Blowback (The Black Cipher Files Book 1) (28 page)

I knew several of the names. Zeke, Brad Johnson and I had worked for the NSA. Staci was CIA. I maneuvered through traffic but my attention was focused on Lucas.

“The second column seems to be their parents or grandparents names, the third column are dates. Huh.”

It was frightening but I knew that little sound and it wasn’t a good sign. “What?”

“The dates are all very similar.”

A cold chill skittered over me. “When?” But I had a feeling I already knew.

“Late October 1995.”

The same time my parents were killed. So everyone in the 5491 file had relatives who were killed around the same time. What the hell?

“Did you know that Bella has been receiving regular payments to her savings account since your parents died?”

So was I. A sense of foreboding swept over me. A sense that I didn’t really want to know the answer. “Insurance.”

“Staci Grant receives the same payments.”

I could see where this was leading. My skin chilled, as ice trailed down my spine. “From the same bank?”

“Yeah.”

“Can it be traced?” Maybe this was the connection I could use to tie us all together.

“Bank is in Bermuda.”

Even if we got an account number there was probably no way to find out the owner’s name. Virtually untraceable.

I turned the van onto the highway automatically checking my surroundings, looking for tails, looking for followers. But we were clean.

Staci Grant, Bella and I were receiving money every month from an untraceable account. Could the others in the 5491 file also be receiving payments?

All of the abductees were also connected to 5491.

But how did those two facts connect to each other? Only one person might have the knowledge we needed to put it all together.

Carson Black.

It was Saturday. He might be in the office but he was most likely at home. If I wanted to get answers, I would have to surprise him there. I didn’t want him to have time to prepare.

“I need to go to my handler’s house in Virginia.” The statement came out flat. “You want me to drop you off?”

“Not a chance.” He put his hand on my thigh, his fingers burning through the worn denim, and squeezed. “Haven’t you figured out I’m in this for the long haul?”

THIRTY

Carson lived on a five acre parcel in rural Virginia. About sixty miles from the office in distance and a universe away in lifestyle.

I turned down the private single lane and drove along the decorative wood rail fencing that bordered their property. An explosion of fall color, trees brilliant with orange, red, and brown leaves framed the driveway.

When we reached the stone posts and wrought iron gate, I stopped. An intercom system sat on a post, easily reached without getting out of the van. I pushed the call button, spoke my name and waited.

Lucas said softly, “Want me to get in back?”

I thought about how much he’d helped me in the past few days, thought about all the things that were going wrong that I had no control over, and I thought about Carson’s threat. “Nope.”

“Why, Jamie. How...lovely.” The lilting Southern voice of Carson’s wife, Antoinette, came over the system.

“I, we, came to talk to Carson.”

“Honey, he isn’t here.”

The element of surprise was gone. We’d wasted our trip. I’d done a quick check and he hadn’t answered his office or his cell phone. So where was he? Dammit.

“Is he planning to stay at the office or should we wait for him here?”

“He’s out of town.” Her unspoken question was loud and clear.
Why didn’t you know that?

Time for damage control.

“Darn. I haven’t been in for the last few days. I’ve been out of touch.” I backtracked to cover myself. “Did he leave a number?”

“You’d better check at the office for that.” She hesitated. “Y’all want some refreshments since you came all this way?”

Antoinette wanted to check out Lucas.

“Love to.” The light on the security comm went off.

I knew she couldn’t help us. Carson would never share his work with his wife. But her offer was perfect.

The wrought iron gate opened pendulously. I drove up a long winding drive to a modest, ranch-style house.

“You realize their security system will get us on tape,” I said.

He shrugged. “As long as you’re okay with it.”

I left the window down as we made the drive. Birds twittered. A lawn mower droned somewhere close by, the smell of freshly cut grass drifted in the air. A tinge of woodsmoke curled lazily from their stone fireplace, wafting toward us.

I’d spent more than a few weekends at this house during the beginning of my training. The scents, the sounds spiraled me back. Carson and Antoinette had tried to give me a safe haven, but I’d been miserable, struggling to understand all that had happened to me and my family.

We rolled up to the ranch house. The facade was Connecticut blue stone with small columns supporting the roof of the covered porch. White mullioned windows gave an impression of welcome. Low to the ground and simple, the landscaping left no place for anyone to hide.

