JACK PACED INSIDE THE FBI OFFICE at One Shoreline Plaza, located less than a hundred yards from the Corpus Christi Bay, trying to stop himself from going into a full-blown panic. He was starting to question his decisions. Taking risks was one thing, but everything they’d done so far had seemed to backfire.
And now, because of last night’s decision, Bree was missing.
Ramsey’s black SUV had been found ditched in a parking lot early this morning. If her father had fled—taking Bree with him as a hostage—they could already be hundreds of miles in any direction. North through San Antonio and Dallas, northeast through Houston, west through El Paso and Tucson, or even south across the border into Mexico. And those routes didn’t even include a water getaway.
Further questioning of Ramsey’s ex-wife, Rachel, had convinced him she didn’t know where he’d gone. He also wanted to know who had leaked Ramsey’s possible involvement in Sean Christiansen’s death to the media, something that might have sparked the man’s erratic reaction. But so far, he had no idea what had motivated last night’s behavior.
Jack stared out of the large window at the bay, trying to come up with a next move. They’d canvassed the hotel, interviewing staff and guests, scoured security footage across the city, and sent in forensic technicians to process the SUV, but every lead had simply led to yet another dead end.
“You doing okay? I’m sure you didn’t sleep at all last night.”
Jack turned around at the sound of his brother’s voice.
“I didn’t, but I’ll be fine.” He pointed to a large cup of coffee on the desk where he’d been sitting. “My third cup this morning and it’s not even nine.”
Adam had arrived at the local offices early this morning in order to help the roomful of agents sift through data as they searched for answers. But they’d lost Ramsey’s trail. They had no license plate number, no make and model of a car . . . nothing. Which meant Bree could be anywhere.
“What does he need her for, Adam?” Jack asked. “Some kind of leverage? What’s his motivation?”
Adam shook his head. “From everything I’ve read about the case, I think his priority right now is to get the money he needs so he can disappear. As for Aubrey’s involvement . . . I’m still not sure why he needs her.”
“He’s using her for something.”
Adam put his hand on Jack’s shoulder. “We’re going to find her, but in the meantime, why don’t you go back to the senator’s house? Take a shower and sleep for a couple hours—”
“I can’t.”
“He’s right, Jack.” Agent Brewster walked up to him with a file folder. “Though you might want to hear what the coroner’s office just sent us first.”
“Does he have a cause of death yet?”
Brewster nodded. “Sean Christiansen committed suicide.”
“So, Ramsey didn’t kill him,” Adam said.
“We know he didn’t pull the trigger,” Jack said. “He still might have been the motivating factor. Brewster, I want you to keep trying to track down the reporter that leaked the story last night and get them up here.”
“Yes, sir.”
Jack jumped as his phone rang. He quickly pulled it out of his pocket, praying it was Bree. Caller ID said Unknown Caller.
“Jack?”
“Bree.” He felt a flood of relief at the sound of her voice. He put the call on speaker. “Where are you?”
“I’m safe. He had someone drop me off at the Bar & Grill next to the pier where we used to go.”
“Okay . . . Where’s your father?”
“He’s not with me, but we need to talk.”
“Okay, but are you sure you’re safe?”
“I’m fine. I promise. I’m in a public place. I decided I’d rather have you come get me than call 911 and end up with half the city’s law enforcement picking me up.”
“Stay where you are, I’m coming to get you now.”
“Brewster and I will come with you,” Adam said after Jack hung up. “We can’t take any chances at this point.”
A minute later, Jack was heading toward the pier, praying she really was fine. She’d sounded okay, but until he saw her—until he knew what her father’s endgame was—he wasn’t going to assume anything.
He stopped at a red light, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel, regretting—not for the first time—ever letting her get involved. He knew she was completely capable of running an investigation, but this situation had become far too personal.
He started praying as he waited for the light to change. Praying for wisdom and discernment, and peace for Bree as she lived with the consequences of her father’s actions. He wanted to pull her from the case, but knew she’d never walk away from this. And he knew he’d never make her. He sighed as the light turned green and he sped through the intersection. It had been a long time since he’d worried this much about someone.
