The Perfect Witness (18 page)

“And he’s evidently hidden the ledger very well.”

“We haven’t been able to find it in nine years.”

She was silent. “And am I supposed to be next on your list of ‘wizards’?”

“You could
do
it.”

“How do you know?”

“I was one of the first on the list sent to probe and try to find out where he’d hidden the ledger. I couldn’t get anywhere reading his mind, but I could see movement and vulnerability in the memory area.”

“And you want me to dip into that cesspool he calls a memory and pull out your ledger.”

He nodded. “What you’re able to do is unusual and almost unique. If there are any others capable of reading Praland, I haven’t found them.”

“Even if I could find out what you know, I’d have to get close enough to read him. And sometimes people live in the present and seldom think about the past.”

“I know all that. But I’ll get you to him; and then we’ll worry about the rest. It’s worth it, Allie.”

“In your opinion.”

“Dammit, it’s worth it.” He paused. “Because Praland is playing games with that ledger. He told us he was using that ledger to list all the children that his organization kidnapped together with their purchasers. He’s been teasing us with that damn list. Also, in the last nine years, he’s killed seventeen family members. He’s taking his time and plucking them one by one. Seven of those people didn’t even know they belonged to the Devanez family. One day, they were living their lives, and the next, they were dead.”

“Why is he taking his time? Seventeen lives are a terrible price, but there could be many more. Right?”

“Right.” He shrugged. “Blackmail.”

“What?”

“Praland is blackmailing the family. Not money. I’m not sure he knows about those economic codes yet. But he wants to continue with his rotten little empire, and he’s forcing the Devanez family to pull back from exerting even a minimum of political or police interference on Praland’s turf. As long as we play along and give him protection, he’ll keep the killing to a minimum. If we fail to do it, he’ll turn loose the bloodhounds. If he thinks that he’s in danger, he’s given orders that those children he’s sold to his clients are to die. If we get too close to the ledger for his comfort, he’ll either burn it or throw it to the crocodiles.”

“Ugly. But what you’re doing isn’t clean either.”

“Because we’re protecting ourselves? You’re right, we’re playing a dirty game, and we hate it. We try to walk a double line. We send people in to rescue his captives whenever we can do it. I’ve been trying for years to find ways to get to Praland that would keep the ledger safe.” He looked her in the eyes. “So far, you’re the only hope we have.”

“And you were ready to force me to give up everything I wanted to do with my life to give you that hope.”

“Yes.”

“No shame?”

“I did what was necessary. You were the solution. I’ll try to help you survive.”

“You’re not answering.”

“Guilt, yes. But I made the decision, and I have to stand by it.”

She shook her head. “The decision’s in my court now.”

“Not entirely. There are things that I could do to alter circumstances.” He paused. “But I prefer not to do them.”

“And now that I know what game you’re playing, you might have a hard time leading me down the garden path.”

“When was it ever easy between us? I’m not asking you to embrace me or the Devanez family. That would be completely ridiculous and unrealistic. I believe what we’re doing is the only possibility under the circumstances, but you seldom agree with me. All I’m asking is that you remember what I offered you. Freedom from Camano. Revenge for the killing of your friends.” He added, “And one more thing. The justice for Simon that Lee and Natalie wanted above everything.”

“God, you’re clever.” She could feel the tears sting again, and she didn’t want him to see them. “Get out of here, Mandak. I’ll call you when I’ve made up my mind.”

He nodded as he headed for the door. “I’ll be waiting.”

But not long, she thought. He’d be moving and shaking and subtly pushing. She leaned her head back against the cushioned chair and closed her eyes. But she wouldn’t be pushed. She had to have time, and she had to be clear about what she needed to do. What Natalie and Lee would want her to do.

“Help me, guys,” she murmured. “You thought it was worthwhile when you let Mandak talk you into it. You’re both so smart. You must have thought it was right.”

But she was alone now, and she was the one to decide right and wrong …

*   *   *

SIX HOURS LATER, SHE CALLED
Mandak.

