Day of Atonement Read online

  The single tear that trickled down the right side of his face surprised Troy and snapped him out of his catatonic state. Crying was not his mode of operation. He put the TV on mute. The noise from the crowd had become irritating. “Is she okay?”

  More sobs from Elvin and then a deep breath. “She’s dead.”

  Troy’s heart sank. Over the years there had been some hope that Elana could still be alive. Shawn Hornbeck, Elizabeth Smart, Jaycee Dugard. All were kidnapped as children. All had been found alive. Jaycee, abducted at age eleven, had been kept in captivity for eighteen years until a few years ago. Her case was the one that really helped the candle of hope continue burning for Elana in Troy’s heart. The candle that Elvin’s words, “She’s dead,” blew out. “Where was she discovered?” Troy imagined that campers somewhere had stumbled upon her remains or perhaps some kids playing near an abandoned railroad.

  “This is where things get crazy. No one found bones. They found her body.”

  “Back up, man, you’re not making sense.”

  “Elana’s body, fully grown and developed, was found several weeks ago on I-Forty-five between Houston and Galveston. Someone shot her and dumped her there.”

  The Killing Fields, Troy thought to himself, recalling the nickname for the stretch of highway where many bodies of young girls had been discovered. “Several weeks ago? Why are you just now telling me?”

  “I didn’t know until tonight. I still don’t have all the details because Mama is too worked up. From what I gather, there was a news story about a woman’s body being found with a heart-shaped birthmark and Mama thought there was a possibility it could be Elana. She’d never stopped hoping that one day we’d find her. I think some people, including the police, think she’s been a little psychotic about it because she would always contact them whenever there was a report about a female who might fit Elana’s description. She kept this hunch to herself. She told me that when she actually saw the body and the birthmark, she knew it was Elana, but she didn’t want me or anyone else to think she was crazy so she kept quiet until the DNA results confirmed her suspicions.”

  “How is Lilly handling this? How are you?”

  “Obviously, Mama’s preference would have been for Elana to be alive. Mine, too, but we have her back and that, in and of itself, is important to both of us.” Elvin’s voice trailed off as he began sniffling. Troy, a nineteen-year police detective, was not used to the mist that continued to form in his own eyes. Crying was not his thing and yet this was the third time this year he had done so! Though all the times seemed warranted, he supposed, together they were more than he could recall doing since being a young child. The first two times happened this past summer when his investigation into several serial killings ventured close to home. Elvin was like family to him, so in a way, Elana’s case hit close to home as well. Maybe that’s why the plethora of emotions he felt inside was followed by tears. “It’s amazing that she has been alive all this time and we never knew.”

  “Do they have any suspects?”

  “No. After thirty years, we now have more questions than answers.”

  With the television still muted, Troy turned to CNN, expecting to see some kind of headline about her discovery. He got angry when he didn’t. “The media better give her story as much attention as they did Etan Patz last spring.”

  “Who’s that?”

  “The little boy from New York who went missing in the seventies. I think it was seventy-nine to be exact, but he was the first missing child to appear on a milk carton. Last spring they arrested some dude who admitted killing Etan as a teen.”

  “Oh, yeah, I vaguely remember that. Man, I doubt the media will care much about Elana. They’re still talking about the election results.”

  “I’m sure they’ll keep talking until next year after the inauguration.” Last month’s presidential race between Obama and Romney had gotten pretty fierce. Though neither claimed to be strictly Republican nor Democrat, Troy and Elvin had found themselves on opposite ends of an intense debate about the two candidates. Obviously, their friendship remained intact, but both adamantly voted for different people for reasons they could not get the other to understand.

  “Even if Elana’s story doesn’t go national, maybe it will generate some attention in Houston. No one ever put her face on a milk carton. Instead, the assumption was that she ran away like that’s normal for an eight-year-old. Elana would have never done that.”

