Royal Target (11 page)

Chapter 18

Rain drizzled down onto the blackened earth by the seashore. Garrett stood beneath an umbrella, listening to the fire investigator’s initial report. Arson was not a common crime in Meridia, but the investigator’s findings left little doubt. He was certain that the fire had been deliberate.

The positive press from the day before about his engagement to Janessa had taken a back seat to last night’s tragedy. Today’s headlines were filled with news of the gas station fire as well as reminders of the embassy bombing two weeks before. With the gala less than a month away, security concerns were once again increasing.

The fire the night before had originated at one of the gasoline holding tanks. Records indicated that Alberto Manero had passed a safety inspection six weeks earlier. The possibility of an accidental fire starting there was basically nonexistent.

A visit to Manero’s widow had revealed minimal information about the people Manero had met with. His wife had described the woman as young and beautiful with dark hair. The men had worn expensive suits, and one was middle-aged while the other she guessed to be a bit younger. Beyond that she could remember little except that they had been meeting on the first Tuesday of each month for the past several years.

Neighboring shopkeepers had not noticed anyone near the gas station the night before, and only one body had been recovered from the fire. Some subtle probing into Manero’s bank accounts revealed nothing unusual. By the same token, no record of any consistent business dealings existed either. His supplier had been the same since before he had taken over the business from his father. His clients were simply the residents and tourists in the village. The people he had been meeting with each month were a complete mystery.

After the investigator finished briefing Garrett and Frederick Donovan, Meridia’s director of security, Garrett instructed his driver to take him to the American Embassy, where he asked to meet with Tony Coletto. According to Frederick, Coletto was the man the Americans had sent to investigate the bombings. Their sources revealed that Coletto had been with the CIA for the majority of his working career, specializing in terrorist activity.

As soon as Garrett was shown into Coletto’s office, he got straight to the point. “I hope your government can help us with a small matter in the embassy bombing investigation.”

“What do you need?” Coletto asked, leaning forward in his seat, looking puzzled.

“I want you to see if you can find any offshore bank accounts for Alberto Manero.”

“Forgive me, but I wasn’t aware that you were involved in the embassy bombing investigation. I have been dealing with your director of security up until now,” Coletto said.

“I realize that. In fact, I met with Frederick this morning regarding the fire last night. He agrees that this information may be crucial to the investigation,” Garrett told him.

“You can’t possibly think that a gas station fire has anything to do with the embassy bombing.”

“I don’t know.” Garrett shrugged. “I just know that this village hasn’t had a fire in nearly ten years. Now we’ve had two in less than a month.”

“Do you know how the fire started?”

“It started at one of the holding tanks.” Garrett tapped a finger on the arm of his chair, studying Coletto. “I looked over the reports
on Manero’s bank account records. Something doesn’t add up, particularly the reason behind a so-called business meeting he had each month. I can only assume that he was involved in something besides selling gasoline.”

“I’ll send this request to the CIA. It may take some time, but we’ll do what we can.”

“Thank you.” Garrett nodded. “Have you had any new developments on the bombing?”

Coletto shook his head. “Logically, a terrorist group should be responsible. Unfortunately, we can’t find any evidence to substantiate that theory. In fact, each day we seem to uncover more evidence against the possibility.”

“Who would gain from the mere appearance of a terrorist attack?” Garrett wondered.

“If you figure that out, let me know.”

* * *

“Who authorized you to discuss our naval base with the royal family?” The US ambassador’s voice boomed over the phone line, and Janessa held the phone an inch from her ear to protect her hearing. She’d been doing so well managing to stay out of trouble since arriving in Meridia. That was before Stefano had decided to have a chat with Aaron Mitchell, the US ambassador in Meridia.

“Sir, I did not engage in any negotiations nor official discussions with the royal family,” Janessa said, trying to keep her voice calm. “It was an unplanned disclosure but truly seemed to be in our country’s best interest.”

“It’s not your place to judge that. You were out of line, Rogers. I might even go so far as to say it was a complete breach of security. If I have my way, you will be on your way home before the day is over.”

“Surely you don’t think that’s wise,” Janessa managed, trying to ignore the panic rising in her stomach. “My position is far too public for me to leave, and I believe the royal family wishes for me to complete my duties here.”

“No one is irreplaceable,” Ambassador Mitchell insisted loudly right before hanging up the phone.

Wearily, Janessa set down the phone and rubbed her fingers against the throbbing at her temples. She knew she should go talk to Levi about a backup plan in case the ambassador was successful in sending her home, but she couldn’t bring herself to face the possibility quite yet.

