Stowaway (24 page)

He moved close again and reached for her, but she shifted out of his reach. His expression went grim. “You know I trust you. With my life. But I won’t risk your life, and I can’t risk you alerting anyone in Thornsbury. They have too formidable an arsenal at the camp. They could destroy most of the county or just destroy the evidence and start up somewhere new.”

She stared at him a moment longer and stopped arguing. During her lifetime, she’d wasted far too much time and energy trying to reason with overprotective, all-knowing males. She pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, turning her attention to the passing scenery.

They passed Millionaire Row, yet she barely noticed the glitz and glamour. Paradise had lost its appeal. The wild beauty of the bay had dimmed. Whatever Nick had planned from here on out didn’t include her and that worked both ways. She’d wondered how she could make a break from him, but she needn’t have worried. He’d solved the problem for her. He’d made it easy for her to declare her independence—emotionally, at least, if not physically.

Keri didn’t speak to any of them as they disembarked at the island. She ignored the hand Nick offered her and jumped to the dock. The men started discussing lunch since it was past noon already. She headed straight for the villa and straight upstairs to Maria’s room.

Once there, she stripped and took a long, hot shower. When she’d finished and towel-dried her hair, she pulled on clean panties and the tank top she’d worn earlier. Then she climbed into bed and pulled the sheet over her head.

Nick came to the room a short while later, asking if she wanted something to eat. She pretended to be sleeping, telling herself to start cutting him out of her life. After another hour or so, physical exhaustion finally won over temper, and she slept. She dreamed troubled dreams, reliving the night of the wreck as she had many times over the years.

She remembered waking at her mother’s scream, the car rocking on the guard rail and a man approaching the car. A man her mother recognized and trusted, who’d done nothing to stop the car from careening into the ravine. As always, the identity of the mysterious man eluded her.

The sound of the door opening and Nick speaking her name roused her hours later. Keri pulled back the sheet and blinked at the late-afternoon sunlight pouring into the room. She glanced at the bedside clock, realizing she’d slept most of the day. She’d obviously needed sleep.

“You okay?” asked Nick.

She didn’t respond but sat up, tugged at the twisted tank top and squinted at him.

“Sorry to wake you. I thought you’d be getting hungry. We ate already, but there’s plenty in the kitchen.”

Keri ran her hands through her hair and ignored him. Nick closed the door and moved farther into the room.

“Look, I know you’re pissed and you don’t want me protecting you. I get it, but there’s a lot more at stake than your personal loyalties.”

Keri refused to even honor that statement with a response. What meaning did life hold without loyalties? If faith in your family held no importance, what would? They really did live in different worlds.

He didn’t get too close but tossed a cell phone on the bed. “Call your dad. Tell him you’re okay. Just don’t tell him anything else.”

She reached over and picked up the phone, a new wave of fury rushing through her body. First he held her against her will, and now he wanted to manipulate her a little more. Apparently he didn’t even respect her intelligence.

Drawing back her arm, she hurled the phone at him with all her strength. She’d never had a very good aim, but she managed to graze the corner of his forehead. His expression went from shocked to furious and that tempered her temper.

Nick started toward her and then checked himself.

She taunted. “A little angry, are you? Seething and wishing you could slap some sense into me? Well now you know exactly how I feel!”

He picked up the phone, walked out the door and slammed it hard. She threw herself back against the pillows. Tears welled in her eyes but she swiped at them impatiently. Her stomach growled. She ignored it too. Rested and with renewed energy, she needed to formulate her own plan of action.

Deciding to keep busy until dark, Keri hopped out of bed and started cleaning. She returned the bath and bedroom to immaculate condition. The ultrafeminine décor and pastel colors of Maria’s suite didn’t suit her personal tastes, but it couldn’t be faulted for good taste and cleanliness.

Next she sorted through the clothes she’d brought to the island until she found the only outfit that belonged to her. Some super-efficient soul had laundered her ER nurse T-shirt and favorite jeans. Probably didn’t want bomb residue dirtying the place, she thought spitefully.