“Bullet proof glass, reinforced steel supports, and no outside cover. Nicely done,” Lucas murmured.

Antoinette hovered in the open doorway.

A trim, black woman in her mid-thirties, she exuded a monied, finishing school poise. She managed to wear trendy clothes with a style only someone very comfortable could carry off. She had beautiful, light brown skin. Ringlets of crinkly black hair cut in a chin length bob framed high cheekbones and slightly slanted eyes the color of a mossy swamp.

I recalled the first time I’d met her. Only twenty-two to my fifteen, she’d still managed to make me feel unpolished and gawky.

As I jumped out of the van, I remembered my spiked hair, black-ringed eyes, and ripped jeans grunge look.

“Why Jamie, this is a new look for you.” She smiled politely as she clasped my hands in her perfect, french-manicured fingertips and kissed both my cheeks, European style. “How are you doing, sugar?”

“Fine.” I fought the urge to shove my short, unpainted nails behind my back.

“I’m Antoinette.” She held out her hands to Lucas and tilted her head in a manner innately flirtatious. Yet I knew she meant nothing by it. Antoinette was devoted to Carson. “Who might you be?”

I answered, knowing Antoinette would understand the need for first names only. “This is Lucas.”

“I don’t mind telling you, it’s a pleasure that Jamie has finally brought someone home.”

A deep red flush burgeoned from my belly up to my face. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d blushed like that. When I was fifteen, maybe.

Lucas raised an eyebrow at me, but when he turned to Antoinette his answer was smooth. “She waited until she found the best.”

Antoinette laughed appropriately. “She has...discriminating tastes.”

Lucas slipped his hand into mine, reinforcing her impression we were a couple. “Yes. She does.”

“Goodness. Where are my manners? Come in, come in.” She led us to a great room with a giant fieldstone fireplace. Logs crackled and snapped in the grate. Before I could step all the way into the room, she pulled me aside gently.

“Does he know what you do?” she whispered.

I nodded.

“I’ll go get some iced tea. Be at rest,” she called out.

“What’s wrong?” Lucas asked as soon as Antoinette left the room.

I crossed my arms in front of me, rubbing my biceps with cold hands. My world was falling apart and coming back here reminded me of the most miserable time in my life. But I couldn’t tell Lucas that. Couldn’t share with him. Especially not in this house. The beginning of the life I lived now. “Old memories.”

Antoinette swung back into the room carrying a large silver tray with a pitcher of tea, three glasses, lemon slices, sugar, and spoons. She set the tray down on the cocktail table and started to pour. “So, how did you two meet? Or can you not tell me.” Her whole face lit up, eyes sparkling with mischief.

“On a job,” I answered slowly. “We’re actually still not done, which was why we stopped by to see Carson. I had a question for him.”

About Staci, me, Bella, and all those other names on the 5491 list. And how they related to the kidnappings.

About my sister.

Then I wondered if Carson had ever brought Bella here. No. He’d promised to keep Bella out of this life. Carson wouldn’t have brought attention to Bella by linking her with him in any way.

“I can’t tell you how nice it is to see you, Jamie. Seems like forever since you were here.” Antoinette poured the tea then handed glasses to us both.

Almost a year ago. “Last Thanksgiving.”

Lucas waited until Antoinette sipped her tea, then he took a healthy swallow. I let the conversation flow around me as Lucas and Antoinette made small talk.

“How long have you known each other?” Lucas’s question surprised me out of my funk.

“Going on thirteen years.” Antoinette must have decided Lucas was okay because she answered truthfully. “I remember the first Thanksgiving Jamie spent with us. So quiet and so reserved.”

“Yeah. And she’s such a chatterbox now,” Lucas said drily.

Antoinette laughed with delight. “Oh, but she is so much more talkative than she was then.”

“You must have been pretty young,” Lucas commented.

“A new bride. My first Thanksgiving disaster.” She waved a hand in front of her face, a delicate flush on her cheeks. “Lordy, that turkey was burnt to a crisp on the outside and raw and pink on the inside.”

