Silver Justice (25 page)

“I know you will. I appreciate it. Now tell me who’s running the team? Maybe we can compare notes.”

“It’s Art Phillips. He’s seasoned – has done a lot of these, relatively speaking.”

“Art’s good. That will help. Listen, I’m sorry to have to take time off from the task force. I know things are heating up there with the latest–”

“I need to talk to you about that. Don’t worry about the task force. Your priority should be your daughter.”

“I know, but I’m able to focus, and I’m planning to be back on line tomorrow. I really feel like we’re making progress now. With the traffic image and some leads on possible motivation…”

“Silver, that isn’t important. You need to look after yourself until this ordeal is over. I’ll assign someone else to run the task force.” Brett dropped the bomb as artfully as possible.

Silver took a few seconds of silence to absorb his words. “You’re pulling me?”

Brett hesitated, and then his voice grew in conviction. “I have no choice. With your daughter kidnapped, there’s not a chance in hell the Bureau will let you keep running it. You know how things work. We can’t afford to have anything but best efforts every step, and with all this other shit going on… Look, once we find Kennedy, you’re back in the saddle. You have my word on that. But for now, you need to concentrate on your family, not the task force.”

She swallowed, temporarily feeling like she was choking. “I…I can do this, Brett. Really. It will help take my mind off wondering what’s happening to Kennedy every minute of the day. The work will help.”

“I don’t doubt it, but running a serial killer investigation isn’t some kind of therapy, Silver. The victims need someone with no distractions. I wouldn’t remain in this office for two minutes if I let you continue. You know it.”

She felt blood rushing to her cheeks as he spoke.

“Because I’m a woman, and women are emotional, right?”

“Silver, that’s not fair. If you were a man, we’d pull you off just as quickly. It has nothing to do with gender – and everything to do with being involved in a crisis. Think about it. That you would even consider this is because of your sex is irrational. Which underscores my assumption that you aren’t going to be performing at peak while Kennedy is missing.”

Silver digested his words for a few moments. “You’re right, Brett. This is a massive body blow. I’m sorry for lashing out at you. It’s just that right now, the job is all I have. Without that…”

“It’s still your job. But you’re going to take time off. That’s an order. I don’t want to see you near this building until…until there’s a resolution on the kidnapping.” His voice softened. “Silver, if this happened to me I’d be a basket case. Stop forcing yourself to be Wonder Woman. Nobody could keep it together in light of what’s happened. Take the time to deal with this, and we’ll revisit things once…later.”

“Who are you putting in charge?”

“Sam Aravian.”

“No. Brett. Please don’t do that,” she blurted, her voice sounding borderline hysterical. Silver reined in her anger before she lost it. She needed to make a dispassionate case for not giving Sam the lead, not unload on her boss. “He’s not on the same page, Brett. He’ll take the investigation down an unproductive road. He’s fought me tooth and nail on virtually every decision for the last week. Why not Seth? He’s good, and he’s up to speed.”

“He’s also got three years’ less experience, Silver, and he’s not a Supervisory Agent yet. I can’t just bypass a resource like Sam and ask him to answer to Seth. Give me a break.”

Brett was right. He had to work within the framework of the Bureau’s playbook, and while Silver didn’t agree with the decision, she could see how it was the only one he could make.

“I get it. But with all due respect, you’re not going to get rid of me that easily. I want access to the computers while I’m off. If I don’t have something to work on, I’ll go stir crazy. Come on, Brett. Throw me a bone here. Don’t shut me out. I didn’t do anything wrong…”

Brett groaned and then capitulated. She could hear it in his exhalation.

“Fine, Silver, fine. All right. Your remote access will remain in place. But don’t wear yourself out. Your first priority needs to be to yourself right now. We’ll catch this serial one way or another. It shouldn’t be your overriding concern.”

“Thank you, Brett. I appreciate it. And I completely understand what you’re saying. But we’re all wired differently, and the work will really help.”

“Good. Call me if you need anything at all. I’ll be around today and tomorrow, and then I’m off to a conference in D.C. next week. Closed doors, so I’ll only be available in the evenings. Meanwhile, you can also have full access to Art. He’s expecting your call.”

