Aftershock: A Donovan Nash Novel (A Donovan Nash Thriller) (22 page)

“What do you have in mind?” Donovan interrupted. “How do you protect us?”

“I’ll be following you as best I can without being detected. My guess is they’ll run you around the city, drive you past their own lookouts to see if you’re being tailed. I assume you’ll be talking with the kidnappers on Eva’s phone—but we’ll be in contact as well. At some point there’s an ultimate destination. I’ll be in position when you arrive and deal with them however the situation dictates.”

“Eva,” William asked, “how do you feel about this? How do you think these men might react?”

Eva had been sitting quietly, seemingly trying to follow the conversation. She seemed startled at the sound of her name and responded. “I know they are bad men. They have been criminals for a long time. One of them used to be in the police, but I think he is not doing that anymore. They are dangerous because they hold no value for a person’s life. Which is why they want to kill me, and now I think maybe they want to kill Donovan too.”

“You’ll each be wearing a Kevlar vest,” Buck said. “Just as a precaution.”

“What is Kevlar?” Eva asked, her face clouded with confusion.

“A bullet-proof vest,” Buck explained. “You wear it and it protects you. If someone shoots you the bullet is stopped.”

There was no escaping Eva’s drawn expression, and the look of deep fatigue in her red-tinged eyes. Eva held little resemblance to the confident woman he’d seen stride into the hotel bar. He wondered if she would hold up until morning.

“Buck,” William broke the silence. “Give it to us straight up. What are the odds of pulling this off without any of our people getting hurt?”

“Hard to put it into numbers,” Buck replied without hesitation. “All the plans in the world shift the moment someone goes off script. The side that reacts quickest in a fluid situation usually prevails. In this case, I have to think the advantage is ours.”

“Donovan.” William pressed the tips of his fingers together, contemplating his next words. “Obviously, I don’t want you involved. I believe I’ve made myself clear on this issue. I’d feel better had they requested that I deliver the money rather than you, but right now we are not in charge, they are. I need to make certain you’re sure about this. If not, I fully understand, and we’ll try to force the issue in another direction.”

“I appreciate what you’re saying.” Donovan knew that William’s speech was more for Buck and Eva. William knew he wasn’t going to back away from this. He looked at his longtime friend and gave him a gentle nod to show he understood. “We have Eva on board, and I think that the sooner we get this resolved—the better it’ll be for everyone. So, to answer your question, yes, I’m in.”

Donovan glanced at the luminous dial on his watch: four-thirty in the morning. He hated waiting, it left him with far too much time to think. He wasn’t sure, but he thought maybe he’d closed his eyes for a little while, but the dream of Meredith had awoken him with a start. One moment they were together, happy, then moments later, she was gone forever.

He’d been anointed in the rituals of death since he was a boy. He’d watched both of his parents die when their yacht had sunk during a storm in the Pacific Ocean. He’d clung desperately to a piece of wreckage. The image of his mother slipping beneath the waves had forever imprinted on his fourteen-year-old brain. Death changes life, alters everything it touches. Donovan knew he’d been changed violently and permanently by death’s cold hand.

He found himself not caring what happened to him this coming day, only that he succeed. The only feelings he allowed himself were anger and determination, the two essentials to the mission. If he failed, if Stephanie were murdered, he knew it would change him yet again. He wondered how many times a man could be changed by death, until all that was left was a shell waiting for death’s final embrace.

A hand touched his shoulder and Donovan, startled, looked up to see William standing over his chair, dressed in a suit.

“It’s time to wake up,” William whispered.

Donovan nodded and looked over at Eva, curled up on
the small sofa, her shoulders rising and falling with each breath. Earlier he’d covered her with a blanket, and she’d given him a small smile, a hopeful smile, but one filled with apprehension. Donovan had no idea where Buck was. He’d left earlier, advising Donovan to try and get some sleep. When Donovan had told him the same thing, Buck had shrugged and told him SEALs didn’t need sleep.

Eva raised her head and found Donovan. “What time is it?”

“Almost five,” he said as he walked to the window and opened the drapes. Raindrops streaked the window and clouds hung low, brushing the tops of the buildings. “Time to get up.”

Eva nodded and headed to the coffee pot on the bar.

