Chapter Twenty-Four

 

Melanie and Jesse went to the car dealership first to get the car. Thinking it would be a long process, Melanie filled out the loan application and Jesse insisted he co-sign for her so there would be no hang-up's in getting the car today. They had driven her old Ford in to trade as a down payment. The loan was so simple she couldn't believe that within two hours she was driving her diamond blue Chevy. What was even better payments weren't too steep. She could see herself managing them. She knew she could use the inheritance to pay cash, but she really didn't want to touch that money and Jesse was one of the few that understood that. He understood a lot of things about her, that no one else did.

"You got yourself one good car there, little lady." The dealer told her as they were about to drive off.

"I love it." She smiled at him.

"Let me ask you something," Jesse glanced at her as she drove down the street.

"Sure, what?"

"Does anyone else know about your inheritance. I mean, have you told anyone?"

She looked at him, "No, I didn't think it wise to tell anyone. Well I mean, I did tell Neely, another nurse. I trust her and she is really worried about me. Why? I mean I hadn't intended using it, why should I tell anyone?"

"Just wondering. If anyone does know, they would have had to really dig deep to get any information, but it is possible through a computer. Some hackers can find just about any information they want on them. Have you filled out any paperwork lately?"

"Only at the hospital."

He slapped his forehead, "Of course, your employment papers. They have your Social Security number, or could have gotten it off there. Oh boy, this could be bigger than we first thought Melanie. That isn't good."

Jesse nodded, as though it hadn't occurred to him before. So, the hospital was connected to all of this. Someone there, it had to be.

But as they were driving to the police station she glanced at Jesse again and his wary expression. "You know, whoever is following me, won't know I have a different car. Not unless they see me getting into it."

"This is true. And this for a short while might work in catching them."

"Unless it's someone I know well, that sees me every day."

"See how it goes the next few days, if they don't catch on to the new car, then you know it is someone you aren't in contact with all the time. Especially if you don't tell all your friends and neighbors about buying it. Can you park your car somewhere else at the hospital? So, they don't know where to look for you?"

"That's a good idea Jesse. Yes, I can use the guest parking. Anyone can park there that is in the hospital. I don't think I would get in trouble for that."

He smiled at her. "It might be wise. That could throw them off a little. And if anyone does ask where you are parking, you could say you were in a hurry and parked in the guest parking."

"Good answer." She smiled. "Say you are pretty good at this detective thing."

He laughed. "Don't you remember as a kid, I was always investigating things."

"Yeah, you were, weren't you."

When they pulled into the parking lot next door to the police station, they walked over to the station, glancing around them for anyone suspiciously watching them.

The Sargent was at his desk and recognized her. "Miss George, glad to see you. We did a check on your ex-boyfriend Brad. We couldn't find him. Do you have any kind of address on him?"

"Actually, I don't." Melanie frowned. "I don't understand, it was a law firm in Chicago, but I can't for the life of me remember who. I can check my files or my e-mail it might be in one of them."

"Good, now, please do. Now, who is this?" The Sarge was eyeing Jesse with perception.

"This is Jesse Eugene Ballister, he's from Lone Oak, an old and dear friend."

"Aw yes, Jesse, we were going to contact you for some questions."

"I'm here, you can ask me anything." Jesse said with a laid-back smile.

The Sargent stared at him, "Great, I'll be right back."

He was gone for a while then came back with another officer. "This is Phil, he's going to take you into that room over there and ask you some questions. It won't take long."

"Fine," he nodded to Melanie and walked off with the officer.

"I can tell you it isn't him." Melanie said softly as Jesse walked off with the other policeman.

"I hope it isn't. Because if this is for real, this could get very serious and you may need someone you can rely on. I've been doing some digging myself, and I've come up with some scenarios for you."

"Then you believe me?" She asked. There was a vibrancy in his voice that had her jaw dropping open.

"Very much so. Sit down. Has there been any more incidents?"

"Yes, someone was standing on my patio last night, I saw their shadow and Jesse looked outside and saw a figure running away. A female figure. He said the emergency ladder had been released, and saw a figure running away."

"Female?" He questioned.

"Yes. He was sure of it. But, how did you know?"

"A guess. That's very interesting Miss George. Because we have a suspicion that the one that is doing this —to you is female. There could be several people involved, in fact."

