“It would be incredibly challenging. The Russians and the Chinese are hiding behind humanitarian works as they infiltrate the infrastructure to control Libya’s resources and be strategically placed in Africa. American intelligence is vital to our long-term presence and to prevent Russian and Chinese dominance.”
Libya. Reeves reeled as if he had been gut-punched. Always quick with words, at this moment, Reeves had none. No witty rejoinder.
Danni moved closer to Reeves in a show of support. “Libya? I guess Reeves can wrack up a lot of airline miles. He can work anywhere as long as there is a Wi-Fi connection.”
Danni’s attempt at humor fell flat.
Nick shrugged and shook his head. “Didn’t see that coming.”
Darcy didn’t cross the room to stand by him but positioned herself next to Nick. Already distancing herself. And what of her earlier promises? The ground was unsteady under him as if he were mired in quicksand. His words came out wooden. “That’s great, Darcy. Sounds like quite an adventure.”
What of their adventures?
His phone rang, stopping his friends from watching as his heart was ripped out of his chest.
“Reeves, I thought you were tech support. How did you get yourself kidnapped?” It was an ongoing joke between Izzy and him. It was their standard cover when explaining their work to avoid acknowledging their role in cybersecurity.
“I didn’t ‘get myself kidnapped.’ It sounds like you’ve been listening to the Jenkins gossip.”
“Put your phone on speaker so everyone can hear,” Izzy demanded.
Reeves pressed the speaker button. “You’re now speaking to Nick, Finn, Lars, Danni, Sophie, and Darcy.”
He knew it was childish to place Darcy last. But she had crashed his bright new world. And it would take him time to adjust.
“Listen up. I performed my magic on the phone Reeves purloined from our gangbanger. Do you want to hear how I did it, Reeves?”
Reeves laughed, but the sound was hollow. “I already know, but maybe the Jenkins would want to hear. They are always interested in tech explanations … not.”
“I should sucker punch you. You always want to explain when we’re in the middle of an operation,” Finn said.
“Prepare yourself, Reeves. Nothing I have to report is good. Charlie Poll is dead. His body was found a week ago, washed up on a beach in San Diego. The reported cause of death was an overdose of cocaine and Xanax.”
“How can you be sure it’s Charlie?” Darcy asked.
“We were able to track the phone calls that the kidnapper made in the last two days. I’m sorry, Reeves, but the calls were to Professor Wainwright.”
Izzy paused, waiting for his reaction.
“Go on, Izzy. Nothing will surprise me today.” So, he sounded bitter. Nothing like getting kicked when you were already down on the ground.
“Once we connected Wainwright with the gang member, we ran his phone. He used the phone only to call two numbers—the Sureños, and the other number we tracked to San Diego and to a man named Alan Turing. It didn’t take much to connect the dots to the use of the famous deceased mathematician’s alias to Charlie. The photo ID for Alan Turing was a match for Charlie.”
“Wainwright was working with the Charlie and the Sureños? Why? It doesn’t make any sense.” Reeves couldn’t accept what Izzy had discovered. There had to be a mistake … except Izzy didn’t make mistakes.
“From the pattern between Wainwright and Charlie’s calls, Charlie was the go-between with the Sureños until his death. Then Wainwright contacted the Sureños directly.”
Reeves jerked back as if Finn did deliver the sucker punch. “It can’t be true.”
It meant that his mentor had ordered his kidnapping, had overdosed him with cocaine. Wainwright was the boss that McDonald and Muscle referred to. The entire time he was in the cell, Reeves imagined “the boss” as either a cartel don or a mob boss. And it was the man with whom he spent hours as a young man. A mentor Reeves had admired for his interest in his students and brilliant mind. A brilliant mind that had been used to manipulate a vulnerable man and kill an innocent soul.
“He has quite a nest egg that doesn’t match a professor’s salary. It’s all hidden, but Molly and I were able to find it. He’s recently received large payments, for which we’re still working to trace the source, but the timing of the transfers fit with the attacks on the embassies. And the way the money has been moved globally smacks of the Russian connection we’ve been looking for.