As she ran the water, Donovan went to the door that led out to the hallway and peered out the peephole. Instead of the embassy guards, he saw Buck standing outside the door. The former SEAL was dressed and ready for combat. Donovan opened the door.

“I was just going to wake you,” Buck said. “Let me get the rest of my gear and I’ll be there in a second.”

Donovan waited as Buck went into his room, moments later returning, carrying a duffel bag and two weapons. He held the door open as Buck strode through and placed everything on the sofa. Buck extended his hand toward Donovan. “Hand me that Sig you’ve been carrying around.”

Donovan pulled it out from under the cushion of the chair he’d slept in and gave it to Buck. The former SEAL popped the clip and extracted the round from the chamber. He ran his practiced eye over the weapon, and then in a blur of motion reloaded it and handed it back to Donovan.

“If you’re comfortable using this, it looks like it’s in pretty good shape,” Buck said as he leaned over and unzipped the black duffel bag. He pulled out two bulletproof vests, handed one to Donovan and the other he laid out for Eva. “Put these on under your shirts. They’re pretty thin, I don’t want it obvious that you’re wearing them.”

Donovan stripped down to his undershirt and pulled the
small but surprisingly heavy garment over his head. Buck helped pull the Velcro straps tight, and Donovan rotated his arms until it felt comfortable. He slid into his shirt and buttoned it up to the next to last button.

Buck stood back and checked it out. “Perfect.” He turned to Eva, instructed her to turn around and remove her shirt. Buck repeated the procedure, making sure her long hair wasn’t trapped beneath the vest. She buttoned up her shirt and turned to face them.

“It’s a little more obvious on her.” Donovan saw that the outline of her breasts were muted by the shape of the vest.

“This isn’t a beauty contest,” Buck said, then turned to William. “We need to get the money ready.”

“It’s in the bedroom,” William replied.

“Do you need help with the money?” Donovan asked.

“I’ve got this. We still need to divide the cash.” Buck allowed William to lead him to retrieve the cases of money.

Donovan took a steaming mug of coffee from Eva. “Thanks,” he said and tried to offer her an encouraging smile. She looked a little less frayed than last night. He hoped she would be able to hold it together once they started.

“Did you get some sleep?” Eva asked.

“I’m fine, though I’m ready to get this underway. I hate the waiting,” Donovan replied. “How are you feeling?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged and wrapped two hands around her own cup of coffee. “I trust you, but I also feel that I have no choice. I don’t understand why all of this is happening to me, and I feel out of control.”

“Hopefully, that’ll go away once we start. I think the waiting is the worst part.”

“I feel that you are not a patient man,” Eva said, bluntly. “I mean, you seem like someone who is used to getting what you want. Will that go away once we start?”

“You’re not exactly seeing me at my best.” Donovan ran his hand back through his hair.

A small look of surprise came over Eva’s face, as if she’d just
remembered something. “I forgot to tell you. Meredith called yesterday when you were at the airport. I’m sorry.”

“You spoke to my wife?” Donovan’s eyes darted toward the nearest phone. “Yes, her name is Meredith, yes?”

“No.” Donovan felt his stomach knot up. “You misunderstood. My wife is Lauren. What did she say?”

“She said she would call back.” Eva shrugged. “I’m sorry, I was asleep when she called and I forgot.”

“It’s okay.” Donovan thought of Lauren calling his room and finding a sleeping woman. He only hoped that with William and Buck’s help, he’d be able to explain.

“She is a very lucky woman,” Eva said.

“I’m not so sure she feels that way right now,” Donovan said, as Buck and William came into the main room carrying the two suitcases of money. Buck snatched a black duffel bag from the sofa and went back into William’s room. He emerged moments later and the bag looked heavy.

“It’s all here,” William said. “Three million dollars.”

Buck hoisted the duffel bag. “Here’s the other million. We’ll hold onto this until we get back.” He looked at Eva. “Then we can figure out what you want to do with this much money.”

“Where did the guards go?” Donovan remembered the empty hallway.

“I’ve given them their assignments,” Buck said. “We have four men, two from the Diplomatic Security Service, and two from the Canadian embassy. William has a single driver from the embassy in the event he needs to travel. Everyone should be in strategic positions shortly. I’ll be in radio contact with them at all times.”

“What about us?” Donovan asked.

