Stowaway (25 page)

“Pretty damned bold move. They must all be suicidal.”

“You got that right. These aren’t backwoods terrorists. They’re dedicated fanatics.”

“What’s our plan?”

“We don’t have one. It’s out of our hands now. The ATF is in charge of the operation in conjunction with Homeland Security. The FBI could be involved too, before it’s done. They’ve agreed to let you ride along if you want because you know the lay of the land.”

Before Nick could reply, a stranger approached them. Alexander introduced him as ATF commander, John Samuels. He shook hands with the big, brawny man as they briefly searched each other’s expressions.

“A pleasure, Lamanto,” said Samuels. “We’ve been trying to pin down the Miami-Tennessee connection for months. Your identification of Cooper pulled it all together just in time.”

“I can’t take all the credit for that,” he said, thinking of Keri’s invaluable help. “What I can’t figure is why we were able to ID one of Cooper’s vehicles in the first place. Why would he send one to the marina?”

Samuels shook his head, “Doesn’t make sense. He’s been planning for months, maybe years, and this is the first time we can trace a mistake back to him.”

“I might have the answer to that,” said Alexander. “Reggie McDowell said his brother Raymond, nicknamed Knifer, is doing a lot of Cooper’s driving. I guess that’s about the only thing he does right. Cooper probably didn’t know he made that early morning run.”

“Are you planning to pick Cooper up for questioning?” asked Nick.

“We can’t risk having him pull the plug at this point. We need to put a permanent stop to it and get these people behind bars,” said Samuels. “We’ll keep round-the-clock watch on him until we have the others in custody.”

Nick nodded in understanding. “I’ll be happy to see it resolved on our end.”

“They will be on the Thornsbury end too,” Samuels surprised him by saying. “Our man there is fightin’ mad and ready to kick some ass.”

“You have someone undercover in Thornsbury?” News to him. “Don Monroe?” Why wouldn’t Don have told him about the ATF connection? It didn’t make sense. “You know he’s in critical condition, don’t you?”

Samuels shook his head. “I’m not at liberty to share our man’s identity, but I did hear Monroe’s doing okay. His injuries weren’t as bad as they first thought. The bullet didn’t hit any vital organs. A blow to the head required a drug-induced coma, but he’s doing okay. The hospital released him a couple days ago.”

“Glad to hear it,” said Nick, wondering if Don had made any attempt to find out who had shot at them. Even more, if he’d had any luck.

His thoughts drifted to the trauma team who had helped Don, and especially Keri. An image of her popped into his mind, but not as a nurse. He visualized her sleepy-eyed, tousled and dressed in a tank top that outlined her breasts and tight, sensitive nipples. He got hard just thinking about it yet he couldn’t get the picture out of his mind.

“Lamanto?”

Nick felt heat crawl up his neck as Alexander demanded his attention. Damn Keri, her beautiful body and his inability to get her out of his head. He’d never let another woman interfere with his work. There’d never been one who affected him so intimately. He wasn’t pleased that one little spitfire could shatter his attention and divide his loyalties. He had to forget her until all risks to her home had been eliminated.

For the next few minutes, Samuels introduced him to his officers and a couple of men from Homeland Security. They decided to move to the conference room for more privacy. Alexander led the way.

“Hey, Nick, a minute please.”

He turned to see Brice motioning from the doorway then excused himself for a minute.

“What’s up? You headed back to the island?”

“I just got a call from Gus. Thought you’d want to know, he can’t find Keri.”

“What?” Annoyed, but not really worried, his expression tightened. “She’s messin’ with him. She has to be hiding somewhere on the island.”

The security man shook his head. “I don’t think so. He said Teresa and Tiko helped him search ever since we left. They even brought out Luther. He followed her scent all around the villa and dragged them clear up to the roof.”

“The roof?” said Nick. Tiko’s hound dog Luther could track anything, anywhere, anytime. He didn’t make mistakes, so what the hell?

Then it hit him.

Brushing past Brice, he raced out of the station, across the parking lot and to the helicopter. He found the passenger door unlocked.

“You unlock this?” he turned and asked as Brice caught up with him.

“No.”

“I know I locked it when we went inside.”

