What the hell happened, Kelland?” Lynch shook his head to clear it and was barely able to make out the figures of Jessie and Kendra standing behind the agent. At the moment he was seeing two of each of them, and he had to keep his head still or risk blacking out again. “That ransom was supposed to be clean. Noah promised us it would be.”
“I know he did,” Kelland bit out. “And I can’t tell you why it wasn’t. All I know is that when I bolted up to that conference room to ask him all he could do was yell that it wasn’t his fault and he wouldn’t take the blame. I didn’t have time to get anything else out of him before I ran here to see how badly you were hurt.” He frowned. “You were unconscious when we got here. We should get you to the ER.”
“I’m all right,” Lynch said savagely as he pushed him aside. “There’s no time for this. This was my job, my responsibility. I’m not going to stand by and let Dee be killed because of this foul-up.”
“Wrong,” Kelland said. “It’s my job. You’re out of it now.”
“The hell I am.” He got to his feet. “You’ve got to contact them fast and tell them we want to renegotiate. If you don’t reach them right away, it will be too late. I’ve dealt with ransoming prisoners in the past, and all kinds of motivations can drive them at a time like this. We don’t want them to choose the first action that occurs to them based on anger or impulse. We have to give them a way to think they’re still going to come out of this with what they want.”
Kelland was swearing. “Do you think we’re not trying to reach them? They broke contact the minute they realized the ransom might be a trap.”
“Then find another way,” Lynch said. “And damn quick.”
“Suggestions?” Kelland asked sarcastically.
“The cemetery.” Jessie stepped forward, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “Use the cemetery. Put a message on the mausoleum that they used to send their message and tell them that a mistake was made and we’re ready to deal and offer an even higher fee.”
“The cemetery,” Kelland repeated. “It could work…”
“It will work,” Kendra said desperately. “We still have a chance of saving her. Just do it. Fast. And call in the media and get them out there to the mausoleum to publicize that message.”
“I said it might work. Don’t get your hopes up.” Kelland turned on his heel. “I’ll do what I can.”
“Yes, you will. And I’ll go with you,” Jessie said grimly. “I’ll begin calling the media now so that they’ll start broadcasting the story even before you get the message on the mausoleum. Like Lynch said, I want those bastards to know they have a chance of getting what they want. Any objections?”
He shook his head and said over his shoulder, “By all means, join me. Just stay out of my way. You’re not the only one who wants your friend to come out of this alive.”
Kendra watched them leave before turning back to Lynch. “Will you let me bandage that wound or am I going to get all kinds of flak from you?”
“Flak,” he said curtly as he took out his handkerchief and dabbed at the cut. “I’ll take care of it once I get back to FBI headquarters. I’m surprised you didn’t want to go and help Jessie.”
“I intend to do that as soon as I’m sure that you’re not going to collapse and cause us more problems. It was entirely your fault that you’ve probably got a concussion.” She was struggling to keep her voice from shaking. “You’re the one who wouldn’t wear any protective headgear to keep that from happening.”
“That’s absolutely correct.”
“Yes, and since Dee’s more important right now, I can’t be bothered with you after I’m sure that you’re not going to do something stupid. So tell me that’s not going to happen and I’ll leave you.”
“I won’t do something stupid.” His lips tightened. “You all appear to be on the right track trying to save Dee, so I thought I’d go and see why the hell she needed saving.” He met her eyes. “And there’s only one place I can go to ask that question. Noah was in sole charge of the ransom until it was given to me. He was told not to put any markers on those bills. That mistake could cost Dee her life.”
“I know. I don’t understand it, either. But it had to be a mistake. He was so eager to get her away from them.”
“I’m not in a mood for excuses.” His tone was ice-cold. “He put her on the spot and he almost got me killed. I want to know why and then I still may break the son of a bitch’s neck.”
“That’s really smart,” she said caustically. “Particularly since you probably have a concussion and Noah’s always surrounded by his executives and bodyguards.”