"Do you have any proof?" She asked him, a frown furrowing her brow.

"No," He gave a frustrated sigh, as he looked at his notes carefully, "We'll have to dig deeper for evidence. I'm just profiling. But—there is an interesting twist to it all."

"Oh?" She crossed her legs and her arms at the same time.

"You could be a twin to who we suspect."

"Oh, my God, Norma Wells?" She shrieked, her eyes widening once more.

"You know her?" The Sargent stared with open surprise.

"No, but I've been told at the hospital I'm the spitting image of her." She told him. "Almost everyone has remarked of that except…" she stopped to think for a moment, then shrugged, "except my boss."

She hated to think that Julia might be involved. She had seemed so nice but then, when she was interviewed, Julia hadn't said one word about her looking like Norma. Not one word.

"Your boss?" He stood up and stared at her. "And who is your boss. "Julia Myers, head of Pediatrics. She probably just didn't want to alarm me."

"Here's a recent picture of Norma. What do you think?" He handed her a mug shot.

Melanie's eyes bugged out. "It's impossible. She looks just like me…." She uncrossed her legs and sat up straight staring at the picture in disbelief.

"Yes, she does." The Sargent said slowly, amused by her reaction.

"But I don't know the woman. Why on earth would she stalk me?" Melanie asked grabbing her chest and blinking back tears. "And why would they hire someone that looks just like her? That has puzzled me since I began work at the hospital. I mean, isn't that a bit peculiar, or is that just me being paranoid?"

"That is an interesting question. One I'm working an angle on. You are right to be suspicious of everyone. I would be too, in your position. I'm not at all sure who you can trust, except maybe that man in there." He pointed to Jesse, whom they could see through the glass window.

"Jesse and I grew up together. He's been my best friend all my life. And he lives seventy miles away from here. He couldn't possibly be here that much, he has his own plumbing business in Lone Oak."

The Sarge nodded, then looked at her.

"Tell me about Norma…" She kept staring at the photo.

The Sarge sat down again, and adjusted his gun on his hip so it didn't gouge him while he sat. "We don't know. Norma was arrested over two months ago on kidnapping charges. She was tried, found guilty and we were transporting her to a prison in Huntsville when she escaped. She got away. I suppose you are familiar with the fact that she tried to kidnap a baby in the hospital?"

"I've heard rumors about it yes, but what has that to do with me?" Melanie asked. "I mean under the circumstances, I don't see the connection except we look alike."

"There are several interesting things about her. We aren't sure. Not yet at least. You did take her place at work, right?"

"That's right. But I don't know her. I have no ambition to steal someone baby, nor was I trying to take her job from her either. I have no ambition to know this Norma Wells, except out of curiosity and the fact that we could really be twins, if I didn't know better."

"There are a lot of unanswered question here and we are trying to get to the bottom of this. We're working on a hunch. She might have a grudge against you for taking her job. That is one angle. But I think there are more people involved than just her, and that she isn't the mastermind of what is going on either. She's not quite that clever."

"Can you tell me about it?" Melanie scooted he chair closer.

The Sargent went to pour himself some coffee, "Want some?"

"No thanks."

"It keeps me awake, but I gotta stay alert." He explained.

She smiled at him.

With his cup in hand, he sat on the edge of his desk, taking a sip of the hot coffee, then making a face because it was too hot and burned his tongue. He shook his head and set the cup down. "We think she might be getting ready to steal another baby. We think she's here, in the city somewhere. Her goal is to have a child. She may be a very bitter woman by now. Her husband left her during the trial and I'm sure that didn't set well. Not only that but you took her place at her work, so she's working on some private grudges, we think. But that isn't the entire scheme, because Norma wants a child, and that doesn't have a thing to do with you. And yet, the angle that she could steal your identity is a curious one. So however, she plays into this, she isn't who we are looking for. She's a pawn in the scheme."

He stood up again.

"But…. I don't understand. What has that to do with me?"

He folded his lips together and walked back to his desk. "We're only working one angle right now, and it does involve you."

"So, you think there is more to it, than just Norma?"

"Oh yeah." He nodded and stared sincerely into her naïve face. "There's only one explanation. Norma's plot in this is she intends to steal your identity. Now what will she gain by doing so? Except putting the blame on you for the baby."

