Bare Witness (5 page)

“Good. So that’s all for now?” Justine said, instead of just hanging up like she usually would have. A part of her was reluctant to let Anna go. Because once again, she’d be back to dealing with Nigel, and the attraction between them that she had no clue how to handle.

“Yes. You okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You don’t sound like yourself.”

“Neither do you,” Justine said. She should have hung up. She’d been ignoring Nigel very nicely, but Anna was a different case. Turning the conversation back on her helped a bit. Justine closed her eyes and shut out the man who was disturbing her. Made him nothing more than a cardboard cutout. The client, nothing more. Who cared that he was a good father and he did things for Piper that her own dad had never done for her?

“I’m just ticked because I can’t find the answers I’ve been looking for.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Answers to what?”

“Nothing. I just meant my thing isn’t any big deal,” Justine said.

“Do you want to talk?”

“Hell, no. I’m not a talker.”

Anna laughed. “No, you aren’t. Charity is, though, and she’s had a lot to say about Daniel.”

Justine smiled. “Lucky you.”

“I wouldn’t go straight to lucky. If she mentions him one more time, I’m going to scream. I mean literally, there’s not a single subject I bring up that she doesn’t turn back to him.”

“I’m glad it’s you and not me.”

“Me, too. Otherwise, you two would probably be sparring.”

Sparring sounded good to Justine right now. She needed the freedom that came from fighting. Talking, sitting, thinking about Nigel—those things were making her edgy. A good solid fight would loosen her up. Too bad there wasn’t a dojo on the plane.

“True. See you on the ground,” Justine said.

“Yes. I’ll email or text the information from immigration once I receive it.”

“Good. Bye.”

“Justine?”

“Hmm?”

“Whatever’s going on in your head…you need to get over. No matter what Sam thought at the beginning, this isn’t going to be a cakewalk.”

Justine hung up without replying. She knew that better than anyone. Pocketing her BlackBerry, she looked down the aisle of the plane and saw Piper and Constance sitting quietly, and realized then that she wasn’t going to let anything hurt Piper or Nigel, or even Constance, for that matter.

For once, it wasn’t just because she was being paid to do a job. A part of it was because of Piper, and helping kids who were in mortal danger had always been important to her. Another bigger part had to do with Nigel.

Not because Nigel was one hell of a kisser or because Piper reminded her of the girl she’d once been. She was going to ensure their safety because it was her job, and without that, she had no idea who she was.

P
iper was distracted and cranky after almost eleven hours on the plane. Constance was keeping her close, and Nigel was a bit on edge since Anna and Charity had entered the plane on the ground in Lima. He’d seen the censure in the eyes of Justine’s team. Fuck them. He knew how to take care of Piper. And no one could protect her like he could.

The team tested their earpiece mikes, then took up positions in the plane. They’d all donned the Kevlar vests under their clothing. Right now they were waiting for the Immigration representative to arrive and clear them into the country.

“Pedro Maldano will be here in a few minutes. He will serve as an escort for our party to Immigration. Entering Peru isn’t a big deal for any of us since our countries are on good terms with the current government,” Charity said.

The tall blond woman was stunningly beautiful, but Nigel realized he noticed her looks only as a matter of fact. He wasn’t attracted to the buxom blonde at all. He had never really gone for obvious beauty.

Anna was seated next to Piper, Charity stood in front of the door, and Justine was positioned to his left. “How much longer do you think this will take?”

Justine glanced over at him. “I have no idea. Do you have somewhere you need to be?”

“No. I think Piper’s going to have a meltdown in a few minutes, though,” he said, glancing at his daughter, who was swinging her bunny rabbit around by its ears and staring at Constance with a belligerent look on her face.

“I…don’t know what we can do. It will be worse for her in the long line at customs rather than waiting for the officials to come to us.”

“I know,” he said, rubbing his hand against the back of his neck. He felt itchy and restless. He needed to get off this plane and away from Justine. He wanted Piper safe in the secure housing on the Baron Industries compound.

Justine didn’t say anything to him. He’d noticed that she’d shut down personally toward him and that was fine. He’d been treating her the same way, but now, seeing her with the other women, he realized how much he missed the feisty comments she’d made at first. Now she was nothing but an automaton doing her job, with all the emotion of the Terminator.

The pilot stepped out of the cockpit. “There is a black Mercedes parking next to the plane.”

“Thanks, Mark,” Charity said. “I’ll go greet Pedro. Everyone stay back from the door.”

Justine moved in front of him and Anna positioned herself in front of Piper.

“Why can’t we leave, Daddy?”

“We have to wait until they are ready for us, Pip.”

“How much longer?”

“Not too much,” Nigel said.

“I want to get off the plane.”

“Me, too,” Justine said. “But we need to follow the rules of entry for this country.”

Piper wasn’t buying it, though, and Nigel saw the bratty look on his eight-year-old’s face a second before she opened her mouth. “My daddy is a very important man. We shouldn’t have to wait.”

