F-Stop (18 page)

“That they won’t kill the hostages,” Kat finished for him. “I’m well aware of that, Mark. And I’m going to do what I can to help you pinpoint their location.” She turned to Mike. “But I have to clear my mind or I won’t be able to focus so I’m going to take a hot shower. Steam always relaxes me. And I need a sugar rush. Please order me a gooey dessert and a thick chocolate shake.” She gave him a tired smile. “I’ll be able to do this.

Really. I will.”

She turned on her heel and headed to the bedroom.

“Well, she’s no shrinking violet,” Mark commented with a hint of a grin.

“You can count on that,” his partner said.

“I’d say she’s got strength she hasn’t even tapped yet,” Faith commented. “Mike, how on earth did you ever let her get away before?”

Mike dropped into one of the big armchairs. “Because I was stupid. Idiotic. Out of my mind.”

“And too wrapped up in your playboy image, right?” Mark accused, softening the words with a smile.

“You got it. I’d been running so fast I didn’t realize I’d already gotten to where I was heading.”

“You are so lucky she’s giving you another chance,” Faith pointed out.

“Yeah but this little episode we’re involved in helped it along. I took her to dinner last night and I don’t know when I would have heard from her again if this hadn’t happened.”

“Speaking of which,” Mark said, “should we jog our friend Mr. Pelley again and see what we can pry out of him, or is that a bad idea?”

“He’s got the FBI all over him,” Mike reminded him, “and Special Agent Anthony Delaware doesn’t seem to want our company. I say let Andy monitor everything in cyberspace while we work things from our end.”

“You don’t really think Brent Fontaine had anything to do with this, do you?” Faith wanted to know.

Mike shook his head. “No. I just wanted to rattle his cage good so he’ll leave Kat alone. And I want to see what Andy digs up on him too.”

“Speaking of which.” Mark was standing by the laptop, watching the screen. “Four emails from Andy. I’m going to pull them up and see what he sent.” The first two were copies of the emails sent to Pelley and the others. Faith couldn’t help the tiny gasp that escaped when she saw the photos.

“Oh my god.” Her voice reflected the horror she was looking at. “Oh Mark.” She moved close to her husband who wrapped an arm around her.

“Let’s see what else Andy sent,” Mike interjected, “and get it all out in the open before Katherine comes back in the room.”

“I wish we’d brought the portable printer with us,” his partner told him. “I can’t believe we were stupid enough to leave it behind. I’ll go out a little later and pick one up. Meanwhile, save everything to the flash drive and I’ll go downstairs and print it all out.”

The other emails held all the details they’d asked for on Ron Pelley, Ryan Post and Rand Prescott, as well as what Andy had been able to pull up quickly on Brent Fontaine. Mike sat at the table, scrolling through each document.

“Well, there’s plenty of bad blood between Sydney Wright and her brother,” he commented. “Their wealthy parents left them each enormous trust funds but Ryan Post doesn’t seem to have managed his very well. And his spas seem to be more of a financial drain than a thriving business. There’s a little item here about a very public fight brother and sister had at a party where he asked her and Eli for a substantial loan and they turned him down.”

“In public?” Mark couldn’t hide his surprise.

“Yup. Apparently he hadn’t been able to talk to them in private, he was drunk at this party and made quite a scene.”

“What else?”

“Rand Prescott is listed as a millionaire speculator who’s partnered with Eli Wright in some specific deals. Andy says he hasn’t gotten much on him yet but he’s checking more into all of them and also trying to get copies of Prescott’s financial statements.”

“If anyone can do it, he can,” Faith laughed.

“Ron Pelley is very interesting,” Mike went on. “From what Andy’s found so far, his personal financial situation fluctuates. He’s been on the bottom as much as he’s been on top.”

“Drugs?” Mark asked. “Gambling? Stock speculation?”

“He’s checking. Right now any of the three could be the frog in the pond here. I still think it’s strange that all three were contacted by the kidnappers.”

“Diversion. Throw people off the scent.”

“Unless they’re all in it together. Someone had to set this up with whoever staged the kidnapping and feed them the right information.”