A quick search unearthed a tarp and the faint smell of Keri. “Well I’ll be damned—smartass-outsmarted, double-damned. She came with us.” He shoved himself out the door, stood on the side-step and did a sweeping, visual search of the parking lot. Dark except for a few scattered pole-lights, he couldn’t see anything moving. The streets were mostly deserted too. No sign of her.

“She has to be long gone,” said Brice. “My bet she took off as soon as we went into the building. She wouldn’t stay close, would she?”

Nick’s reply held a grim note. “I doubt it.” She was royally pissed at him and wouldn’t ask for his help under the best of conditions.

Keri, alone at night, on the streets of a strange city without a cell phone or transportation. His chest tightened. He should never have assumed she’d accept his orders without a fight. How could he have been so damned careless?

“Did she leave her big pocketbook at the villa?” It held a collection of survival tools.

“Gus said it’s there, but her driver’s license is missing. There’s no cash, phone or credit card, either.”

Nick shook his head, amazed and furious yet reluctantly proud of her resourcefulness. He damned well wouldn’t underestimate her again. When that woman got mad, she might pout and throw a temper tantrum, but she didn’t concede defeat. He should have known. He touched the tender spot on his head, evidence of her fiery temper. The vision of her in his bed popped up again, but he shoved it out of his mind.

His Keri was a fighter, and he fell deeper in love every moment he knew her. Love. The concept tightened his throat. He loved her even if he found her annoying as hell sometimes. The depth of the love sharpened his concern. He had her cell in his pocket. He’d notify her dad and track her down eventually, but he hated not knowing. If anything happened to her, he’d never forgive himself.

“Can you do some checking for me?”

“Sure, anything.”

“I want to know if she goes after her SUV. She probably has a second set of keys, but it could be compromised. I don’t like the idea of her in the marina parking lot—someone might be watching the vehicle. It’d help if you got hold of the watchman we talked to this morning.”

“Sure thing. I’ll make some calls. Want me to have Gus come to the city too?”

“Not yet. I’ll get back inside and check cab companies, see if a driver picked up a pretty woman near the police station. My guess is she’ll head straight to the airport.”

Keri had a little time to kill before the last flight out to Knoxville. She’d gotten lucky, the reservation clerk told her. They normally didn’t schedule this late on Sunday. A series of delayed flights had made it possible for her to get a standby seat. There would be a short layover in Georgia, but she wouldn’t have to change planes.

She poked around the airport shopping center, bought a romance novel, a disposable cell phone and a travel bag with a few basic necessities. She felt naked without her pocketbook, and didn’t want to draw attention by not having any bags. The airline clerk had frowned when she said she wanted a one-way ticket and wouldn’t be checking luggage.

Food came next on her agenda. The energy bar had long been digested and her stomach grumbled. A cheeseburger, French fries and strawberry milkshake settled that problem. A sleazy-looking guy with mustard on his chin tried to chat her up, but she brushed him off. She’d had it with men, whether sleazy or gorgeous ones, she didn’t plan to trust another one any time soon.

After hitting the bathroom and washing up a little, she began to feel more human. A damp comb through her hair settled it back into its natural style. Her T-shirt had wrinkles and smelled faintly musty from the tarp she’d found in the helicopter. Some spray-on deodorant from the travel kit masked it a little. Now she smelled like musty baby powder.

Next she needed to call her dad and ask if he or Jack could pick her up at the airport. They’d be getting ready for bed, but one of them would have to leave home early to drive to Knoxville. It made no sense for her to rent a car. She already had one vehicle she’d have to retrieve.

The disposable phone didn’t get very good reception, so she moved closer to a bank of windows. After a couple rings, her dad answered.

“Merritts.” The deep, familiar sound of his voice made her feel weepy.
Silly woman
, she chided herself.
Get a grip.

“Hey, Dad, it’s Keri.”

“Hey yourself, baby girl. Where are you? Jack said you left a note about shopping, but that was three days ago.”

“Long story, Dad. I’m at the Miami International Airport, scheduled on a flight to Knoxville in a few minutes. I’m supposed to get there between six and seven in the morning. Can someone pick me up?”

“I’ll be there. Everything okay? Lamanto with you?”