“If I don’t believe I can handle them, then we’ll have a discussion…maybe.”
She’d had enough. “Then do what you like. I have to go help Jessie try to keep Dee from being murdered. Why don’t you stagger back to that conference room, confront Noah, and see how much satisfaction you can squeeze out of getting him to admit he was an idiot. That sounds like a real way to win the day.”
She walked away from him. She would not look back. She might tell one of the officers to keep an eye on him to make sure he didn’t black out again. But she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how worried she was about him when he wouldn’t take care of himself.
“Kendra.”
She hesitated and then glanced back at him.
He was smiling gently. “I won’t be stupid about it. I just can’t let it go. Let me know as soon as you get an answer from that message. Okay?”
She nodded. “I don’t know when that will be. Maybe they’ll just ignore it.”
“It’s hard to ignore twenty million dollars. If we get lucky, they’ll just up the ransom and make sure the safety restrictions are totally foolproof.”
“If we’re lucky.” But they’d been lucky about Lynch not getting his head blown off, she remembered. Only an inch more and he would have been dead. Stop it. She was starting to shake again.
It might be okay. Maybe they’d be lucky about Dee, too…
She turned away. “I’ll let you know the minute I get word.”
* * *
Second-Floor Conference Room
FBI Headquarters
When Lynch entered the conference room an hour later, it was full of noise and chaos erupting from several sleek executives plus Noah’s two bodyguards.
Noah himself broke free of the people surrounding him the moment he saw Lynch. “Lynch, they told me you were hurt.” He hurried toward him. He shook his head as he saw the cut on his temple. “That’s terrible. But you were lucky to escape with only that wound. I’m sure it could’ve been much worse.” He smiled tentatively. “Maybe they’ll give you a Purple Heart or something?”
“Not likely. The mission was a failure. We’ll be fortunate if we can get Dee out of this alive now.” He took a step closer. “Most of the time, kidnappers feel they have an obligation to kill their victims if the deal falls through.” His voice suddenly turned savage. “Maybe you didn’t know that or didn’t believe it. Why else would you deliberately cause it to happen?”
“It wasn’t my fault.” Noah nervously moistened his lips. “How could you think it was? Delilah and I are friends. At one point we were almost more than that. All I could think of was getting her away from those scumbags. The minute I heard this had happened, I started an investigation to find out how I’d been betrayed. They can’t do that to me.”
“You’ve been betrayed?” Lynch repeated silkily. “I’d think it was Dee who’d been betrayed, wouldn’t you? She’s the one whose severed head may end up being delivered to us because you let this happen.”
“I meant that, of course. We were both betrayed.” His lips pursed pettishly. “But I seem to be the one getting the blame and it’s not what I deserve. I was trying to save her. I did everything right.”
“Then how did right become so damn wrong? You have one minute to tell me before I take you apart.”
“You might have difficulty with that.” He glanced at his bodyguards across the room. “But I’ll forgive your rudeness because of what you went through today.”
“Thank you. You’re too kind,” Lynch said. “I’m accustomed to difficulty; sometimes I even embrace it. You’re running out of time, Noah.”
“I told you, I was betrayed.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “You don’t understand how a man of my means and influence can be constantly surrounded by people who want to catch the brass ring or punish me for having it. I suspect it must have been one of my executives who changed my orders.”
“Why?”
“Well, when I was arranging for the money, my financial advisors kept telling me that we should hedge the bet, that there were all kinds of ways to save those millions and still keep Delilah alive. I listened to them, of course, who wouldn’t? But naturally I turned them down.”
“Naturally. Yet they still managed to get those trackable bands in my backpack.”
“I believe one of my executives might have thought I was interested in what those financial advisors were proposing and arranged to do it for me himself. He probably thought that once the switch was completed successfully, I’d thank him…and it would put him first on the list for promotions.” He frowned. “I was just attempting to start questioning my staff when you came bursting into the room.”
“So you didn’t know anything about it?”
