The Escape

by Lisa Harris

  “I’m in. When do you want to see him?”

  “Can you get me in with him tonight, Biggie?” Madison said.

  “Works for me.”

  “Then let’s go,” Jonas said, and turned on the engine.

  Twenty-Eight

  At half past four, Madison finished her water in one of the marshals’ offices, then dumped the bottle into the recycling bin, trying to channel her nervous energy. A rush of adrenaline was inevitable, but she could never let it affect the role she was playing.

  “Madison . . . or should I call you Chrystal?” Jonas leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. “Before you go, I want you to pretend I’m Yuri and tell me who you are.”

  “Pretend you’re Yuri.” Madison sat down across from him. “Are you serious?”

  “I’m always serious.” His frown deepened, but there was a mischievous glint in his eyes.

  “This isn’t the first time I’ve done this.”

  “I have no doubt in your abilities, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to ensure you’re ready. Just do it. For me.”

  She hesitated, but knew he was probably right. They needed the information from Yuri without scaring away Barrick. If she gave Yuri any cause to believe she was there undercover, it would blow everything.

  “Fine.” Madison took a deep breath and focused on the backstory they’d created for Chrystal. “I’m a single mom with a three-year-old, trying to get away from an abusive relationship. He’s taken my passport and driver’s license and birth certificate, which is why I need a new one. I need to leave the country.”

  “How did you find out about me?”

  “I have a friend who has a cousin who’s involved with some . . . under the table things. He promised to set me up and gave me your number.”

  “And the money . . . where did you get the money?”

  “I have an aunt across the country who has some stashed away. I didn’t tell her what it was for, but she was willing to help.”

  “Why not just move in with her?”

  “Because as long as I’m in the country he won’t stop looking for me. I have an old college roommate—someone he doesn’t know about—in Calgary who’s promised to let us stay with her until I can get back on my feet.”

  Jonas shook his head. “Don’t tell him where you’re going. If you’re as scared as you should be in your situation, you wouldn’t want anyone knowing your destination. If you can find Yuri, so can your ex.”

  She nodded. He was right. Maybe the practice wasn’t such a bad idea after all. “Okay, let’s keep going.”

  “Did you tell your aunt what you’re doing?” Jonas asked.

  “No. I haven’t told anyone, because I don’t want anyone else involved. If he finds me, he will kill me.”

  “What about a best friend, or another family member?”

  “No one.”

  He paused, looking her over. “Good, just don’t overplay your hand. More than likely you’re not the first person he’s dealt with in a situation like this. You want to make sure you don’t set off any red flags.”

  One of the other agents handed Madison a jean jacket to go over her army-green tank top. She tugged it on, then applied a layer of lipstick. She hardly recognized herself in the mirror.

  “My job is to find out if Barrick has been there, and what name he’s planning to use,” she said.

  “And if you can’t get the information, then get out. We’ll go with plan B and raid the place.”

  “Which will guarantee Barrick doesn’t show up.”

  He nodded slowly. That was the problem they were facing.

  “The main thing is you can’t look like a cop. You can’t look confident and ready to take down anyone who comes after you. You’re a mother running for her life, with a child in the mix. You’re scared, vulnerable, and terrified of getting caught because you’re risking everything and Yuri’s going to know that. Remember, if your ex finds you, he will kill you. If the cops find out what you’re doing, you’ll lose your child.”

  “I can handle this, Jonas. Quit worrying so much. I was a detective before I was a marshal and I did dozens of undercover jobs.”

  “I know you’re up for the job, it’s just that I’m—”

  “What? Worried about me?”

  “Of course I’m worried. I’m always cautious when a partner does something risky.”

  “We’ve been over this before. You’ll be there if I need you. All I’m trying to do is find out if Barrick was there.”

  “Get in and get out as soon as you can.”

  “There is one other thing,” she said.

  “What’s that?”

  “I need a small handgun.”

  “You can’t go in there carrying.”

  “I’m a single mom, terrified that my ex is going to kill me. A cop would go in there unarmed. A scared single mom wouldn’t.”

  “Where did you get a weapon?”

  “My father taught me how to shoot before he died.”

  “I don’t know, Madison—”

  “You know, this is exactly what I was afraid would happen.” The wave of frustration that had been building up over the last few days surfaced.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You found out that my husband was killed, that I’m a widow, and now you’re treating me with kid gloves.”

  “No, I’m not. I’m treating you like I would any partner who’s about to risk their life.”

  “Really? Because before you knew about Luke—when we were training together—you didn’t treat me differently.”

  “That was a simulation.”

  “And this is my job, Jonas. I’ve been extensively trained and I’m good at what I do. I don’t need you to treat me like I’m wounded material. My grief has changed; it still hurts. Every single day. But I made the decision to move on with my life. I know I’m not where I should be, but I’m doing my best to move forward. And one of those areas is my job. I’ll never let my personal loss get in the way of my duty to my country. If anything, I’ll take that anger over my loss and funnel it into what I’m doing. Never let it compromise who I am.”