Melanie's mouth flew open. "Oh, my God! But why, what for? What has she to gain?"

He smiled now as though he'd almost solved the mystery. "You took her job, the only way she had of getting to another baby. So, if she can get another baby, she can pin the crime on you and go free."

"Oh…. My…. God! I can surely see where that would work."

"Yeah, but…. that's not all. That's a very weak hunch. There's more to this than that. Someone's working with her, we are sure of that, and what they want we don't know. What could they want from you? What do you have that anyone would want."

Jesse came strolling out of the room now and scratching his head. "I can tell you."

The Sarge turned around and stared at him.

"Well enlighten us all." The Sarge approached him.

"Melanie hasn't spoken up yet, but it's time. We have to tell them about the money."

"Money?" The Sargent's eyes widened, then he turned his stare on Melanie.

Melanie dropped her gaze and stared at the floor. Her cheeks colored. But when she looked up, Jesse was right beside her and took her hand, "Go on, tell them. They need to know. Of all people, they need to know, Mel."

Melanie sighed. Would they be mad because she didn't tell them before this? She ung her head, then looked straight into the Sargent's eyes. "About a year and a half ago, my grandparents died in a car accident. They were coming home from a vacation. After the funeral, the attorney read the will. I inherited five million dollars." She said

The Sarge stared at her with a huge frown. Speechless, he glared at her now. "Why on earth didn't you tell us?"

"I-I—Because for one, I didn't know who was doing this to me. And for another, I never touched that money. It's in a bank account, at home. I never had any intention of using the money. And I didn't figure anyone knew about it. I live modestly, I don't talk about having money."

He shook his head in disgust, then his expression changed from pure disgust to awareness. "I can see you don't know much about crime."

"That's what this is all about?" She shook her head. "That money?"

The Sarge flopped in his desk chair and stared at his desk. "That's what it's about!" He shook his head. "Haven't you ever heard that "money is the root of all evil?"

"I thought-I thought the more silent I was, the less anyone would know about me. But we aren't a bit closer to finding out who it is." She protested, leaning over his desk at him. "I mean, Norma simply wanted a baby."

He looked up at her, "When you walked in here the first time I thought it was a simple identity theft. I was banking on that. I thought Norma was the one we are after. After doing a bit of snooping myself I find out your parents have money. I figured, okay, they would probably blackmail for their money. It was a consideration. Maybe they intended to kidnap you at some point and hold you for ransom. But now, it all makes sense. But she's the tip of the iceberg. True, she could steal your identity, but don't you see, once she did, she could have that money deposited in another account, in your name which you would know nothing about and she could get away with it. Because she will be posing as you."

"But I thought all she wanted was a baby."

The Sarge rubbed his upper lip and studied the whole situation now. "It is, unfortunately. But she's working with someone who knows about your money. It's possible, even likely that she has no clue about your money. But someone else does. Someone she knows does. Now, the question is, have you told anyone else about it?"

"Just a friend at work, whom I trust, Neely, I just told her the other daAnd Jesse and my folks."

"Did you tell this boyfriend of yours, what's his name, Dex?"

"No. And he's not my boyfriend." She corrected.

"Oh, that's changed?" The Sargent raised a brow.

Melanie knew the Sargent was put out with her, that's why he was being sarcastic. She couldn't blame him, she was wrong not to tell them about the money. She sat stunned unable to speak for several minutes. "What can I do, to stop her or them?"

"Don't let her get inside your apartment."

Melanie's head was pounding now. Everything flew through her mind. "She's been in there once. When she locked me in the bathroom."

"Are you sure she's the one that locked you in there?"

Melanie bowed her head, "No, I'm not."

"Was anything taken? You didn't report anything missing during that time to the police, but have you found anything missing?"

"No, but I don't know what I’m looking for either, or what they are. What am I looking for?"

"Right now, the only thing that would be remotely possible, is your Social Security Card."

Melanie fell back in the chair, stunned. "I don't know. Not that I noticed. I mean, she did rummage through my closet, and boxes were sitting on my bed when I got out. So…."

The Sargent looked sympathetically at her now. He stared at the floor a minute then took a deep breath and plunged in to the thing she needed to find and soon.

