Authors: Lara Lacombe
She met his gaze unflinchingly. “Yes,” she said, pleased that her voice didn’t waver. “I want to get this over with.” Her eyes flickered to James before returning to Agent Carmichael. If he noticed the brief lapse in her attention, he didn’t react. “I just want my life to go back to normal.”
The older man nodded as if pleased with her response. “And it will, just as soon as you do this one thing.”
He glanced down the table and nodded at a woman sitting a few seats away. “Caroline is going to get you wired up as soon as we’re done here, and then Thomas—” he gestured to the redheaded agent, who gave her a wink “—will walk you to the Metro station.”
“What about the vials?” James had said she would be given duplicate vials, but she hadn’t seen anyone carry anything in with them.
Thomas reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out two small plastic vials, which he slid across the table to her. She examined them closely, surprised to find that the labels appeared to be written in Dr. Collins’s even script and the liquid inside was the right color and consistency of a bacterial culture—a thick, milky yellow substance that slid lazily around the tube.
She set them down and turned to Carmichael, who was watching her closely. “These look real.” He smiled at that, his shoulders relaxing subtly. “But,” she continued, “they need to be frozen. If I hand him tubes of liquid, he’ll know they’re fake.”
“Are you kidding me? He’s not even going to see them—we’re going to scoop him up before he gets a chance to look at them.”
Kelly stood her ground. “He’ll expect me to bring him frozen stocks. If I don’t walk in carrying tubes on ice, he’ll know something is going on and he may not even approach me. Do you really want to lose him because of something so simple?”
Carmichael glared at her. “What do you suggest?”
She shrugged. “Just give me a foam cup of ice to carry, and I’ll drop the tubes inside. I can stick a straw in it so it looks innocuous, but George will see what he wants to see.”
James frowned at her. “I don’t think you’re allowed to bring a drink into the museum. How are you going to get in the door with that?”
“I’ll stick it in my bag,” she said simply. “No metal, so it won’t set off the detectors.”
Carmichael nodded slowly as he considered her suggestion. “Works for me,” he muttered, then motioned to Thomas. The other man quickly rose from the table and returned in short order with a cup of ice, which he handed to her. She nestled the tubes inside.
The meeting progressed quickly from there. Carmichael sketched out where everyone would be stationed, what they were to look for and how they were to approach George. The goal was to apprehend George with as little disruption as possible. It wouldn’t do to frighten the tourists. Kelly shook her head. If they only knew...
“Is there another problem?” Carmichael asked, having seen her movement. She looked up to find the room watching her. The agents wore expressions ranging from expectant to irritated to pitying.
“No,” she said with another shake of her head. “My shoulder is just a little sore, that’s all,” she lied.
Carmichael’s gaze tracked over her shoulder, and she fought the urge to pull the neckline of her shirt up higher to conceal the small strip of bandage that remained visible. It wasn’t obvious, but she did feel self-conscious about it and she hoped George wouldn’t notice.
“Any questions?” he asked the group. When none were forthcoming, he stood. “Let’s be safe out there,” he ordered before turning and leaving the room.
The rest of the team stood and began to gather their papers. A woman approached—Caroline? Was that her name? She placed a hand on Kelly’s good shoulder. “If you’ll come with me?” she asked in a surprisingly husky voice that suggested she was either a heavy smoker or suffering from a cold. “I’ll get you wired up in the bathroom.”
Kelly nodded and followed the petite woman out of the room, resisting the temptation to look back for James. From this point on, she was on her own, and she needed to get used to it.
Caroline placed a small box on the bathroom counter and turned to face Kelly. “I’m going to affix the wire near your bra, so nothing will be showing. The main part is a microphone, and it will transmit your conversations to us.” She opened the box and pulled out the item in question, which looked like a small earbud. Kelly gingerly lifted her shirt to allow Caroline to tape the microphone in place between her breasts. Next came a small, flat black box that Caroline hooked on the waistband of her jeans at the small of her back, tucking it inside Kelly’s pants so that nothing was showing.
She stepped back and circled around Kelly with a critical eye, presumably checking to make sure nothing looked out of place. Seemingly satisfied, she nodded and gathered up the now-empty box and tape.
“You don’t need to worry about talking into your shirt or anything like that,” she informed Kelly. “The microphone is pretty powerful, so just speak in a normal volume—no need to yell.”
“Is it on now?”
Caroline shook her head. “Not yet. I’ll turn it on right before you leave to get on the Metro. Speaking of which.” She glanced at the door. “Thomas should be ready to escort you in a few minutes.”