“I told you that I didn’t. It was done by someone who either wanted to please me, or wanted to ruin my reputation. Either way I’m also being hurt by this terrible injustice.” He lifted his chin. “Now may I go back and continue interrogating my employees so that I can determine who is guilty?”
Lynch gazed at him appraisingly. Noah could be telling the truth, or he could be lying like a rug. He was inclined to believe the latter. But since he’d been in charge of the ransom, he was still responsible for what had happened to it either way. “You mean who else is guilty?” He dropped down in a chair at the conference table. “Yes, feel free to question them to your heart’s content. I’ll just stay here and watch and listen. Then when you’ve decided who you think ‘betrayed’ you, I’ll have my own turn at talking to him. I believe I’ve earned that right, haven’t I?”
“It might go faster if you’re not here.” Noah was nibbling at his lower lip. “You might make them nervous.”
“You think so?” Lynch smiled and leaned back in his chair. “Good. After what happened today, that’s a response I’ll definitely appreciate.”
* * *
Kelland’s Office
FBI Headquarters
“This is crazy.” Kendra gazed in frustration at the computer screen reflecting the wall of the mausoleum. “Why haven’t we heard?” She couldn’t understand why there hadn’t been an answer to the message at the cemetery for the last four hours. The message had gone up on the mausoleum within forty-five minutes of when Kelland had called in the order to his men. The media had been having a field day, building suspense, then crushing it, then starting the process all over again.
“They have to have seen that message,” Jessie said through set teeth. “Everyone in the damn country must know that we’ve been practically begging those scumbags to give us another chance.”
“Yes, we have,” Kelland said. “In the most humiliating way possible. The only reason I haven’t been asked to turn in my badge yet is that the director is hoping desperately I might turn into a hero and save the day.” He grimaced. “Not likely. There couldn’t be a more public revelation of inefficiency than that message on the mausoleum.”
“Yet you didn’t bat an eyelash when we asked you to do it,” Kendra said. She’d been in such a frantic hurry to try to save Dee that she hadn’t realized what a career breaker this might prove for Kelland. “You only wondered if it would work.”
“I couldn’t do anything else,” he said wearily. “I’m a good agent. My job was to save Delilah Winter’s life. We’d just heard from the Denver office. They checked surveillance cameras in and around coffee shops in a sixteen-block radius of Adrian Nash’s hotel, The Brown Palace. They got Nash walking south from his hotel one day, but he disappears from view pretty quickly. Naturally there’s no footage of him meeting with that Cabot guy who solicited his help in the abduction scheme.”
Kendra shook her head. “Damn.”
“Yeah. So your idea to contact the kidnappers may be the best shot we have right now. It didn’t matter that I ended up looking like an asshole bungler who let myself be manipulated.” His lip curled bitterly. “No, I can’t say it didn’t matter. I’m mad as hell.”
“So was Lynch,” Kendra said. “He said he couldn’t let it go.”
“Neither can I. But I was busy here, so when Lynch called and told me he was interrogating Noah and all his executives, I gave him permission. Not exactly protocol, but I knew Lynch was just as pissed off as I was. I want answers.” He shrugged. “I figured Lynch would get them for me.”
“You have amazing faith in him. Even though he was possibly suffering a concussion?”
“He refused treatment. He can take care of himself.” He glanced at her face. “You must agree. You told me when you got here that you knew he was on his way to see Noah.”
“I agree he thinks he can take care of himself in any situation.” She was keeping her gaze fastened on the computer screen. “Have you heard from him since then?”
His brows rose. “I hardly expected him to check in. The director was happy just to get him to come here. Lynch pretty much told me that he expected to run his own show when he arrived. As long as he cooperated, I wasn’t going to make waves.” He paused, curious. “When you worked a case with him, were you accustomed to having him check—”
Kendra’s phone vibrated, and a text appeared on her screen:
LAST CHANCE
FIVE MILLION MORE
INSTRUCTIONS 5/3
“Here it is!” Kendra showed them the screen. “They answered. Thank God.”