  The older Troy got, the more he wondered if Elana’s disappearance was connected with that of other young girls who went missing before and after her. Many of their bodies were also discovered along I-45 between Houston and Galveston. He’d never shared this thought with Elvin, until now.

  “I’m sure that’s one possibility, but as far as I know those girls all died pretty soon after their disappearances. Elana was kept alive until recently. Mama is convinced that someone in our family could be responsible. Besides Bill, she doesn’t want to talk to anyone else about the case until we find answers.”

  Bill was Lilly’s older brother. The two of them had always been close as far as Troy could remember. Bill also seemed to be Elvin’s and Elana’s favorite uncle, filling in as surrogate since their real father was not around and their stepfathers did not need to be. Elana seemed closer to Bill than Elvin since she used to go with him more. The funniest thing Troy could remember about Bill was his use of big words, which were made even more complicated to understand because he stuttered. It wasn’t until Troy’s vocabulary began expanding thanks to high school literacy classes that he learned that Bill had actually been mispronouncing a lot of the words he used. That made memories of him even funnier. Bill spent a lot of time with Lilly during those early years after Elana went missing. From the sounds of it, he was there for her now, too.

  “I feel bad thinking that someone close to us may have been involved,” Elvin continued, “but as dysfunctional as my family is, it wouldn’t surprise me if one of them knows something. The more Mama shares her thoughts, the more they make sense. You know how Elana was. If a stranger had tried to abduct her, she would have been cutting up so much that someone would have heard something and I’m sure her kidnapper would have given up. We think someone enticed her to go with them willingly and it had to be someone she knew.”

  “Have you guys shared any of this with the police?”

  “Mama has. As far as we know, no one in our family was ever considered a suspect back then and there is even less information to go on now. If I were to suspect anyone, it would be Herbert because he stayed gone for days after Elana disappeared and then he and Mama split up a few months later. I don’t think Elana would have gone anywhere with him though. She didn’t like him.”

  Troy wasn’t so sure that Herbert should be ruled out just yet, especially as he began thinking about how quickly he left Miss Lilly after everything had taken place.

  “I get the impression from Mama that the police are sticking with the initial conclusion. The cops are still going to look into things, but Jeff has hooked us up with a private investigator.”

  “Your stepfather, Jeff?”

  “Technically my ex-stepfather, but yes, him. Believe it or not, he’s been a godsend throughout this entire ordeal. He and Mama may have had their issues, but he always looked out for Elana and me even after they divorced. When Elana disappeared, he pulled every string he had on the department to try and find her. Jeff’s retired now and has a buddy who works as a private investigator. He talked to the guy about taking Elana’s case. I told Mama not to tell anyone that we’re hiring a P.I., not even Bill, because he has a tendency to talk too much and if someone in our family is involved, I don’t want them to know the steps we are taking to find out what happened. I’m not knocking the police, but I don’t feel comfortable solely leaving everything up to them for fear that Elana’s case won’t be a priority since there is not much to go on.”

  As a homicide detective, Troy believed that every murder was a prior
ity, despite the lifestyle of the victim. He also understood Elvin’s concern. “Man, if y’all need help paying for the investigator, let me know.” Troy was aware that Elvin made a pretty decent salary as a graphic designer and his wife, Nikki, had her own catering business, but he also felt responsible for what had happened to Elana. Maybe, subconsciously, that’s why he became a cop. What better way to atone for his past guilt than to do good deeds in the future? And a good cop he was. No one could argue about Troy’s dedication to his field, but the mysterious disappearance of Elana was something that solving a hundred cases would not let him forget. If he could assist with finding answers, he would do so, no matter the cost.

  “I do need you, man, but not your money. I need you to help us find closure. You guys are still going to Houston for Christmas, right?”

  “Yep. That’s the plan.”

  “Good. Mama is planning a service for Elana on Christmas Eve and it would mean a lot to us if you would come.”

  “You don’t even have to ask, I’m there.”

