Undercover Accomplice

by Carol Ericson

  He tapped the picture. “Maybe she was speaking from experience. Maybe she lost her daughter in that explosion.”

  “And her husband.” Sue pressed a hand against her roiling belly. “The child killed in the blast had the same last name as one of the men who died.”

  Hunter blew out a breath that stirred the edges of the clippings. “It makes sense, doesn’t it? If she lost her own family to a terrorist attack, maybe one that was directed at her and her loved ones, she’d want to warn you away from that possibility.”

  “I feel sick to my stomach.”

  “I wonder why she put this personal stuff with the Denver notes.”

  “Maybe it’s more than personal. Do you think The Falcon has been tracking this group for—” she glanced at the date on the newspaper “—twenty years?”

  Hunter pointed at the articles. “Did they ever find out who was responsible? Or more likely, did anyone take credit for the attack?”

  Sue flipped through the rest of the articles. “Nidal al Hamed’s group claimed responsibility. That group is the precursor to Al Tariq, but more importantly al Hamed’s son broke away from Al Tariq a few years ago to form his own organization—an international organization that finds common bonds with terrorists across the globe, no matter what their agenda.”

  “The Falcon’s entire investigation could be a personal vendetta.”

  “You can frame it that way, but this group has hurt more than just The Falcon’s family.”

  “Nidal’s dead, right? What’s his son’s name?”

  Sue cranked her head to the side, her eyes as big as saucers. “Walid. Walid al Hamed.”

  “From the barbershop.” Hunter slapped his hand on the table.

  “It’s not an uncommon name. Don’t jump to conclusions.”

  “Could the leader of this new group be hiding out in plain sight in the middle of DC, mere miles from CIA headquarters?” Hunter swung his leg over the chair and paced to the window, the drapes firmly pulled across them.

  “And this could be the same group Denver is tracking. The two investigations must converge somewhere in here.” She fanned out the pages of the Denver folder on the table.

  “You worked with The Falcon, knew her fondness for codes. Get on it, girl.” Hunter strode toward his laptop on the coffee table. “I’m going to research something else that’s been bugging me.”

  “What?”

  “How long have you known Dani Howard?” Hunter sat on the sofa and flipped open his laptop.

  The pen Sue had poised over a blank piece of paper fell from her fingers. “What? Why? I’ve known Dani for almost two years.”

  “Where did you meet her?”

  Sue forgot about the articles and her research and turned around, fully facing Hunter. “At the pediatrician. We both had our kids in at the same time. Drake had an ear infection. Why are you asking these questions about Dani? You were probing me about her before when I got off the phone.”

  “I just thought it was unusual for her to take a detour from her trip to Savannah to see your parents. I mean, if you were there, I could see it.”

  “Sh-she just thought a familiar face from home would be nice for Drake.”

  “Why? He’s at his grandparents’, and excuse me for saying this, but isn’t he more at home in South Carolina than he is here?” He held up a hand. “I don’t mean to poke at you or criticize.”

  “Yeah, but I didn’t think her offer was weird. Do you?” She scooted to the edge of her chair, her heart beating double time. “How long have you been thinking about this?”

  “It niggled at me after your conversation with your father.” He tapped his keyboard, and without looking up, he asked, “Whose idea was it to go out that night and who picked the bar?”

  “Dani, but she was always the one issuing the invitations and she goes out more than I do, so it’s only natural for her to pick the spot.”

  “And who noticed the two men that night?”

  Sue sprang from her chair, gripping her arms, her fingers digging into her flesh. “Stop it. You’re scaring me.”

  “Who noticed the two men, Sue?”

  “Dani.” She locked her knees so they’d stop wobbling. “Of course she did. That was her thing.”

  “Was it also her thing to leave with men when you two were out together, or was that an unusual move for her that night?”

  “It was atypical, but that was a different kind of night. We were drugged. I don’t think she realized what she was doing.” Sue pressed a hand against her forehead. “This is crazy. She has a young daughter. I’ve been in her home. She has pictures of...of...”