After dressing in her own things, she made a neat pile of the clothes Nick had bought. He could give them to the next woman he held hostage. Her pocket book was the only thing she planned to take when she left the island. Her stomach growled again, and she searched the bag for food. She always carried energy bars and chocolate in case of emergencies. He should have confiscated her big tote.

Mistake number one, Detective.

A search for her cell phone came up empty, so she dumped the bag on the floor, sorted through the contents twice and then swore profusely. No phone meant Nick had confiscated it while she slept. The dog. The villa didn’t have a landline, so she couldn’t sneak a call. That ruled out contacting anyone by computer too.

Her wallet still held a little cash, a debit card and her driver’s license. She tucked them in her back pocket along with the spare key to her SUV. She didn’t know how to get off the island, but once she did, she’d need money and identification.

Next Keri decided to do a little recon. She knew someone would be guarding the boathouse, so she’d just have to outwit the men. They might have physical strength on their side, but she’d spent her lifetime mentally sparring with smart men.

Another thought popped into her mind. Had Nick locked her in the room? She quickly checked and just as quickly slipped into the hallway. He probably hadn’t bothered to lock the door because he didn’t think she had anywhere to go.

Mistake number two, Detective.

One thing for certain, even if she didn’t leave the island, they’d have a hell of a time finding her again. In a house this size, there had to be hundreds of great hiding places. She just had to stay one step ahead of them.

Feeling something of a voyeur, Keri moved from bedroom suite to bedroom suite, familiarizing herself with the layout of the house. This floor also had a small chapel, a library and a huge recreation room. In it, she found fitness equipment, a billiard table and media center.

A wall of glass faced the sea and offered a gorgeous view of sky and water. She took a minute to enjoy the sheer beauty of it as the orange of the setting sun glistened on the deep blue of the ocean. Then she quietly opened the French doors to step onto the balcony. The sound of voices drew her closer to the railing until she stood directly over the patio.

She strained to hear their conversation but could only catch the occasional word. Brice mentioned
hungry
and Nick replied something about
temper
. Their shared laughter had her gritting her teeth.

Her brother loved to say, “Don’t get mad, get even.”

The ring of a telephone had her holding her breath and listening intently. Nick answered, excused himself and moved closer to her. She heard him addressing Lieutenant Alexander. Now she could hear better but only one side of the conversation.

“Did you talk to McDowell’s lawyer?”

Damn, she wished she could hear Alexander’s reply. Next Nick mentioned someone named Paulson and then the dirty cop, Jenson. He made a few grunts in response to whatever the lieutenant said, and she heard him ask about the ATF.

ATF? The Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms? What did they have to do with anything?
Oh, the gun trafficking,
she thought. Then she heard him mention Homeland Security. What in the world did they think the Thornsbury militia had planned? They intended to organize a multi-organizational attack without contacting her dad. She understood, to a point, but still resented the fact that Nick totally disregarded her judgment.

Her dad despised bigotry of any kind. Her mom had worked in the Peace Corps and taught them to respect all nationalities of people. They’d preached the right to religious freedom and beliefs even if you couldn’t understand them. Her parents and brother loathed anti-Semitism sentiments and terrorist actions against innocent people.

Keri knew with every fiber of her being they couldn’t be involved with whatever the militia had planned. They wouldn’t turn a blind eye to illegal activities if they had knowledge and proof. Maybe they didn’t know how dangerous the militia had gotten. They’d avoided the mountains since her mom’s death. Which, she supposed, gave Russ and his military fanatics the perfect opportunity to thrive.

Nick’s voice started to recede again, and she only caught a couple more words—
later
and
chopper
.

Aha! They’d be leaving by helicopter, not boat. She had to find the helicopter pad on the roof. She needed to get to it before the men. Hopefully she wouldn’t run into any of them on the top floor.

It took awhile, but she wound around the halls to the central staircase, passing through the second story without encountering anyone. The villa didn’t have an attic, just a small top floor with doors opening on to the rooftop.

Expecting a small, two-seat chopper, it surprised her to find a really large one. Perfect for big families or hauling supplies, she supposed. The shiny red whirlybird had to be the top of the line in the ’copter world. It had the name Gianovelli emblazoned on the side.