“We’re not sure how the Sureños became involved with the Russians, but Charlie must have been behind the hacking of the embassies. The timing of Tex’s death after Charlie’s accidental death works with the gaps. Wainwright needed the codes for the game after Charlie’s death. Can you imagine his panic when he can’t provide it to the Russians? And with the help of the very accommodating Sureños, he planned to extract it from Tex.”
Darcy crossed the room and rested her hand on his arm. “I’m sorry, Reeves. I know what a shock it has to be.”
Reeves stepped away. He couldn’t pull it together. Not this second as he tried to grasp the evilness of a man he trusted.
“It adds up.” Reeves slammed down any painful reactions to the betrayal of the people he respected. He switched to his logical, deductive side. Lucky for him, he had an incredible facility to compartmentalize.
“Charlie would have listened to Wainwright. He used Charlie, who was vulnerable and easy to exploit, to sell Charlie’s skills to the Sureños, who went on to make a deal with the Russians.” He spoke dispassionately. Dissecting a problem required ignoring that it involved people he cared about, people he entrusted with his heart. It was simple to deduce how Wainwright could manipulate Charlie with the promise of more wealth and stature.
“But Charlie had made a great deal of money from the game, right?” Danni asked.
“Charlie would always need more money to bolster his self-esteem. You know, we’ve seen it over and over again. Criminals that can never have enough money and power. And having a drug habit to feed, he probably ran through the cash quickly,” Reeves said.
“If Wainwright was your mentor, why didn’t he have access to the game? Or why didn’t he write his own?” Sophie’s blonde curls bounced as she shook her head.
“I’m with Sophie,” Danni said. “What’s Wainwright’s motive? He could have developed his own game to sell to the Russians or do other lucrative schemes without involving Charlie.”
“Wainwright wasn’t involved in the development of the game. The three of us did all the work, and knowing it was a real breakthrough, we agreed never to share the game. Besides, Wainwright is brilliant theoretically but not in applied solutions. He was never interested in spending hours creating code. He liked developing theoretical models. And manipulating Charlie would be a quick way to make a lot of money. Charlie would have trusted him.”
“Let’s go get the bastard. Now. I wanted revenge on the fucker for hurting you and Darcy.” Danni lasered on Reeves. “But now knowing that he was someone you trusted …” Her voice was filled with outrage.
Reeves slung his arm over Danni’s shoulder and dragged her close. “Thank you. I appreciate your willingness to help. But I need to settle this myself.”
“That’s enough touching.” Lars grabbed Danni away.
“Don’t kill the guy … yet,” Izzy interjected. “We’re following the money, but we have no way to connect him to the sale of ransomware, and the phones are circumstantial. We need access to his computer. Then, I’m sure, Reeves or I can extract the evidence from his computer to convict him of treason for selling American secrets.”
“We’re on it, Izzy,” Nick said.
“Thanks, Izzy, especially since this isn’t your case,” Darcy added.
“Reeves is family. We geeks have to stick together to fight the evil powers. Danni and Sophie, you make sure he’s getting loads of love … until I get back to Seattle.”
Izzy clicked off b
efore he could thank her. He replaced his phone in his pocket.
Everyone was waiting for him to say something. “Tomorrow, I’m going to visit Wainwright to see how he’s feeling after having been poisoned.” The pathetic thing was Reeves had already planned to check on him before he left Palo Alto.
“Don’t drink any of the fucking scotch.” Lars grinned.
Danni poked him in the ribs. “That’s not funny. Reeves could have died.”
“If he had died, I wouldn’t have made the joke.”
Finn and Nick, of course, cracked up.
Reeves would never be able to thank Lars for diverting everyone’s sympathetic looks. Wainwright had poured Reeves a large glass of the scotch, knowing it was laced with enough drug mixture to make him seize and possibly kill him as he had done to Tex.
“I’m going with you.” Darcy searched his face, trying to read his reactions.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less from an outstanding CIA agent. You came to Seattle to find the perpetrators of the ransomware. It will seal the deal for Libya if you can bag Wainwright.”