“Tomorrow,” Jessie murmured. She took the phone and typed. PROOF OF LIFE?
A long wait. Then:
PERHAPS 5/3
Message ended.
“Son of a bitch!” Jessie muttered. “They’re keeping us on tenterhooks. Punishment for screwing up this delivery?”
“I guess that’s it.” Kendra moistened her lips. “Regardless, they have us over a barrel until they see fit to give that proof to us.” She turned to Kelland. “What do you think?”
“I think that you’re right,” he said grimly. “And that I hope we got that message out to them in time.”
She’d been afraid to put that last thought into words. “We’ve got to assume they did. What good would it do them to stretch this agony out if she wasn’t still alive?” She drew a deep breath. “Lord, I’m tired of feeling this helpless. Is there anything else we can do?”
“We’re already doing it. The phone calls,” Kelland said. “Remember? I started trying to trace those voices on the phone from the first moment they began giving orders to Lynch. We’ve made incredible advances lately in the audio field and can do amazing things not only with tracing but also with voice analysis.”
“How soon?”
“It depends. I made it a priority.” He shrugged. “Tonight? Tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow might be too late.”
“I’ll get it as quick as I can,” he said quietly. “No one wants to get those bastards more than I do.”
“Wanna bet?” Jessie asked. “Could we go down to the lab and listen to the original tapes again?”
“If you promise not to get in the techs’ way. I meant it when I said top priority.”
Kendra hesitated. “You go ahead, Jessie. I promised to let Lynch know when we knew about the mausoleum message. And I want to see if he’s found out anything about why this ransom delivery went to hell. Do you want to go with me, Kelland?”
He shook his head. “He said he’d give me a report. I need to get a cup of coffee and then go back to my office and make a few dozen calls to tell everyone that we might have been given a reprieve. I’ll see you in the morning.” He headed toward the elevator.
Kendra glanced at Jessie. “Jessie?”
“I’d rather go down to the AV lab.” She shook her head emphatically. “If I caught sight of Noah in my present mood, I might cut his throat. I don’t want excuses about why he did that to Dee. I thought he was her friend. I even convinced Kelland he should let Noah pay that ransom. I didn’t have any idea that his enormous bankroll means more to him than he brags. Or that he believed he was smart enough to get that sneaky move past those goons. He took a chance and I’m not about to forgive him.” She started toward the elevator. “See if you can’t persuade Lynch to give it up and go to my place for the night. I know you’ve been worried about him.”
“I’ve been worried about everyone.”
“Yeah, me, too.” She tried to smile. “But maybe I’ll get good news from those audio guys. Kelland says they’re amazing.”
“From what I’ve learned about current AV advances, I don’t doubt it,” Kendra said gently. “I’d like copies of those audio files. I want to listen to them myself.”
“I figured you would,” Jessie said. “I’ll make sure you get them.” She turned away. “I’ll call you when I’m through here.”
Good news, Kendra thought as she went toward the conference room. Amazing. She could use a little herself right now.
But Lynch didn’t look as if he had any of that commodity available when she walked into the conference room. She was surprised to see he was the only one there. He was sitting with a cup of coffee and looked as tense and alert as when she’d left him earlier in the day. His gaze instantly flew to her face. “Dee?”
“We just heard. They’ll accept the new delivery. Noah has to furnish another five million. Instructions tomorrow.” She added bitterly, “They said they won’t give us another proof of life until then, too. Jessie thinks they’re trying to punish us.”
“And they could be. Five million?” he said thoughtfully. “They could have asked for more. If they’re angry, why didn’t they do it?”
“Maybe they’re getting as tired of these negotiations as we are and want them over.” She dropped down in the chair next to him. “I hope that’s why. Where’s Noah? Are we going to have any trouble getting that extra five million from him?”