Keri hurried toward it to check the doors, happy to find them unlocked. She jumped into the cockpit and studied the control panel. During her teenage years, she’d begged her dad for flying lessons and learned a little about piloting a plane before her interest waned.

No way would she try to fly this bird, but a quick look behind the passenger compartment showed plenty of storage space. Turnabout’s fair play, she told herself. Nick had used her to get out of Thornsbury.

A more thorough search unearthed a tarp. She could easily hide under it. With Brice and Nick up front and nobody in the second row of seats, they’d never realize they had a stowaway.

“Another mistake, Detective,” she whispered. “That’s three strikes.”

Chapter Sixteen

An hour later, Brice expertly landed the helicopter near a row of police choppers and shut down the engine. While the noise and vibration slowly settled, Nick pulled the earphones off his head and turned to his friend. He yelled above the fading noise of the blades.

“Thanks, Brice. I know hauling me around isn’t part of your job description, but I appreciate the help.”

“No problem,” said the other man. “Breaks up the boredom while your folks are gone.”

“Want to come in for coffee before you fly back to the island?’

“I’ve had enough coffee for the night, but I’d better make a pit stop before I take off again.”

They jumped from the chopper and locked the doors as the propellers came to a slow halt. Nick didn’t see anyone as they started walking toward the back entrance of the police station. Most of the day shift had gone. Due to budget cuts, the night shift had a lot fewer people on staff.

He did notice a few ATF vehicles parked in the lot.

When they entered the building, he pointed Brice in the direction of the bathroom. Moving farther into the reception area, he spoke to several fellow officers. They exchanged handshakes and small talk as he studied the unfamiliar faces mingling with familiar ones. After a few minutes, he saw Alexander, a tall, heavy man with a receding hairline and weather-worn features.

The older man separated himself from a group and came to meet him. “Good to have you back in one piece, Lamanto.” His tone and expression held genuine warmth.

They shook hands, and Alexander gave him a welcoming slap on his shoulder.

“Good to be here in one piece, Lieutenant.”

“How’s the shoulder? I didn’t just pound on it, did I?” he asked, dropping his hands and frowning.

“No,” Nick reassured. “It’s my left, and it’s better now.”

“You’re gonna give this old man a heart attack if we don’t get the McDowell mess cleared up soon.”

“I hear ya,” said Nick. “What’s happenin’? Did you learn anything more from McDowell?”

“The feds made a deal with him. He couldn’t give them the name of the head man in Tennessee, but he spilled on the plan in hopes of getting immunity from terrorism charges. He tried to get out of the murder wrap too, but since we already knew about Cooper and Jenson, he lost some of his bargaining power.”

“What about Jenson? Is he on the same payroll? Any word from him since he shot at me on the dock yesterday morning? He has to know he’s been made.”

Renewed anger surged through Nick as he remembered how close he and Keri had come to being victims. He had no doubt that Jenson’s greed had cost him the
Adrianna
.

“Nobody’s seen or heard from Jenson since your shootout yesterday. We don’t even have a valid address in his files. Since his divorce a couple years ago, he’s spent a lot of time drinking and gambling. He fell behind in child support and got evicted from his last known address.”

“Stressors, to be sure. Any proof he’s on the take?”

“We dug into his personal finances and found a mountain of debts he recently paid. I hate to think he’s on the take, but it’s pretty obvious he’s getting money from someone. If and when we track him down, he’s got a lot to answer for. You never want to believe one of your team could stoop to murdering cops and domestic terrorism.”

“So when and where is the attack planned?”

“It’s scheduled to go down on 9-11.”

Nick whistled softly. “Damn, that’s Tuesday, we’re cuttin’ it really short. What’s the target?”

“The target’s a mosque in western Virginia. They’ll have to start moving off the mountain soon. Best guess is they’ll be using one of the casket vans filled with bomb material. Rig it to drive directly into the building. McDowell says the militia will follow at a distance, but launch a second attack on survivors and rescue teams.”