  “There’s something else.” Elvin paused for a moment as if trying to consider his words carefully. “Will you help look into Elana’s disappearance while you’re here?”

  “I don’t have jurisdiction in Texas.”

  “I know that.” Elvin responded as if his intelligence had been insulted. “I was hoping you would meet and work with the investigator. I’m sure he’ll want to at least interview you.”

  “Sure.” Troy wasn’t sure how helpful he would be seeing how he was only eleven at the time. He had played that day repeatedly in his head and there was nothing he could remember that would provide answers to Elana’s disappearance. But, he knew how important his cooperation would be to Elvin and Lilly. Plus, he owed it to Elana.

  “I’m not accusing anyone in particular in my family. Until we have answers, I don’t know who to trust. I need you, man.”

  “I’m assuming that since most of your family will be there for the service and the holidays, you want me to see what information I can glean from them.” Troy picked up on where his friend was headed.

  “You can read people better than anyone else I know. You know as well as I do that there are some shady characters in my family. If Elana’s abductor is among us, you can help find him.”

  Troy wondered if the kidnapper and murderer were one and the same. Was it possible that someone abducted her and later released her or she ran away? There were so many questions and little to no answers.

  “I know my sister did not run away from home. Somebody took her and if you can at least help figure out the first part of the puzzle, maybe the other pieces will fall into place.”

  Troy agreed that finding Elana’s kidnapper was crucial to solving the overall mystery of her disappearance and subsequent murder. Unfortunately, it would also be the hardest thing to do as the person or persons involved hadn’t left a single clue.

  Chapter 2: Family Man

  In the days following Elvin’s phone call, Troy worked desperately to tie up as many loose ends with his current cases as possible before he and his family headed to Texas. Consequently, he’d been skipping most of his routine workouts. Though his outside physique still looked fit, Troy noticed the toll that lack of exercise was having on his body. He resolved to get back on schedule after the holidays, after he helped close Elana’s case.

  He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her. The day she disappeared and the recent discovery of her body consumed his thoughts. Troy had done some research on his own and unfortunately, there wasn’t much he could find. Not having access to the case files made it even more difficult for Troy to feel like he could be of any help. He was determined to give it his best shot, which is why he’d taken some additional time off in case he needed to stay in Houston longer than the week he and Natalie had planned. It was a very likely scenario and one he hadn’t quite gotten around to sharing with Natalie yet.

  In his defense, on the day he had intended to speak with her about his plans, a horrible tragedy had taken place. There was a shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut in which six adults and twenty children were killed. His travel plans seemed insignificant at that point as his wife cried like a baby over the lives that were stolen.

  Part of her tears was due to hormones; part of her tears was due to her, in general, being soft-hearted. Though Troy did not cry, he did feel a pang unlike any other he’d recalled feeling ever before. That night, he hugged his three-year-old son, Nate, a little tighter, aware that some parents did not have the opportunity to hold their little ones and thankful that God kept his lil’ man safe. For someone who had no intentions of marrying or having children when he and Natalie first met, Troy was indeed a family man and loved his wife and son more than anything on Earth. He was proud to be nothing like his abusive, adulterous, alcoholic father. This trip to Houston was going to be a challenge as his parents had reconciled last spring and Troy would not only be spending Christmas with his mom, but his father as well.

  His parents had been back together nearly seven months now. This had to be a record for them. Troy had lost track of how many times they had separated and gotten back together over the years. It was a scenario that played itself repeatedly during his entire childhood. Sometimes several times within a single week! During his parents’ numerous splits, Troy’s dad stayed with his father. Troy’s grandmother passed away when Troy was a young child and his grandfather died shortly after he moved to Ohio. Troy’s mother called the place a “whore house” since it was no secret that his father took other women there.