"Only one thing can completely ruin you."

"What?"

"If she got a hold of your Social Security card. That's all it would take for her to pull your identity off. That's all it would take for them to take your money."

Melanie sat there reeling with fear of the unknown and what this woman might have done. But that day, and the bathroom incident, she'd been so upset, she hadn't given it thought about her Social Security card. It was the one thing she hadn't checked. Those boxes that were on her bed after the bathroom incident. She hadn't even checked it. She'd hidden the card between a couple of scarves in one of the boxes. Hopefully they didn't find it. "When they locked me in the bathroom, they did search my closet for something. They might have gotten it then. I didn't even think to check for that. But I will as soon as I can. But will that be enough for them…"

The Sarge made a comical face. "Are you kidding me? What they can do is….get access to your bank account. And just about any other information on you. Your Social Security card is one of the most telling things about a person. Once they have those numbers, they can find out anything. And I do mean anything."

Her inheritance! Dear God! Even though she didn't want to spend the money, she didn’t want it taken either.

"Only a few know that I have it. I've never even touched the money and never planned on it. I'm trying to make it on my own money. Not theirs. I just don't go around thinking about it. I don't count it as mine, but theirs. I try to live as modestly as possible."

"I can attest to that. No one would guess Mel had a dime."

"I'm sorry for jumping you Miss George, I really am. But this information is very important if you want to find out who's doing this. This information can be leaked, and a computer hacker might know how to investigate something like this."

"Do you think that's what has happened? But who would even guess I had money. Who would know anything about me?"

The Sarge turned around. "A hacker can usually find anything they go after. With your social they can get any information they want, right from the computer. Putting that aside for the moment. Norma Wells isn't interested in money. That much we know. She wants a baby. But someone that shouldn't, does know about this and that is who is intends to hurt you, maybe not physically, but one way or another. And your life is very much in danger. There are ways of finding out if someone has money. Especially if they have friends in the hacking business. Have you filled out any forms lately with information."

"No," she shook her head. Then it hit her. "Well, yes, wait a minute. At the hospital. I filled out forms."

"Did any of the questions ask your income?"

"Yes, but I didn't put that down."

"Did they ask if you have a checking or savings account?"

Melanie closed her eyes. "It did for payment reasons, so they could deposit my checks into my checking account."

"Did you also tell them you had a savings account."

"Well I…." her eyes got big and round, "Oh my God, yes, I checked the box. But surely. I mean. I never told them I had any real money like that…."

"And since it's an employment application, it would ask your social security number. My God, it's all there for them to steal. Someone at that hospital knows about you, I mean really knows. And that is who else is involved."

"What do you mean?"

"Okay, so you fill out the information for your paychecks, and the billing department would see that, but who else?"

Melanie shook her head, "I don't know."

"Think about it a minute."

Melanie racked her brain, and then it hit her, she blurted, "Mrs. James and Julia Myers…. would be the only ones, other than their secretaries mayb and the billing department."

"Who is Julia Myers?"

"She's the head of Pediatrics Department, Head Nurse. Julia Myers. She's my boss. But she wouldn't do such a thing, she's too nice. She's the one that wanted to hire me in the first place."

His eyes rounded on her now. He glanced at Jesse who was standing beside Melanie. "Why? Did you ever ask yourself why they hired you?" The Sargent asked. "I mean as soon as we connected you with Norma as a look alike, we questioned why the hospital would hire someone who looks exactly like her. Now we are getting somewhere."

"I don't understand?" Melanie expression changed.

"Did Mrs. James, or Mrs. Myers hire you?"

"Mrs. Myers…. she said I had such good recommendations, and high grades and because I finished my nursing school at the same time as college she considered me a go-getter. Mrs. James was as puzzled as you as to why though, and she recognized the resemble and commented on it. Julia didn't. I thought that a bit strange after I realized how Mrs. James reacted."

"Yeah, I wonder if she got a picture of you before she hired you?"

"How could she?"

"Year books, easy and simple to look up."

"But she wouldn't know I looked like Norma or instantly know I had money, so why would she look for that?"

"She probably stumbled upon it when she pulled your grade average up and checked on your background."

"But Julia? You suspect her?" Melanie couldn't believe it.