“I’ll do it,” she said curtly. “But you were too vague about what you were offering me in return. I’m going to spell out exactly the terms you have to offer me. Revenge. I want Camano dead and his crime organization broken up. Freedom. I want out of the Witness Protection Program. I’m tired of being a prisoner. Camano’s death could help with that, but Dantlow might want me to testify against other crime figures. You see that I’m not held hostage to the program.”

“Done. Anything else?”

She hesitated. “I don’t want my mother hurt or killed. She couldn’t have been involved in this atrocity. She’s only entertainment for Camano. I want her free of him to make a new life.”

Silence. “With you?”

“I don’t know.” But the thought of starting a new life with someone who had told her that she loved her and wanted to be with her was comforting in this vacuum of loneliness. “I’ll have to see. I’m confused and hurting right now.”

“And that’s very dangerous for you.”

“I’ll handle it. Is it strange that I want my mother to survive?”

“Done,” he said tersely. “And what do you give me in return?”

“I go after your bogeyman, Praland, and find out where he’s hidden your ledger. I won’t stop until you have the damn thing. Fair?”

“More than fair.”

“But first I’ll go to Tanzania for the funeral service for Lee and Natalie. After it’s over, I’ll take a look around and see where I’m going next. And so help me, if everything isn’t exactly what you’ve told me, I’ll be out of there so quickly it will make your head swim.” She paused. “And, if I go along, I’m holding you to your word on every single thing you promised me.”

“You’ll get it. I’ll deliver.” He paused. “Even if you’re not able to find out what I want from Praland. After all my time with you, I know you’ll keep your word to do everything you possibly can. If you make the attempt and fail, I’ll accept it as done.”

She was silent, shocked. “That’s unexpected … and remarkably generous.”

“I’m the one who is rolling the dice on you. I found you, I convinced everyone in the Devanez core group that you could do it. If I’m wrong, then I’m the one to shoulder the blame.” He added dryly, “I’m sure that you’ll agree to that logic.”

“If you’re telling me the truth.”

“You’ll have to decide that for yourself. But it will be better for you and our chances of taking Praland down if you can bring yourself to trust me. After all, you’re tentatively committed now. I’ve told you what I want, and you’ve agreed that, for your own reasons, you want it, too. You’ll find me a capable and reliable ally.”

And a dangerous and lethal one, she thought. She’d had experience with Mandak’s deadly intelligence and skill all those years ago. “Capable and reliable don’t seem the words to describe you. I’ll have to become used to the thought of them.”

“By all means. We’re about to open new doors. I’m sure that we’ll both have a few surprises.” He went on quickly, “I’ve had Sean arrange a private jet to pick us up at the airport here. You’ll have an hour or so to rest before we have to leave the apartment. Is that okay?”

“I’m ready now.”

“You always were.” Suddenly, his voice was filled with humor. “You never wanted to wait for anything. I always had to gauge my actions to your lack of patience.”

“Did you?” She hadn’t known that about him. She wondered how many other things there were about him of which she hadn’t been aware during those years. Everything had been perceived from her defensive point of view and the feeling that Mandak was both a savior and a threat. “Well, then, you should have realized that I wouldn’t want to rest and twiddle my thumbs waiting for your jet. When can you pick me up?”

“Fifteen minutes. I’ll take you to the airport and buy you a new wardrobe in the shops there until we get the call for the plane. They have anything from haute couture to Frederick’s of Hollywood.”

“I don’t need any new clothes.”

“It won’t hurt. You only have the things in your duffel, and I don’t know what circumstances we’ll be facing. We’ll be tracking Praland, and he travels in very-high-income circles these days.” He hung up before she could protest again.

It was done. The decision had been made and the action taken.

And Mandak had already started to plan and move her in the way he wanted her to go. He had taken an element of her character and used it as an excuse to do that.

Clever.

If she thought about it objectively, she could admire that subtle shifting and prodding.

But there was no way she was objective about Mandak at any time. So she would accept this move but let him know that she was aware of the manipulation. Perhaps if he realized he couldn’t deceive her, he would back off.

Perhaps.

Right now, she was too tired and raw and broken to put up a decent fight. All she could think about were the funeral services waiting for her in Tanzania. After that, she would worry about her promise to Mandak.

And ponder that strange, generous, promise he had just made to her.

