The Ransom (23 page)

She thought of her job and the well-constructed path she’d created for herself. She’d always been confident and knew exactly where she was going and what she wanted to achieve in her life. It now shocked her to realize she hadn’t spent even a minute over the course of the weekend thinking about her job and the files that were piled up high on her desk.

Not that the weekend just gone was normal. In fact, she spent most Saturdays and Sundays bent over her desk at the office, trying to catch up on the myriad of things she hadn’t found time for during the week. She couldn’t even remember why she’d been home when her father had taken the call from Ellie Munro about Olivia’s abduction. He’d called her into his office to tell her. Not that the reasons mattered. Fate kept her home. If it hadn’t, she’d never have met Lane.

Lane.

Strong, determined, brave: He was the man who made her heart flutter and her thoughts scatter in new directions. Despite the horror of the circumstances in which they’d met, the thought of never knowing him had now become too awful to contemplate.

With a sigh, she pushed those negative thoughts aside and once again, longed for the next two nights and Olivia’s ordeal to be over. For entirely selfish reasons, she wanted the next time she met with Lane to be carefree and happy—to have nothing to do with illegal drugs, outlaw motorcycle gangs or kidnappings. She yearned for the two of them to have a fresh start, one free of the complications and misunderstandings that had marred their encounters thus far.

Her shoulders slumped and she let out another sigh. She whispered a little prayer that they would be given the chance she hoped for. She couldn’t put into words what she was feeling for Lane, but it was something she’d never felt before. The thought both thrilled and terrified her.

Determination surged through her. She was through with playing it safe. Every waking moment until now had been given over to her father and her career. As much as she loved her job, it couldn’t keep her safe and snug at night or make her feel warm and fluttery all over.

She was nearly thirty. How much longer would she leave her life on hold? It was time for her live.

She glanced at her watch illuminated by the moonlight. It was nearly midnight. After what seemed like an eternally long day, her body was weary though her mind refused to quit. She needed to go home and try to sleep. After all, she had work the next day.

The exchange between Olivia and the ransom money was supposed to happen early on Tuesday morning. With a bit of luck, the day after that might be the start of the new beginning she prayed for. The first day of the rest of her life.

* * *

Draco took a drag on his cigarette, careful to keep the glow of its tip concealed behind his fingers. Zara Dowton sat with her knees drawn up to her chest pondering the night. The waves pounded the rocks below her.

His cock urged him to take her now. It was way past late. The Gap was deserted. No one would know. Well, no one except Allison and she was hardly likely to tell.

The detective’s raid on Draco’s home had infuriated him, but there was nothing he could do about that. The cops did as they pleased. Somehow, they’d connected him to Boris and the hideout. He should have let things lie for just a little while longer. Allison would have come up with the cash sooner or later. She always did. Not that her tab had ever been this high, but he was confident she’d make good on her debts.

But then, she’d disappeared. His sources at the airport told him she’d flown interstate. He’d gotten nervous, edgy, unsure. It wasn’t like him to be off balance and it made him angry. That’s when he decided she needed an incentive to return.

The kidnapping plot had been a stroke of genius. It would have gone just as he’d planned if that fuckwit Boris hadn’t botched it. He was supposed to have nabbed Allison’s daughter. Word would have reached her that her little girl was in trouble and she’d have coughed up the money without a whimper.

The plan had been foolproof. Draco had even counted on the fact the Attorney General and his wife wouldn’t want any adverse publicity. They wouldn’t want Allison’s dirty little secret coming to light. Going public would ruin everything. They would have quietly paid up and everyone would have been happy.
And it would have worked, if Boris hadn’t fucked it up.

Renewed anger stirred hot in his veins and he drew hard on the cigarette. Zara turned slightly, hugging her arms around her. The movement pulled the fabric of her dress tight. The moonlight illuminated her silhouette, delineating the delicate curve of her jaw and the generous swell of her breasts. Once again, blood rushed to his groin. His cock hardened almost painfully.