He shook his head. “He’s too busy insisting how innocent he is and trying to pin the blame on one of his executives. Right now he’s zeroed in on Ed Carruthers, the most likely candidate, and he’s in the other office grilling him.” His lips twisted cynically. “I expect him to come out in a few minutes with a full confession from the man that will prove Noah is clean as the driven snow.”
“You don’t believe that.”
“No, the greedy bastard’s probably used bribery or intimidation to save his neck and reputation. But I’ll accept it for the time being, because we need that five million to move very fast and Noah will make sure it does if I don’t cause waves.” He shrugged. “But he already knows that I’ll be watching him. He just doesn’t know what a long memory I have.”
But Kendra did, and she realized that Noah would as well before this was over. She’d seldom seen Lynch this angry. “I still can’t believe he’d do this to Dee.”
“Believe it. Some people only see what they want to see. Noah was probably starting to make excuses for himself the minute he gave the order to hedge his bet to protect that twenty million.” He added coolly, “But I’ll make certain that he knows exactly what he did after we have Dee back safe and sound.”
“It was Carruthers!” Noah strode out of the other office. “Just as I thought, Lynch. He confessed and I’m turning him over to my personal security force. I’ll make certain that he’s prosecuted to the full extent of the law.” He caught sight of Kendra. “Hello, Kendra, you’re just in time. Isn’t she, Lynch?”
“Yes, just in time. I was telling her how helpful you were being.” The words breathed irony. “I’ll call and let Kelland know we’ve solved that puzzle. But it appears you’re going to have to fork out another five million, so you’d better call those financial wizards of yours and get them working on it. That won’t be a problem, will it?”
“Of course not,” Noah said quickly. Then he smiled with relief. “That must mean what Carruthers did caused no real harm. Delilah will still be released. I knew it!”
“Did you?” Lynch asked softly. “I didn’t.” He took a step toward him. “You must have a sixth sense about—”
“Come on, Lynch,” Kendra interrupted as she grabbed his arm. He seemed to have entirely forgotten about not making waves. “I need to get you somewhere we can tend to that wound. You’ve left it too long.” She was leading him toward the door. “Get on the phone now, Noah. We’ll expect that cash here by early tomorrow. I’ll call Kelland and tell him how cooperative you’re being.”
“Yes, do that,” Noah said eagerly. “Make certain he knows that even though this wasn’t my fault, I’ll work hard to make sure the next time will be different.” He frowned. “And tell him to keep Matt Dalborne from smearing me. That scumbag politician has called me twice today and yelled at me. I know he’s going to try to use this to gather enough press coverage to ride it straight to the White House.”
“I think we all realize there’s no question there won’t be a repeat of this disaster.” She slammed the door behind them.
“You didn’t have to rescue him from me. I probably wouldn’t have done anything too lethal,” Lynch murmured. “Though I admit he was annoying me.”
“Obviously. I didn’t trust you.” She shook her head wearily. “I didn’t trust myself. You’re not the only one who wanted to sock him. Too many bad things are happening, and I’m not reacting well. I need to take back my control. So after I give Jessie a call, the first thing I’m doing is driving you to the ER and getting you a CAT scan. Then if they tell me your head isn’t going to blow up, we’ll go to Jessie’s place and you can get some rest.”
“I promise my head’s not going to blow up, Kendra.”
“That would be nice, but like I said, I don’t trust you. I want to make sure of something, anything.”
“Okay.” He took her hand and held it tightly. “Then we’ll make sure my head’s going to remain in one piece.”
“That sounded patronizing.”
“It’s your imagination. I wouldn’t dare. Now let’s get out of here…”
* * *
Dimness, curved walls, long, narrow room…
Same place as before, Dee thought dazedly as she opened her eyes. For the first time, she was aware of a white panel in the back with a large silver door. It looked new, unlike the worn walls, ceiling, and floor everywhere else.
