The Girl Who Disappeared Twice. Andrea Kane
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Praise for New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author
andrea Kane
“Andrea Kane expertly juggles suspense and romance.”
—Iris Johansen
“Kane is a skilled writer, so the romantic complications … between her intelligent and driven main characters never get in the way of the suspense.”
—Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel
“Andrea Kane delivers the kind of edgy suspense and romantic tension that will rev up your pulse and keep you turning the pages.”
—Jayne Ann Krentz
“Tautly written, high-octane thrillers! Andrea Kane sets new standards for suspense.”
—Lisa Gardner
“Andrea Kane delivers a spine-tingling tale.”
—Strand magazine
“A real page-turner! A keep-you-up-all-night romantic suspense.”
—Karen Robards on Run for Your Life
“This chilling page-turner is a winner, with an atmosphere of terror that escalates to a stunning conclusion.”
—RT Book Reviews on I’ll Be Watching You
“Part brilliant character study, part icy thriller, here is a novel laced with romance and suspense.”
—James Rollins on Dark Room
“Kane is an adroit master at romantic suspense, and she keeps the reader guessing to the very end.”
—Booklist
About the Author
ANDREA KANE’s groundbreaking romantic thriller, Run for Your Life, became an instant New York Times bestseller, paving the way for a series of smash hits focusing on the various cases investigated by NYPD detectives and FBI special agents. With a worldwide following and novels published in nineteen countries, Kane is also the bestselling author of fourteen historical romance novels. She lives in New Jersey with her family, where she is learning new ways to sharpen her firearms and investigative skills like a true FBI agent. Between target practices, she is researching and writing her next supercharged romantic thriller.
www.AndreaKane.com
The Girl Who Disappeared Twice
Andrea Kane
To Freddy,
the heroic FBI Tactical Canine Dog
who was killed in the line of duty.
Thank you for protecting our country.
I hope my bloodhound, Hero, is a fitting tribute to you
and all the other brave service dogs like you.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
With deepest gratitude to all those amazing professionals who so graciously gave of their time and helped provide me with the authenticity I needed to write The Girl Who Disappeared Twice. The list is long, and in no specific order. I thank each and every one of you.
Angela Bell, Public Affairs Specialist, FBI Office of Public Affairs (Angela, you’re the exception to my rule—you’re always first, because you’re the most extraordinary central contact I could ever hope for!)
Arthur Cummings II, Former Executive Assistant Director, FBI National Security Branch
SSA James McNamara, FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit 2
SA Konrad Motyka, FBI New York
SA James Margolin, FBI Office of Public Affairs, New York Field Office
SSA Michael Harkins, Coordinating Supervisor, Violent Crime/Gangs Branch, FBI New York Field Office
SSRA Michael Ferrandino, FBI Long Island Resident Agency
SSA Leonard Johns, Formerly of the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit 3
SSA Thomas Lintner, Chief FBI Laboratory’s Evidence Response Team Unit
SSA Rex Stockham, Program Manager for FBI Laboratory’s Forensic Canine Program
SSRA Edward McCabe, FBI White Plains Resident Agency
SA Tonya DeSa, FBI Newark Division National Academy Coordinator, NCAVC Coordinator, Assistant Training Coordinator
SA Laura Robinson, Senior Team Leader, Evidence Response Team, FBI Newark Field Office
SA Maria Johnson, NCAVC Coordinator, FBI New York Field Office
Retired SA Richard DeFilippo, Violent Crimes Task Force, FBI New York Field Office
Robert D’Angelo, Chief of Police, North Castle, New York
Retired FBI SA Richard Mika
SA Ann Todd, FBI Office of Public Affairs
Retired Detective Mike Oliver, NYPD
Jennifer Michelson, New Jersey Search and Rescue Dog Task Force
Hillel Ben-Asher, M.D.
In addition, I want to thank Adam Wilson, for being a true editorial partner, and Andrea Cirillo and Christina Hogrebe, for being agents and advocates extraordinaire.
And last, but always first, I want to thank my family, who’s there from start to finish … and then some. I love and appreciate you more than you’ll ever know.
PROLOGUE
Westchester County, New York
Summer, thirty-two years ago
When six-year-old Felicity Akerman went to bed that night, she had no idea that life as she knew it was about to change forever.
She settled under the light cotton blanket and put her head on the pillow, her long blond hair tied back in a ponytail because of the heat. She was wearing her favorite short-sleeve nightshirt with the bright orange soccer balls on it. She had to wear it tonight. It was like a gold star on a perfect spelling test. A prize. A big win.
That’s what today’s game had been. The doctor hadn’t been too sure about letting her play. Neither had her mom and dad. But she’d talked them into it, and gotten the okay she was holding her breath for. No one understood how miserable she’d been, sitting on the sidelines all summer long since she broke her arm. But it was better now. No more cast. No more pain. No reason to wait.
She’d proved that today on the playing field at Pine Lake Soccer Camp. She’d scored three out of her team’s four goals.
With a happy smile, she rolled onto her right side, reflexively protecting the left arm that had been in a cast for seven long, hateful weeks. Her smile widened as she remembered she didn’t have to do that anymore. She wriggled her fingers and bent her elbow. Free. She was finally free. And finally her team leader again.
The bedroom curtains rustled as a warm summer breeze blew in through the window. Her mom had left it halfway open before she went out. The summer air felt good. It swirled around the room. It smelled like flowers. It acted like a lullaby.
Felicity shut her eyes, her fingers still wrapped around a fold in her nightshirt. Next to her, her sister said something in her sleep and flopped onto her back. She hated sleeping alone when their parents were out. Normally Felicity liked her room to herself—sharing the same face, same hair, and same birthday