A long time since he’d loved someone as deeply as he loved her. But it was true.
He’d loved her for as long as he could remember, and somehow, he let her get away. Then after last night, he was so afraid he’d never see her again. Terrified that just when he finally got her back into his life, he’d lose her because of someone else’s greed.
How was he supposed to tell her that he’d always loved her but never told her? That he could do his job and risk his life to save others, but when it came to his heart, he was a fumbling mess. He should have told her years ago how he felt, but instead, he’d been a fool and walked away instead of facing the truth.
The ocean spread out to his right as he sped down the road. Bree stole his heart from the first time he met her years ago, and he was just now admitting to himself that nothing had changed about that.
“Jack.”
He nodded at his brother riding shotgun. “I’m fine.”
She had to be.
Five minutes later, he pulled in front of the restaurant and parked in the sand. “Let me go alone.”
“We’re right here if you need us,” Adam said.
She was standing on the pier on the other side of the restaurant, leaning against the wooden railing and looking out over the water as a storm brewed in the distance. The wind tugged against her hair where wisps had come out of her ponytail. She was beautiful. He’d always known that, but it had been more than her appearance that had drawn him to her. Even before he’d known he loved her.
For whatever reason, they’d always clicked. She was the person he could laugh with, and still tell her anything. She loved fingernail polish and lipstick, but also baseball, soccer, and video games. He told himself he hung out with her because he wanted to protect her from a couple of the boys in her neighborhood who bullied her. It never mattered to him that she came from a single-parent home with no money.
And as crazy as it sounded, he wanted to fill that place in her life again.
“Bree?”
“Jack.” She started running toward him as soon as she saw him.
“I’m so . . . so sorry.” He gathered her into his arms and pulled her tight against him. She buried her head in his shoulder. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine.” She nodded. “He didn’t hurt me. I promise.”
“Did he say what he wanted?”
“Yes . . .” She took a step back. “He has a rendezvous scheduled with his handlers—both the Chinese and the Russian. He wants the FBI there.”
Jack shook his head, not understanding what she was saying. “What does that have to do with you?”
“I know this sounds crazy, but he told me Rachel was the one stealing intel. He said he’s been working to gather evidence that would take down both the Russian and Chinese spy rings.”
“Bree, you of all people know your father’s a charlatan.”
“But we also know Rachel’s not innocent in all of this. She’s Russian and connected to a known Russian operative.”
“Don’t tell me you believe him?”
Her gaze dropped. “Honestly, I don’t know . . . but at this point, he’s offering to hand both Cheng and his Russian handler to you on a silver platter. I don’t think we can just ignore it.”
“And what does he want in return?”
“I didn’t make him any promises.”
“Good, because I wouldn’t give him any. As far as the FBI is concerned, he’s guilty, Bree.”
“I know. He wants to be able to disappear without having to always watch his back.”
“Sounds rather convenient, if you ask me. Especially asking the FBI to do it for him.”
“What if he’s telling the truth?”
“You can’t be serious, Bree. I don’t know what he said to you, but last night he took a woman hostage and kidnapped you. He’s lying. There’s just too much evidence against him.”
“I know. But what if Rachel framed him, Jack? He was working for the government and had access to classified information. She was his wife. How hard would it be for her to steal that information? She was a Russian operative. We know that.” Bree looked up at him. “He gave me evidence.”
“What kind of evidence?”
She pulled a flash drive out of her pocket. “He told me to give this to you. According to him, it contains evidence that exonerates him. It also has details about the deal he wants to make with the FBI.”
“I’m supposed to make a deal with your father?”
He took her hand and laced their fingers together as they started back to the car. Surely, she didn’t believe him. There was no way in his mind that Charles Ramsey was innocent.
“I’m sorry. I’m just glad you’re okay. If anything happened to you . . .”
She nudged him with her shoulder. “Getting sentimental in your old age?”
“Very funny.”
