Check Mate (18 page)

***

Mariah took more than one wrong turn during her nerve-racking journey of retracing the route Lester had taken last night. But finally, at precisely one-eighteen the next morning, she pulled the Saturn up in front of the gate that led to the small, rustic cabin where she and Jake had been taken the night before, where she prayed Jake was still being held.

Before getting out, she searched the SUV thoroughly after parking it on the side of the road. She found ammunition for the Glock—several boxes of clips—and she also found a rifle and another handgun. The weapons might come in handy later. And she'd unearthed a laptop computer, hidden under the front seat. She wasn't sure if it belonged to Burgess or if it was a Coalition issue. She hadn't been issued one, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. Despite her curiosity, examining the computer would have to wait. First things first.

The Bowie knife in a leather sheath that she'd found, she strapped to her calf beneath her slacks. Pulling a knit cap that had probably belonged to Lester down over her head and turning up the collar on her down jacket, she left the Saturn unlocked and headed up the driveway. Snow fell softly, silently, a gentle shower of glistening white shapes moistening her face. The moonlight reflected brightly off the bed of new-fallen snow, lighting the area far more than Mariah would have liked. On a mission such as this, darkness was an ally.

Mariah paused long enough to remove the micro-transmitter and send out an SOS. Hopefully she and Jake would be long gone by the time the Feds arrived, but if luck was with her, Agnes, Oliver and Burgess would not escape.

As she approached the cabin, she noted that the only light on inside was the one in the living room, but just a pale glow shown through the dirty window panes. She crept up to the house, then circled it, checking for any sound from inside, but she heard nothing. She peered in each window. The bedroom windows were dark with blinds, but the living room windows were bare and she was able to make out the form of a large man lying on the sofa. Not Jake. The guy was too muscle-bound. As she scanned the room, her heart stopped for a split second when she saw Jake bound to a ladder-back chair. His head was slumped over, but she doubted he was asleep. If she knew Jake, his mind was working at top speed.

Did he think she was dead? What had Agnes and Oliver told him? Whatever lies they'd told him, she knew he hadn't believed them. He must have figured out that they'd sent her away with Lester, that they had intended for Lester to return alone.

Thinking ahead, plotting their escape, Marian approached Agnes and Oliver's car. Since she couldn't be sure an alarm wouldn't go off if she tampered with the doors, she decided on using a simple method to disable the vehicle.

After removing the knife from its sheath, she squatted on her haunches and sliced the passenger side front tire, then she proceeded to inflict similar damage on the other three tires.

Returning to the house, Mariah tried the back door first and to her amazement, it wasn't locked. Were these people so sure they were safe that they hadn't even locked the doors? Of course they thought they were safe. No one—other than she and Lester—had known where they were. And since she was supposed to be dead by now, Burgess had probably left the door unlocked for Lester's return. Well, Lester wouldn't be returning. Not tonight. Not ever again.

But she was back!

Mariah eased open the door. The soft creak sounded loud to her ears, intensified by her nervousness and fear. Yes, she was afraid. She was scared out of her mind. Afraid that she wouldn't be able to rescue Jake.

As she made her way silently out of the kitchen, she passed the closed bedroom door where she supposed Agnes and Oliver lay sleeping. Just as she headed toward the living room, she heard the rumble of voices. She stopped dead in her tracks. With her heart beating wildly and adrenaline rushing through her body, she realized the voices were coming from the bedroom. Agnes and Oliver were not asleep! Damn.

She eased over to the bedroom door and listened.

"I believe we should take Jake directly to the compound in the morning and have Gideon brought there as well,"

Oliver said. "Until he sees his brother and we make him realize we will sacrifice Gideon, if necessary, Jake isn't likely to cooperate with us."

"I agree with you," Agnes replied. "We should be able to drive to Verde Valley in a few hours. We'll call ahead to the new compound and make sure they're expecting us. I'll tell Willard he can personally sit in on the reunion between Jake and Gideon. He'll enjoy that."

"Yes, he'll enjoy it tremendously."

"We'll have to see that Gideon is moved later tomorrow and brought to Verde Valley so we can facilitate this brotherly reunion very soon. Within the next twenty-four hours. We don't want to rush it. I believe Jake needs some time to stew."