Yet again, his body urged him to nab her. With her head turned away from him, toward the ocean, he could creep up behind her and haul her back against him with his arm around her throat. She wouldn’t have an inkling about what would happen next. The knife he always kept in his pocket would provide further deterrence. Besides, she was such a featherweight, it would take no effort at all to subdue her.

He toyed with the thought, liking it more and more. Moving in his seat until he found a more comfortable position, he pulled open the snap on his jeans and slid down the zipper to better accommodate the burgeoning swell of his cock. His hand caressed his erection and he sighed softly in pleasure.

The woman in front of him glanced at her watch. He tensed. Moments later, she stood and slipped on her sandals. Shaking out the skirt of her dress, she turned and headed toward him, picking her way back to her car.

He grimaced and debated his next move. If he was going to take her now, he had to be quick. It would be harder if she made it to her vehicle. She was closing the gap between them. Twenty feet. Then fifteen. Draco’s heart pounded in anticipation. Quickly, he tugged up his zipper and readied himself for action.

Glancing in the rearview mirror, he spied headlights coming up the hill behind him. He froze for an instant and then turned back to Zara. His lips thinned in annoyance. She’d reached her car and opened the door.

Cursing loudly, he thumped the steering wheel.

He’d missed his chance.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Tuesday, January 30, 5:43 a.m.

Lane could already feel the tension headache that stabbed behind his eyes. The sun had barely graced the horizon. His men had been in position hours earlier, waiting for the moment of Vukovic’s arrival.

He’d run a check through the Roads and Maritime Services database and had discovered a hotted up Harley Davidson motorcycle and an early eighties model Ford F100 in the name of Boris Vukovic. He’d also run a check on Vukovic’s wife, but that had come up blank.

He couldn’t imagine Vukovic arriving on the motorcycle with Olivia in tow and the biker would have to be plain stupid to think her mother would be willing to hand over the cash without her being present. Lane had taken a punt that Vukovic would turn up in the Ford.

The more Lane thought about the second ransom demand, the more obvious it became that Draco wasn’t involved, or if he’d been involved in the earlier demand, he wasn’t involved any longer. Lane surmised the Redbacks’ president had discovered he had the wrong girl and had decided to recover his money by other means. From what Allison had said, it appeared she was on friendly terms with her supplier and she appeared as surprised as they were that the man had taken such drastic steps.

Maybe Draco had second thoughts and had backed away from the whole kidnapping scenario? Another possibility emerged: Maybe he’d left it to Vukovic to get rid of Olivia and Vukovic had decided to make it worth his while?

These questions and more had been canvassed by the joint taskforce. They’d gathered at the station for most of the previous day formulating their plan of attack and discussing all possible worst scenarios.

Ellie had told them Vukovic demanded the ransom be dropped off only by her and at the agreed meeting place. Some time yesterday, Lane had filled Clayton and Ellie in on the plan. Right now, they sat tensely inside an unmarked police vehicle about fifteen yards away from the assigned spot. Clayton was to lie low when Vukovic appeared.

Clayton’s eldest brother, Tom Munro, a veteran police negotiator had also been brought in and now formed part of the team of officers who paced nervously in the breaking dawn, awaiting Vukovic’s arrival.

Lane had cleared the immediate area and undercover officers, posing as members of the general public, appeared sporadically at the gas pumps to fill up their cars. Lane didn’t know how long Vukovic would case the place, but if he had any brains at all, he’d turn up ahead of time to scout out the place.

Lane had gone to a great deal of trouble to make the gas station look as normal as possible, even down to the young constable who manned the cash register with his baseball cap on backwards and his best bored expression on his face.

Glancing at his watch, Lane’s gut clenched. The appointed hour was almost upon them.

A moment later, as Lane anticipated, Vukovic’s pickup truck appeared around the corner and parked on the far side of the gas station. Lane held his breath. The car door opened and the biker emerged.

