Countdown (23 page)

J
ane was smiling as she hung up the phone. She always felt better after she talked to Joe and Eve. She hadn’t realized how desperate and discouraged she’d been feeling until this moment. In only this few minutes of conversation, they’d managed to share their strength with her.

A knock at the door. Trevor opened it before she could answer. “You’re about to receive a visitor,” he said grimly. “Venable just called and he’s frothing at the mouth.”

“Why?”

“He didn’t like your recent discussion with Eve and Joe. He’s talking breach of security, interference with CIA business, and posing a threat to the national interest.”

“What?” Then his words hit home. “He bugged my phone?”

“Yes. Hell, he bugs
my
phone. I let him do it. It made him feel more secure, and there are always ways around it.” He made a face. “I told him I didn’t give a damn what you told Eve and Joe, but evidently you crossed his line of comfort. What did you ask Joe to do?”

“Stir everyone up so that we could get some help finding Reilly and Grozak.”

“That would do it. Government agencies are extremely touchy about interference in their jurisdictions.”

“Tough.”

“I agree.” He gestured toward the door. “So shall we go down and tell him so? He should be arriving any time now.”

“Cripes, he must be upset.” She frowned as she passed him. “And I do care if my phone is bugged, dammit.”

“Talk to him, not to me.”

“You didn’t tell me he’d done it.”

“You were feeling insecure enough.” He preceded her down the stairs. “And I wanted you to stay. It was important to me.”

“But you’re letting me know now.”

“I don’t think a hydrogen bomb blast would budge you from here at the moment. You’re involved.” He looked at her over his shoulder. “Right?”

He was right, dammit. As she’d told Eve and Joe, this was the one place where she could be of use. “I’m involved,” she repeated. “But that doesn’t mean I’m willing to put up with this kind of bullshit to stay here.”

“I know. That’s why I’m letting Venable clear the decks and put everything out in the open.” He turned as he reached the bottom of the stairs. “And to convince you that Venable does exist and that I’m telling you the truth about working with him.”

“I didn’t think you were lying.”

“Perhaps not consciously. But maybe on a subliminal level? You know I’m capable of fairly complicated chicanery. I wanted to make sure that you knew I was being entirely aboveboard.” He turned and opened the front door. “Ask Venable any question you like.” He smiled. “Of course, now that you’re considered a security risk, he may not answer you.”

C
arl Venable didn’t look like the nervous individual Trevor had described, Jane thought as he got off the helicopter. He was big and burly with a shock of graying red hair and held himself with confidence and authority.

But the frown on his face and the jerkiness of his movement belied that confidence as he came toward them. “I told you that you shouldn’t have gone to get her,” he said curtly to Trevor. “Sabot’s furious. He threatened to pull me off the case.”

“He won’t do it. Quinn will undoubtedly stir up the waters, but he’s going to paint you as the good guy. Sabot will be too busy answering questions and trying to make his position seem credible to undermine you.”

“So you say.” He turned to Jane. “You don’t know what a mess you’ve made of this. It’s going to be twice as hard for us to get anything done efficiently. Quinn is bound to involve Homeland Security, and that means that we’ll have to answer to them. You might have blown any chance we have of capturing Grozak.”

“You don’t seem to have done such a great job to date,” Jane said. “And if it will keep another 9/11 from happening, I don’t care how difficult I’ve made your job. Screw it. I’ll do what I please.”

His cheeks flushed. “Not if I arrest you and put you under our protection as a material witness.”

“Stop right there, Venable,” Trevor said. “I know you’re upset, but we both know that’s not going to happen.”

“I should do it. It would be safer for all of us. Hell, it would be safer for her. It would keep Reilly’s hands off her. You told me yourself that he said he wanted to make a trade for her. And now she’s becoming a thorn—”

“I also told you to keep your mouth shut about what Reilly said, you son of a bitch,” Trevor interrupted in disgust. “Now you’ve blown it.”

“Wait a minute,” Jane said. “What are you talking about?” She whirled on Trevor. “Trade?”

He was silent a moment and then shrugged. “When he called me, he had a list of demands to stop him from going along with Grozak.”

“And what was on this list?”

“The gold, my statue of Cira.” He paused. “And you. You figured very prominently on his list.”

