Part 36 (1/2)
”He wouldn't tangle with a progenitor, if he could help it. He used the girl to lower your defenses and catch you unaware,” Sam had argued.
The jangling of the bell above the front door startled her. Ping walked in, smiled and stood in front of the counter. ”Good morning,” he said. ”Did you have any luck identifying our young lady?”
”She said her name was Missy. There's a Melissa Harrington on the list who traveled with her mother, so I'm thinking that's our girl. They live in northeast Portland just off Glisan. It should only take fifteen or twenty minutes to get there from here.”
She grabbed her jacket off a stool and swung it over her shoulders, then retrieved her phone and the pa.s.senger list from the counter, shoving them into her pockets as the three of them walked to the front door. Ping opened it for her. She turned and called over her shoulder, ”Bruce, I'm out of here. Remember to keep an eye on things up front.”
”Got it. I'll call if anything comes up,” he yelled from the back of the shop.
”Where does he think you are going?” Ping asked.
Mara shrugged. ”I told him I had some errands to run. It's not a big deal. All the work is caught up, and he's used to filling in when me and Mr. Mason aren't around.”
Ping's Camry sat at the curb in front of the shop. They crossed the sidewalk and got in. He waited for her to buckle up and said, ”Okay, we know where she lives. What is your plan?”
”Plan? We go to her house and make her give back the Chronicle. You have a better idea?”
”Why don't we take it one step at a time? Let's drive by the house and see if we can figure out if she's the right girl.”
”Fine by me. She's the only Melissa on the flight. I'm guessing a little girl who can pick pockets from more than a hundred feet away probably came off that flight. Don't you?”
”Let's a.s.sume it is her. What do we do?”
”We'll ask her nicely to return the Chronicle. If she doesn't, we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it.” Mara stared out the window, wondering what they could do to an uncooperative five-year-old that wouldn't land them in prison.
Sitting in the unmarked Caprice half a block from the Harrington residence, Bohannon had trouble figuring out why he and Suter were there. He stared at the walkway in front of the bungalow not knowing what to expect.
”I thought the plan for today was to bring in Mara Lantern for questioning now that we have several witnesses tying her to the disappearances. Why are we here in front of the Harringtons' place?” Bohannon asked.
Suter was sweating and twitching more than usual this morning. His head flicked back and forth, and he rubbed his neck nonstop. ”I've got a hunch. Let's just sit tight for a few more minutes.”
”A hunch about what?”
”Look.” Suter pointed. He narrowed his eyes, licked his lips.
Ping's silver Camry pulled up to the curb across the street from the Harrington home.
”What are they doing here?” Bohannon asked.
”Call for backup. Let's get a couple uniforms to take her in,” Suter said.
”How did you know they were coming here?”
”I told you, a hunch. Get that unit here, or I'll go out there and do it myself.” Suter growled under his breath while he continued to stare.
Bohannon kept on eye on him as he turned on the radio and picked up the mike.
After five minutes of staring at the earth-toned, cream-colored bungalow with brick steps leading up to the front porch, Mara glanced at Ping. ”We just going to sit here? Wouldn't it make more sense to knock on the front door and see if it's her?”
”If we wait long enough someone might come out. We can then determine if this is the Missy you saw last night.” Ping stared at the Harringtons' bright red front door. He hadn't seen any movement through the large windows that flanked it.
”Look, you were the one who was so worried about the wrong person getting the Chronicle. Now that it has happened, why are you hesitating?”
”We don't know what we are dealing with. The pretender could be in there, and I'm concerned you aren't ready for a direct confrontation.”
”How is sitting here going to change that? That pretender didn't take the Chronicle as a keepsake. He's up to something. I know you think he can't activate it, but if there is a remote chance he can use it to bring over more freaks from other realms, we have to stop him.”
”Perhaps you are correct.” Ping locked eyes with Mara. ”Please, just remember that things may not be as they appear. We are dealing with a pretender. He can alter perception at will.”
”I'll do my best. Now can we go?”
Suter's eyes bulged as he watched Mara and Ping step out of the car onto the sidewalk. They crossed the street and walked up the shrub-lined brick path that cut through the Harringtons' well-manicured front lawn and led up to the front porch.
”Where is that backup?” he yelled loud enough to shake the rearview mirror. Veins strained against the skin on his forehead, sweat poured down his neck.
”They are right there. Sheesh, calm down.” Bohannon pointed to the cruiser pulling up to the curb behind Ping's vehicle. It squawked its siren in one short burst. ”What are you so worked up about? We could have simply detained them ourselves until the uniforms got here, you know.”
Mara and Ping, standing on the front steps leading to the porch, turned when they heard the noise behind them. Two police officers-one a man, the other a woman-jogged across the gra.s.s toward them. They did not have their weapons drawn, but they both ran with one hand resting over their holsters.
The female officer stopped five feet from the steps. ”Are you Mara Lantern?”
”Yes, I'm Mara.” She stepped back down onto the path from the stairs.
Patrick Harrington opened the door behind them, looked wide-eyed at the scene. They all turned toward him. ”What is going on?” Harrington asked.
”Daddy? What's happening?” A tiny arm wrapped around his leg from behind, and a little blonde girl poked her head out between the leg and the door frame. Her eyes widened when she saw Mara.
Mara waved up to the porch. ”Hi, Missy. Do you remember me?”
The male police officer placed a hand on Mara's arm. ”I'm sorry, Ms. Lantern. You need to come with us.”
She kept her back to him. ”Missy, do you remember that thing you took from me?”
Ping raised an eyebrow to catch Mara's attention and nodded, pointing over her shoulder. She turned to see Suter, red faced and sweating, speed-walking up the brick path, his black suit jacket flapping open under his arms as they swung at his sides. Bohannon followed, looking exasperated and not even trying to keep up with the FBI man.
Suter pushed his way past the two uniformed police officers. ”Mr. Harrington, you and your daughter do not have to answer that. Why don't you take your daughter inside where she will be safe. We'll take care of these people.”
Patrick Harrington nodded, stepped back and closed the door.
”What is the meaning of this, Special Agent Suter?” Ping asked. ”I have every intention of filing a complaint for hara.s.sment. You'll be hearing from my attorney.”
”Have him call me.” Suter stuck his dripping face into Ping's, leaning over him. ”You'd best be on your way, Mr. Ping. We have business with Ms. Lantern. Officers, please take her into custody.”