“I’m kidding. What I should be saying is thank you. For coming to get me. For helping me through this. I know you don’t believe he could be innocent. Maybe I just want him to be.”
“Bree . . .”
“I didn’t think it would hurt this bad.” She stopped and looked up at him, her eyelashes wet. “I shouldn’t care what he says or does. I should be able to keep my emotions out of this, but I can’t help it. Maybe in some warped way I really do want to believe him. No matter how many times I tell myself I never should trust him, the fact remains that he is my father. And no matter how much I harden my heart against him . . . I’m always that little girl again, begging for his approval.”
“Everything you’re feeling is normal, Bree. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
She started walking again. “I know what you’re thinking.”
“What?”
“That you want me to walk away from all of this.”
“Would you?” he asked.
She shook her head. “No. I can’t.”
“I know. Even though it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, I think I still know you pretty well. You’d never just walk away. No matter how personal it is.”
She shot him a smile. “I thought we’d end up in a big fight over this.”
“I just want you safe. To keep you safe.”
They approached his car, and he resisted the intense urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her. To tell her that he hadn’t been able to shake the feelings he thought were long buried.
But there would be a time for that conversation later.
“So, what happens now?” she asked, stopping at the edge of the pier.
“We’ll go back to the office and see exactly what kind of deal your father is wanting to make.”
FORTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER, there were six officers sitting in the FBI conference room while Bree gave her statement. Someone had brought in a box of donuts, but it was still at the end of the table, unopened. They were all too intent on her story. As far as Jack could tell, none of the agents sitting around the long table were convinced that Charles Ramsey was an innocent victim who instead of being a traitor was really a patriot. The idea was ridiculous.
“Do you know where he was holding you?” Adam asked.
“On a boat. I could see the oil rig to the east, but it doesn’t matter. He’s not there anymore.”
“So you have no idea where he is at this time?”
“No,” Bree said.
Agent Brewster leaned forward. “I’m not convinced of his innocence, but his story is worth looking into. I spoke to the reporter who leaked Christiansen’s death. Ramsey’s name was given to him by an anonymous source, not the authorities.”
“Your father didn’t kill him,” Jack said. “We received the coroner’s report. He’s ruling the death a suicide.”
“You think it could have been Rachel who leaked to the press?” Bree asked.
“If she’s trying to frame your father, it would make sense.”
“The bottom line is that he wants the FBI to raid an exchange between him and his handlers,” Brewster said. “What does he want for that?”
“He wants to get the Chinese and the Russians off his back. For them to think he’s going to prison for treason while he disappears.”
“That’s not going to happen.” Jack held up his hands and leaned back in his chair. “At this point, we’ve yet to prove he’s innocent. We have no idea what we’d be walking into.”
“Maybe, but I’m not sure I agree.” Agent Brewster shook his head. “Once we arrest his handlers, we’ll be able to take down two spy rings with one raid. Sounds like a no-brainer to me.”
“What does he get out of this?” Adam asked.
Jack frowned. “He’s got this all worked out. Which is why I don’t believe him. We’ve been investigating him for months and have evidence that he’s been selling government secrets. I can’t ignore that. On top of that, he took a woman hostage last night and kidnapped his own daughter. And now we’re just supposed to trust him.”
“The FBI would step in and arrest them during the exchange,” Bree said.
Jack shook his head. “We’re going to need time to investigate his claims.”
“We don’t have much time.” Bree leaned forward. “He’s already arranged a meeting with both his handlers early tomorrow morning.”
“He’ll have to postpone it.”
“He’s lucky they agreed to meet him. Both sides have already made it quite clear they believe he’s betrayed them.”
“Where is he meeting them?” Brewster asked.
“Near the port,” Bree said.
Jack leaned forward and caught her gaze. “You were with him, Bree . . . Do you think he’s playing us?”
She hesitated before answering. “I think it’s a good possibility.”
“So you want us to do this, but you don’t even believe your own father.”
“I’m convinced if we intend to end this, we don’t have a choice.”