“I’m fine and alone.” She shouldn’t be surprised he knew about Nick. Her dad knew everything.

“We need to talk.”

“Lots to tell you,” she agreed. “I have to go now. Love you.”

“Love you.”

Keri closed the phone and smiled. Annoyed as she might get with his overprotectiveness, he never failed her. Nick would make the same kind of father, she thought—protective and dependable and loving. Providing he didn’t get himself killed, she added in an afterthought, and then ordered the errant train of thought from her mind.

The boarding call went out for her flight. In less than a half-hour, they took off for Atlanta. Most of the passengers tried to sleep, but she’d slept all afternoon. Determined not to dwell on Nick or her current situation, she pulled a book out of the travel bag and got lost in the story.

The stopover in Atlanta was brief. Keri went to the toilet and stretched her legs, but settled quickly back into her seat. She continued to read as people boarded, the doors closed and they went airborne. When the cabin got dark and quiet for a second time, she dozed off to sleep.

The dream came to her again. The familiar, haunting dream of the wreck. Her memory conjured the sound of her mom’s scream, her valiant efforts to free them, and the relieved greeting to a mystery man. This time, Keri heard her mother’s voice more clearly.

When she saw her dad at the airport the next morning, she went straight into his arms. He hugged her and rocked her back and forth like he’d been doing all her life. When she’d cleared the tears from her throat, she tipped her head and caught his gaze.

“I know who’s responsible for mom’s death,” she whispered softly.

He stared into her eyes for a minute and said, “So do I, baby girl, so do I. But I can’t prove it.”

“I can,” she told him.

Nick boarded a military cargo plane early Monday morning along with a twelve-man team comprised of ATF and Homeland Security agents. They planned to meet up with a Tennessee branch of the FBI once they arrived in Knoxville.

The joint force had spent the remaining hours of Sunday going over plans to intercept the militia movements. Not wanting a standoff at a heavily fortified compound, they’d decided to spread their forces along the most barren stretch of highway between the mountain road and Thornsbury.

They’d have to synchronize the assault so nobody in the convoy could alert the rest of the entourage before they left the camp. Without knowing the militia’s exact timetable, they’d need to spread out and cover miles of road.

An FBI chemist had warned them the van could be carrying enough explosives to wipe out half of Thornsbury should it detonate close to the town. Any vehicle in the direct path could be destroyed, as well. The timing of the joint assaults on the van and the follow-up vehicles was crucial.

Nick tried to catch some shuteye during the flight but couldn’t get his mind off Keri. Had she flown straight home and told her dad everything? If she had, would it help with their operation or hinder it? If the Merritt’s were involved with the militia, they’d have a head start on dispersing and relocating. He hoped her faith in them was well-founded. She’d complained about their overprotectiveness.

He’d tried calling her house several times from her cell phone but hadn’t gotten an answer. He’d left a message for her dad. Now he wondered if she’d avoided his calls or if something had happened to her between Miami and Knoxville. Could her family be trusted to ensure her safety, regardless of the situation? He sure as hell hoped so.

As soon as they touched down at the airport, he planned to check with authorities there. He’d learned she’d booked a flight out of Miami. What he didn’t know was if she’d gotten home safely.

He loved her. The shocking realization had come to him the instant he’d realized she’d stowed away in the ’copter. No other woman had ever intrigued him the way she did. None had challenged him so thoroughly or loved him so unselfishly.

Her love and loyalty to her family, though it annoyed him, had also endeared her to him more. He wanted the same level of unquestioning faith. He wanted her complete trust. He wanted her unfaltering love.

It had felt so right sharing his life with her, so natural, both on the
Adrianna
and at the villa. Whether in her home territory or his, they’d made a great team. And the sex. Wow. Just wow. The sex was phenomenal. She had a mouth made for kissing and a body that kept on giving. A lifetime wouldn’t be long enough to indulge himself in her sweet-tartness.

Shifting restlessly in the tight seat, he knew he had to stop thinking about her and concentrate on the mission. But when he banished the image of her in the tight white tank top, another took its place. He saw her exposing herself to him in those tiny purple undies. So open and honest, so vulnerable yet so damned sexy. The memories kept him restless and needy. His body didn’t appreciate the sudden forced celibacy.