  “You’re right.” He dropped his hands to his sides. “I’m sorry.”

  She stared at the floor, her own realization surfacing. “No, I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that reaction. I’ve allowed myself to get too caught up in this.”

  “I think we should simply give each other some slack. I’ll trust you moving forward and not worry.”

  She studied his expression, and felt her defenses crumbling. He was different, and maybe that was what had thrown her. She was a woman living in a male-dominated world, and her expectations were sometimes skewed about how she would be treated.

  She readjusted her jean jacket before knocking on the basement door at the address they’d been given. She hadn’t been completely honest with Jonas about one thing. Situations like this always kicked her adrenaline into high gear, but her awareness was also what made her good at what she did. Her job was to expect the unexpected, and that was what she was ready for.

  “Chrystal?” A man opened the door, then sized her up.

  Hesitantly, as if she wasn’t one hundred percent certain of her actions, she answered. “Yeah.”

  “Come in.”

  She hesitated a couple more seconds before obeying. He was shorter than she’d imagined and unassuming, though maybe that’s how he wanted to appear. Someone who could slip into a crowd and vanish without being noticed.

  “Don’t look so nervous,” he said. “People do this every day.”

  “Well, I don’t do stuff like this every day.”

  “Relax. It will be fine. Though I’m going to have to check your bag.”

  “Of course.” She held it against her for a couple seconds while taking in the space that was sparsely furnished and smelled like carryout. “Sorry, but I . . . I’ve got a gun.”

  He took her bag, opened it, then scanned the contents inside. “
I can understand. You’re on the run from something or someone.”

  She nodded. “My ex . . . he took all my IDs to keep me here. I need to get out of the country. I have a son. Grayson—”

  He motioned for her to sit down. “I don’t usually ask for details.”

  “Sorry.”

  “And quit saying you’re sorry.”

  “I’m just . . . okay. I’m not used to doing things outside the law.” She took a seat across from the desk where he’d sat down.

  “People who come to me are usually desperate.”

  “How fast can you get me something?”

  “Depends on what you want. Brand-new IDs can take a few weeks.”

  She jumped up. “I don’t have a few weeks. Why do you think I have a gun in my bag? He’s threatened to kill me.”

  “I understand and there are options. Please. Sit back down. I can match you with a passport and get it to you by tomorrow. I’d just need to take your photo and get some information.”

  “Wait a minute . . . Someone else’s passport?”

  “It’s the quickest way for me to get you one. I can’t make any guarantees of what might happen when you get to the airport, but this isn’t the first time I’ve done this.”

  She started pacing in front of him, taking in details. He had his desk set up as a place to work, but there were no passports or obvious signs of what he really did for money.

  She stopped in front of him. “Do you have a sample of something you’ve recently done? I just . . . I need to know this is going to work.”

  “You’re having second thoughts?”

  “I’ve been having second thoughts since I got in my car to come here. I can’t end up arrested and in prison. What would happen to Grayson?” She raised her voice a pitch. “I can’t let anything go wrong.”

  “I’m working on one right now. Just finished it, in fact.”

  “Can I see it?”

  He hesitated, clearly not pleased with her question.

  She picked up her purse. “I don’t think I can do this. This was a foolish idea. Maybe I don’t have to leave the country. He’ll find out. He always does. I don’t think I was followed, but he’s good. If he finds out I was here . . .”

  “Trust me. You’re not the first spouse to walk through those doors looking for help.”

  She let out a nervous laugh. “I see what you’re saying, but trust doesn’t exactly come easy for me right now. I mean, you forge passports for a living, and you want me to trust you.”

  Jonas’s words of caution about not laying it on too heavy ran through her mind. She had to come across as legitimately vulnerable and scared.

  “We all do what we have to do. If you want to escape your ex, you’ll have to trust me.”

  She nodded. “Okay. But can I just look at one? It’ll have to pass security.”

  Yuri looked into her eyes. A few silent seconds passed before he leaned down and unlocked the drawer in front of him. He pulled out a passport, then handed it to her.

  She opened it up. There was no photo.

  “The next step is to add the client’s photo.”

  “How long will it take you?” she asked.

  “This client, for example, came in late yesterday. I plan to have it finished tonight.”

  “So, what—twenty-four hours?”

  “You give me the payment now, and I’ll try to push it through and have it ready tomorrow night. But it takes time to ensure it will pass through security. If this were easy, everyone would be doing it.”

  She opened up the front page and ran her finger across it as she examined the fake ID. “It looks real, but there’s no name or photo.”

  “It looks real because it is. We just make a few minor changes. Primarily the photo. It takes time to do it right.”

  “Okay.” She closed the passport and dropped it back onto the table. “I was told to bring forty-two hundred for both passports.”

  “Correct.” He grabbed the passport and put it back into his drawer. “Where’d you get the money?”

  She offered him a weak smile. “You don’t trust me now?”