“Pull up those pictures again. Let’s see if they tell us anything.”

“Oh god!”

No one had seen Katherine come in. Suddenly she was standing beside them, her eyes wide with shock as she looked at the photos on the screen.

Mike jumped up from where he was sitting and led her away from the table. “Don’t look, kitten. Please.”

“No. I have to see. It might help me in my session.” Her face was set in grim lines.

“Really. I can handle it.”

The arrival of her food provided a momentary distraction. She insisted on sitting at the table and studying the photos while she ate. Finished, she pushed the plate away and asked them to clear everything off the table except the laptop and to leave the photos up on the screen.

“Where are the pictures you printed out?” she asked Mike.

“Right here.” He picked them up from the sofa table where he’d left them.

“All right. Here’s my picture of Mari.” She took it from the pocket of the jeans she’d put on and placed it next to the shot of the Wrights. Then she pulled the laptop around so she could see all the photos at once. “Can you close the drapes please and just leave one small lamp on?”

“No problem.” Mike hurried to close the heavy drapes, darkening the room and turning on one small table lamp.

He sat in the armchair again while the Hallorans took the couch, all eyes on Kat as she gathered herself to begin.

With Brent Fontaine finally out of her life, Kat was convinced her powers would be stronger, more focused. That her concentration would be greater. She studied each of the pictures in front of her very closely, then lifted her eyes and stared straight ahead.

Just like always, the images wavered and blurred. She saw a piece of a dirt road, a tree, a dog running across her vision as if crossing a video screen. Then everything disappeared. She blinked, focusing her attention.

She opened her eyes and looked at the photos again, then closed them and focused.

The road came into view again, the dog and this time a corner of a building. She tried to zero in on the building, to bring up a larger image of it but she was hung up on the corner.

Okay. Try again.

This time she saw more of the road, leading upward toward an ugly square adobe hut. And for the first time she saw a man dressed in dirty khaki pants and a shirt. The dog was running around him, barking at him. Once more everything faded.

Then she blinked and like always, the image became crystal clear. She saw part of the adobe building, a large gun slung over the man’s shoulder as he leaned against the wall, a truck parked off to the side and in the background what was either a large hill or a small mountain. The blazing sun was casting shadows, hinting at the presence of others to the side of the hut.

It froze in her vision for a long moment, snapped by an imaginary camera, then it was gone.

Kat tried to call it back but all she could see were fragments again.

“Please turn on the light and open the drapes,” she said in quiet voice.

“What did you see, kitten?” Mike was at her elbow with a glass of water.

She drank from it thirstily, then explained the picture she’d been able to call up.

“I need more,” she told him, then looked at Mark and Faith. “But I didn’t feel a weakening of my gift this time, only a lack of sufficient information.” She blew out a sigh. “I think getting Brent Fontaine off my back has made a major difference.”

“And we’ll make sure he stays off your back,” Mike told her. “I’ll check with Wagner in a few minutes, make sure Fontaine gets on the plane back to Tampa and have one of our men pick him up there. He’ll have a shadow glued to him every minute. Until he moves on to someone else, that is.”

“I don’t wish him on anyone else,” Kat protested. “But I’ll be glad not to have a million calls a day from him.”

“So what’s your best guess?” Mark asked. “Any idea where they might be? Any clue at all?”

She told them what she’d seen. “They aren’t in California though. I definitely got that sense. They’ve been taken to a different country.”

“The closest is Mexico,” Mike put in. “And that would make the most sense.

Whoever has them wouldn’t want to transport them halfway around the world.”

“I hate to be the voice of gloom,” Faith said, “but I’m just doing research for a book on a subject that’s been hot on the news. Kidnappings by drug cartels. They target prominent, wealthy individuals, take them over the border and extort exorbitant amounts in ransom.”

“Jesus,” Mark breathed. ”Drug cartels. That puts a whole new light on things.”

“It damn well sure does,” Mike agreed. He crouched down next to Kat. ”I hate to say this but it also ups the danger factor.” His fingers caressed the nape of her neck as if trying to assure her things would still be okay.