Verde Valley? They were going to bring Gideon Faulkner to a place called Verde Valley. And it was only a few hours
ABC Amber Text Converter Trial v
ersion, http://www.processtext.com/abctxt.html

drive from here. But where was here? Mariah had no idea where Verde Valley was or if it was an actual location on the map, a real town in Arizona, or if it was simply the name for the Coalition's new compound. But she had an idea that the bureau knew about this place, even if they didn't know the exact location. The first chance she got, she'd contact her superior and report in. She'd trade information with him. What would she do if Jake didn't want the bureau brought in at this point? Regardless of his reaction, she would have to tell him that she'd already sent out an SOS in the hopes the bureau could nab Agnes and Oliver.

She would just have to figure out all the details later. Right now, she had to get to Jake and set him free without waking Burgess or alerting Agnes and Oliver. Easy as pie, her inner voice told her sarcastically.

Years of training had taught her how to maneuver silently under the worst circumstances, but to be prepared for the unknown in every situation. She approached the living room, studied the area and its contents, as well as Burgess, snoring where he lay on the sofa, and Jake, head bent and quiet, in the straight-back chair. Quickly, deftly, barely breathing, she went directly to Jake, whose head snapped up when she reached him. Their gazes met and locked in the semidarkness. She recognized the relief in his eyes. And something more. Happiness? Love? His mouth opened, but when she shook her head, he nodded, indicating that he understood the need for absolute silence. She worked hurriedly to untie the rope binding his legs and as the knots loosened, she lowered the rope to the floor. Jake lifted his feet up and over the rope. Then Mariah slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out the keys that had freed her from her cuffs, hoping they would also fit Jake's. She inserted the key in the lock and—presto—the metal restraints opened. With the utmost ease, Jake removed the cuffs and when he stood, he laid them quietly in the seat of the chair.

Burgess snorted. Mariah froze to the spot. Jake stood rigid and unmoving. Burgess sucked in air and began snoring monotonously again. Mariah led Jake toward the kitchen.

She grasped the knob and cracked open the door. It squeaked softly as it had when she'd entered the cabin.

"That you, Lester?" Burgess called out, his voice heavy with sleep.

Damn! Mariah flung open the door. She and Jake broke into a full run, straight down the road. The frigid predawn air cut through her clothing like razor-sharp blades. By the time they were halfway to the main road where the Saturn was parked, her chest ached. From somewhere behind them she heard shouting, voices echoing in the mountain stillness. Burgess had no doubt awakened fully and alerted Agnes and Oliver. But if they followed Jake and her, they'd have to do so on foot. With four slashed tires, their car wasn't going anywhere.

The open gate lay ahead, only a few yards away. Jake kept pace with her. He didn't seem to even be breathing hard.

When they reached the Saturn, she jumped behind the wheel as Jake slid into the passenger seat. Just as she inserted the key and started the SUV, a rifle shot rang out, followed by another. The second shot hit the right rear door.

Mariah revved the engine, shoved the gears into drive and raced off, leaving behind a cloud of fresh snow and loose gravel.

Twelve

"Just what the hell happened?" Agnes Payne yelled at the top of her lungs as she glared menacingly at Burgess.

Oliver had seen his wife in a fit of rage on numerous occasions and he usually did his best to steer clear of her. But there was no escape. He sincerely hoped she didn't kill Burgess on the spot. He'd known her to shoot first and ask questions later.

"Hell, if I know." Burgess's deep voice quivered. "I swear I thought I heard Lester coming in and then I realized Ingram was gone and—"

Agnes slapped Burgess soundly. The big man looked at her, slightly dazed, fear in his eyes. "You fool. Do you know what your negligence has cost us? Jake Ingram was the prize—the grand prize. And you've allowed him to escape."

"But how was I to know that Dr. Brooks would get away from Lester? She should be dead, shouldn't she?"

"Yes, she most definitely should be dead," Agnes replied, her tone minacious and condescending. "But my guess is that Lester is the one who's dead. And you know what that means?"

Burgess shook his head.

Perhaps Burgess didn't know what Dr. Brooks's escape from Lester meant, but Oliver suspected he knew. Dr.