As instructed, Clayton flattened himself across the back seat and Ellie climbed out of the unmarked car. She slowly approached the man who claimed he held their daughter captive. Nerves jangled in Lane’s gut and weighed down his limbs. He sent up a silent prayer that things would turn out right. From across the other side of the road, the early morning air carried the sound of voices. Vukovic’s was the loudest.

“Where’s the money?”

“In the men’s restroom, like you said,” Ellie replied, as instructed.

“You come alone?”

Ellie nodded emphatically. “Of course. Where’s my daughter?”

Vukovic looked at her and smirked. “All in good time.”

“No, I want to see her. I want to know she’s all right.”

Vukovic stared Ellie down. Lane held his breath. After what seemed like a lifetime, the biker nodded and headed back toward the Ford. Pulling open the trunk, he bent over and lifted something out.

Olivia Munro wobbled on her feet as Vukovic held her upright. She squinted against the rising sun. “Mommy? I’m so sorry, Mommy! I’m so sorry!”

Ellie appeared unsteady on her feet, but somehow held it together.

“I’m here, baby, I’m here.” Ellie took a step toward her.

Vukovic pulled a gun and held it to Olivia’s head. “Not so fast. I want to check the money, first.”

Ellie froze and put a hand to her mouth.

Lane thanked God they’d taken the time to put every dollar of the two hundred grand of marked bills supplied by Clayton and the AG into the gym bag they had been left behind the restroom door.

Vukovic frog-marched Olivia to the side of the gas station where the restrooms were located. They disappeared inside and Lane held his breath. They were the longest seconds of his life.

Vukovic reappeared with the bag in his hands. A smile tugged at his lips. He shoved Olivia toward her mother.

“She’s all yours. It was nice doin’ business.”

The next few moments were a blur of screaming and shouting and the sound of gunfire. Heavily armed TRG officers burst onto the scene with an arsenal of weaponry trained on the biker. Within moments, Lane and his team had Vukovic facedown on the ground, cuffed and under arrest.

It all happened so quickly, Lane barely had time to register that it was over. His breath came fast. Relief poured through him and it was his turn to tremble.

Olivia Munro was safe.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Tuesday, January 30, 11:49 a.m.

Lane couldn’t remember ever feeling wearier. After spending more hours than he could count, preparing for the confrontation with Vukovic, he could barely remember what his bed felt like and even though the interception had gone off without a hitch, he’d still spent the rest of the morning debriefing and completing a mountain of paperwork. Boris Vukovic was in custody. Draco Jovanovic soon would be. Olivia Munro was home, where she belonged. All in all, it had been a good day’s work.

Rubbing the soreness from his shoulders, he fitted the key into his front door and dragged himself inside. A hot shower and a few hours of uninterrupted sleep would go a long way to making him feel almost human again.

With that thought in mind, he stripped off his shirt and loosened his pants. He seated himself on the couch and tugged off his boots. His socks were tossed next to them. Pants and underwear joined the pile.

The feel of the hot spray on his neck and shoulders was the best thing he’d felt in days. Maybe weeks. He groaned in appreciation and let the water do its magic.

The relief he felt, knowing Olivia was safe, was immeasurable. Ellie had clung to him, crying her gratitude, trying to form the words. Clayton had hugged him hard—the expression of relief and thankfulness on his face conveyed his thoughts. Tom had shaken him by the hand and offered him a few solemn words of thanks.

While Lane appreciated their gratitude, he didn’t need it. Knowing an innocent little girl was safe from harm was enough for him.

During the exchange, Vukovic had gotten off a shot. Fortunately, it had gone wide. His men had quickly and efficiently done what they’d been trained to do and made sure the thwarted kidnapper was given no second chance. Clayton had bolted from the squad car and Olivia had collapsed against her parents, surrounded by their embrace and protected by the wall of their love.