She finished the water and set the glass down. “One thing I don’t want you to do is soft pedal things for me. I can’t be of any use unless I know every fact available.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I’m scared to death for Mari. But is it really any worse having her held captive by a drug dealer than some other criminal? Her life is just as much at risk.”

Mike kissed her cheek, then rose to his feet. “You’re right. And it gives us a new angle to pursue.”

Mark picked up the stack of papers they’d printed out from Andy’s emails. “Why don’t I take these to my room and go over them. I’ll call Andy and tell him to see if he can find any connection at all between the three men and any drug organization. I’ll also have him do a search for the cartels who’ve been most active in this kind of thing lately.”

“I have some stuff on my computer too,” Faith chimed in. “And I can have Tia, my research assistant, email anything new she’s come up with. It’s not hard to find. These men don’t seem to shun publicity.”

“Why should they?” Mike said in a bitter tone. “Our government seems to be powerless to deal with anything on the other side of the border. The Mexican government is too corrupt and the politics are too shaky.”

“So what can we do?” Kat asked.

“Take care of it like we always do. Monitor new emails to the three men. Try to trace their source. Find out where the hostages are being held and go in and get them.”

“That simple, huh?”

“Well.” He smiled. “Almost.” He looked at the Hallorans. “And what will Katherine and I be doing while you’re rustling up all this information?”

“Kat looks like she could use some rest and I think you can help her relax.” Mark winked and Kat blushed.

“How about if we meet for dinner about eight o’clock?” Mike asked.

“Could we have room service?” Kat asked. “I don’t think I feel like eating in a restaurant after the day we’ve had.” She looked at Mark and Faith. “Unless you’d rather not. We can eat here by ourselves.”

“Not a problem.” Faith gave her a quick hug. “I’ll call you in plenty of time to call in our order. And add a couple of bottles of good wine. I think we could all use it.” She pushed her husband out the door and closed it behind them.

Kat looked at Mike, the heat simmering between them despite the severity of the situation. Or maybe because of it. The situation with Brent had shaken her badly too, although it was a relief to finally be rid of him. Mike, reading her mood as always, took charge of the moment. He lifted her from the chair, cradling her in his arms. His mouth descended on hers, gently at first then with a firmer pressure.

“Let it go, kitten. Let it all out.”

She pressed herself to his body. “I think my batteries need recharging. I feel as if a truck ran over me.”

“How about you lie down for a while?”

She looked up at him. “How about you lie down with me?” She desperately needed this affirmation that in the midst of this despair and danger there was life and love.

“I think that can be arranged.” He cradled her face between his palms, pressing his mouth to hers. “Open for me, kitten.”

When she did his tongue swept in like a hot wire, trailing flame everywhere in the wet cavern of her mouth, brushing over her teeth, her gums, then mating with her own small tongue. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head closer, tasting him and savoring his flavor. God, just his touch generated such heat in her body, his kisses sending electrical jolts to every one of her pulse points. She could already feel moisture gathering between her thighs and her nipples pressing against the thin fabric of her shirt.

He never lifted his mouth from hers as he carried her into the bedroom. His tongue continued to plunge and stroke until they reached the bed and he set her on her feet.

She was breathless when he broke the kiss.

He reached for the buttons on her blouse, releasing them one at a time and pulling the fabric from the waistband of her jeans and pushing it down her arms. When his fingers easily undid the front clasp on her bra and her breasts sprang free he sucked in his breath, his eyes flaring with heat. The need in his gaze made her nipples harden even more and her breasts ache. He cupped them in his palms, thumbs rasping the sides, his eyes feasting on them as if he couldn’t turn away.

Her knees wobbled and she was afraid if she didn’t sit down she’d fall down. Just his touch was enough the start the pulse at her core pounding relentlessly.

“Beautiful,” he whispered. “So beautiful. How did I go for two years without this?

How was I so stupid as to push you away? Never again, kitten. I promise you.” Gently he slipped the sleeves of her blouse and the straps of her bra down her arms until they fell away to the floor. His lips brushed first one nipple, then the other and a shiver skated over her body. She clutched his upper arms for support, her head thrown back as she arched toward him.