“Why?”

“Why do you think? I told you he was a fanatic about everything to do with Herculaneum, and Cira’s gold in particular. What’s more to do with Cira than you? The spitting image. He believes you may know more than you think you do. Or that you may know and are lying low and waiting for the opportune moment to reach out and grab.”

“That’s absurd.” She tried to think. “And I can’t see how he could make me tell him any—” And then it came to her. “Jock . . .”

“Bingo. Mind control. Making you open your mind and letting him explore every inch of it,” Trevor said. “No doubt with some of his dirty little tampering along the way.”

A chill went through her at the thought. “That bastard.”

“I told him no sale. I offered him the gold if I found it, and my statue, but I told him he’d have to do without you.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“He should have told you,” Venable said. “I told him that we might be able to use that—”

“And I told you it wasn’t going to happen.”

Jane tried to work her way through the first horror of that threat. “Venable’s right. We should explore every—”

“Screw it,” Trevor said. “I knew you’d react like this. That’s why I didn’t tell you. I risked you once four years ago; it’s not happening again.”

“You didn’t make the decision. I made the choice then. I’ll make it now.”

“Reilly tentatively accepted the offer of the statue and the gold. It’s really the gold that he wants. There’s no reason to make any decision.”

“We haven’t found the gold yet.”

“We’ve still got time.” He glanced at Venable. “Damn you.”

“It slipped,” Venable said. “But maybe it’s a good thing. She has to realize that every action she takes can affect us all. I’m still tempted to take her away and put her—” He broke off and then sighed wearily. “No, I won’t do it. But we all might be a hell of a lot safer if I did.” His lips twisted. “Including your Joe Quinn and Eve Duncan.”

She stiffened. “What do you mean?” She swung on Trevor. “You told me they were guarded, safe.”

“They are,” Trevor said. “Stop trying to scare her, Venable.”

“Is that what you’re doing?” she demanded.

“They’re guarded. We won’t let anything happen to them.” Venable shrugged. “There have just been reports from the agents on duty of a few signs of disturbance in the woods near the cottage.”

“What kind of disturbance?”

He shrugged. “Nothing concrete.” He turned back to the helicopter. “I’ve got to get back to Aberdeen. I shouldn’t have come. I was going to be all diplomatic and try to convince her that we were doing the best job we could and ask her to call off Quinn and Duncan.” He grimaced. “It didn’t work out that way. I lost it. Sabot would never tolerate or understand a slip like that. Hell, maybe I should turn in my resignation. I haven’t been a company man since this started. I’ve been too scared.”

“Scared?” Jane echoed.

“Why not? I have a wife and four kids. I have three brothers, a father in a nursing home, and a mother who takes care of all of us. We don’t know where those explosives are supposed to go off.” He looked at Jane. “They might be targeted at your Atlanta. It’s a big city and a major airline hub. Aren’t you tempted to run home and whisk the people you love to a cave in the nearest mountain? I am.”

Yes, she was tempted. She’d been trying to smother that fear since Trevor told her about Grozak’s plans. “Eve and Joe wouldn’t go.” She stared him in the eye. “And you didn’t run home. You stayed here and tried to make a difference.”

“Not a very good attempt, according to Trevor.” He shrugged and turned away. “But I’ll keep on trying until Sabot gets sick of me and gives me a pink slip. Don’t worry, Ms. MacGuire, nothing is going to happen to your people. I made Trevor a promise.” He got back on the helicopter. “I’ll call you, Trevor.”

“Do that. Don’t come in person just because you’re angry. I’m doing my damnedest to keep Grozak from knowing that the CIA has any involvement. Did you cover your ass?”

“I’m no amateur. The helicopter is rented in the name of Herculaneum Historical Society. We might even make Grozak a little worried that you located the gold and sent for someone to have it authenticated. From Aberdeen I board a flight direct to Naples. Satisfied?”

“No, I’d have been satisfied if you’d just kept your mouth shut.”

“I couldn’t do that.” Venable’s gaze shifted to Jane. “You opened a whole can of worms. You’ve no idea how fast and hard Homeland Security can act if they decide to do it. It may only be a token foray, since they don’t believe Grozak is a threat any more than Sabot does. But it will be enough to blow any cover you have. I’m probably too late, but I thought I’d try.” The door of the helicopter closed behind him.