“You’ll have your phone.” Buck said. “Dial my number and leave the connection open. The key is to let me know where you are at all times. I don’t know how many gyrations these guys are going to put you through, but I’ll be able to stay on top of everything without being seen.”

Donovan nodded that he understood.

“Courtesy of the Canadians, I’ll be in a car the kidnappers won’t recognize as being from the US embassy. I have enough firepower to do pretty much whatever I need to do. But you have to keep me informed of everything that is happening.”

Donovan was about to ask about the assortment of weapons when Eva’s cell phone rang. Donovan felt his adrenaline begin to pump as Buck handed it to him. “Remember to ask Stephanie a question only she can answer.”

Donovan looked at William, who nodded, and then he answered and put the phone on speaker.

“We’re ready,” Donovan said.

“Who am I speaking with?”

“My name is Donovan. I want to talk to Stephanie.”

“I recognize your voice. You have the money?”

“I told you we’re ready. Now I want to talk to Stephanie.” Donovan’s entire world was focused on the thought of hearing her voice, letting her know he was coming.

“Donovan?”

At the sound of her voice Donovan felt his throat constrict, Stephanie sounded so alone and frightened. He thought of the last words Meredith had said to him. She’d told him she loved him, and not to pay the ransom—for twenty-two years her words had plagued him, haunted him, for she must have already known she was going to be killed.

“It’s me.” Donovan said in a hushed voice, trying to control his emotions. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” Stephanie replied.

“Do you remember what I swore I wouldn’t do while I was in Montana?”

“You haven’t shaved?”

“Hang on a little longer,” Donovan said, his voice stronger this time, it was definitely her.

“Listen carefully.” The hard-edged male voice had the phone
again. “Take the money, and the girl, and drive north out of the hotel on the Avenue
La Reforma
. Keep this phone—you are being watched. You have ten minutes.”

“I understand.” Donovan severed the connection, and then slid the phone into his jacket pocket and glanced at his watch. “I spoke to Stephanie, she’s alive. We’ve got ten minutes to get on the road.”

Lauren jolted awake with a start. For a moment she couldn’t place her surroundings, and she felt her apprehension escalate as she struggled to understand. In the darkness, the dull hum of engines helped her pull it all together. She was on a chartered Gulfstream headed to Guatemala City. Her eyes went to the display mounted on the forward bulkhead. The moving map showed they were at 44,000 feet over the Gulf of Mexico.

With mixed feelings, she’d left Abigail with Montero. They’d gotten along wonderfully, and Abigail loved staying at the country house. Lauren had briefed Montero on the house, its security systems, the armory and safe room in the basement, as well as the means to escape if need be.

They discussed different plans of action, including getting Abigail to Lauren’s mother if Montero needed to vanish. Lauren also left enough cash for Montero to cover any contingency. Without having all the answers as to who might want to hurt them, having a highly trained former FBI agent watch over her daughter brought Lauren some measure of comfort.

Despite their history, she’d grown to like and trust Montero. The woman was capable, smart, and not afraid to act. These qualities Lauren had known about; she was surprised to find that Montero possessed such an insightful spirit. The other not-so-surprising aspect of Montero was her investigative mind. Once they’d decided to focus on Marie Vargas, Montero flew into high gear, and the two of them began to pull together information
from Montero’s friend in Miami and Lauren’s government sources. When Lauren had left for the airport, Montero was still digging, connecting seemingly unimportant details. Now, somewhere out in front of her in Guatemala was her husband. With all the information that she and Montero had gathered, Lauren couldn’t ignore the fact that her husband might be in very real trouble.

Each minute, the Gulfstream put her six miles closer to Donovan, and as Lauren ran each scenario, she kept coming back to the one set of events that scared her the most. What if her husband was finished with their marriage? She’d left him almost a year ago, and while the underlying causes of their split were still firmly in place, they seemed committed to working on their issues. Donovan’s self-imposed exile to Montana was designed to give him some perspective, to try to put his ghosts behind him, and live his life focused on the future instead of the past. What if he found his answers and they didn’t involve her? Could he walk away from her? Her husband was one of the most complex men she’d ever met and, as she’d learned over the years, complex worked great when it was functioning, but an upheaval created nothing but chaos. For Donovan, the loss of Stephanie would go far beyond an upheaval. Her death would be catastrophic.