Brooks was not a psychiatrist, not a loyal Coalition member who'd been swayed by Jake Ingram's charm. She was probably a government agent of some sort. Highly trained. Not only smarter than Lester and Ingram, but possessing the ability to overpower a man twice her size.

"It means that our Dr. Brooks is probably a federal agent," Agnes said. "Someone trained in self-defense."

"If you thought she might be an agent, why did you think Lester could handle her?" Burgess asked. "Isn't it partly your fault?"

No, no, Oliver wanted to say, but kept quiet. Burgess had done the wrong thing by trying to shift any part of the blame onto Agnes. As Oliver suspected she would do, she slapped Burgess again. The man glowered at her; his hand
ABC Amber Text Converter Trial v
ersion, http://www.processtext.com/abctxt.html

tightened around the rifle he held.

"We're wasting valuable time, my dear." Oliver dared to voice an opinion. "We should contact headquarters and have someone come for us as soon as possible."

The sound of Oliver's voice—the voice of calm and reason—seemed to soothe her for the moment. She nodded, then said, "Yes, of course. I'll make the call. We can deal with Burgess later."

The minute Agnes went inside the cabin to contact their new headquarters here in Arizona, Burgess turned to Oliver. "It wasn't my fault. You know it wasn't."

"If you'd been alert, it wouldn't have happened. Therefore, it is your fault."

"But you heard her say that—"

"Never contradict my wife. Your best defense is to admit guilt and beg her forgiveness."

Burgess shifted his feet restlessly, as if he needed to go to the bathroom. It became apparent that the man was more than just nervous because of Agnes's tongue-lashing.

"Is there something else?" Oliver asked. "Some problem we don't know about?"

"What—what else could there be?"

"You tell me."

Burgess shrugged.

"If you're hiding something, you'd better tell me now. If Agnes finds out about whatever it is, you'll need me on your side if you don't want her to kill you."

"She'd actually kill me? God, man, I'd heard rumors about her, but—"

"Never listen to rumors," Oliver told him. "Listen to a man who's been at her side for over thirty years. You do not screw around with Agnes Payne."

"Look, it was Lester's idea to take the damn thing when we picked up Ingram at Redcom."

"What thing did you pick up?"

"The laptop. I knew I shouldn't have listened to that idiot, but he said we could sell it and make a few extra bucks."

"A laptop computer? You stole a computer from Redcom?"

"It was in the room with Ingram when we picked him up for transport. It was just sitting there on the desk and Lester grabbed it while I hoisted Ingram over my shoulder."

The blood ran cold in Oliver's veins. He suspected that Lester had stolen one of the laptops used throughout the complex in Oregon—a direct link to the Coalition's main computer system.

"Where is that computer now?" Oliver asked. "Is it back at the cabin where you first took Ingram?"

Burgess shook his head.

"Then where is it?"

"It's in the Saturn. Under the front seat."

"Damn!" Oliver grabbed Burgess by the coat lapels and shook him, disregarding the fact that the man was half a foot taller and outweighed him by more than fifty pounds.

"Dr. Brooks might not find it," Burgess said as he freed himself from Oliver's tenacious hold. "Why would she look under the front seat?"

"Because, you fool, if she is a trained agent, as we suspect, she'll go over that SUV with a fine-tooth comb." Oliver turned and headed toward the house.

"Do you have to tell Dr. Payne?"

"Of course I have to tell her. If that laptop is what I suspect it is, it is most likely linked directly to our computer at both the Oregon compound and the new compound at Verde Valley."

"Holy sh— I screwed up big time, huh?"

"Yes, Mr. Burgess, you most certainly screwed up big time."

***

About a mile down the road, Jake caught his breath enough to actually talk. Everything had happened so fast that he hadn't had time to think, only to act and react. He'd been so sure Mariah was dead, certain that Lester had raped and then killed her. But he should have known that if any woman could escape, Mariah could. Remember, she's a highly trained federal agent, he told himself. And you've witnessed, firsthand, what an expert she is at martial arts. She probably outsmarted Lester and took the first opportunity to overpower the bastard. Jake hoped like hell that the man was dead.