  Hunter glanced up sharply from his laptop. “Of what?”

  “Of her daughter.”

  He hunched forward on his elbows. “And what else?”

  “I don’t know.” She sat next to him on the sofa. “Maybe it’s what she didn’t have, or maybe you’re just making me crazy for no reason at all.”

  “What didn’t she have?”

  “She had pictures of Fiona but nobody else—no family photos. I know she didn’t get along with her mother.” She flicked her finger at the computer screen. “What have you been looking up?”

  “Did a general search of Dani Howard, and I didn’t find much. What hospital does she work at?”

  “She doesn’t work at a hospital. She works for a medical group.”

  “Do you know the name of it? I’ll look it up.” He gestured to her phone on the kitchen counter. “Call it.”

  “It’s Mercer Medical. I’ve picked her up there before.” She jogged across the room to grab her phone.

  “Out front or did you go inside?” His fingers moved quickly across his keyboard.

  Sue licked her dry lips. “Outside only, but she had a lab coat on.”

  “You mean like the one you stole in the hospital yesterday? Call.” He swung his computer around to face her. “The website doesn’t list any personnel.”

  “I know Dani. You don’t. I think you’re on the wrong track here.” She entered the number on the website with trembling fingers.

  Hunter said, “Speaker.”

  She tapped the speaker button just as someone picked up the phone. “Mercer Medical, how may I direct your call?”

  “I’m trying to reach a nurse there, Dani Howard.”

  The pause on the other end seemed to last a lifetime. “What doctor does she work for? He?”

  “Dani is a she. Dr. Warner.”

  “She doesn’t work for Dr. Warner. Is she new?”

  Sue squeezed the phone in her hand. “C-could you check? Maybe it’s not Dr. Warner. Could she be in another office?”

  “I’ll check, ma’am, but this is the only Mercer office in the DC area.”

  Sue heard some clicking on the other end, which sounded like pickaxes against rock. Her gaze met Hunter’s, but if she expected reassurance, what she saw was grim confirmation instead.

  The receptionist came back on the line. “I’m sorry, ma’am. There’s no Dani Howard here. Perhaps you...”

  Sue didn’t hear what she should perhaps do because she ended the call and dropped to the edge of the coffee table. “Oh my God. What have I done?”

  “You’ve done nothing.” Hunter placed a steadying hand on her bouncing knee. “Call your father right now and warn him against Dani. He’ll know what to do.”

  Sue went back to her phone and called her father for the second time that morning, this time putting the call on speaker for Hunter.

  “Hello?” Leave it to Dad to know not to assume it was her calling just because it was the same number from this morning.

  “Dad, it’s Sue again.”

  “Don’t worry. Drake is fine.”

  She flattened a hand against her fluttering belly. “I need to tell you something very important. Tha
t woman who’s supposed to come by...”

  “Yeah, Dani. Nice girl.”

  The blood in Sue’s veins turned to ice. “She’s there? Dad...”

  “No, they’re not here. Dani and her little girl Fiona took Drake to the park down the street.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  A sharp pain pierced the back of his head, but Hunter didn’t have time to succumb to it. Sue had dropped the phone and let out a wail.

  Her father was shouting into the phone. “Sue? Sue? What’s wrong?”

  Hunter scooped up the phone. “Mr. Chandler, I’m with Sue right now. Dani Howard isn’t who she says she is. When did they leave? Can you catch up to them?”

  Sue’s father swore. “We didn’t know. How were we supposed to know? They left over thirty minutes ago.”

  “Did you see her car?”

  “Of course I did. Who the hell are you, anyway?”

  “I’m Sue’s...friend. I’m trying to help her, and she needs help. The Falcon is dead and Sue’s been implicated. She has no one to vouch for her and now they’ve taken Drake.”