  Prior to Elvin’s call, Troy almost backed out of the trip to Houston, but he did not want to experience the wrath of his mother who was anxious to see her “pumpkin.” A generally nice woman, his mom sometimes cursed like a sailor and Troy could only imagine the new words she would invent if he’d said they weren’t coming. He was still not sure how he’d let her con him into staying at the house with his father there. His mom claimed that his dad wanted to make amends for being a bad husband and father. As far as Troy was concerned, it was useless trying to rebuild a relationship that never existed in the first place.

  “He’s changed,” his mom had told him.

  Troy laughed when she also said that his father had “found Jesus.” “Where? Inside his bottle of Jack?”

  She didn’t think that was too funny. “People can change, Troy. We haven’t gotten into any fights or major arguments since he’s been back home. That right there is a miracle.”

  “What about the whore house?”

  “He’s been steadily cleanin’ it out for a few months, bringin’ things he had there, over here. His ultimate plan is to remodel and then sell it next spring.”

  “Don’t tell me you’ve been helping him get the place together.”

  “Now, I’m not that stupid. I mean, if he really needed my help, I suppose I would, but he didn’t ask and I didn’t offer. I would prefer not to step foot in that house ever again. God only knows how many tramps he took through there. I haven’t been in that house since I was pregnant with Tracy.”

  “I thought he kept Tracy after school at one point.”

  “He did, but I never went past the front door. I knew if I saw somethin’ I didn’t like, I might catch a case. The last time I was inside that house, I busted him havin’ sex with some heffa. Lord knows if I had not been pregnant, I could be in jail right now for murder. But, I did cuss everybody out.” She spoke proudly as though such an action was the key to conflict resolution. “Your daddy, that tramp, and your granddad all got it good. If your grandmother had been livin’ that night, I would have cussed her out, too.”

  “Mama, Granddad had Alzheimer’s. Don’t you think it was a bit extreme to go off on him?”

  “Whatever. He didn’t have it then, at least not full-fledged. He kept saying ‘Maggie bad,’ so I guess that was the woman’s name. Trust me, your grandfather knew what was going on.”

  Troy sighed with disbelief. Only his mother
…

  “Your grandparents got on my nerves for the way they indulged Reed. I know he was grown and they could not control what he did, but they didn’t have to condone it either. If you and Natalie were havin’ problems and you stayed with me, I wouldn’t let you bring other women into this house.”

  “I don’t see why you have put up with that man all these years.”

  “That man is your father,” she’d said defensively. “You really ought to give him a chance. I may not be into Jesus like you, Natalie, and now your dad, but I do know somewhere the Bible talks about forgiveness. I don’t think the Good Lord meant for you to exclude your father.”

  Troy was not sure if it was his mom, Jesus, or simple curiosity about the new leaf his dad had supposedly turned over that compelled him to agree to be under the same roof with that man, but he was obliged to go to Houston. Now, if for no other reason, than to help find Elana’s killer.

  As much as Troy disliked his father, he was also thankful because he showed Troy how not to treat his wife. Troy could never see himself hitting or cheating on Natalie, despite the fact that she was severely working his nerves right now. “C’mon, Nat! If we miss this flight, we may not be able to get another.”

  “I’m almost ready!” she yelled down the stairs.

  “Zooooom,” Nate sang as he ran back and forth from the kitchen to the living room with a model airplane Corrine had gotten him back in the summer. Troy knew he should probably tell him to stop running, but the boy was occupied, which beat him asking a hundred questions about flying like he had done earlier.

  Nate was excited. Though he had flown before, this was the first flight he was old enough to actually be aware of what was happening. For a three-year-old, he was pretty smart and inquisitive. They were supposed to have left several hours ago, but a huge snowstorm across the country had delayed their flight. They were fortunate to get the delay seeing how many others had been cancelled. Their 5 p.m. flight was rescheduled to 7:43 p.m. and it was already 6:15 and they were not at the airport yet! This was the last travel weekend before Christmas and that was not good! “Natalie!”