his eyes on Aubrey’s mother.
“I see,” McDonough said. “But it would be helpful if you told us, Ms. Matin.”
Star was silent. Aubrey listened for background noises and could make out a humming sound, like one from the air conditioner. She wondered whether Star was in the downstairs apartment. Where were Ethan and Janis?