  “The hell they have. I’ll get him back. You tell my little girl. Tell her I’ll get him back. I’m going out right now. Our town isn’t that big. Someone must’ve seen them.”

  “While you do, stay on the phone with me and tell me everything you remember about Dani and her car.”

  As Mr. Chandler gave him the details of Dani’s visit, Hunter squeezed Sue’s shoulder. She hadn’t moved since getting the news from her father, except to drop her head in her hands.

  Sue’s stepmother interrupted her husband.

  “What are you saying, Linda? Phone number?”

  “What is it, sir?”

  “My wife said that snake, Dani, left her a new phone number for Sue. Said she’d lost her phone on the road and picked up a temporary one. She wanted Sue to have the number.” Chandler snorted. “I’ll bet she did.”

  “Give me the number. It’s probably the contact phone for Sue’s instructions.”

  Sue’s father recited the number to him. “What do they want with Sue, anyway?”

  “I think they just want Sue.”

  Sue moaned. “They can have me as long as they let Drake go.”

  Sue’s father yelled into the phone. “Don’t be ridiculous, Sue. Do you know what they’ll do to you? Someone who betrayed them? Someone who has information about them?”

  “I’d rather have them do it to me than Drake.”

  Hunter knelt beside her and brushed the hair from her hot face. “We’ll get him back. Don’t worry. Your father gave me some good information.”

  Mr. Chandler said, “I’m already in my car. I’m going to find her. I’ll keep you posted.”

  Hunter ended the call and ran his hand over Sue’s back. “We’re going to rescue him, but we’ll play along. Call Dani now. She won’t be expecting you to call her for a while—not until your parents notify you that she never brought Drake home.”

  Sue straightened her spine and pulled back her shoulders. “Catch her off guard.”

  “Exactly.”

  Sue snatched the phone from his fingers and tapped in the number as he recited it to her from memory. He didn’t have to tell her to put it on speaker.

  This was his son—a son he’d never even met. He’d go to hell and back to bring him home.

  “Yes?”

  A woman answered the phone. There was children’s laughter in the background, and Hunter ground his teeth. What kind of a mother could kidnap a child from another mother?

  Sue’s nostrils flared and her cheeks flushed. “Where’s my son, you bitch?”

  Dani drew in a sharp breath, audible over the line. “That was fast.”

  “You’ve had him for half an hour. You can’t be far. My father’s out looking for you.”

  “How did he find out?” Dani laughed. “I guess he’s a better CIA operative than you are. You didn’t have a clue for almost two years.”

  “Why would I think another mother would be plotting against me?”

  Dani clicked her tongue. “Oh, Sue. You don’t have to play the outraged mother with me. You’re never with Drake anyway, but I hope you care enough to turn yourself over to us to keep him safe.”

  “Keep your commentary to yourself and tell me what I need to do.”

  “I’ll call you back with instructions. I really didn’t expect you to call so quickly—and make sure your parents know that if we detect any police involvement, you’ll never see Drake again.”

  Sue covered her mouth with her hand but didn’t let the fear seep into her voice. “Why did you move in on me two years ago? Did Walid al Hamed’s group suspect me then?”

  The silence on the other end of the line proved that they’d been right about Walid’s group being behind the plot.

  Dani cleared her throat and recovered. “Nobody knew for sure, but you really should’ve been spending all that money we’d funneled to you. Once we realized someone was checking out that barbershop, we knew we had you...and your boss, too.”

  “You killed her.”

  “We left her for dead. She must’ve been a tough old bird. We never imagined she’d pull herself together and go see you. And we never imagined you’d get out of that storage unit alive.”

  “I guess you underestimated both of us.”

  “Who’s your sidekick? Who’s helping you?”

  Sue reached out and squeezed Hunter’s hand. “I work alone. You should know that by now.”

  “It doesn’t matter who he is. You’ll be on your own for sure now. Any interference and Drake is gone.”

  “What does that mean, gone?” Sue’s body seemed to vibrate.