She held the door open, waiting for Kelly to step through before falling into step behind her. It was a few steps from the bathroom to the main office. Unsure of where to go next, Kelly stood against the wall, trying to stay out of the flow of traffic while she scanned the room for Thomas. Caroline touched her arm. “I’m going to let Thomas know you’re ready. Stay here?”
Kelly nodded, absently fingering the wire wrapped around her torso. Was it really invisible? Caroline seemed to think she looked normal, but she didn’t
feel
normal. The wire was thin, but what if her shirt slipped or caught on it, and George saw it? Worse, what if the unit malfunctioned and didn’t transmit? Would the FBI still be able to make their case if they couldn’t hear what he said to her?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of Thomas. The agent walked over to her with a reassuring smile, his dimples winking in his stubbled cheeks. “Get any sleep last night?” he asked.
Kelly snorted. “Not exactly.”
She glanced past Thomas’s shoulder to see James watching her from across the room. Her stomach did a little flip as their eyes met, but he quickly looked away. Letting out a small sigh, she bit her lip and focused on the man now standing next to her.
Message received.
Thomas looked her up and down with a critical eye. “Are you feeling okay?”
She gave him a wobbly smile. “I guess. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feel right now.”
“I can remember my first operation. We were taking down a smuggler in the airport. I was so nervous that things would go wrong, I puked in the car on the way over.” He grinned at her. “I have yet to really live that down.”
She smiled back as the butterflies in her stomach relaxed at his confession. “I don’t think I need to throw up, but if there’s any blood, all bets are off.”
“There won’t be any blood,” he assured her. “This is going to be a cakewalk.”
First James and now him. Did these men not understand what a big deal this was? “If you say so,” she replied.
He placed a hand on her good shoulder, and she felt the warmth of his palm through her shirt. “I’m not trying to dismiss the seriousness of what you’re about to do, but you need to know that you’ll be safe at all times. We have two agents in the museum who will be watching you, plus eyes on all the entrances and exits. As soon as you give Collins the cup, we’re going to scoop him up.”
She raised her eyebrow at the rhyme, and he chuckled softly. “I’m not a poet, all right? Cut me some slack.” He bent his head so he was at eye level with her. “Despite my cheesy delivery, the message stands. You’re going to be fine.”
A movement on the other side of the room caught her attention, and she shifted her gaze to see James watching them, his jaw tight and his shoulders tense. He relaxed a bit when Thomas removed his hand, but he still didn’t look happy.
Thomas glanced over his shoulder to see what she was looking at. James quickly looked away, but not before Thomas saw the expression on his face. He turned back to Kelly with a speculative gleam in his eyes. “Interesting,” he muttered.
Her face felt warm, and she knew she must be as red as a tomato. “I—I don’t know what you mean,” she stammered.
Thomas studied her for a beat, then shrugged. “Now is not the time. Let’s get you on your way.”
He guided her toward the elevator bank, and she took a few steps before stopping. “Wait! My transmitter has to be on.” She turned around to search for Caroline, gasping when she felt the back of her shirt jerked up. Thomas flipped the switch on the transmitter, then tugged her shirt back into place and turned her back around to face the elevators. He hadn’t actually touched her, but she saw his wicked grin and wink and knew he was taunting James.
She wanted to tell him not to bother, that James didn’t have feelings for her, but as he had said just a moment ago, this wasn’t the time. Besides, she didn’t feel like telling the whole humiliating story, especially to one of James’s coworkers.
No matter how handsome he was.
The elevator sped them down to the street level, and Thomas paused in the foyer, out of sight of the door. He raised his wrist to his mouth and muttered something. After a beat, he placed a hand on the small of her back. “We’re good,” he said softly, escorting her out the door.
She walked purposefully toward the Metro station. Thomas dropped in behind her after a few steps. She was tempted to look back and make sure he was still there, but she knew it was important that they appear to be strangers. She’d just have to trust he hadn’t left her alone.
The sidewalks weren’t overly crowded, but there was a steady stream of people walking around—the usual combination of tourists, businessmen and the homeless who wandered the same patch of sidewalk day in and day out hoping to encounter a generous soul.
Kelly rode the escalator down into the Metro station, standing on the right to avoid being trampled by the people in a hurry. She made her way onto the platform, fighting the urge to check for Thomas.
He’s there,
she told herself, wiping damp palms on her pants. She hadn’t seen anyone suspicious-looking, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t being watched. She could only trust that Thomas would do his job and keep her safe.