“That isn’t the reason I want to get Wainwright, and you know it.”
He decided that the way her lips were pressed together wasn’t endearing but a sign of her mulish personality.
“I’ll need a distraction to get Wainwright out of his office to give me time to hack into his computer.”
“Are you sure you can pull this off? The guy killed your friend and tried to kill you. No one would think less of you if you decided not to go.” Darcy touched his arm again. “We can find other ways to access his office.”
“Thanks for your concern. I’m not a master at dissimulation as you are, but I think I can handle myself.”
“A fire alarm isn’t enough. This guy is smart. We need something less pedantic,” Finn said.
“The students are always protesting the IT department and its involvement in assisting the defense department in ‘drones of death’ and the use of AI to spy on citizens. We can use a fictional student group and stage a bomb threat to clear the building.”
“With Richard on the Board of Directors, I don’t think it will take a lot to set up. When he discovers Wainwright is behind your kidnapping, we’ll have to rein Richard in. He’ll want to blow up the entire building,” Nick said.
“I’m surprised you’ve been able to stop Richard from showing up in Palo Alto,” Reeves said.
“Jordan has kept him in Seattle. We all owe her.”
“But Wainwright will expect Reeves and me to exit the building with him,” Darcy said.
He could feel Darcy’s stare but refused to look at her. Reeves would make sure Wainwright paid for what he had done to Tex and Charlie, and then he was finished. He’d head back to Seattle and put the whole experience in his rearview.
“Lars and I will make sure you’re separated with no suspicions on Wainwright’s part,” Finn said.
“You have to play the harried visitor this time. I’ll go in as the security guard,” Lars added.
Finn rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”
Reeves faked a yawn. “Looks as if you’ve got it handled. I’m crashing. It’s been a long twenty-four hours.”
“We’ve got your back.” Nick paused, giving Reeves an inscrutable look. “Always.”
The Jenkinses were all trained observers. He didn’t fool anyone that he wasn’t hurting.
Lars fist-bumped Reeves. And of course, Sophie had to hug him, which he prolonged to get the expected reaction from Finn and to distract everyone from focusing on him. The Jenkins were very possessive of their women. He understood. If he ever had a woman like Sophie or Danni …
He glanced at Darcy. She met his gaze with a defiant look.
“Let her go, Reeves. Now.”
Sophie went on her tiptoes and kissed Reeves on the cheek. “Finn isn’t serious because if he was …” Laughing, Sophie grabbed Finn’s hand. “He’d be in big trouble.”
Danni, six feet tall and very fit, was next to offer support. She squeezed Reeves hard. “You’ve always been there for all of us. We’re here for you.”
“Honey, lighten up the hold. The guy’s had a rough night/day,” Lars quipped.
Danni whispered, “Don’t give up on her. She needs time. Look how long it took me to admit my feelings for Lars.”
Reeves didn’t want to wait. He knew how he felt, and less than eight hours ago, he thought he knew how Darcy felt.
“Thanks, everyone. See you in the morning.” And without a glance at Darcy, he headed to his bedroom. The bedroom he thought he’d be sharing with Darcy.
Chapter Nineteen
The silence in the room was unnerving after a subdued Reeves left.
Darcy would rather negotiate a release with the Taliban than face Reeves’s very protective friends. She didn’t shy away from confrontation. When duty called, she ran into the fire, but this was different.
These welcoming people weren’t hostiles.
“You don’t owe an explanation to any of us.”
Danni had worn down all of Darcy’s mistrust with her direct and caring manner. “Just don’t jerk him around. Not right now. He’s our friend, and he’s hurting.”
She hadn’t thought her comment about Libya would upset him. She had been in shock that Director Marwick, happy with Richard Dean’s praise, had offered a position that she didn’t see getting until finishing at least five more years of hellhole assignments. She had been shocked by the way the balance had shifted and the power Richard Dean wielded. She wasn’t sure how she felt about the whole thing, and she’d blurted it out.
