Quentin Phillips smiled and kissed Millie Martindale when she let him into her apartment. Millie had invited him to dinner, and he was looking forward to food, sex, and a chance to pump her for information.
He looked around and frowned quizzically. “You’re not cooking?”
“No, I thought we’d order something.”
Quentin put his arms around her waist, pulled her to him.
There was a knock on the door.
“Damn,” Quentin said. “Whoever that is, get rid of them. Unless it’s the food.”
“I haven’t ordered yet.”
Millie went to the door.
Holly Barker came in.
Quentin’s expression was priceless. Holly was the last person he expected to see, and someone he couldn’t throw out. He had worked with Holly before, and been instrumental in aiding in the capture of the sultan’s twin sons.
“Ah, good, you’re already here,” Holly said. “Has Millie told you anything?”
“No. Why?”
“Quentin, I need you for a special assignment.”
“I’m not CIA.”
“It’s not a CIA operation. It’s classified, and you can’t tell anyone about it, including the FBI.”
“I’d have to get clearance from my immediate superior.”
“Then you’re out,” Holly said. She turned to go.
“Don’t be obtuse,” Millie said. “This is probably the most important assignment you’ve ever been offered. You’re going to turn it down?”
“What is it?”
“I can’t tell you unless you’re in,” Holly said. “Which is why you’re out. I need you to commit to it sight unseen.”
“He’s your man,” Millie said. “Let me work on him.”
“We don’t have that kind of time. Quentin, the only reason I’m not out that door is there isn’t time to dig up someone else. You worked with me on the sleeper cells. Do you think I’d steer you wrong?”
“All right, I’m in. What have we got?”
“A girl’s been kidnapped. We’ve pinned down the location where she’s being held to this area.”
Holly unfolded a map and slapped it down on the kitchen table. Kevin had mocked it up just for Quentin. A black line divided the search area into what appeared to be two equal halves but was actually two of three thirds. The western third, which was Teddy’s search area, didn’t appear on this map.
“Wait a minute,” Quentin said. “This isn’t about the terrorist attack?”
“No.”
“Is that why you wanted me to agree to it first? Because you thought I’d turn it down?”
“Let her tell you what it is,” Millie said impatiently.
Holly pointed to the map. “The cabin where she’s being held is in this area. We need to find her, and fast. By tomorrow she will probably be dead.”
“Why?”
“They’ll kill her,” Millie said. “That’s why I need help. I can’t cover the whole area myself. If you help me, we cut the time in half.”
“If time’s so urgent, why just the two of us?”
Millie started to flare up again, but Holly said, “That’s a legitimate question. The kidnappers will kill the girl if there’s any official involvement. That’s why I can’t use the CIA.”
“You don’t think the CIA can be discreet?”
“The kidnappers would know. I don’t know how they’d know, but they’d know. I’ve been told not to take a chance.”
“By the President?”
“Now you are really in need-to-know territory.” Holly pointed to the map. “This area’s woods. There are lakes, campgrounds, plenty of cabins. I’m going to show you a picture of the one we want. It’s an interior shot, but it’ll give you some idea of what the exterior might look like. But don’t eliminate a cabin just because it doesn’t seem to fit.
“If you see a cabin, knock on the door, show your credentials, feed them a bullshit story. You know the drill. Tell them anything but the truth.
“The area you’re searching is about seventy-five miles northwest of here. Set out from here at four in the morning so you can start searching by daybreak.”
Holly reached in her pocket and pulled out a printout of the cell phone picture. “This is the girl you’re looking for.”
Quentin started at the sight. “Jesus. What happened to her hand?”
“They cut off her finger.”
“Who is she?”
“Her name is Karen Blaine.”
“Blaine? Why is the name familiar?”
“She’s Congressman Blaine’s daughter.”
Quentin digested that news. “I’m in.”
“You already were.”