Where was James? She knew he was supposed to meet her inside the museum after she handed the vials to George, but where was he now? Would he be watching her the whole time, like Thomas? Despite the way things had gone last night, she’d still feel better knowing he was around. He was so...calm, always composed and put together. She felt safe around him, and she had missed that in the months they’d been apart. The events of the past few days had been stressful, but in spite of all the chaos, she had enjoyed just being around James again.
Too bad it couldn’t last.
Her heart in her throat, Kelly merged with the crowd to spill out of the station. Blinking in the sunlight, she walked across the Mall to the Natural History Museum. A Girl Scout group was gathered on the white marble steps, their green uniforms a bright splash of color in the crowd. Large banners hung from the building, advertising the latest IMAX movie and special exhibit. Normally, she looked forward to coming here; she always enjoyed spending an afternoon wandering the halls and reading the placards mounted next to specimens. Now, instead of the usual pleasant anticipation, she was struggling not to vomit.
She took a deep breath, gathering her courage to climb the stairs. There were so many children running around with harried parents chasing after them. Everyone was enjoying the beautiful day, seemingly without a care in the world. These families had no idea how close they were to danger, that there were people out there bent on hurting them. In one small way, she could do something to make sure they maintained that innocence. As difficult and scary as this was, she could help. The thought gave her the resolve she needed to finish the climb up the stairs, and she stepped inside the museum with her head held high and her jaw set.
Game on.
Chapter 10
G
eorge stayed in the shadows by the stairwell, trying hard to blend into the wall and avoid being trampled by the seemingly endless parade of children and families marching by to get to the dinosaur hall. Where was she? She should be here by now.
His heart pounding, he glanced at his watch and scanned the center of the museum again. Kelly wasn’t tall, but her reddish hair should stand out in the crowd. Was she coming? He had tried to sound so normal on the phone, but maybe she had picked up on his nerves....
He wiped his damp palms on his pants, swallowing hard in a vain effort to keep his nausea under control. This was all his fault. He should have taken Ruth and run, left the city and never looked back. It was no wonder they’d been found—he hadn’t done a good job of hiding.
He felt a prickle of guilt at using Kelly to get out of this mess. Caleb had been all too happy to agree when he’d suggested getting her to bring the vials. He clearly had something planned, but George couldn’t figure out what.
There was a lot he found confusing lately. Like how Caleb had insisted he call Kelly twice to set up the meeting, when only one conversation was really needed.
“It’s not your concern,” the other man had said dismissively. “Just do as you’re told.”
And so he had played his part, his knees knocking throughout each conversation with Kelly. One slip and he knew Ruth would be killed, in a very painful, drawn-out way, if Caleb was to be believed. It wasn’t something he’d been willing to test.
Even now, he couldn’t truly focus on the task at hand. His mind was back at the hotel room, where Ruth was no doubt reading a book or sleeping, completely oblivious to the danger she was in. Caleb had men on standby, waiting for his signal.
The hairs on the nape of his neck prickled as he recalled Caleb’s cold, smug voice. “Get the vials from Kelly, and your wife will be left alone. Fail to do this...” He had trailed off at the end, the silent threat to Ruth all too clear.
A flash of red caught his eye, and he rose on his tiptoes to see over the heads of the crowd.
Is that... Yes!
Kelly was there. She was standing just inside the museum, her head swiveling back and forth as she searched for him.
He stepped forward, pausing to let a large group of kids pass by before making his way over to the elephant in the center of the rotunda. She was walking over to the elephant as well, but she hadn’t seen him yet. He raised a hand to draw her eye and saw her head nod in recognition. A tight smile formed on her face, triggering a niggle of fear in his chest. Why was she looking at him like that? Did she suspect something?
As she approached, he saw she was walking a little strangely. She held her right arm close to her side, as if it was giving her pain. A man bumped into her, causing her features to tighten as her face went pale, and he realized she was injured. How had that happened? He’d never questioned Caleb’s interest in Kelly before, but now he wondered if she’d been a target all along.
Deciding to play it cool, he pasted a large smile on his face as he stepped forward to greet Kelly. “Great to see you,” he said, trying to fake a confidence he didn’t feel. “Thanks so much for bringing the vials. I knew if I went into the lab, I’d get tied up in work, and Ruth is eager to set off again.” He forced a laugh, hoping she was buying it. “You know how determined she can be.”
Kelly nodded and opened her bag. “No problem.” She rummaged a moment, then pulled out a foam cup and held it out for him. “I figured you’d want them kept frozen, so I packed them on ice for you.”
His heart pounding, he reached out to take the cup. Two small tubes were nestled inside, their innocuous-looking golden content his salvation. He breathed a sigh of relief, knowing it was almost over.
