Dawn of Ciaerra

It was early October. Nicole was due in February and was planning on starting her leave in a couple of days.

Jess and Nicole were sitting around the table drinking coffee with some of the other agents when Brooke came with a gentleman in a suit. The other agents left Jess, Nicole, and Brooke in the room.

"This is Dr. Lee Mason, a psychiatrist at the Maplewood Institution." Brooke introduced Lee to her agents.

"Have a seat, Dr.," Nicole said. "Can I get you some coffee?"

"No, thank you. I'm running late as it is." Lee pulled out a chair and sat.

"We'll try to make this quick. What can we do for you?" Jess asked.

"I need to report a possible missing child."

Nicole grabbed a pen. "What is the name and age of the child?"

"Ciaerra, c-i-a-e-r-r-a, Bell. She is four years old."

"What happened to Ciaerra?" Jess inquired.

"I have a patient at the institution, Tara Bell. She was released last week and brought back in yesterday afternoon. She told me that she believes her sister, Tammy, killed her niece."

"Does she know why or how?" Jess asked.

"Almost five years ago, according to Tara, Tammy and Rich Bell adopted an infant girl, Ciaerra. A little over a year later Tammy and Rich had their first biological child and then two more. Nothing changed for Rich, but Tammy became abusive to Ciaerra after Brooklyn, her first biological child, was born. Tara claims her sister doted on Brooklyn, Sarah Anne, and Richey, but ignored Ciaerra and abused her when she "got in her way" or misbehaved. Tara alleges to have seen Tammy hit the girl with a yard stick, belts, and a cord that she kept with her at all times, tell the girl she wished she'd never adopted her, and telling the other children that Ciaerra was bad. Two days ago Tara was visiting Tammy and while they were in the kitchen talking Brooklyn came down stairs and told Tammy that Ciaerra had thrown a block at her. Brooklyn's forehead was already starting to bruise and Tara says that Tammy was enraged and told Tara to leave."

"Do you believe Tara is telling the truth?" Nicole asked.

"I'm not even sure Ciaerra exists. Tara was married to Rich's brother, after he died six months ago, she had a psychotic breakdown. I diagnosed her with Psychosis Undefined. I am sure that—true or not—Tara believes this occurred. But it would be very easy for her to imagine a child named Ciaerra. Tammy and Rich live in Ciaerra. It's right next to Maplewood. In the past Tammy has brought the children to the institution to visit their aunt. I've only seen Brooklyn, Sarah Anne, and Richey."

"Okay," Jess said. "Thank you for letting us know. We will look into it."

Brooke closed the door behind the doctor. "Just as Dr. Mason was required to report this, I am required to have you look into it. But make it quick. There are several other cases that take priority."

"To a missing child?" Jess asked.

"Deep Background is still working on it, but so far there is no record of Ciaerra."

xxxxx

Tammy shook her head. "I wish I could say I'm surprised. My sister is a very disturbed woman, Agents. My husband and I have never adopted. We have three natural children—a three-year-old, a two-year-old, and a five-month-old. And we live in the city of Ciaerra. It is not one of our children's names."

"Did Tara ever come to visit you during her release?"

"Yes. That was the only true part of her story. Two days ago she was here. The next day she had to be committed again."

"Something upset her," Jess said.

"But it's not what you think. Come with me."

Tammy showed the agents Brooklyn and Sarah Anne's room as well as Richey's. He was asleep in his crib and Jess and Nicole saw the girls in the backyard.

"So," Tammy said, "as you can see we have only three children here."

"Thank you for your time, Mrs. Bell. We'll be in touch."

"We'll see ourselves out."

Nicole closed the car door. "We'll be in touch? Haslett told us to wrap this up."

"I will, when I'm convinced. I want to talk to Tara."

"Drop me off at the office first."

xxxxx

Jess sat down with Tara after telling her why she was there. "Tell me everything," Jess told her.

"Tammy hated that little girl. I've seen her punish Ciaerra by making her drink dish washing liquid. She used to break Rich's things and tell him Ciaerra did it."

"Was it always like that?"

"No. When they adopted her, Tammy loved her. That's why she gave her that name. She loved that name."

"Did she spell it that way because that was the name of the town?" Jess was trying to feel Tara out.

"I really don't know. But that's why they moved there ten years ago. They were looking for a house for so long. When she found Ciaerra, Tammy thought it was a sign."

"What happened two days ago?"

"We were in the kitchen—me and Tammy—we were talking about Rich's promotion. Brooklyn came in. She had red mark on her forehead. She said Ciaerra threw a toy at her."

"What type of toy?"

"…I think it was a block. Tammy started screaming. She practically threw me out of the house and slammed the door behind me. I was getting in my car when Tammy came out and told me to wait. She got the three other kids and told me to take them back to my apartment. She said she'd pick them up later."

"And did she?"

"She and Rich came by at eleven. I asked about Ciaerra and Tammy looked at me like she didn't know who I was talking about. They took the kids and left."