She considered wryly what Garrett would think if she were sent home. This would be the second time since she met him. She hoped he would understand that, once again, her actions didn’t warrant such extreme punishment. She was still annoyed that he had gone to meet with the fire inspector without her, but she pushed that aside and picked up the phone. Though Garrett had given her his phone numbers before she arrived in Meridia, she had never before considered using them.

The phone rang several times before Garrett answered with a breathless hello.

“Garrett? It’s Janessa,” she started, annoyed when her voice wavered. She took a deep breath and forced the words out. “I was hoping you could help me with something.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Not exactly.” She took another deep breath. “The US ambassador here wants to send me home.” Before he could ask any questions, she rushed on. “Apparently your brother commented on my naval proposal, and the ambassador believes that I have breached security.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Garrett insisted. “My family has already been briefed several times regarding the US naval base.”

“I know.” Janessa made a frustrated gesture with her free hand. “Garrett, I’m not sure what to do. I don’t know how someone else could replace me at this point.”

“Janessa, no one is going to replace you,” Garrett assured her. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Thank you.” Janessa let herself slide down onto the sofa as she cradled the phone between her shoulder and her ear. “I’m sorry I had to bother you with this.”

“It’s not a bother. I was going to call you anyway to let you know I got the fire chief’s report today,” he told her. “The evidence suggests that it was arson.”

“You already suspected as much,” Janessa commented, fighting back the frustration that she wasn’t able to be more involved. “Are there any leads as to who is responsible?”

“Not yet. We have a couple of suspicions we’re looking into,” Garrett said. “I’ll give you the details when I see you.”

“Do you know when you’re coming back yet?”

“Tomorrow, I hope,” he replied. A bit of mischief laced his voice when he added, “By the way, my mother offered to send her designer out to the chateau. She thought you should probably have another fitting or two for your ball gown.”

“Maybe I should let the ambassador send me home after all.”

Garrett’s laughter rang through the line. “If something comes up, I’ll give you a call. Otherwise, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Alright, I’ll see you then.”

* * *

The instant Garrett hung up the phone, it rang again. “Hello?”

“I can’t believe you’re finally home.” Tim’s voice came over the line. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for days.”

“Things have been pretty hectic around here.” Garrett settled back into his favorite chair. He ran through his schedule in his head and decided he could spare a few minutes.

“I know. I’ve been reading all about it,” Tim began. “Are you really engaged? You never even mentioned this girl before.”

“I ran into her in Caracas.” Garrett chose his words carefully. He hated to mislead his friend, but he couldn’t risk breaching security, especially over the phone. “We hadn’t seen each other for some time.”

“I can’t believe you’re getting married,” Tim said and then hesitated. “How does she feel about you getting baptized?”

“I haven’t talked to her about it yet.”

“What?” Tim interrupted. “Have you changed your mind?”

“No, nothing like that.” Garrett laughed at the sudden concern in his friend’s voice. “I promise she’ll support my decision. She’s Mormon.”

“Garrett, that’s great!” Tim’s tone changed instantly. “Have you decided on a date yet?”

“We haven’t gotten that far,” Garrett told him evasively. Desperate to change the subject, he asked, “What ever happened with the FBI? Did you get the job?”

“I start training in two months,” Tim told him cheerfully. “I was hoping to start bringing in a paycheck earlier, but at least this way we’ll have time to come to Meridia the week before the gala and do some sightseeing.”

“That’s great.” Garrett stood up as a knock sounded at the door. “I’ve got to get going, but I’ll give you a call when I have a little more time.”

“In other words, I’ll talk to you when I get there in a couple weeks.” Tim laughed. “Take care of yourself.”

“You too.” Garrett disconnected the phone and opened the door to find his brother on the other side.

“I thought you’d want to see this.” Stefano handed him a thin file. His face was serious. “It just arrived today.”

Flipping it open, Garrett drew a quick breath, and his vision blurred with fury and terror. His eyes darted up to his brother, who was still standing in the doorway. “I can’t let this happen.”

“You know the family will support whatever you decide,” Stefano said soberly.

Garrett just nodded as his brother turned to walk away, leaving him with the terrifying images and the fears they invoked.

Chapter 19

Janessa stepped outside, relieved to escape the chateau. She had met with the florists that morning, and it had taken three phone calls to the queen to settle everything for the gala. Thank goodness Queen Marta was so patient with the details. She smiled as she thought of the way Marta could shift from being a queen to a mother in an instant. In business matters, Marta was like a general ordering troops into action. When speaking of her family, however, her voice turned soft, and Janessa suspected that her happiness was deeply entrenched in the well-being of her husband and sons.

Janessa took a deep breath of fresh air and considered her next task. The extra security measures were in place, but she needed to double check all of them. A smile lit her face when she saw a van pulling into the drive. Alan Neisler waved from the driver’s side window as he pulled to a stop.