  “You don’t want to find out. I’ll be in touch.”

  Dani cut off the call, and Sue’s shoulders rounded. “They’re going to interrogate me—torture me to find out what I know about the organization, and then they’re going to kill me.”

  Hunter laced his fingers with hers. “Do you think I’m going to allow that to happen? We’ll find a way to get Drake back and keep you safe.”

  “We have to be able to use The Falcon’s files to lure them into a change of plans. They don’t know what we have, if anything, from that storage unit.”

  He pushed off the sofa and pulled her along with him. “Then let’s get back to those files and see if we can trade anything for Drake.”

  Sue shuffled the papers from The Falcon’s personal folder and closed it, setting it aside. “That’s The Falcon’s motivation for bringing down this group and now I have my own personal reasons.”

  “Then let’s do it.” He slid her notebook and pen in front of him. “What do those notes say about the group Denver is investigating?”

  “Looks like The Falcon picked up on Denver’s activities a while ago. There was a bombing at a Syrian refugee camp designed to derail the negotiations between the Syrian government and the rebels—it worked. So, Walid’s group is all about fomenting dissent in the Middle East...and Africa.” She tapped the paper with her finger. “Denver discovered a cache of weapons at an embassy outpost in Nigeria. He’s putting these events together like nobody else is and The Falcon is paying attention.”

  “Someone else was paying attention, too, and that’s why he was set up. There has to be someone on the inside.”

  “At what level?” She skimmed her fingertip down a list of agencies and names. “The Falcon was on that track, also.”

  “Walid’s group, which doesn’t even have a name, is dependent on this insider and they’re desperate to keep him a secret.”

  “Then we need to pretend we know who this insider is and that we have the proof to bring him down—and we’ll do it unless we get Drake back.”

  “That won’t work, Sue. We can’t offer the people who took Drake any insurance that we didn’t
pass along this info to someone before we collect Drake, or any assurance that we didn’t take pictures of the proof with our phones.” He rubbed a circle on her back. “The only thing we have as a bargaining chip—is you.”

  Sue folded her arms and buried her face in the crook of her elbow. “Then it has to be done. My life for Drake’s. It’s a no-brainer.”

  “It’s a no-brainer that you’re going to show up, but I’ll figure out a way to get you both out alive.” He put his head close to hers and his warm breath stirred her hair. “I found you again and discovered we have a son together. Do you seriously think I’m going to let anything come between me and everything I ever wanted?”

  She raised her head and kissed his chin. “How did I ever let myself get talked into leaving you and keeping Drake from you?”

  Tapping the notebook with his knuckle, he said, “This is how. The work. Your work.”

  “And where has that work gotten me? Estranged from you, Drake kidnapped, my career and my very life in jeopardy.”

  “Make it worthwhile.”

  “You mean instead of wallowing in self-pity?” She picked up the pen and resumed her examination of The Falcon’s notes.

  “I know what your problem is, and it’s not self-pity.” He stood up and made a move toward the kitchen. “You need to eat something. You never finished that awful oatmeal. I’ll make us something else awful.”

  While Hunter banged around in the kitchen, Sue put together a time line of all the events that linked Major Denver with their undercover work with Walid. “It’s here. This is it, Hunter. Walid’s group is the same one Denver has been tracking and the same one The Falcon had me infiltrate. But for what purpose?”

  “What purpose?” He walked toward her carrying two bowls of something steaming.

  She sniffed the air. “Chicken noodle soup? Drake loves noodles.”

  “Must be genetic. This stuff is homemade, straight from the can.” He set the soup at her elbow, a spoon already poking up from the bowl. “What purpose are you talking about?”

  “The connection between Denver’s investigation and the one I was doing with The Falcon is evident, but I don’t know why either investigation is so important. This group—” she thumbed through the pages “—really hasn’t been up to much of anything. Outside of the Syrian bombing and another in Paris, the group has been operating under the radar.”