The Trophy Exchange (3 page)

Three

Lucinda went back to the
first
floor and unleashed the team of forensic technicians. In blue Tyvec suits and booties and latex gloves, they entered the home. The first one carried a video camera filming every step of his passage. Behind him, another tech took an endless series of still shots with a digital camera.

Lucinda roamed through the house with Ted by her side. In the sitting room, she plucked a frame off the mantle. Four faces peered out – the image of a happy family. The two little girls exuded innocence. The mother
’
s face was warm and lovely before today
’
s trauma. Even in this two-dimensional state, she appeared to be in motion: energetic, optimistic and self-assured. The man in the portrait looked more stiff and wooden – either he was uncomfortable posing or uneasy in his own skin. He was a handsome man, though, with dark hair and deep blue eyes – but he seemed edgy as if the idea of relaxation was an alien concept.

Lucinda pointed at his face as she turned to Ted.
“
Where
’
s the husband?
”

“
Don
’
t know yet. A couple of the neighbors said he traveled a lot.
”

“
What do we know about him?
”

“
He
’
s an orthopedic surgeon. One of the neighbors said that he does surgery all over the world.
”

“
Hmm. Where in the world is he now?
”

“
Sergeant Creger is on his way over to the doctor
’
s office to find out.
”

Lucinda set the frame back on the mantelpiece.
“
It
’
s easy to read more than you should into a photograph when you
’
ve got a dead body on your hands and a spouse who
’
s AWOL. For the girls
’
sake, I hope he has a solid alibi. They
’
ve got enough to deal with already. What about the victim?
”

“
Stay-at-home mom. But she has a PhD in mathematics. She taught over at the
University
of
Virginia
before Charley was born.
”

“
Interesting. Any neighbors notice problems in the marriage?
”

“
Not yet. No loud voices heard. No arguments witnessed. Even called them a perfect family more than once.
”

“
Perfect? That word always makes me suspicious.
”

Lucinda and Ted continued to wander through the Spencer home seeking the telltale signs of disharmony, dysfunction or denial. No red flags popped into view.

Ted answered the bleat of his phone. His face formed a scowl as he listened.
“
Hold on a sec,
”
he said into the cell.
“
Lieutenant, the team looking for the girls has covered a two-block radius. None of the neighbors have seen them. Should we organize a full-blown search? Call in a canine team?
”

“
Somebody should have seen them,
”
Lucinda said.
“
Even if they just ran down the street, someone should have seen something. Tell them to make the calls but don
’
t put anything into motion until we make one last search of the house.
”

Lucinda and Ted ran through the house, checking under beds and peering into all the closets. In the kitchen, where forgotten cookies cooled and hardened and unbaked blobs of dough crusted where they sat beside the stove, the two officers opened every cabinet door. In the basement, they looked in the washer and dryer and moved into the dirt-floor cellar. They probed every corner and cranny with bright flashlight beams. No children anywhere. They stepped out on to the front porch. In every yard, neighbors stood
o
n the grass staring in their direction.

“
What was the name of the kid that called?
”
Lucinda asked Ted.

“
Charley.
”

“
Charley. Charley, where are you? You
’
re safe now.
”

Charley heard her but could not urge her limbs into movement. Her mouth was too dry to speak. She sat in the dirt clutching her baby sister. Rocking back and forth. All she wanted to do was go to sleep. But every time she closed her eyes, the vision of her mother
’
s crushed face sent her lids flying back open.

Lucinda and Ted came down the steps. Lucinda went left; Ted went right. Both called out Charley
’
s name as they started a circle of the house. Lucinda spotted the small door under the porch. She pulled it open and shone the flashlight inside. The harsh light landed on two pairs of big brown eyes. She jerked the light downward, focusing the beam on the ground.
“
Charley, is that you?
”

Charley nodded her head.

“
You
’
re safe now, Charley. It
’
s that your little sister?
”

She nodded again.

“
What
’
s her name, Charley?
”

Charley forced her tongue from the roof of her mouth and rasped,
“
Ruby.
”

“
O
kay
, Charley, Ruby, we need to get you out of here.
”

She shouted out for Ted and walked on her knees into the cubbyhole.
“
Hand Ruby to me, Charley.
”

Slowly she stretched her arms forward. As Lucinda
’
s arms wrapped around Ruby, the little one erupted in noisy protest. She kicked Lucinda
’
s chest, she bit her hand. Lucinda held her tight and handed her out to Ted. He grabbed the screaming burden and walked away. Ruby
’
s arms windmilled back in the direction of her sister as she squealed. Ted dropped to the grass under a shady tree. He stroked Ruby
’
s hair and whispered reassurances in her ear. Ruby stuck her thumb back in her mouth and curled up in the officer
’
s arms.

Lucinda backed out of the confined space and coaxed Charley to join her.

The thought of leaving the security of her hiding place made Charley cry. Her tiny body wracked with sobs as she remained rooted to the spot. Then she remembered Ruby. Ruby needed her now more than ever before. She wiped her nose on the sleeve of her shirt and moved toward Lucinda.

Once she was out, Lucinda swung her up in her arms and carried her down to the patrol car at the curb. Ted rose and
,
cradling the now quieted Ruby
,
joined her there.

Lucinda slid into the front seat behind the steering wheel, her undamaged profile facing into the back seat. Ted sat in the back between the two girls, an arm around each of their shoulders. Their sweet little girl smell was overpowered by the earthy aroma of the dirt where they
’d
sat and by the salty tang of their fresh-spilled tears.

Lucinda closed her eye and breathed in with force. The thought of these small children seeing that scene in the basement struck a deep nerve of adolescent pain. No time to think about her own mother now. She pushed those thoughts away and opened her eye.

With a gentle voice and indirect questions, Ted coaxed information out of the traumatized sisters. Charley gave jerky responses, one syllable at a time. Ruby remained wide-eyed and mute.

“
Yes,
”
Charley told him, she
had locked the door to the basement.
“
No,
”
she said when asked if she saw anyone else in the house.

A pair of social workers arrived on the scene to take charge of the girls. Before stepping out of the car, Charley turned to Lucinda and stared. The intensity of her gaze and the wounded look in her eyes hit Lucinda like a scream for help. The mantle of responsibility to this child grew heavy, almost oppressive.
“
I
’
ll do everything I can,
”
Lucinda whispered.

Charley bobbed her head as she walked off holding a state employee
’
s hand. For a moment, Lucinda felt pinned in her seat by the burden of Charley
’
s unspoken expectations. She followed Ted back into the home. As soon as they were inside, Lucinda
’
s cellphone chirped.
“
This is Lieutenant Pierce.
”

“
Hey Loot! Think you oughta come over and talk to this woman – she has some interesting insight on
Dr.
Spencer. We
’
re across the street, down one house to the right – the burgundy bungalow.
”

“
Which
Dr.
Spencer?
”

“
The lady
’
s a doctor, too?
”

“
PhD.
”

“Ms.
Craddick didn
’
t mention that. She
’
s concerned about the husband.
”

“
You with her right now or can you talk?
”

“Ms.
Craddick is right here, Lieutenant, and just dying to talk to the person in charge.
”

Lucinda strode out of the house. Reporters dogged her before she could open the gate.

“
Lieutenant?
”

“
Lieutenant?
”

“
Do you have a suspect?
”

“
Who
’
s the victim?
”