Shadow Zone (22 page)

“I’m sure that’s not true.”

“It is. I was pretty screwed up myself, so it couldn’t have gone any other way.” Driscoll looked down. “You know, as you get older, and you see the people near and dear to you pass on, the world can become a much sadder and more unfriendly place. That’s why it’s been such a joy to suddenly have Charlie in my life. It’s not the same as raising him from birth; but in our case, it’s probably better.”

Kirov smiled. “Then you’re both very lucky.”

“Do you have children?”

“No.”

“Ever think about it?”

Kirov nodded. “I was married once, and my wife and I wanted to have a big family. She had it in her head that she wanted five kids. Not four, not six, but five. She had even started naming them. She wrote prospective names on pieces of paper and put them on the refrigerator. If she got tired of looking at the name after a week or so, it was stricken from the list.”

“Interesting system.”

Kirov smiled. “Yes, it was a special time.” He abruptly turned away. “Well, you have work to do. I’ll leave you to it. Congratulations again, Driscoll.”

Agent Elijah baker adjusted his telephone earpiece and braced himself for another barrage of excuses. The two agents he had brought with him to Ireland had botched the operation at every turn.

“I tested those tracking pellets myself,” Agent Bradley said. “They should have worked anywhere in the city.”

“So what happened?”

“I don’t know. Hawlings and I put them in every pair of shoes that Bryson had with her, and in her coat pockets. They disappeared off our monitors within an hour.”

“Yes,” Baker said bitterly. “That’s when you offered me your ‘local interference’ theory. You thought it would pass. In the meantime, Hannah Bryson vanished.”

“Well, I’m calling to tell you that the tracking pellets reappeared on our monitors just a little while ago.”

“All of them?”

“Yes. Every one.”

Baker’s face brightened. Maybe Bradley and Hawlings weren’t such total screw ups after all. “Did you reestablish visual contact with Bryson?”

“Not exactly.”

Uh-oh. “What does that mean?”

“We followed the signal. It led us to the General Post Office. Specifically, a trash receptacle in front of the building.”

“Hannah Bryson’s shoes were in the trash?”

“Uh, no. The pellets themselves had been removed and placed into a small gift box. The box was wrapped in decorative paper and labeled to you.”

“To me?”

“Yes, sir. ‘To Elijah Baker, with love.’ We took the liberty of opening it. Inside, the pellets were arranged in the shape of a heart.”

Very funny, Kirov. “Any activity on her mobile phone?”

“No, sir. Not since yesterday morning.”

“Okay. Stand by, Bradley.” Baker cut the connection and cursed under his breath. He should have had Hannah Bryson tailed rather than relying on those damned GPS tracking devices. Shit.

“Tough day at the office?”

“Yes.” He turned toward the bed at her question. “We’re no closer to finding Kirov than we were yesterday. We’re now a bit farther, actually.”

Anna Devareau sat up in bed and pulled the covers around her, leaving her shoulders bare. “I told you that you should have let me handle it.”

“And how would you have handled it? Kidnap Hannah Bryson and torture her until she tells you what we want to know?”

Anna shrugged. “Much more effective than your approach.”

“I think this requires more finesse.”

“Your finesse isn’t getting you very far right now.” She leaned back in bed and smiled sweetly. “Sometimes, my darling, a blunter instrument is required.”

CHAPTER
11

Hannah opened the door of her rented house to see Kirov standing on the front porch.

“I’m moving things up,” he said curtly.

He pushed past her before she could open the door wider for him to enter. “By all means, please come in.”

He ignored her sarcasm. “My sources tell me that Gadaire will be back in the country within forty-eight hours. We’ll need to execute our plans tomorrow.”

Hannah took in a deep breath. “Nothing like a little pressure. Is Driscoll ready?”

“He needs to make sure his contact at the telephone company is prepared, but otherwise he’s all set. The man’s a pro.”

“That’s more than I can say for the two of us.”

Kirov put a reassuring hand on her arm. “We’ll do fine.”

Hannah looked up at him, surprised. His voice was gruff, but his smile was almost comforting. It wasn’t a side she had often seen in Kirov. “If you say so.”

“I do. You look tired. Have you been getting enough sleep?”

“I tossed and turned most of the night, thinking of ways to torture AquaCorp.”