Trevor glanced at Jane. “You didn’t ask him any questions about me.”

“I didn’t get a chance.” She turned toward the front door. “And I never said I wanted to ask him questions. That was your idea.”

“What did you think of him?”

“Sad.” She shook her head. “And very human. I believe he’ll do the best he can.”

“We’re all doing the best we can.” Trevor opened the door for her and let her precede him into the hall. “And I could use a little of that tolerance you’re showing Venable.”

“You should have told me what Reilly said.”

“No, I shouldn’t. I never make it hard on myself if I can help it. I could help it this time.”

“But I’m the one at risk. Every time I think we’re working together, I find out you haven’t told me something. Dammit, I don’t even understand how you think.”

He smiled. “Then skim the surface. I’ll guarantee to make it worth your while.”

She felt the familiar heat flow through her as she looked at him. He was standing there, his stance casual, but there was nothing casual about that smile. It was intimate, sensual, and devilishly seductive. Why did she let him do this to her? Christ, that tingling response had erupted out of nowhere. One moment she’d been upset, almost indignant with him, and then that physical response had come. “I’m not a skimmer. I don’t know how.”

“I’ll teach you. I’m an expert.” He was watching her expression. “Not now?”

“It’s not . . . my nature.” She hurried toward the staircase. “I’ve got to check on Mario and then I’m meeting Jock in the courtyard at five.”

“He seemed upset when he left you this morning. He might not show.”

“You were watching?”

“Brenner wasn’t here, and I trust MacDuff but he has his own agenda. Of course I was watching. And I’ll be watching this afternoon.”

“I don’t believe he’ll hurt me.”

“I want to be sure.” He paused. “I’m going to the Run tonight after dinner. I want you there. Will you come?”

“I don’t . . . know. I’m still angry with you.”

“But there’s something else going on too, isn’t there?” His gaze was fixed intently on her face and his voice was suddenly rough with feeling. “I want it very much. So much that I’ve got to get away from you or I’ll show you right here, right now. I’ll be waiting.” He headed toward the library. “And I’m damn human too, Jane. Come and see for yourself.”

I
t was five-fifteen when Jane saw Jock coming across the courtyard toward her.

“You came back.” She tried to hide her relief as she opened her sketchbook. “I’m glad.”

“The laird told me I should.” He frowned. “I didn’t want to do it.”

“Because I made you uneasy?” She started to sketch. “I didn’t mean to—” She stopped and then said, “I’m not telling you the truth. I wanted you to be worried, Jock. We’re all worried, and why should you be different? We have to stop that man who hurt you. It’s your job to help us.”

He shook his head.

“Do you believe it’s over? It’s not over, Jock. Reilly is going to hurt a lot of people because you’re burying your head in the sand. If he does, it will be your fault.”

“Not my fault.”

“Yes, it is.” She searched wildly for a way to get through to him. “And it’s not only strangers he’s going to hurt. He’d be angry that MacDuff is trying to stop him. Are you going to let Reilly hurt him?”

He looked away from her. “I’ll take care of the laird. No one will hurt him.”

“MacDuff won’t let you. He wants to find and kill Reilly because of what he did to you. MacDuff is a strong, determined man. You won’t be able stop him. In your heart you know that. The only way to keep him safe is for us to strike at Reilly before he can strike. But we have to know where he is.”

“I don’t know where he is.”

“I think you do.”

“I don’t. I don’t.” His voice sharpened. “Stop talking about it.”

“When you tell me about Reilly.”

“I can make you stop.” He took a half step toward her and his hand reached into his pocket. “It’s easy. I know how to do that.”

She went rigid. The garrote. He was reaching for the garrote. She forced herself not to take a step back. “I’m sure you know all kinds of ways to quiet your enemies, but I’m not your enemy, Jock.”

“You won’t shut up. You
bother
me.”

“And is that reason to kill? Is that what Reilly taught you? Are you still doing what he orders you to do?”

“No! I ran away. I knew it was bad, but I couldn’t stop.”

“You still haven’t stopped. You’re letting it go on and on. And soon it will kill MacDuff.”