He glanced up to thank Kelly, and the smile froze on his lips as he noticed her expression. She wore a look of sad resignation, as if she was disappointed in something. Or someone. She darted a quick glance to the right, then looked back at him. A prickle of unease danced across his skin as she took a step back. It was time to go.
He opened his mouth to tell her goodbye, but before he could speak, all hell broke loose.
* * *
It was true. Despite all the evidence against him, Kelly had harbored a small spark of hope that somehow George was innocent and this was just a big misunderstanding. Seeing his look of abject relief as she’d given him the tubes had made her realize how naive she’d been.
She risked a quick glance around, hoping to see one of the FBI agents in the crowd. They were supposed to be in the museum, but she didn’t see anyone nearby. Her stomach tightened at the thought that she might be alone. Where were they?
She took a step back, wanting to get away from George as soon as possible. Just being so close to him made her skin crawl. Her part of the operation was finished, and the sooner she got out of there, the better.
George seemed to pick up on her discomfort; the smile faded from his lips. He opened his mouth to say something, but only a strangled sound escaped. His features twisted in horror as he glanced over her shoulder.
Before Kelly could turn to see what had scared him, she felt a sharp poke in the ribs and stiffened. She tried to step away, but a strong hand clamped onto her arm and squeezed, sending pain shooting up her arm and into her shoulder. Her knees went weak, but before she could fall, she was pulled into a solid body and felt a warm breath at her ear. “We meet again, Dr. Jarvis.”
Oh, God. Oh, no.
Fear sent cold spikes through her body, and her heart threatened to pound out of her chest. How had he found her? How had he gotten past the FBI agents? She glanced up and met George’s eyes, silently begging him to help her. He thrust the Styrofoam cup back into her bag and shook his head, slowly backing away as if afraid to make any sudden movements.
“You bastard,” she hissed at him. He’d probably set this whole thing up, promising her in exchange for his safety. “You won’t get away with this.” She could have bitten her tongue the minute the words left her mouth. The last thing she needed was for him to suspect the FBI was nearby.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered before turning and walking away. He merged quickly with the crowd, disappearing from her sight and leaving her alone with a psychopath.
She took a deep breath, preparing to scream. Yes, it would scare the families in the museum, but it would also alert the FBI agents, who could help her. Before she could even emit so much as a squeak, she was spun around and found herself face-to-face with Caleb.
His mouth quirked up in a smile. “Not a good idea, Doctor. You don’t want to draw attention to us. Believe me.” He opened the flap of his jacket, and she saw a remote tucked into the breast pocket of his shirt. She snapped her mouth shut with an audible click, her gut turning to water as she realized why he would be carrying such a device. Was he wired, or had he set up a bomb nearby?
“Be a good girl and smile for me,” he urged, tucking his free hand into his jacket pocket. She stared up at him in disbelief, certain she had misunderstood. He gave her arm a warning squeeze. “Smile.” She forced the corners of her mouth up, and he regarded her with a bemused expression. “You could at least try to make it look natural,” he said with a sigh. “But that will do for now.”
His hand still wrapped around her arm, he steered her into the depths of the museum. She glanced wildly around as he forced her past the dinosaur skeletons, hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the FBI agents. If they were around, they were certainly staying in the shadows. Despair washed over her as she realized they had probably all moved to close in on George, thinking she’d be fine once they picked him up. There was no way anyone could have foreseen Caleb would come out of hiding, especially not when the risk of getting caught was so high.
“Where are you taking me?” she gritted out from between clenched teeth. Her only hope now was that the FBI was listening. If she could get him to tell her where they were going, there was a good chance the good guys could get there first.
Caleb chuckled close to her ear. “Now, Dr. Jarvis, surely you don’t think I’m that stupid? In fact—” He reached down and pulled the back of her shirt up, then yanked out the pack attached to the waistband of her pants. With another sharp tug, he pulled the wires free from her shirt. “Much better,” he said, dumping the wire over the rail of an exhibit as they passed.
“Now it’s just you and me.”
* * *
James scanned the museum, his heart pounding so loudly he had trouble hearing the voices of his team. They had picked up Collins without incident, but since Caleb was on the scene, all bets were off.
It had taken all his willpower not to rush over when Caleb had grabbed Kelly. Only repeated orders from Carmichael, liberally laced with threats, had kept him standing by the information desk with his thumb up his ass. If he went charging in, he’d likely botch the whole operation and possibly get Kelly hurt in the process. Her safety wasn’t worth the risk, but he hated sitting around when he could be doing something to put this whole thing to rest.
“We’ve lost her.” The voice was tinny in his ear, snapping the last of his control.