Brett gave her Art’s cell number. “Give Art an hour – he’s going to be in a briefing first thing this morning. I’ve got to go give it, so I won’t be around, either. I’ll keep you posted on any progress. Again, I’m sorry this is happening, Silver.”

“Yeah. It sucks.”

“It does indeed.”

Chapter 19

Kennedy had regained consciousness a few hours earlier, lying on a bed in a completely dark room with no windows. She’d felt her way around, exploring what she could absent any light – it seemed bigger than her bedroom at home, and very different. The air smelled dank and musty and abandoned, and the only furniture in the room was the bed – a single width mattress on a box-spring with no frame.

The cold metal door was locked. She twisted the knob and alternated between pushing and pulling, but no matter what she did, she couldn’t get it to budge. She debated slamming against it and making as much noise as possible but then thought better of it. She didn’t want to risk angering whoever had locked her in.

She listened intently but didn’t hear anything other than a dim humming she couldn’t identify, emanating from somewhere on the other side of the door. Wherever this was, she’d never been anywhere like it before. Her trembling fingers brushed against the coarse finish on the walls. Rough cement with a damp feel. At least it wasn’t freezing or boiling hot.

Her wrists hurt from the cuffs, and her head was pounding. Dizziness came and went along with waves of nausea. Her mouth was dry and tasted like she’d chewed on metal in her sleep, and she was sore all over. Creeping anxiety gnawed at her stomach, aside from the fear she’d awoken to, and her eyes felt like they were going to pop out of her head.

The last thing she remembered was struggling with the intruder, fighting to break free from his superior grip. Then everything had gone dark, and the next thing she knew she was on the bed, thirsty and needing to use the bathroom.

Something scuttled across her arm. She screamed reflexively, brushing it away with revulsion. Visions of spiders, their mandibles twitching feverishly as they sensed blood pulsing just below the surface of her skin, froze her in place. Kennedy had always been terrified of the dark. This was her worst nightmare come true. She shuddered at the thought of insects creeping towards her, unsure of how to protect herself from them.

Kennedy started bawling out of fear and dread of whatever was to come. She wanted her mother and to be someplace safe. Her cries reverberated off the cold, uncaring walls as she shrieked her terror and frustration at them. She threw herself down on the bed face first and howled into the pillow until she drifted off again, exhausted by her outburst.

The humming continued without abating, her only company in the dark confinement.

~ ~ ~

Kennedy bolted upright, woken by the sound of the door lock being slid open. She instinctively shrank back to the farthest corner of the bed, pulling her knees to her chin.

Light streamed through the opening as the heavy steel door swung wide, and then a man filled the space. He walked into the room and reached overhead, and she instinctively flinched. His hand gripped a short cord dangling from the ceiling, and he pulled it with an audible snap. A single bulb illuminated.

Kennedy peered up at him, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the new light. He turned and studied her, rubbing a hand over the closely-cropped, quarter-inch stubble on his head. Their eyes locked, and she felt a chill run through her.

“You probably have to go to the bathroom by now,” he said, his voice sounding gravelly in the confined area.

Kennedy nodded fearfully.

“All right, then. Follow me.”

He turned and moved towards the door. She remained where she was.

“You going to come, or should I leave you in here to do your business on the floor?”

That got her attention. The lesser of two evils was to accompany him.

She stood up gingerly, her legs still wobbly, and trailed him out of the room, through a basement area with a boiler. A small utility door stood open, beyond which she could make out a toilet and an old, cracked, enamel wall sink.

“You have five minutes. Make it worthwhile.” He pointed to the bathroom.

Kennedy went in and closed the door, searching frantically for a way to reach the small window near the ceiling. The light only just penetrated the grimy glass and looked like it might not even open.

“And don’t get any ideas about the window. I have a couple of very mean, very hungry Rottweilers circling the grounds. You wouldn’t make it ten feet.”

The man’s voice was clearly audible through the door. While she attended to her necessities, she could hear him moving around and the sound of cabinets being opened.

Three minutes later, she opened the door and stepped out.

The man held out a bottle of water and an energy bar.

“Here’s breakfast. How do you feel?” he asked as he handed them to her.