“I was wondering when you were going to show up.”

“Did you miss me?” Alan laughed as he stepped out of the car. He took a look at the chateau and let out a low whistle. “Pretty fancy.”

Janessa laughed. “Wait until you taste the food.”

“I love it here already,” Alan replied. He lowered his voice and added, “I even remembered my autograph book.”

Janessa narrowed her eyes. “Don’t you dare ask Garrett for an autograph.”

“Garrett, is it?” One eyebrow lifted. “You’re on a first name basis, I see.”

“Don’t start with me.” Janessa sighed, wishing she had more time to talk to her friend. “I hate to put you straight to work, but I’d like you to do an initial sweep of the chateau. I’m going to go out for a ride to see if the new motion detectors can track me.”

Alan nodded as he led the way to the back of the van. He opened the back to reveal his partner, Max, a four-year-old German shepherd. “Let me give Max a few minutes to stretch his legs, and then we’ll get started.”

“Sounds good,” Janessa agreed as Martino walked up beside them. She turned to address him. “Martino, this is Alan Neisler. Can you please show him to his quarters?”

“Of course, signorina.”

“I’ll see you both later.” She headed for the stables and found Paolo inside brushing down one of the horses.

“I was wondering if you would find time to come to the stables today.” Paolo motioned for her to follow him and led her deeper inside. He stopped and motioned to the tall, white Arabian that was favored by Prince Stefano. “This gentleman needs some time out in the open. Prince Stefano calls him ‘Lightning.’”

“He’s a beauty.” Janessa took the lead rope from the hook just outside of the stall and pulled open the stall door. With calm efficiency she clipped the rope to the horse’s halter and led him to the tack room so she could saddle him.

“Keep your wits about you with this one,” Paolo warned her. “He likes to have his own way.”

“So do I.” Janessa laughed. “I’m sure we’ll get along fine.”

Janessa retrieved the saddle that Paolo now kept reserved for her. Out of habit, she checked the length of the stirrups. After sharing equipment with five siblings growing up, she was still surprised to find anything the way she left it. After slipping the bridle on, she led the horse outside to mount.

Lightning pranced from side to side under the weight of his rider for a moment before settling down. Janessa patted him on the neck and urged him toward the hills. Moving as one, horse and rider climbed up a rise and disappeared among the trees.

* * *

Garrett entered the chateau through the private entrance and headed straight to Janessa’s room. The threats against his family, which continued to arrive at the palace daily, now had a new twist. Janessa was among those being threatened. His stomach sickened as he thought of the latest threat against her, and he knew he wouldn’t rest until she was safely home in her own country.

The demand was simple enough: don’t grant the United States access to Meridian waters—or Janessa would be killed. Who would benefit from such a demand was still a mystery, but Garrett didn’t think about that now. All he could think about was how to get Janessa to leave Meridia.

He knocked on the door and waited impatiently before he pounded his fist against the door in three quick raps. Frustrated that she wasn’t there, he turned and stalked down the hall, his irritation compounded by stress and lack of sleep. The last two days had been grueling as he continued to face his country’s vulnerability. Despite a strong Navy, a well-trained police force, and efficient emergency personnel, someone was causing destruction in Meridia, and no one knew why.

With his thoughts still on Janessa, Garrett made his way down to the parlor, where he found Martino instructing one of the maids.

“Where is she?” Garrett demanded, his tone sharper than he had intended.

Martino’s eyebrows rose, but his tone was businesslike when he spoke. “Signorina Rogers left the chateau over an hour ago. She said something about taking one of the horses out for a ride.” He motioned down the hall. “The new sensors are in place. I believe the security guards are tracking her movements.”

“Well, let’s see if they know where she is then.” Garrett followed Martino to the security office. When he stepped inside, he noticed the extra panel of sensors in addition to the monitors feeding visual images to the security office.

“Good afternoon, Your Highness,” the guard greeted him. Beside the guard, Levi Marin was fiddling with some controls.

“Do you know where Signorina Rogers is?” Garrett asked, trying to control his impatience.

Levi glanced up at him as he answered. “The last time she triggered a sensor, she was headed east toward the naval base.”

“How long ago was that?”

“About twenty minutes ago.” Levi looked at him apologetically. “I’ve already sent two guards out to look for her.”

Garrett sensed the concern in Levi’s voice and was afraid to ask whether he was worried about Janessa or a faulty security system. “She’s alone?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The muscle in Garrett’s jaw tensed, but he said nothing as he nodded and headed back down the hall. He could already be too late. For all he knew, someone had gotten to her before he arrived.