She had been drifting in and out of sleep for the last few hours, but she hadn’t let that witch, Charlotte, know she’d regained consciousness after being yanked roughly wide awake to answer that damn ransom question the woman had hurled at her. She would have told her to go to hell if she hadn’t realized that very personal question must have come from Jessie. Besides, the one thing Dee had learned during those last encounters with Charlotte was that all she’d get from her was threats and ugliness.
She’d decided she’d do better to just try to get her bearings, think about all the things Jessie had taught her over the years, move forward, and hope that someone else would show up who would be more accommodating. And this time when she drifted back to awareness, she realized that she might have gotten lucky. Because whoever Charlotte was speaking to now was receiving the same scathing venom she’d been handing out to Dee earlier.
And it was also definitely the same bitter voice. “It’s ridiculous.” Charlotte was standing just out of Dee’s field of vision, but her voice was even more angry than it had been the moment Dee faded into unconsciousness. “You’re all fools, Dorset. You were given a simple job to do and you couldn’t even bring home that money. It’s a wonder that you weren’t caught. I was the only one who did everything right. If it had been me in charge, I would have found a way to make you pay for that carelessness. Didn’t anyone tell you we have mafia contacts at our disposal? How would you like to deal with them?”
“Do you think I’m not paying?” It was a man’s voice and it was just as bitter. “He cut my share in half for the next go-round, and he sent me here to help you guard that bitch. He got tired of you complaining. I think he was afraid you’d kill her and leave us with nothing.”
“And I would, if I could talk sense into him. She’s not worth the bother.” She was silent. “But he recognizes my value and knows that I deserve something better than being a watchdog to that cash cow you’re all so eager to keep penned up here.” She added, “So I’ll take your help, Dorset. You’ll do what I say or I’ll cut her throat and tell him you did it.”
“He wouldn’t believe you.”
“But you’re not sure, are you?” She added in a whisper, “You’ve never been sure about me. Now get out of here. I thought I heard her stirring. I’ll call you when I need you.”
Dee heard a curse, and then a slashing bolt of light lit the dimness—that must have been the silver door opening.
“You are awake.” Charlotte’s face was suddenly above her. “Listening to us? Not that it did you any good. All it proved was that you’re surrounded by people who care nothing about you. They couldn’t even get the instructions about the ransom right. They tried to pull a fast one and trap us. Now they’re probably shivering in their boots afraid that we’ll send them your head in a box.”
“And are you going to do that?”
“I haven’t decided.”
She shook her head. “It’s not up to you. I heard that much.” She paused. “Who does make the decision, Charlotte?”
“If I told you, then I’d have to kill you.” She chuckled. “Maybe that’s what I should do. The perfect excuse. I’ll have to think about it.”
And she might decide to make use of that or any other excuse, Dee thought. “You would have done it before if you’d had the option. And I must be worthwhile to someone or they wouldn’t have sent that man to keep you under control and make sure it wouldn’t happen. I think I might be safer than you’d like me to believe.”
“Are you? Think what you want.” Her smile was ugly. “But not if you rely on Dorset. He was sent because I was more important than him and always will be. Which means you can’t be sure when I’ll get my way.” She said softly, “But you can bet it won’t be your way, Delilah.” She was unfastening the IV. “Sit up. There’s only one thing good about Dorset showing up and that’s that I can make him take care of you until this is over. I got sick of getting calls with questions about whether you were still alive and if I was getting that drug right. From now on Dorset can do it.”
“He can’t be worse than you are.” Dee’s gaze was once more raking her surroundings. Curved walls…that bolt of brilliant daylight. Even in this dimness she was able to recognize where she was. “This is an airplane. A big one. Maybe even a jumbo jet. There aren’t any seats, but I can see where they used to be. We must be on the ground because there’s no noise from the engines. What am I doing in an airplane?”
“Being a pain in the ass,” Charlotte said sourly. “Why not? If you give us too much trouble, we’ll just take off and drop you in the Pacific Ocean. Maybe we’ll do it anyway.”