She didn’t say anything.

“I’ll bet kind of crummy. That’s from the drug I used. But the water and the food should help. All right. Come on. Back to your room with you.”

He pointed to the doorway.

She shook her head, her eyes fearful.

“This isn’t a negotiation. I tell you what to do, and you do it. That’s the rule. Now, back to the room. I’ll come back in a while to let you out to use the bathroom again and bring you more water.”

She hesitantly shuffled towards the door, then paused and turned. “Can you leave the light on?” she asked softly.

He stared impassively at her for a few moments. “I suppose that wouldn’t hurt anything,” he said and then gestured again.

She nodded, then turned and trudged back into the room.

The door closed behind her, and she heard the bolt slide back into place. She’d taken care to catch a good look at the lock as she went by. It looked very strong.

Kennedy unwrapped the granola bar and tried a bite.

At least it wasn’t stale.

~ ~ ~

Agent Heron approached Vaslav’s customary table framed by two other men, all three wearing suits. Vaslav’s men remained seated. Heron pulled up a chair from one of the surrounding empty tables and slid it next to Vaslav’s.

“Is the coffee any good?” he asked.

“Not bad. Better than most of the other shit served around here.”

“Huh. I’ll have to give it a try sometime.”

“My treat.”

Heron looked at him with humorless eyes. “Want to take a stroll?”

“You read my mind.”

They both stood. Vaslav made a small motion with his head at the seated bodyguards, who blinked back at him and stayed where they were. Vaslav set the pace, fishing in his trousers for a pack of cigarettes. He paused a few feet from the café and lit one with a gold Dunhill lighter, exhaling a stream of gray smoke into the air with satisfaction.

“Give me some good news, Vaslav. I could use some good news.”

They resumed their stroll.

“I believe that I can find out who was foolish enough to attempt to take out a contract on your colleague, but I’ll need some assurances first.”

“Believe? Assurances? Vaslav, I don’t think you understood me very well at our last meeting. I thought I was clear.” Heron sighed. “I guess now you’ll need to see a demonstration to confirm I was serious. Too bad for you, because once that ball starts rolling it can be impossible to stop.” Heron slowed.

Vaslav cursed silently. He was trying to stall for more time, but Heron was playing hard ball.

“My friend. Not so fast. I’m close to having the information you seek. But I can’t get it unless I have some guarantees that doing so won’t bring about negative consequences for those who are providing it.” Vaslav’s face crinkled as he took another pull on his cigarette. “It doesn’t matter whether you bring me down in their eyes. I will just be replaced with someone else. But if they are going to give up information that will impact their relationships, they need to know that they won’t be prosecuted for any part in this regrettable incident.”

Heron shook his head. He leaned in close to Vaslav. “I’ll crush you like a bug, you shit. The same agent’s child was kidnapped last night. That turns the heat up in an altogether more intense way. If your people had anything to do with that, nothing, and I mean nothing under heaven, will keep the U.S. government from going scorched earth on all of you. I mean sky-raining-fire, biblical end-of-days kind of shit, my Russian friend. Think Al Capone-level, it’s-over-for-you kind of shit,” Heron snarled.

Vaslav appeared genuinely shocked. “I swear I know nothing about this latest development. And I don’t think it’s anyone I am involved with. There is no way even the most foolhardy would go to that extreme. These are businessmen, not suicide bombers – they do not wish to eradicate themselves. Look, I can get you the name of the party who ordered the hit, but in return, I have to get a guarantee that nobody on my side will be prosecuted for making the stupid mistake of taking the contract without checking into the particulars of the target. That’s what I’m told happened.”

“I find that impossible to believe.”

“Perhaps, but in the end, the offer is the same. They take the position that it was a regrettable indiscretion, but that all is well, as you say, that has ended well, correct? The shooter has paid the ultimate price for failure; nobody really got hurt other than him, and this way you can go after the driving force who set the contract into motion in the first place. As to the child, I have nothing to do with it, and I can speak for everyone I know that they wouldn’t compound their mistake in this way. Perhaps it would even help you to find her if you knew the identity of the person who ordered the hit. If it is the same person, then you could apply pressure. Does this make sense?”