“I’m on the move,” he said as he began to walk through the rotunda. He hadn’t seen them come by him, which meant they had likely gone in the opposite direction.
“Negative,” Carmichael commanded. “Stay in place, Reynolds. We need to let this play out.”
“She is not a bargaining chip,” James snapped, reaching up to lower the volume on his earpiece. Carmichael’s squawking faded from his attention as he scanned the exhibits. It was darker in the halls; the lighting was strategically placed to highlight the bones and other artifacts on display while leaving shadows in the corners.
He glanced at the faces of the tourists as he passed. No one looked upset or distressed, which meant if Kelly and Caleb had come this way, she wasn’t putting up a fight. Caleb must have threatened her to ensure her cooperation. Maybe even hurt her, he thought grimly, picking up speed as the crowd thinned.
He caught a glimpse of blond curls up ahead, just rounding a corner. He drew his gun from the side holster, holding his hand down by his side in an effort to keep the civilians from noticing. He heard a few startled gasps as he moved by, but he couldn’t take the time to reassure them now.
He rounded the corner, narrowly avoiding a collision with a stroller. Stepping to the side, he glanced up and saw Caleb and Kelly a few paces ahead, moving quickly. They were heading for a service corridor, and he hung back to let them enter the hall. Better to confront Caleb in a nonpublic area of the museum, where there was a lower chance of innocent casualties.
He grabbed the heavy door before it slammed shut and drew the gun up to aim at Caleb’s back. “FBI!” he boomed, his voice loud and echoing in the cement corridor.
Caleb reacted immediately, whirling to the side and pulling Kelly in front of him to act as a shield. James scanned her quickly, checking for injuries. She seemed unharmed, and relief at seeing him shone on her face as she held his gaze. He gave her a brief nod before turning his attention back to Caleb.
“Let her go, Caleb,” he began, slowly stepping forward to close the distance between them. Caleb stepped back, dragging Kelly with him while his hand reached up to press a knife against her throat. She stiffened and whimpered when he pressed the blade on her skin, and James halted.
“Very good.” Caleb smiled as if he were a teacher praising a particularly clever student. “You shouldn’t have followed us,” he continued, dragging Kelly back step by step.
“I couldn’t just let you walk away,” James responded, risking a small step. He stopped at Caleb’s raised brow, hating that he had to yield to this man.
“Such a good little fed,” Caleb taunted, pausing for a beat to sneer at him. “So dedicated. You even walked her home.” He jerked on Kelly’s arm as he spoke, and her face went white. “I was supposed to hit you, you know.” His tone was conversational, a man telling a story.
James’s stomach lurched at Kelly’s pained expression. The bastard was hurting her again, and he was powerless to stop it. With Caleb’s knife at her throat, he couldn’t get a shot off in time, and if he missed...
“I’m here now.” Maybe he could keep him talking, distract him until he made a mistake. Just one tiny mistake, that was all he needed to end this. “Why not try again?”
Caleb shook his head. “Oh, no, we’re past that now.” His expression turned considering as he watched James. “Although I must say, if we had time I would like to finish this. Can’t have you turning up over and over again.”
“What’s wrong with now? I’ve got time.” Keep him talking; keep him engaged.
James inched forward, his eyes never leaving Caleb’s. If he kept his focus on Caleb, he could almost ignore the fact that Kelly was trapped with a knife at her throat, something he had to push aside in order to function. Emotions were the enemy right now.
He chanced another half step forward, saw Caleb’s eyes flicker down and then back up. “That’s far enough,” he warned, tightening his grip on Kelly.
“Just let her go, and you and I can settle this,” James suggested, trying hard to keep the anger and fear for Kelly out of his voice.
Caleb scoffed. “Do you honestly think I’m stupid? The minute I let her go, you’ll shoot me.”
James shook his head. “No. I just want to talk to you. I find you very intriguing.” It was a long shot, but he was rewarded by a spark of interest in the other man’s eyes.
“Really? Why is that?”
James scrambled to come up with something suitably flattering, digging deep for those psych classes he’d taken at the Academy. “I’ve been studying your movements for so long, trying to figure out where you’d strike next. I feel like I practically know you.”
Caleb’s mouth twisted in a smug smile. “Kept you on your toes, did I?”
James nodded. “Oh, yes,” he said, trying not to choke on the words. “You’ve been a true challenge. I imagine we’ll teach a course about you someday.”
“The one that got away?”
“That depends,” James said slowly. “You know the FBI doesn’t want civilian casualties. If you let her go—” he nodded at Kelly “—I might be willing to look the other way while you escape. Keep the game going and all.”