“Piper,” Nigel said in a firm tone.

“It’s true, Daddy,” she said.

“If there were any way to get us off this plane more quickly, don’t you think I’d do it?”

She nodded.

“Sit down next to Constance and be quiet.”

“I don’t—

“Piper?” Justine interrupted.

“Yes?”

“Remember how we talked about fathers earlier?”

Piper nodded.

“This is one of those times when, if we want to keep your father safe, we are just going to have to wait.”

She bit her lower lip and hugged her stuffed bunny closer to her chest before sitting down next to Constance.

Nigel wasn’t too sure he liked the way Justine had handled the situation, but Piper was sitting quietly now.

Nigel took Justine’s arm to draw her back, but she evaded his grip. “I’d like a word with you.”

“Not now.”

“Yes, now.”

“Nigel, Charity is almost done with Maldano, and he is coming onboard in a minute. We can talk later.”

He felt like he imagined what his daughter had felt when Justine had silenced her. “Yes, we will.”

Anna and Justine both palmed their weapons and moved to stand on either side of the cabin door.

Charity reentered the plane first, followed by a tall dark-skinned man. “Welcome to Peru, Mr. Carter. I’m Pedro Maldano.”

Nigel stepped forward and offered the man his hand. The handshake was strictly three pumps up and down, and Pedro had a very firm handshake. Usually that meant the man Nigel was dealing with had a lot of integrity.

“Thank you. It’s my pleasure to be here.”

“And ours to have you,” Pedro said. “We’ll have you through customs in a short time, and then you are to be the guests of the minister of finance tonight. He has a guest home in Lima that he has prepared for you.”

Alejandro Perez, the minister of finance, had bent over backward to be helpful since Jenkins was attacked. Nigel knew it was because the Peruvian government didn’t want Baron Industries to pull out of building their factory.

“That’s very kind of him,” Nigel said.

He wasn’t sure staying in the minister of finance’s guest home was a smart idea, but for right now, he wanted to get through customs and get Piper safely in a car of their own. “This is my daughter, Piper, and her nanny, Constance Wareham.”

“Welcome, ladies.”

“Hola, Señor,” Piper said, using the Spanish that Constance had taught her for the trip.

“Hola, Señorita Carter.”

Nigel listened to his daughter exchange pleasantries in Spanish and looked over at Constance. She smiled at him. They were both so proud of Piper. Constance was skilled, and had functioned as so much more than a nanny in the years that she’d been with Nigel and Piper. She had become a part of their family.

“Let’s go,” Pedro said, and they all filed slowly off the plane. Pedro led the way, with Charity and Constance behind him, and Anna and Piper following. Nigel had just set his foot on the top step when a loud explosion rocked the ground.

Justine tackled Nigel and got him flat on the ground. The asphalt was hard and bit into her hands as she pushed herself up for leverage. Nigel was cursing softly under his breath next to her. Piper was crying, but not too loudly, and Charity reported that Constance had passed out.

Justine scanned the area around the plane to see where the threat was coming from. Maldano’s car was in flames, burning at the end of the tarmac.

“Get the Carters to the car we secured,” Charity said. “I’ll stay here with Maldano until the officials arrive.”

Justine tugged Nigel to his feet. He immediately turned to Piper, and Justine knew she’d have a struggle keeping him from his daughter, so she let him go, but covered him with her gun drawn. Anna was doing the same from the other side.

“What about Constance?” Nigel asked.

“Let’s get you two to safety, and then we will worry about her. Charity won’t let any harm come to her.”

“Good. Where are we heading?” Nigel asked.

“That black sedan. Stay low and move fast. Anna has Piper, so don’t hesitate. Keep moving.”

“I can’t do that. I need to make sure Piper is okay.”

“Anna, take the lead. I’ve got your back.” Justine pushed Nigel back down. “Stay low.”

All the talking and waiting was making her nervous. They needed to get out of the open and away from the airport. “Go, Anna.”

“I’m moving.”

Anna had one hand on Piper’s upper arm. The little girl had tear tracks drifting down her face, and clung to her stuffed rabbit with her other arm. Justine knew that Nigel was struggling to follow her orders. She felt him lurch toward his daughter, and understood his need to comfort her.

Anna moved swiftly but kept a pace that Piper could easily maintain. They were less than one hundred feet from the car when Justine heard a spray of gunfire from a semiautomatic weapon. Anna hit the deck once again, covering Piper’s body with her own. Nigel was up and running toward his daughter before Justine could stop him.

She returned fire, though she struggled to see her target. She pulled her night-vision glasses from her side pocket and donned them, hitting a button on the side, enabling the thermal imaging.

“Anna?”

“I’ve got Piper and Nigel. We’re moving toward the sedan again.”

“I’ve got you covered. Haven’t sighted the assailant yet.”

“I…”

“Stay with Nigel,” Charity said. “Maldano is hit and Constance is conscious. I’m going to leave the two of them here, and I’ll hunt the assailant.”

