Page 101 of Fatal Betrayal

As she went up the stairs, more old memories stirred within her. The carpeting was gone, replaced by shiny dark-wood floors, but she could still picture herself running up the stairs after school to drop her backpack in her bedroom, change her clothes, and get ready for the next adventure, which, of course, would be outside this house.

The master bedroom was the first room at the top of the stairs. It was also white with a touch of gray in the pillows on the white plush bedspread. The guestroom was next, featuring the same white bedspread but rose-colored pillows. She couldn't imagine that her father liked this look, but maybe he did, because it was very impersonal. It almost felt like the house was a luxury hotel.

Her bedroom had also received the same decorating treatment, which made it easier to walk into. Because with all the white, he'd erased the color, drama, and turmoil of her childhood. She wished she could have done the same erasure inside her head. But she still had her memories and that's what made her feel a little emotional as she walked over to the window and looked out at the thick branches of the oak tree that had been her escape route.

"Doesn't look the same," Cooper said, coming into the room.

"No," she said, as he joined her at the window.

"Our tree is still there."

She turned her head to smile at him. "We spent a lot of time climbing up and down that tree. I don't think my parents had any idea what was going on. The flip side of them not being involved in my life."

"I liked your mom," Cooper said. "But she always seemed sad. And that made you sad, which I didn't like."

"Sad and angry," she agreed, her gaze moving back to the tree. "But when I climbed out this window and down the tree, it felt like I was entering a portal into a different world, a new adventure. And you were part of that excitement. A really good part."

"We had a lot of adventures. And we still are."

She glanced back at him. "The stakes are much higher."

"Well, we're a lot older. We'll get through this, Andi. We will find Elisa and figure it all out."

"I think so, too." Her confidence swelled with his undoubted belief in their abilities.

He moved closer, resting his hands on her hips. "I wish—"

Before he could finish, the oven buzzer blared through the house.

"Damn. My timing sucks," he said with annoyance.

She grinned. "You wanted pizza. But you can finish what you were going to say."

He hesitated. "It will keep. Let's eat. You have to be as hungry as I am."

She was hungry, but as he let go of her, she couldn't help wishing that the pizza had taken a while longer.

* * *

Cooper pulled the pizzas out of the oven as Andi grabbed plates and napkins. He was relieved that he hadn't said what he wanted to say, because there was too much going on. This wasn't the time for a deep personal conversation, and that's what they needed to have. They couldn't do that now, not with people shooting at them and his friend's daughter's life on the line.

"I need to call Neil," he said, as they sat down to eat. "He's going to wonder why I've been so out of touch. I'm sure he's called me a dozen times. I'll use the burner phone, but I need to check in. He's my friend, and he must be going out of his mind."

"That's fine. I'd like to know what he thinks about Kristine being involved. Maybe knowing she had something to do with it will have opened his eyes in some way."

"I wonder how Daniel and Kristine were connected. Did they know each other before she took the job at Neil's house? Did they come up with the plan to sell Elisa in some way?"

"I don't believe either one is the brains behind this operation. Kristine was either planted there or paid off in some way. I'm leaning towards planted. She's from Belarus, her employment history is sketchy. I'm not sure why the Weiselbergs even hired her without childcare experience." Andi paused. "I know my team has talked to them, but I haven't heard what they found out. It would be interesting to know what kind of background check they did."

"I thought they met her at a park through another nanny. Maybe they didn't do a check. They just took someone's word for Kristine being a good person. They probably moved just in time. If they hadn't, it might be their child who's missing." He took a breath. "But if she was planted, then that means this was premeditated. It was in the works for a while, at least four months. That seems like a long time."

"Or the operation plants young women in the community in areas where they have access to other nannies, kids, pregnant women. I think whatever we're dealing with is big. The baby boutique would have been a point of access, as well as the nanny, the adoption attorney…" Her voice trailed away. "I'm not sure how Daniel fits in. Maybe Kristine pulled Daniel into this. She could have known he needed money and used him to get the baby out of the house."

"But Daniel's girlfriend, Ivy, is tied to the attorney, which ties Daniel to Sergio Molina. Maybe Daniel was the one who enlisted Kristine's help," he suggested.

"Good point."

"I really hope Solange is not part of this," he said heavily, thinking about Daniel's mother. "That will kill Neil. She's like a second mother to him."

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