  “We both have to be careful, don’t we? That’s no small amount of cash, particularly for someone in your position.”

  “I’ve been saving and I have an aunt down south who sent the rest. I’ve got enough to buy plane tickets out of the country. I thought about renting a car, but without a driver’s license, I don’t think I can.”

  “I have a passport that will work for you, but you might run into some issues with your son. Traveling overseas without some kind of note giving you permission from his father could throw up some red flags and cause you to be detained.”

  “We were never married. I do have Grayson’s birth certificate. His father’s name isn’t on the document.”

  “That should work then. Just make sure you carry the birth certificate with you. I’ll also need a photo of both of you.”

  “I didn’t want to bring my son, but I did bring photos of him on my phone. I can text them to you.”

  “That was smart.”

  She texted a stock photo from her phone to the number Biggie had given them, then looked up at the man. “Would you mind taking a couple of me and letting me choose? I’m not trying to be vain, but I did a few things, wanting to make sure he can’t recognize me.” She ran her fingers through her hair and looked up at him, worried she was taking it too far. “I’m being way too paranoid, aren’t I? I can hear it in everything I’m saying to you. I’m not usually like this.”

  “Don’t worry. If I were in your place, I’d feel the same way.”

  She blew out a breath. “Thanks. Do you mind using your phone? My camera isn’t very good.”

  Yuri studied her expression and she did her best to look innocent. It must have worked because he nodded and a moment later, she pressed her back against the wall as Yuri took a few shots.

  She was thankful she’d taken the measures to change her appearance, but she still needed a way to prove Barrick had been here.

  He handed her the phone. “What do you think?”

  She pretended to study the photos he had just taken. She had a couple seconds at most to find Barrick’s photo. She scrolled back through the last few photos he’d taken . . . Bingo. Barrick’s gruff mug stared back at her. He’d been here. Time stamp said late last night. Which meant he’d pick it up tonight.

  “Let’s go with the second one.” She handed the phone to Yuri after scrolling back to her photo. “Do I meet you here to pick it up?”

  “Come after seven tomorrow evening. It’ll be done.”

  She set the cash on the table. “Thank you. I’m finally feeling like I might be able to do this.”

  “There’s no reason why you can’t.”

  She walked out the door and up the steps without turning around. Got in the car she’d driven over. Jonas and a team were waiting in the shadows. Her backup in case anything went wrong. But nothing had and now it was just a matter of time until they found Barrick. She drove to their meeting place, making sure she wasn’t followed. She couldn’t take any chances that Yuri might be playing her. That he suspected anything.

  She slid into the car where Jonas was waiting for her.

  “Good job.”

  She caught the relief in his face in the streetlight.

  “You actually saw Barrick’s passport?”

  “He showed me a passport, and I saw Barrick’s photo on his phone, and from what he told me, I think it has to be the one he’s working on. Barrick is supposed to pick it up later tonight.”

  “So your sob story worked.”

  She smiled. “The guy did seem to feel sorry for my single mom with a baby act. Dropped his guard some.”

  “And the gun?” Jonas asked.

  “Definitely the right move.”

  “I’m impressed, though not at all surprised.”

  “So my idea wasn’t so bad after all,” she said.

  “I just wanted to make sure we di
d things right, so the guy didn’t off you.”

  She let out a low laugh. “That would have made for a lot of extra paperwork.”

  “You said it, not me.” He turned the key in the ignition. “We could have someone else stake out the place.”

  “Forget it.” She pulled on her seat belt. “I’m in this till the end, and it’s time we caught this guy.”

  Twenty-Nine

  Jonas had always hated stakeouts. He’d take a predawn raid any day to get his blood pumping. A few fugitive arrests by noon, and the adrenaline would keep him going for hours. Sitting in a car drinking coffee to stay awake was mind numbing. On the other hand, being stuck in a car with a beautiful woman wasn’t all bad.

  They sat in a rented car, kitty-corner from Yuri’s place, while Madison talked to her sister. It was almost midnight and there had still been no movement at the house. Hopefully Yuri hadn’t somehow gotten spooked and changed his plans, but since there was no way to know, they’d have to stay put for the moment.

  Madison ended the call and set her phone in her lap.

  “Everything okay?” he asked.

  “I think so. My sister just wanted to check up on me.”

  “It’s hard to blame her.”

  “At least she’s okay.” She shifted in her seat, turning toward him. “We’ve talked a lot about Luke, but you never told me much about the woman in your life.”

  “As I recall, you fell asleep.”

  “As I recall, you changed the subject, like you’re doing right now.”

  He swallowed hard, not sure he wanted to go in this direction. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d talked about Felicia. It was a topic his friends and family had finally stopped asking about.

  “Long story short, I almost married her. In fact, I was planning to propose, I just hadn’t bought the ring yet.”

  “What was stopping you?”

  “Nothing in particular. We both had busy schedules, and . . . I don’t know. For some reason the timing was never right. Before I could propose, she broke things off with me and moved back to her hometown.”