His eyes were burning and dry as he pushed open the front door. He squinted beneath the noonday sun at a horse and rider galloping on the beach. As they moved closer, he realized the horse was one of their own, the stallion his brother had acquired several years before.

His relief was instant when he saw the red hair. He took a moment and just watched as Janessa continued past the chateau and headed into the trees near the stables. Several minutes later, Garrett found Janessa still astride his brother’s horse. Swamped with relief and concern, he struggled to control his emotions. “Janessa.”

The horse sidestepped, forcing Janessa to keep her attention on her mount rather than on Garrett.

Paolo moved forward to take the reins while Janessa dismounted. He looked from Janessa to the prince, bowing slightly. “I’ll cool down the horse, signorina.”

“Thank you, Paolo.” Janessa nodded. She ran her fingers through her hair and turned toward Garrett. Her eyes widened when he closed the distance between them in two long strides and pulled her into his arms.

Her arms came around him instinctively as she looked up at him, concerned. “Is everything okay? Your family?”

“Everyone’s fine. I need to talk to you.” He skimmed a knuckle down her cheek, just staring for a moment before he took her hand and led her down the path.

When they reached the gardens, Garrett slowed and turned her to face him. A million thoughts raced through his mind, but overshadowing them all was his concern for her safety. “Janessa, I’m sending you back to the United States.”

Her face went white. She looked as though he had slapped her. She pulled her hand from his and took a step back. “I beg your pardon?”

“You fly out first thing tomorrow morning.”

She took another step back and created more than just physical distance between them. Her tone was cool when she spoke. “May I ask why? I thought you wanted me to stay. You said I could finish my job here.”

“This has nothing to do with your job and everything to do with you.” Garrett’s voice sharpened, and he ran a hand through his thick, black hair. “We have received more threats against my family. You have also been threatened.”

“I see.” Janessa tilted her head, her eyes narrowing. “Will you be leaving as well?”

“Of course not.”

“And your family?”

“We live here.”

“For now, I live here too.” Janessa turned to walk away, only to be whirled back around when Garrett grabbed her arm.

“Don’t you understand? You have to go!”

“I won’t go.” Janessa’s voice was calm, but fury vibrated through each word. “I won’t be chased away any more than you will.”

Garrett clenched his teeth. He watched her storm away before turning to look out over the Mediterranean. Waves of emotions rolled over him—annoyance, frustration, and the underlying fear that she would fall victim to the violence threatening his family.

He should have known she wouldn’t leave. Her sense of duty was every bit as strong as his own, and he knew he couldn’t leave Meridia right now regardless of the threats, not even for Janessa. He spotted one of his bodyguards nearby, and an idea began to form. If Janessa refused to leave, he would do everything in his power to make sure she was protected.

* * *

Janessa stopped outside of the security office and took a deep breath. She wouldn’t be able to do anyone any good if she let her anger get in the way. Pushing the door open, she saw the surprise on the security guard’s face and the frustration on Levi’s.

“If you’re surprised to see me, this isn’t good news.”

Levi nodded to the guard. “Why don’t you take a break and let everyone know we found her. I’ll run the activity report for the past two hours, and when you get back, we’ll see if we can fix the problem.”

“Thanks.” The guard nodded and exited the room.

As soon as the guard was gone, Levi punched a button and paper started feeding through the printer. He turned to Janessa. “The last time you set off a sensor was half an hour ago. We’ve got a big gap somewhere.”

“That would have been about the time I got down to the beach.” Janessa nodded. “We should probably post guards down there until we figure out how to compensate.”

Levi nodded in agreement. “I’ll print out an extra copy of the activity report so you can take one with you.”

“Thanks,” Janessa said as she noticed Garrett on the monitor displaying the garden entrance. He looked so serious as he stared out over the water. The armor was back, she realized—the same impenetrable shield he’d carried with him when she had first met him.

Slowly, her fury went from full boil to simmer as she watched him. She was surprised that, despite her annoyance, she wanted to comfort him and help soothe away the worry. At the moment, however, she doubted he would let her. He looked so unapproachable standing there, so royal, so alone.

“Here you are.” Levi handed the report to Janessa, snapping her back to the present.

“Thanks. I’ll touch base with you in the morning.” Janessa took the printout and headed for her quarters.

Once inside her sitting room, she dropped down onto the sofa and scanned the report. She shook her head in frustration as she flipped through the pages. She could track exactly where she had ridden that afternoon, right up until she disappeared from the sensors and penetrated the chateau’s security. No one had even known where she was until Garrett had seen her. At night, she could have slipped into the chateau completely undetected.

She moved to the desk and retrieved an overhead photo of the chateau that Martino had given her. With a sigh, she pushed Garrett from her mind and got back to work.