He chuckled. “The entire corporation or someone in particular?”

“All of ’em.”

“What did they do to deserve the wrath of Hannah?”

She waved her hand. “Long story.”

“I see,” he said absently. He changed the subject. “Before we finalize our plans, I’m going to need your help.”

“That’s what I’m here for. What do you need?”

“I need to tap into that amazing memory of yours. We were interrupted before I could take photos in the lab yesterday. I’d like to take another look around . . . through you.”

“I thought this might be coming down the pike,” Hannah said. Ever since she was a small child, she had possessed a photographic memory that enabled her to recall the tiniest details with only a brief glance. As a second-grader, she convinced her teacher of her powers of X-ray vision by describing the previously glimpsed contents of a purse and desk drawer. As much fun as she’d had with her unique ability as a child, she chose to keep it hidden from the majority of her adult friends and associates. It was too easy for people to ignore her genuine achievements while they were being dazzled by circus stunts. As she had told Melis, she preferred not to deal in mental hijinks. “So you want to see my dog and pony show again.”

“It would be a great help.”

Hannah sat on the living-room sofa as she motioned for Kirov to join her. “I’ll do the best I can.”

“I have faith in you,” he said quietly. “I’ve seen you do it before under much more difficult circumstances.”

“I remember.” The last time she’d had to dredge up memories had been to recall the details of that horrible night Conner had been murdered. It had been a nightmare. This would be much easier.

Anything would have been much easier.

Don’t think about it. Concentrate on the present. “As you know, I can’t just pull it up right away. I need to take a minute and put myself back in the time and place.”

“We have all the time in the world.”

“You just told me that’s not true.” She leaned back on the sofa and took a deep breath.

Think back. See the sights, smell the smells . . .

They had slipped through the open lab door, leaving behind the voices and shuffling feet in the corridor.

The heavy wooden door squeaked as it swung closed behind them . . .

Pungent odors in the lab. Chemical smells . . . Sulfur?

Their footsteps had echoed on the white-tiled floor. Her shoes had even squeaked a couple of times. And there was a slight buzzing from the fluorescent lights above.

Those lights . . . one of them flickered. It was all the way to the left, third from the front.

And with that one detail, the entire room suddenly came into razor-sharp focus.

She opened her eyes. “Okay. I’m there. What do you need?”

“Heating and air-conditioning vents?” he said quickly.

She smiled. “No rush, it’s locked in now. It’s not like it will suddenly evaporate.” She glanced around at the lab in her mind’s eye. “It’s funny, but I don’t see any. Wait. There they are. Surface-mounted slot diffusers. Long narrow strips low on each of the side walls.” Hannah imagined herself turning from the front of the room to the back. “They run the entire length of the room.”

Kirov shook his head. “Amazing.”

“What else?”

“Do the refrigeration cases have temperature readouts?”

Hannah strained to see the upper right-hand corner of the cases. “Yes. LCD readouts, not illuminated.”

“Can you see the temperatures?”

With difficulty, she read the small panels. “Forty-four degrees, forty-four degrees, fifty-one degrees. And that’s all I can make out. I can’t see the ones on the other side of the room from where we were standing.”

“Okay, what about motion sensors? I didn’t see any, but we should be sure.”

“None that I can see in the front . . .” Hannah imagined herself turning, her eyes skimming past the lab’s smooth walls. “And none in the back, either. And no visible alarm panels.”

“Good. And each of the desks has a gas spigot for burners, is that correct?”

“Yes. With an L-shaped handle to control it.”

“And I assume there’s some kind of master switch at the front of the room that enables them all.”

Hannah felt her eyes narrowing to see the front of the room. “There’s a box mounted on the instructor’s table. There’s a slot for a small key. That’s probably it.”

“Excellent.”

“Anything else?”

Kirov shook his head. “No, that’s all I needed. It’s an incredible gift you have, Hannah.”

She left the lab and focused her attention back on Kirov. “Not really. It’s a trick. It’s nothing compared to true intelligence, imagination, and creativity.”

“Things you are also blessed with.”

She shrugged. “I have to work harder at those things, but the satisfactions are much greater.”

“I could see that.”

Hannah stood and gestured toward the kitchen. “Would you like some coffee? I think Eugenia bought some terribly strong French roast, and there might be some—”

“I don’t want any coffee.”