"Not yet. We'll look into it. why would she hire you so quickly? You had to be one of several with good grades and all."

"I thought because of my grade-average and eagerness to finish nursing school and get to work."

"It is commendable, Miss George, but I seriously doubt it was simply that. And you are right, she would instantly know about your bank account since it's on your application. We'll be looking into Julia and Mrs. James about this. But for now, I don't want you saying anything about it. Just keep it all under your hat."

"Of course, I'm sorry, it's hard to believe that Julia would do such a thing."

"I'm still trying to understand why you didn't tell us you were worth so much money."

"I can tell you that." Jesse was standing beside Melanie now and smiling. "You see officer, Melanie isn't the kind to flaunt money or brag about having it. In fact, she's almost ashamed she has it. And her naïve little mind doesn't run like a real crook, thinking anyone would steal it. That's why?"

The Sarge stared at him a moment, "You know her pretty well, don't you son."

"Yes sir, about as well as anyone."

"I don't flaunt it. I live in a relatively cheap neighborhood. How could anyone even suspicion that I had any money?"

"I don't know, but if she stumbled on your picture first, then maybe she was curious about you. She may have gone over your application again, saw the savings checked and decided to investigate it more thoroughly. Unless there was something to be gained, why would she hire you in such a hurry? Computers can do a lot of things if you know the way into them and the secrets of finding things. Do you buy stuff on line?"

"Sometimes."

"Ever spent any of this money?"

"No, not a dime of it. It's my grandparent's money…"

The Sarge looked at Jesse. Jesse nodded.

"It isn't Norma Wells, although we won't rule her out of it all until we know for sure. But I do sense she's involved in something connected with you. Perhaps the real crooks have let her in on something, so she could get your identity. Or they might be doing her a favor. Or both." He told her. He came around the desk and took her hands in his.

"I know this is shocking for you, Miss George. Forgive me, but I didn't realize just how naïve you are about life. But you really are in danger. Especially if they got that card. And if they did, they know about the money, you can count on that. Although Norma Wells might want to put the blame on you for baby napping, someone else is interested in the money, and knows about it. And they are the ones we want."

"You are very reassuring." Melanie smirked.

"I don't want to assure you of anything except the danger you are in. We'll get someone to keep a surveillance on you, and I'll keep digging. If anything, and I do mean anything else happens, let me know. Right away. And first thing you do, is look for that Social Security card."

She nodded numbly. "I'm sorry, I should have told you about it. I realize that now."

Phil stood waiting until they finished their conversation then added. "He's squeaky clean, Sarge."

"I'm glad to hear it because your friend here is in a lot of danger and we don't want to see her hurt." The Sargent told him.

"You're telling me someone wants to do her harm?" Jesse frowned and put his hand on her shoulder.

Melanie frowned.

"What can I do to help?" Jesse didn't hesitate to ask.

"Find her a bodyguard."

"If she's in that much danger, I'll be her bodyguard." Jesse told them. "I wouldn't trust anyone with her life."

"She is. You know about her inheritance? And you’re an old friend of the family. That's good. But you got to understand these people are smart. I don't know if they've ever pulled anything else, but they've thought this through and it's pretty clever."

"Yes sir."

The Sargent sat there staring at Jesse. "How do you feel about this lady?" He asked him.

"I beg your pardon?" Jesse cleared his throat.

"Whoever is after Melanie, is after her money. It's those people we want. But how do you feel about Melanie?"

Jesse's face paled, and he looked away for a minute. "She's my best friend."

"Good because even though I'll have a officer station about her, they could slip through. I need to know you are with her, on her side, want to help."

"You can count on that." Jesse nodded, "That makes sense. I realize that people hack into other people's identities easily enough. What I don't understand is why her. She's never touched it. She doesn't talk about it, it's like she is ashamed to admit she has any money. And it isn't in a Houston bank either."

"It doesn't have to be. Seventy miles isn't that far out of the way when we are talking millions. The money is in the bank, in her name." The Sargent asked him. "Despite the fact that she doesn't flaunt it, she filled out that application, and the people that are interested obviously work at the hospital or like you said, no one would have known she had any money. It's someone that has seen the application, and I'm sorry but, Julia Myers is the most logical person to have snooped."

He nodded.

"Are you going to arrest her?" Melanie asked.

