High Stakes Gamble

Chapter Thirty-Four

Cory stood to greet the nervous man hovering in the doorway. He led him to a chair and sat across from him.

“Mr. Lelonde, I want to thank you for coming to the office to answer our questions. It’ll save time and already enough has passed since Lily went missing.”

Kai studied the fellow closely and saw an unassuming, medium built, highly agitated dude whose eyes held no secrets. Relaxing, knowing he wouldn’t tear the guy limb from limb, he checked to see how Aurora was holding it together.

A consummate professional, she leaned against the wall, arms crossed as if not trusting herself to pound on the guy for the heartache his wife caused.

Voice fraught with worry, Mr. Lelonde spoke. “I’m just so thankful that someone is taking my wife’s disappearance seriously. Mr.—”

“I’m Lieutenant Ashton and these are Detectives Hampton, Morelli and Lawson.”

Lelonde stared at Aurora and words burst out. “You’re baby Lily’s mother, aren’t you? I’ve seen your picture on the television.”

As if words failed her, Aurora only nodded in agreement. Kai didn’t know whether the others noticed the telltale wobble in Aurora’s lower lip, but he did. A flaming arrow shot through his stomach couldn’t have done more damage.

Kai cleared his throat and brought them back to the reason for the visit. “I’d like your permission to tape this interview, sir. There isn’t a lot of time for follow up appointments so we’ll need to get every bit of information we can right now.”

“Yes, of course. I’m here to help you find my wife and to get your daughter back.” Mr. Lelonde rubbed his hands on his knees and then gripped them so tight, his knuckles whitened.

Ham bustled around setting up the equipment and Cory ordered coffees for everyone and water for Lelonde. Soon they were ready.

Taking lead, Cory asked the first question. “Your wife gave birth to a baby girl recently? Can you tell us what happened?”

Lelonde nodded. He unscrewed the lid and took a sip of water. “She was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. She…” He took another drink. He seemed transfixed by his water bottle, staring at it, moving it from his left hand to his right, then back again. “By the time the doctors were aware of the problem, it was too late. She’d suffocated during the delivery. She was so small. Like this, you know?” he said, holding up his bottle. “So fragile. Afterward, Jane was only allowed to spend a very short time with her before they forcibly took her baby away.”

Cory spoke for them all, his lowered voice reflecting his sympathy. “We’re very sorry for your loss, Mr. Lelonde.”

Bracing his shoulders, the devastated father replied. “Thank you. I’m dealing with our baby’s death as best I can. On the other hand, Jane wouldn’t accept that the baby had died. They had to wrench our daughter from my wife’s arms. She fought them like a tigress. It was terrible… she suffered dreadfully. At night when I try to sleep, I can still hear her screams.”

Cory passed over a box of tissues and they waited. Finally, Lelonde could continue. “The doctor feared for her sanity and prescribed sedatives and anti-depressants. Jane refused them all. On the day she went to the clinic for her checkup following the birth, for the first time her state of mind seemed fairly normal. As if she’d accepted Lucy’s death… that’s what we called our angel, Lucy.” Lelonde looked up, and straight into Aurora’s eyes. “Don’t you see, Detective Morelli?” he said. “What you are so terrified might happen to you, what drives you almost insane with rage and horror, has already happened to my wife.”

Kai saw Aurora jerk and then lower herself so she rested on her haunches. When he moved to come to her she waved him back and mouthed the words, I’m okay.

Hesitating, Cory’s words brought him back to the ongoing conversation. “It’s a beautiful name.” Cory urged the other to continue by holding out his hand as a signal.

“I wanted to go with her to the doctor’s office but she refused to let me, said as how she needed to get on with her life and I shouldn’t have to take care of her anymore. Kissed me good-bye and seemed almost herself when she left.” A long sigh followed before he ended the thought. “I’ve not seen her since. How do people… how do people not go mad?”

“Can you think of any place you wife might have taken Lily? A favorite vacationing spot or a family cabin?” Kai had to ask the questions he knew might help in the investigation.

“No. I’ve wracked my brains to think of a spot she might go but there’s nothing. We don’t own any other property. With both of us working long hours, we haven’t had a vacation in years.”

“What is it you aren’t telling us, Mr. Lelonde?” Aurora’s curt voice cut through tension like a fork of white lightening splitting an angry black sky.

The man’s hesitation devastated everyone in the room. Kai had sensed something being held back and trusted Aurora to know instinctively. He stole a quick glance at her and noticed her head tilting to one side while her hand rubbed her left ear. Something’s up.

Kai watched her stand and move forward, aggression barely held in check.

Clearing his throat before speaking, Mr. Lelonde took his time. “My wife is brilliant. I don’t mean rather smart or even highly intelligent. I mean she has a genius IQ. Only the lack of money held her back in the early days from becoming a specialized doctor or… or pretty well anything she desired to be.”

He looked around to see if they believed him. Since no one argued, Lelonde seemed satisfied. “If Jane doesn’t want to be found, trust me, she could disappear forever.”

Aurora answered for them all. “You’ve made your point. What else?”

“The morning she left for her doctor’s appointment, she made one extra stop. Every penny we’ve saved over the years, and it’s quite substantial, is gone, taken in cash that she’d previously arranged to pick up that day.”

Like a junkie close to his fix, Aurora wouldn’t stop. “There’s more. Just spit it out. It’s not only your wife’s future on the line here, our baby is in danger.”

Lelonde groaned and then added. “Our pistol is gone. And so are the bullets. Why that scares me so much is what she said on the way home from the hospital.”

Kai had to ask. “What did she say?”

Lelonde swallowed. “She said that they would never have gotten Lucy away from her if she’d of had her gun.”