And that bolt of brilliant light had been Dorset opening the door and leaving the aircraft. The reason it was so dim in here now was that all the windows were covered. But the only way she might determine where they were located would be listening to what was going on beyond that door. “You’re actually going to let me sit up? Oh, that’s right, you’re not to be trusted to keep me under those drugs indefinitely.”
“That’s all you know. None of those clowns are more trusted than I am. They’re all disposable. You’ll be handcuffed in that metal chair over there. It will be easier if we have to take a photo of you for proof of life.”
“You might have more proof of life than you think if you don’t let me go to the bathroom,” she said dryly. “How long did you have me under?”
“Long enough,” Charlotte said. “But if you think I’m going to take you to pee, you’re crazy. I’ve done enough holding your hand since you were thrown at me.”
“Then what will be, will be.”
Charlotte scowled and then strode over to the door. “Dorset,” she called as she threw open the door. “Your first job. Take the bitch to the bathroom.” She stepped aside to let him come back in. “After that you can tie her up and fix her something to eat.”
Dee blinked as Dorset came into view. His features appeared almost boyish, maybe those of a nineteen- or twenty-year-old. She hadn’t expected that from the rough tone of his voice. “You could do all that,” he growled. “I’m just supposed to guard her.”
“That’s what you’re doing. You can stay and babysit her while I go take a walk and get some air.” She was going past him and down the steps. “If you think you can keep her from getting away. That bathroom is tiny, but so is your brain. Though you might be able to do it. Ask me if I give a damn.” She slammed the door behind her.
Dorset was cursing as he stalked across the plane toward Dee. “Bitch. Bitch. Bitch.”
She knew he wasn’t talking about her. “I agree,” Dee said. “Look, all I asked was to go to the bathroom.”
“Then let’s go do it and get it over with.” Dorset jerked her to her feet. “And if you think that you’re going to get away from me, think again. That dragon bitch would like nothing better than to report I’m doing something wrong. I’m already in trouble enough.” He was pushing her down the aisle. “And now I’m supposed to deal with you? It’s all nuts. Everyone told me they’d be so eager after waiting to get the ransom note that they’d be begging to give it to us. Why didn’t they just turn over the money?”
“I have no idea. It must have been a slipup. I’m worth too much to too many people for them to deliberately do something that would get me killed.” If she’d had any hopes that Dorset was going to be any easier to deal with than Charlotte, they were fading fast. He was surly and bad-tempered, and her best bet was just to pretend meekness. “But I’ll tell you what I told her. It would be very bad press for them to let you kill me. They’ll cooperate if they can. Just give them a chance.”
“We did. Those bills weren’t supposed to have been marked. We’d have probably been caught if we’d taken that payment.” He was shaking his head. “This whole deal has been screwy since the beginning. The money was always good, but I’ve never worked with people like this before. I can’t figure them out.” They had reached the bathroom, and he opened the door to reveal the usual tiny aircraft lavatory. “I’ll give you ten minutes.”
She held out her cuffed hands. “If you want me to be quick, unlock these. You can’t expect me to be able to do anything trussed up like this.”
He hesitated. Then he unlocked the manacles. “Don’t lock the door. Give me any problems and I’ll break both your wrists.”
“I’m not going to cause you problems. I gave Charlotte her damn proof of life, didn’t I? If you run into any trouble from anyone else, I’ll help you deal with them. I don’t give a damn about the money. I want to live.”
She closed the door and drew a deep breath.
Okay, Jessie. Here I am. What do I do next?
Take care of business first. She eliminated quickly and then looked down at her wrists. She had to find a way to slip her hands out of those manacles. Jessie had shown her how to do it when she was making that film about that CIA agent. But playing games was different from the real thing. She couldn’t expect to have it come together in one ten-minute session. Concentrate. She would get it. Just remember everything Jessie had told her…
* * *
Jessie still wasn’t home when Kendra drove Lynch to her house a couple hours later. She called her after she let Lynch into the house. “You’re still at the audio lab?”