“I’m glad that Reeves has such an incredible group of friends, especially right now when he’s had so much thrown at him. And I have no intention of causing him any more distress. He and I need some time to sort things out.”
“Is that what the kids are calling it now?” Lars winked at her.
Darcy hated that her skin was the color of a stop sign, especially in front of the macho Marine Jenkinses. They had accepted her as a part of their team, acknowledging her training, but she wasn’t used to sharing her feelings en masse, especially regarding her relationships.
Sophie didn’t hesitate to pull Darcy into a hug. “You’re good for him. But you have to decide if he’s good for you. And we won’t hold it against you if it doesn’t work out.”
“Of course, we’ll think you’re an idiot.” Danni lifted one eyebrow.
During the time Danni and Sophie were helping her change, they had shared multiple stories illustrating what a good friend and a great brother Reeves had proven himself to be. They were shameless in their promotion of their friend. They had stopped before giving him an endorsement with animals and children.
The women also had confided how much they disliked Lily, Reeves’s self-absorbed, demanding ex.
“She and Reeves don’t need your meddling,” Nick’s deep voice boomed.
“I’m reporting to Emily your use of meddling in the context of my emotional support.” Danni poked Nick in the chest. “You’re already in the doghouse for not telling her about his kidnapping.”
“Wait to report my newest blunder until Wainwright is in cuffs, Danni. Emily doesn’t need to know about tomorrow. Not when she’s on tour.”
“I’m not planning on telling her. Believe it or not, my ‘meddling’ is helpful.”
Nick nodded. “We’ve got a big day tomorrow. Everyone, get some rest.”
“Come on, Danni. We have a lot to ‘sort out’ tonight.” Lars wagged his eyebrows.
“You’re right. We do have to finish the guest list and decide on the caterer.”
Danni grinned at Lars’s dramatic moan in response to the mention of wedding details.
Darcy had hoped that they would leave before she did. She didn’t want them to see her go to Reeves’s room. Her room too. He’d learn that soon enough.
“Good night. And thank you for including me as part of your team.” Darcy looked at Nick and then the rest o
f the group. “I’m looking forward to nailing Wainwright tomorrow.”
She walked toward Reeves’s door, feeling every eye on her back. She entered without knocking.
As she stepped into the room, Reeves walked out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his hips, drying his hair with another one. And even though the large room was only lit by the bedside lamps, she saw the water glistening on his chiseled pecs, abs, and down his muscular thighs. The towel was too small to hide the inviting line of dark hair leading to an impressive bulge. For a tech geek, Reeves was a perfect specimen of maleness. And all hers to touch and kiss once they got their business settled.
“Did we get our room assignments wrong? This is my room.” His tone was arctic and condescending.
She had to remind herself that he was in pain and not just being a jerk.
“My room as well.” Taking a page out of Danni’s playbook, Darcy moved closer and placed one hand on her hip.
“Your room?” He didn’t stop rubbing his hair, displaying his sculpted biceps and the black hair under his arms.
Heat flooded through her. And her knees got shaky. His brooding, raw masculinity undid her.
She lowered her voice. “I never go back on my promises.”
His hand stopped mid-air as his eyes narrowed on her. “I don’t recall any promise.”
He was going to make her pay, the big clod.
“You’re such a liar. You know exactly what I’m talking about. I made a promise after your kidnapping to spend the night in bed with you if you listened to your body and rested.”
“Forget it.” He tossed the towel he dried his hair with onto the floor. “I don’t need a pity fuck.”
She marched right in front of him, close enough to breathe in the clean scent of soap combined with the musky scent of male.
“But if you’re set on sleeping in this bed, go for it. I’ll go upstairs.”
Darcy, not known for patience with her idiot brothers, poked him hard in the chest. “Stop being such a big jerk. A ‘pity fuck?’ Really? If I had two available hands, I’d knock you on your ass.”
Mission: Impossible to Deny (The Impossible Mission Romantic Suspense Series Book 7) Page 14