There was a note in his voice that made her stiffen warily. Her gaze flew to his face.

“Ask me what I do want,” he said softly.

She didn’t need to ask. It was there in his expression, the tension of his body. She hadn’t been expecting this. The sexuality had come out of left field. Her chest felt suddenly tight. She could feel the heat scorching her cheeks.

“Ask me,” he repeated.

“It’s fairly clear. But all I’m offering is coffee.”

“Hannah . . .” Kirov took her hand, his thumb gently, sensuously rubbing the palm.

She felt a flash of heat travel from her palm to the sensitive flesh of her wrist. “Don’t
do
that.”

“No?” He stood up and stepped close to her. “It’s time. We both want it.”

“I don’t do everything I want. I have a mind and will.”

“A beautiful mind,” he murmured. He moved slowly closer, his hand sliding around to the back of her neck. He kissed her. “A magnificent will.” He kissed her again. “It was the first thing about you that I noticed and admired.” His thumb was rubbing the nape of her neck, and she felt a jolt of sensation with every movement. “But since then, I’ve come to appreciate many other things.” His tongue licked gently at her lower lip. “You have wonderful shoulders. Your breasts are incredible.” His hands slid down to cup her hips. “It’s a turn-on just watching you walk . . . Free, bold, no compromise . . .”

She was on fire. She couldn’t breathe. “You’re trying to seduce me.”

“Now that was an obvious statement not worthy of you. Yes. I most certainly am.” His big hands were opening and closing on her buttocks. “I pray I’m succeeding. Am I?”

This wasn’t smart. Why couldn’t she move away from him?

Then she did move, but it was toward him. Her lower body arching into him.

He inhaled sharply, and his fingers dug into her hips, jerking her closer, rotating them against him. “What a wonderful answer. Do you like this?”

She bit her lower lip to smother a cry. “Dammit, of course I like it.” She was almost panting. “It’s sex. That doesn’t mean I—”

“Shh.” He kissed her again. “Do you recall I said something to you once.
Pomni, ya vsegda ryadom.
”

“ ‘Remember, I’ll always be with you’?” she said shakily. “Funny thing to say to a woman just before bailing on her.”

“The irony has not been lost on me. Of course, I thought I was going to die at the time. I was speaking in terms of emotions and memory.”

“Thanks for coming back to clarify.” Dear God, her entire body was readying.

“Allow me to be more literal this time.” He kissed her again. “I mean it, Hannah.”

“So I should jump into bed with you?”

“It would be my most earnest desire.” His hand moved to caress her breasts. “I’ll make it your most earnest desire too. I promise, Hannah.”

Her breasts were swelling beneath his touch, the muscles of her stomach clenching. Her cheeks were burning with heat. She could feel her resistance eroding. Why was she even trying? This was what she wanted.
He
was what she wanted.

“Eugenia told me she won’t be back until this afternoon,” Kirov whispered. “Where’s your bedroom?”

“Why did Eugenia—” She stiffened as a thought stabbed through the hot haze Kirov had wrapped around her. “But I know why she’d tell you.” She stepped back and pushed him away. “Eugenia is your buddy. She wants you to have everything you want in life. She told me when I asked her to help find you that you were the important one in the equation. So when you decide you want a roll in the sack with me, naturally she’d find a way to help make it happen.”

“You’re not being reasonable. No one was plotting. Perhaps she did want to give me the opportunity. It wouldn’t surprise me.” He frowned impatiently. “But what difference does it make what Eugenia wants? It’s what we want.”

“It matters because I don’t want to be manipulated by her or you. You’re both masters of the game, but not with me, Kirov. I’m not having it.”

“Then you’ll cheat both of us. Why aren’t you having it? You wanted it, dammit.”

“Yes, I did.” God help her, she still did. She was shaking just looking at him. “But you were seducing me, Kirov. You admitted it. And I was letting you do it. Everything that’s still hurting and unresolved between us, and you made it go away.” She jerkily shook her head. “When I go to bed with a man, it will be my will, my decision, and not because I’m ‘seduced’ against my better judgment. I’m not that weak.” Yet she had been within a hair of tossing that damn judgment out the window. “You come in here mumbling romantic Russian phrases and telling me that I mean something to you. Well, I’m not listening.”