“Affirmative,” Justine said.

“Anna, get to the car and pick up Constance and Maldano,” Justine said. “I’ll cover you.”

“Affirmative.”

Justine kept her attention focused and laid a burst of ground fire to cover Anna and the Carters as they ran for the sedan.

“We’re in. The driver has been shot.”

“Fuck. Get out of the car. It may have been tampered with.”

Anna was cursing simultaneously. Justine saw the car door open out of her peripheral vision, but kept her own gaze sharp. Anna and the Carters were back out of the car in seconds and moving toward her. Justine wished she had her damn assault rifle instead of the Beretta, but they hadn’t anticipated this kind of trouble at the airport.

“I’m going silent,” Charity said.

“Affirmative,” Justine said. “We’re getting back on the plane. We’ll get airborne and decide what to do next.”

Running away didn’t sit right with her, but Justine and the team’s first priority was to keep Nigel Carter and his daughter alive.

Constance ran over to Piper and wrapped the little girl in her arms. Nigel put his arm around both of them. Justine saw the anger and fear on his face. Dammit, this was a mess. They needed to take control of the situation. “Do you have an alternate route out, Anna?”

“Yes. In the hangar. We’ll have to go together. I don’t like leaving anyone out here.”

“Then let’s go. I’ll cover these three. Do you want to get Maldano?”

“I can get myself,” Maldano said. “My men should be here in a moment.”

“Someone blew up your car…I’m not sure you should trust your men.”

“I trust them, Ms. O’Neill, the way you trust your partners.”

“Well, until they arrive, we’re going to the hangar. We can defend our position better from there,” Justine said.

There was no more fire from the assailant and nothing from Charity. Justine was edgy; she was better at going after a target in the dark than Charity. That wasn’t to say Charity wasn’t very good at the task. Only that Justine preferred action to guarding.

“We’re heading toward the hangar. Stay low and keep moving. Constance, put Piper down and let her walk.”

“I won’t. My baby is tired and scared. I can run with her like this.”

Justine didn’t have time to argue with the other woman. “Nigel?”

“Let her carry Piper.”

“Let’s go then. Follow Anna.”

Anna moved quickly over the tarmac, followed by Constance, then Maldano. Nigel moved swiftly, and kept his eyes on his daughter and her nanny.

Justine swept her gun from left to right, moving quickly through the darkness. In the distance, she saw lights approaching. Maybe Maldano’s men. She wasn’t waiting on them for the rescue. Justine knew Anna wasn’t, either.

They needed to get the Carters and the nanny to safety. Justine entered the hangar just as Constance and Piper got in a second car. A burst of gunfire from behind her caused Justine to turn. She returned fire this time, able to see her target.

Nigel was sick of getting shot at and watching his daughter cringe. As soon as Piper and Constance were in the car, he signaled the driver to leave. He wanted his daughter out of harm’s way—NOW.

“Where do you need another weapon?” he asked, taking the Kimber .45 he had in a holster at the small of his back.

“Nowhere. Get your head down and stay put,” Justine said.

She continued returning fire at the assailant, barely acknowledging his comments. He took a moment to survey the situation and then took a position between the two women. Maldano was on the other side of Anna.

The car seemed to have made a clean getaway, and knowing his daughter was safe, Nigel let go of the anger he’d been keeping bottled inside. He wanted these bastards dead.

He added his firepower to the mix, and heard Justine curse next to him. He saw a glimpse of a shadow to the right of the hangar entrance, and concentrated his shots there, hitting his target and watching the body drop to the floor.

He fired two more times before he spent his clip. “I’m out of ammo.”

“What are you using?” Anna asked, her clipped British accent even more pronounced while they were under fire.

“Kimber Ultra Covert.”

“.45 caliber?” Justine asked.

“Yes.”

She reached under her coat and tossed him a clip for the weapon. He popped it into his gun and continued defending their position. “You’re only good for another thirteen rounds. Make them count.”

“I will,” he said.

They didn’t have the firepower to hold the garage area for long, and he had the feeling the women knew it, too. “Nigel, stay here and continue shooting. I’m going around behind them.”

Nigel nodded. Justine handed him a second gun. A Glock. 9 mm and an extra ammo clip. “When you run out…”

“You had better be in position by then,” he said.

“I will be.”

Justine disappeared, and Anna started firing a second gun so that the assailants didn’t realize their numbers had changed. The firefight was less intense, as if the other side were being judicious with their firepower as well.

How long could this last, he wondered. He’d only been in one other exchange like this. He was an executive, for the love of God. And not at all used to dealing with this type of situation.

But he’d grown up in Essex—a rough neighborhood in London—and had learned early on how to survive. Getting in touch with that lad wasn’t all that hard. The years of civilization were stripped away. The anger he felt at Piper being threatened turned to determination as he honed it into the concentration he needed to ensure that he survived. That Justine survived. Having got his daughter to safety, it was now imperative that he keep Justine safe, as well.