“Kelland was right. They’re amazing. I think there’s a chance that we might learn something, though it’s not going as fast as I hoped. Kelland dropped in and checked the results and told me to go home. So I’ll stick around for a little while longer and then leave here. How is Lynch?”
“Not bad. Minor concussion. Though the doctor said he should rest. He’s disgustingly self-satisfied and aching to say ‘I told you so.’”
“In other words, typical Lynch.” She paused. “But I’m glad you know for sure. You’ll feel better now.”
“Maybe. I’ll see you when you get home. Don’t stay too long.” She hesitated. “Kelland didn’t have any other news?”
“No news. We’re still hanging. See you later.” She cut the connection.
Kendra turned back to Lynch. “Jessie is glad that you checked out okay.”
“I heard you,” he said dryly. “Not kind. I thought that I was behaving with extreme self-restraint. Any other news?”
She shook her head. “Only that she’s enthusiastic about the chances of an audio trace. She keeps saying it’s remarkable technology.”
“Yes, it is. I recently ran across a completely new and innovative method developed by the Swiss that impressed me.” He frowned thoughtfully. “I wonder what method Kelland’s techs are using.”
“You can ask him tomorrow. But I’ve sometimes found that innovation can get in the way and cause you to ignore the basics.” She grimaced. “Though I hope we’re going to be too busy tomorrow dealing with that damn ransom to worry about the audios.”
“Nice place.” Lynch was glancing casually around Jessie’s living room. “It looks like her. Sleek, tough, but full of grace.”
“I guess it does. When I first saw it, I was fascinated by the things it told me about her that I’d never known before. Jessie’s very warm, but she’s always been a bit of a mystery.”
“I can see that.” He was looking at the assortment of objects mounted on Jessie’s living room wall. “This is a mystery I’d like to solve.”
“Getting some decorating ideas?”
He turned away from the display. “Uh, no. Not my style.”
“They’re mementos of Jessie’s cases.”
“Then that does make me want to ask about a few of these. What significance does the tennis ball have? Or the red bow tie?”
“No idea. I just know I wouldn’t want anything in my home reminding me of my investigations. Bad dreams do that enough.”
Lynch was suddenly behind her, his hands massaging the small of her back. “You’ve helped a lot of people. Saved a lot of lives. That’s what you’ve got to remember.”
“I try.” She arched as she felt her tense spinal muscles begin to relax. “Sometimes all I can remember are the ones I wasn’t able to help.”
“You’re going to help Delilah Winter.”
“I hope so. But that’s another mystery, isn’t it? Like Jessie.”
“Most interesting people don’t let you see everything they are at one time. You have to earn it.” He smiled. “Heaven knows that applies to you. How long have I been struggling to see beyond what you show the world?”
“I’m not that complex.”
He made a rude sound. “No more than Einstein.”
“Bullshit.” She gestured to the hall. “Go get some rest. Two guest rooms. I’m occupying the first one. I’ll see you first thing in the morning.”
His brows rose. “Don’t you want to share and keep an eye on me? I know that doctor said my head is safe from imminent explosion, but you can never tell if I’ll have a relapse.”
“I’ll take the chance. You haven’t been worried since the moment those bastards shot you. Why should I bother?”
“Because you will, because you whisked me to the ER because you couldn’t help yourself. Because you’ll probably check on me during the night just to make sure that I’m doing okay. I’d do the same with you.” He paused. “And because though you try to fight it, there will always be something that keeps us coming back to each other. You don’t want it. It disturbs you, but it’s there. Why not just call a truce for right now and accept it? I’m not going to push you or try to persuade you while you’re going through this hell about Dee. You know me better than that.”
Yes, she did, but that very fact also filled her with bewilderment. She wasn’t sure what to answer.
“Or maybe you don’t,” he said wearily. “I’ve done everything I can. You’ll have to make up your own mind.” He turned and strode down the hall toward that second guest room.