"No, we can't. There is no solid evidence yet. If we arrested her now, she'd walk away free. We have to catch them doing something wrong first. What these people, and I do think it is people, want is her identity to steal the money. We can bet it is Julia and Norma, and there could be more involved in this."

"Dear God, I'm dense…" Jesse shook his head. "I should have known. I should have guessed."

Melanie sat blankly, "Guessed what?"

The Sargent sighed and explained what was now dawning on Jesse's mind. "It's all pretty simple, and yet it is complicated too. They want your identity, Norma Wells looks like you, with you Social Security Card she could walk into your bank and clean it out. Look at her picture, how many in your home town would know it wasn't you?"

Melanie stared at the picture. "With a blonde wig, no one."

"My thinking too. And you couldn't stop her, unless you were there with plenty of ID of course. There is only one way to protect the money and maybe yourself."

"What?" She jumped up. "Tell me?"

"It's not a logical thing to do. But it might save everything." The Sargent told them.

"Tell us, we'll do it." Jesse encouraged him.

"Get married!"

"What?" They both shouted.

"Kind of extreme huh? Well, let me explain it." He walked back behind his desk and looked at them both. "There is one way, to solve it all, but it would take some understanding on your part. If you married, you could transfer the money into his name only, that is if you really trust him, and they couldn't withdraw it." He stared at them both, then looked at Melanie. "I guess it would depend on how much you trust this guy here. And how fast you could accomplish it."

"I trust Jesse." She stared up into his surprised face.

"Let me explain myself clearly on this matter." The Sargent sat back on the edge of his desk. "He could also walk off with the money."

She smiled suddenly, "No he couldn't. No one in Lone Oak would ever talk to him again. And he has a business there. But," she turned to Jesse now. "I trust him, with my life and my money."

"That's some compliment she just paid you." The Sargent glanced at Jesse.

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" Jesse smiled.

"I don't have to point out that it's not the most romantic reason to get married. And you might already be considering a divorce but, it would solve them getting the money."

"Who could do this?"

"Anyone that knows she has money. This is just something to think about. But I'll warn you now. You may not have a lot of time to think it over. If they took that Social Security card, all Norma would need is a blonde wig to carry this off. And it might be some elaborate scheme to do it, too. I suspect Norma is not alone in this plotting. She couldn't even steal a baby without getting caught. No, someone with some brains has thought this out."

"How soon would we need to do this?"

"Today wouldn't be too soon."

"You're kidding, right?" Jesse chuckled.

"No, I'm not. If she got that card, it could even be too late now."

Melanie stood up.

"I truly believe that the idea is to steal your money, and to do that they would steal your identity. Once they do that, you will have nothing but hell. But from what I've learned Norma Wells is who we want to question and now. We'll be searching for her, in the meantime, we have you under constant watch. So, I suggest you go home and think about what I've told you. And let me know if there is anything else happening. And if you still have you Social Security card."

She nodded, "Thank you."

He nodded.

They walked out slowly, as though it was weighing on their minds.

"How about we go out for supper?"

"Sounds good, but don't you have to get back to your work?"

"No, I'm going to make a call to David and see if he can watch the store for me until we figure out what to do."

"This isn't your problem Jesse." She explained. "It was just a suggestion. You don't have to take it so seriously."

He stared down at her. He reached for her hand, and grinned. "I take it very seriously."

"You are my best friend and I take care of my friends, Melanie. You are in a world of danger. I'm not about to leave you alone to handle this. It's bigger than both of us. You need help, and it's time to accept that help."

"Yeah, I'm in danger, for money I never wanted in the first place. I wish I could just tell them that and let them have it." She cried.

"No, you don't. Because you know it's from your grandparents and they wanted you to have it. If you let it go so easily, it would be like letting go of their memory. When this is over, I think you should figure out if you want to keep that money, and if you still don't, then give it to charity."

Her mouth fell open, how could Jesse understand her so well, and she never noticed?

He put his arm around her, "Bone up, get tough, they won't win, whoever they are. And even if you don't want to do it, I think we should seriously consider getting married and doing what the Sargent said."

"Oh Jesse, this is so messed up."

"We'll work this out, together." He told her. "Tell me, who is this Norma Wells. Do you know her?"