Missing Heiress - Page 103/169

"See what?" Jackie asked, her eyes not quite open.

"The school teacher's interview. Didn't it come through?"

"Carl, it is five a.m. here."

"Oh, sorry. The dead girl isn't Georgia."

Jackie sat up. "Are you sure?"

"Miss Walker is. It's one of Georgia's classmates and I would bet a month's pay, they switched identities."

"Why would they do that?"

"Because, the dead girl was an American and had an American passport. They looked just enough alike to allow Georgia to get on a flight, no questions asked. Know what else? It's possible Georgia found out who her parents are."

"How?"

High in the air, Carl took a second to check his instruments. "It's all on the video."

"I can't wait to see it," said Jackie.

"Where would you go if you wanted to get a good look at the parents who deserted you?"

"Right here in Denver," Jackie answered.

"That's what I would do. Got anything for me to do?" Carl asked.

"Just come home and get some rest. We've got a ball to attend Saturday, remember?"

"Jackie, I'm not a tux kind of guy."

"I know, but it will do us good to get out in public from time to time. You never know when we might meet a potential client."

"Good point. Over and out."

Jackie smiled, curled up in bed and tried to go back to sleep. It was no use. They finally had a lead - a good one, and she could always catch up on her sleep later. She went to the dining room to watch the interview on her laptop and then excitedly called Michael.

Asleep in a room one floor below, Michael groggily answered, "What could you possibly want?"

"Good morning to you too. We got a name."

"A name of what?"

"The name Georgia is using."

"She didn't die, I take it."

"Michael, just come up. We have work to do and only a couple of days left to do it."

"Okay, okay, I'm coming. Put the coffee on."

"Will do."

*

Jackie and Michael had already eaten by the time she called Austin at seven in the morning.

"You're up early," Austin said.

"Ready for some good news?" Jackie asked.

"You bet."

"The dead girl is not Georgia."

"Thank God," Austin breathed. He opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of orange juice.

"That's what I said. We think we've got a lead on her, but nothing solid yet."

"That is excellent news."

"Now all we have to do is find Georgia, and take a blood test to make sure her DNA matches Laura's. Have fun explaining how we got Laura's DNA without her permission."