The Surprise Princess Read Free Page B

records from Portland. Before that, they immigrated. Though there was a lot of confusion in the country they came from because there’d been—” She broke off abruptly.
    “A failed rebellion?” Hunter supplied.
    “They never talked about it. Where they came from or the past. They said I was an American and that’s what counted. I agree.”
    “They never told you where they came from?” C.J. asked.
    “No.” She tried to sound matter-of-fact, but she heard defensiveness in her voice.
    “You must have wondered.”
    Her parents had not encouraged wondering. “There clearly were very bad memories for them. I didn’t want to make them unhappy.”
    Hunter Pierce cleared his throat. “There are no records in Portland until two years before they moved here. Not of Bob Davis or of Anna Davis. No family, no records of immigration to the United States. There are discrepancies in other records, such as the Social Security numbers they used.”
    “Maybe they were in witness protection. You know, they’d been in the mob but turned state’s evidence.”
    “C.J., this is not funny.” Carolyn spoke to him but was looking at her.
    “It’s a little funny to think of our on-the-straight-and-narrow Katie being born into the mob.”
    “It makes as much sense as me being a princess,” Katie said.
    “There are questions that need to be answered, Ms. Davis.” Hunter Pierce looked at her steadily.
    “Okay, you have discrepancies in records that
might
indicate Katie’s parents were not Mr. and Mrs. Davis from Portland, but what do you have – beside a trait you acknowledge pops up in the general population – that makes you think Katie might be this princess?”
    “Good question, Carolyn,” C.J. said.
    Hunter inclined his head slightly, acknowledging her point. “Mostly circumstantial indications.”
    “For instance?”
    “For instance, the Davises showing up in the United States not long after the rebellion collapsed. For instance, a cell of Bariavakian rebels had safe houses and support in Portland. For instance, medical records show the blood types reported for Mr. and Mrs. Davis could not have produced a child with Katie’s blood type – a blood type that is the same as Princess Josephine-Augusta’s.”
    “Did you know that? About your parents’ blood types and yours?” Carolyn asked her.
    She could only shake her head. “How do you know their blood types?” she demanded of Hunter.
    “Took some digging. Apparently neither believed in doctors. But we finally found them on employment records. That was also where we finally found photographs of Bob and Anna Davis, who apparently also didn’t believe in photographers.”
    He said it with a hint of wryness, but it was true.
    One Christmas she had begged for a camera. After she’d gone to bed, she had heard them arguing about it in their odd language. She could tell from their tones that her mother was pleading that she be allowed a camera. Her father had refused. It ended with the sound of a blow. The next morning the side of her mother’s face was swollen and bruised. Katie never again mentioned a camera to them.
    She became aware of the others watching her. She cleared her throat. “They didn’t care for photographs. Or doctors. But that’s no reason to—”
    “There’s more. In Bariavak there was a man named Davogner Bordanic and his girlfriend, Annika. The names are interesting – Davogner Bordanic becomes Bob Davis. Annika becomes Anna Davis. No, you’re right, Ms. Davis,” he said before she could even produce words, so he must have read her objection from her expression, “that’s not proof, either. But the coincidences are beginning to add up.”
    He drew another paper from his pocket, unfolded it, then put it face down on the table.
    She couldn’t look away.
    “Here’s another coincidence. Davogner and Annika disappeared. They were definitely not among the rebels arrested or imprisoned. They were not among those who died in the