It occurred to me then, I must have been a big intrusion on her life. Newly married, with a heartsick teenager horning in on their first holiday together. “I never really thought about how much of a nuisance it was for me to be here.”

“Oh, sugar. You were in so much pain. I didn’t mind.” Antoinette said, “And I think it helped Carson. He was pretty torn up over your parents’s deaths.”

Lucas perked up. Not visibly. He still relaxed on the sofa but suddenly he was more alert, more focused on Antoinette than a minute ago.

“I didn’t realize he knew my parents.”

“Oh, I don’t believe he did.” For a moment, Antoinette looked flustered. “I didn’t phrase that right. He knew how much you were hurting. I’ve never minded taking care of y’all.”

Y’all implied more than one person. A warning bell went off in my head. I’d only come for Thanksgiving. Never Christmas or Easter or Fourth of July. Could it be that I wasn’t the only one Carson had taken in?

I forced myself to relax and sink back into the floral chair. “You are a saint to put up with all of us.”

Antoinette looked amused. “Not me. Carson is the saint.”

I wanted to fish, but couldn’t put my finger on the right method to not spook her. Finally I decided to go with the direct approach. “It’s too bad about Staci.”

A sad look crossed Antoinette’s face, her bronzed-glossed lips turned down. “A tragedy. That’s what it is. Carson is still torn up over her passing.”

Lucas took a sip of tea. “Some people don’t think she’s gone.”

Antoinette shot a sharp look at Lucas. “You knew Staci?”

“A few years ago. I used to be FBI.” He wisely left out the part where he’d been investigating her.

Antoinette shot me a look, as if to say,
Is that advisable?
“They’re mistaken. Carson seems very sure.”

“Is Katerina one of the other girls?” Lucas asked casually.

He had an innate ability to identify what track I was on. If he could figure out my next question, he knew me too well.

“It isn’t appropriate for me to say,” Antoinette said sharply.

“Oh, sure.” Lucas smiled easily. “Just curious if I knew any others.”

I played the hunch that had been bothering me since we’d talked to Jordan Ramirez. “Antoinette, did we all have links to TICOM?”

Her brow crinkled. “I don’t believe I’m familiar with that term.” And she wasn’t. It was plain to see.

“No big deal. Just something that popped into my head.” I stood up casually. “We should probably get going. I’ll just have to ask Carson my question when he gets back.”

“If I speak with him, I’ll let him know you stopped by.” There was a stiffness in her posture that hadn’t been there when we’d come in. And she fairly hustled us out.

It couldn’t be helped.

At the door, I turned and impulsively gave her a hug. “Thank you for taking such good care of me for all these years. It’s just now occurred to me that it couldn’t have been easy for you,” I whispered.

She held onto me for just a second, squeezing gently. “My pleasure.”

Lucas and I strode to the van together, as he said, “Time to motor.”

I nodded, mulling over the information Antoinette had unwittingly supplied.

“How long before your boss connects with us?”

“He doesn’t usually do field work. We should make contact sometime tomorrow.”

“He’ll have had time to marshal his thoughts, guard his defenses.”

I turned the key and the engine rumbled to life. “Yeah.”

As I put the van in gear, he said. “She’ll repeat our entire conversation.”

I strapped my seat belt, thinking it through. “It’s probable we’re on their video surveillance.”

Lucas turned on the GPS system.

I thought about the glasses of iced tea. “It’s also probable she’ll turn your fingerprints in for testing.”

He glanced over at me. “Good thing I’m on file.”

Yeah.

“Why are you smiling?” Lucas asked.

“When she does, it’ll be on record that you, Lucas Goodman, were in their house.” And then if Carson wanted to screw me, he’d have to screw himself as well.

“What’s so great....” Realization hit him. “You have a devious mind.”

“It’s working in your favor.” And mine.

“Will she be that suspicious?”

“After living with Carson for the last thirteen years, probably,” I said cynically.

“You were fifteen when you first came here?” Lucas burst out.

I can’t believe I’d let that slip.

“Never mind.” Lucas fiddled with the radio. “What’s wrong?”

Our whole conversation with Antoinette bothered me. “There were others like me.”

“It would be interesting to find out if they have the same deposits to their bank accounts as you and Staci and Bella have,” Lucas commented.