*   *   *

“I CERTAINLY DIDN’T NEED ALL
those outfits.” Allie was frowning as she climbed the steps of the private plane. “You went overboard, Mandak. It’s a total waste of money.”

“But not a waste of time. I agree that you may not need them. There’s a chance that you might be able to get close enough to Praland in a casino or nightclub to read him. He likes beautiful women, and you’re exceptional. However, the chance is slim. We’re more likely to have to move onto his turf.”

“Then it was a waste of time.”

He shook his head. “You weren’t interested, but you were distracted. That was important. It delayed my being bombarded by more questions I’m sure you’ve been thinking since I left you at Sean’s apartment.” He entered the plane and gestured to a seat. “Buckle up. I’m going to the cockpit to talk to the pilot.”

“How long will it take us to get to Tanzania?”

“Twenty hours or so. We’ll be stopping over in London. It will take us at least ten hours to get there.”

“Why do we have to stop over in London?”

“We have to meet someone. Don’t worry, it will only be for one night.” He disappeared into the cockpit.

Someone? He had been entirely too vague. He was right, she was beginning to have more questions now that she was away from Sean’s apartment and stepping into this new life. She felt helpless, and she needed to take control. But how could she do that if she had no direction?

She took her computer out of her duffel and Googled Tanzania. Lord, it was far away, literally the other side of the world. Dodoma appeared to be the capital. Was that their destination?

“I thought you’d be busily checking everything out,” Mandak said as he came out of the cockpit. He dropped down in the seat across from her. “Well?”

“You have to have a clue before you can check something out.” She whirled her computer to show him the map of Tanzania. “Dodoma?”

“No, that’s the capital, but the U.S. Embassy is in Dar es Salaam. That’s where we start. That’s where Lee’s and Natalie’s remains were sent.” He pointed to a green area southeast of the city. “But that’s our target. That’s where Praland has his grand palace. It’s in the jungle, not too far from the principal mining area.”

“Palace?”

He nodded. “Sandek Palace. He forced a mine owner to ‘sell’ it to him. Unfortunately, the owner had an accident before he reached the capital, and the money was never found. The palace had been in his family for a couple centuries, and it was complete with dungeons and harems. Just what Praland wanted. Since he fancies himself as a sort of modern-day Genghis Khan.”

“More like Attila the Hun.”

“There are similarities in his methods. But he’s very rich, and he lives large. The last I heard he had five or six women he kept as concubines. He has enough men guarding his palace to constitute a small army. He sends them out on bandit raids within the country, and over the borders and they have trucks, missiles, and various other sophisticated weaponry.”

“Good God, it sounds like he runs the country.”

“Sometimes it comes close. I guarantee that the government wants him out as much as we do. They just don’t have the resources or the influence to pull it off. Money is everything. And if the man who is wielding it is also a murderer willing to take any revenge necessary, it stops them in their tracks.” He shrugged. “But the Devanez family has agents all over the country, and we’re able to strike a balance sometimes. Not often enough. Not with his holding the ledger over our heads.”

“And you think that he keeps the ledger at the palace?”

“I have no idea. We’ve infiltrated the palace and haven’t found it yet.” He met her eyes. “You’ll have to tell us.”

“If you can get me into that place.”

“I’ll get you there.” He shrugged. “But it may not be necessary. Praland moves around a lot. He also operates out of Madagascar and Morocco. He has an extensive prostitution operation in Madagascar.” His lips thinned. “That’s where we managed to find several of the little girls he kidnapped in Italy and Switzerland. We staged a raid on two of the bordellos and got them out.”

“Thank God.”

“But it took almost a year to cure them of drug addiction.”

She gazed at him, shocked. She felt sick at the thought. “He must be a total son of a bitch.”

“In practically every way. No, take out the ‘practically.’” He tapped the name Dar es Salaam on the map. “But this is your first area of concern. We can think about Praland later. I just called Phillip Stanley, the man who delivered Lee’s and Natalie’s ashes to the embassy in Tanzania. He’s arranging for the service now. James McKeller, a young clerk, has the job of smuggling the canisters out of the embassy.” He paused. “I told him that I want it kept absolutely private. No one is to know that we’re in the country.”