"I was at their home today. I didn't see any signs that a fourth child ever lived there."

"Did you look in the basement. There's a cot. That's where Ciaerra slept."

"You told Dr. Mason that Rich was good to all the children. Why would he allow-"

"Because Tammy convinced him that Ciaerra was a devil child."

"A devil child?"

"I don't mean literally! You have to believe me! Tammy killed her daughter and Rich is helping her cover it up."

xxxxx

All the children were lying on their mats quietly. It was too early for any of the children to be tired. But, just like everyday, some lied still and some pretended they were asleep to escape Deborah's wrath. But nobody could fall asleep to the sound of thirty-two-month-old Jacob Behren crying and Deborah Hall screaming at him. The toddler had complied and stayed on the mat, but he couldn't stay still. And she became enraged, when, an hour later, he still wasn't asleep.

"You don't want to sleep on the mat? Fine! Time out!"

"Time out" in the Preschool Room meant being put in the supply closet and having your mouth covered with duck tape, so Deborah didn't have to hear you cry and having your hands taped behind your back, so you couldn't get the tape off your mouth.

Deborah layed the baby on the floor and closed the door. But Deborah didn't know that Jacob was developing a cold and his sinuses were swollen. He couldn't breathe through either of his nostrils and, therefore, could not breathe at all.

xxxxx

"Deep Background finished their search on the Bells." Nicole said.

"And?" Jess asked.

"And Tara Bell has been in and out of institutions for twelve years. The break she had after her husband died was not the first."

"Why is that the first thing you tell me?"

"Take it easy, Jess. I'm getting to Tammy and Rich. There is no record of them ever adopting or of a fourth child. There are birth certificates, school fund accounts, and pediatrician records for Brooklyn Bell, Sarah Anne Bell, and Richard Bell."

"So Ciaerra doesn't exist on paper. That doesn't mean she isn't real."

"Jess," Brooke eased in, "there is no evidence at all of Ciaerra. There is, however, a mile long record of mental illness on Tara. The Bells live in Ciaerra. Look at these facts without bias. Do you honestly believe this child is real?"

"I believe Tara, so yeah, I believe Ciaerra's real." Jess left.

"She needs more time." Nicole tried to explain, but Brooke already knew. "She's still getting over her guilt in taking four years to find Bailey. And she's always been sensitive to bias against people with mental illness."

"Because of her brother. I know. But I can't let her search for a non existent child."

"Did you know her mom and Doug died a few years ago?"

"No. All right. I'll back off. But that means you're flying solo on the cases that we have. You'll have to postpone your leave until she is certain Ciaerra isn't real."

"No problem."

xxxxx

Tara told Jess that Ciaerra was three months old when Tammy and Rich got her, so Jess was looking up California missing infants one to five months old around the time Ciaerra was that age. There were two cases that came up. One had been found, the other had not.

Her name was Dawn Knight. She went missing from a park in California five hundred miles north of Ciaerra and Maplewood. Her mother was walking in the park. When she sat on the bench someone grabbed her from behind and put a chloroform washcloth over her mouth. When Rachel Knight woke up her two-month-old daughter wasn't in the stroller.

xxxxx

Jess put a lamenated paper with the photos of fifteen children, all four years old, all girls, and all age progressed on Brooke's desk.

Brooke looked at the pictures. "What is this?"

"I'm taking it to Maplewood right now. If Tara IDs this girl as Ciaerra I'm arresting Tammy and Rich Bell."

"Who is she?"

"Dawn Knight. She was taken four years ago."

"You think Ciaerra is a kidnapped child."

"It's the only explanation for why there are no records of her. Before Brooklyn was born Tammy loved Ciaerra, and even back then there were no college fund accounts in her name. She never saw a doctor. It also explains why the neighbors never saw her and why they didn't bring her to Maplewood to visit Tara. They wanted to keep her hidden. It's the only explanation."

"It's not the only explanation…never mind. Good luck." After Jess left Brooke shook her head and sighed.

xxxxx

When Deborah gave the go ahead, the children got up and put their mats away. She opened the supply closet. She picked up the limp toddler and called Roger over to hold him, so she could unbind him. She unwrapped his hands and pulled the tape off his mouth. Jacob's blue lips were a horror to Roger and Deborah. The children looked on as the couple layed him on the floor and checked for a pulse.

"He's dead." Deborah said, only thinking of what this meant for her.

Roger quickly disposed of the tape.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"We can't let the paramedics see this."

"We cannot call an ambulance. It will draw to much attention and the police will be here before I have a chance to tell them (she pointed to the children) what happened."

"What did happen?"

"He had an asthma attack. He is having trouble breathing. You decide to take him to the hospital because you think it will be quicker than the ambulance. He dies on the way."

Roger nodded affirmatively. He picked up the child and left.

Deborah turned back to the children. "Jacob had an asthma attack. That's what you say if anyone asks."

xxxxx

Tara looked at the children. It only took a few seconds for her to spot Dawn Knight. "That's Ciaerra."