“Sounds like it’s going to be a long call, then.” Caleb revved the engine and pulled onto the road.
Chapter 13
Caleb wasn’t pleased with the turn of events; the enemy who sought Livi had gotten bolder. Discovering who they were and why they were in pursuit was vital. The team was hard at work on that while he provided protection for Livi.
While Caleb drove, Livi talked with Julie. From what he could hear, it was a difficult conversation—which was to be expected. She was certainly shocked to hear that her mother’s life was in danger. Her bodyguard would explain things, give instructions on how to deal with the situation, and give her confidence that the situation was under control.
If only Caleb thought the same. He didn’t feel in control when Livi had nearly walked right into danger. The stakes for the terrorist side of the equation were higher than he’d thought. To take such a risk had to mean it was worth it, but that didn’t shed light on what was behind it all.
Whatever Brendon’s mission had been, he’d garnered the attention of a key figure. That was the only explanation for why Livi was the center of attention so long afterwards. Black Swan had put their top guys on this case, since it involved a terrorist threat—although a threat that wasn’t recognized by the government.
If Caleb hadn’t been living through it, then he wouldn’t have believed it either. Livi had a connection to the mission outcome, but it was a mystery what that was. Once the team knew, they could defuse the situation.
Instead of going home, Caleb drove to a hotel that had a rooftop bar. He preferred to put the odds in his favor while he took the opportunity to regroup. The intruders to the accountant’s office had vanished when they got nervous about being discovered.
That meant they were staying out of sight, for now. A popular hotel was a good place to stay safe, since there were too many people around. And Caleb preferred sitting on the rooftop where he had the advantage. Any suspicious person would have to approach in full view.
Caleb parked and waited for Livi to finish her conversation. “It ripped me apart to tell my daughter that she might be in danger.”
“I understand, honey,” Caleb said. “You had no choice. Before we go in, let me get security set up. Her bodyguard can be there within hours, since the college is so close.”
Caleb contacted Hawke then filled him in on the latest incident. He assured his boss that Livi was safe with him but made the point that her daughter was vulnerable. It didn’t take any explaining. Hawke would have Julie’s protection in place as fast as her bodyguard could grab his gear and drive to the college.
Livi looked anxious. “Will she be okay?”
“We’re sending Ryker, one of our best. He will protect her and report if there are any signs of threat.”
“That’s the best I can hope for,” Livi said. “She’s safer at college than near me.”
Caleb ushered Livi inside then rode the elevator up. It was a warm evening, so he chose an outside table in the far corner of the terrace. He had a good view of the restaurant. The seats were padded sofas, with coffee tables for drinks and food. He took a seat, and Livi nestled next to him.
The sun faded in the clear sky, backlighting the city. The view from the terrace was of the skyscrapers in downtown Philly, a stunning view—and romantic. But Livi wasn’t gazing at the sights; she leaned her head against Caleb’s shoulder and put her hand on his knee.
Livi ordered an apple-infused cocktail that sounded like it had enough alcohol to calm her frayed nerves. Caleb ordered hard cider then put his arm around Livi. He was relieved that she was unharmed and glad she was close.
After a few sips of her drink, Livi seemed to relax a little. “Why now?” she said, frowning. “Nearly a year after Brendon’s death, why would I suddenly become a target?”
“I’ve thought about that,” Caleb said. “The only conclusion I can come to is that the terrorist faction hadn’t connected the mission to Brendon.”
“It must have been important if they are still interested so long afterwards.”
“I’m guessing the bad guys were aware of the operation against them, but it took time to track the source.”
“If only I knew what they wanted.”
“That’s the big question,” Caleb said. “And they can’t be certain that you have the information they seek. But the fact that they are after you means their intelligence revealed that Brendon was the courier.”
“They have been cautious,” Livi said. “They haven’t attacked.”
“You aren’t in their territory,” Caleb said. “There are protections in place in this country.”
“What if I fall into their hands, and they torture me to get the information—that I don’t even have?”
“I’m not going to let that happen.” Caleb hugged Livi close. “I’ll protect you with my life.”
For the rest of the evening, Livi didn’t talk about danger. She ordered a drink refill then dinner, and, to her credit, put on a brave face. But Caleb wasn’t fooled. She had been severely shaken by the close call, and she was too sharp not to take that seriously.
After dinner, Caleb went to the condo with Livi. He locked the door and turned on the security system for the night. Then he took her to bed and they made love. Her sweet kisses touched his heart.
Caleb had learned that there are no guarantees in life. Before falling asleep, Caleb held Livi in his arms. “I love you with all my heart. I want us to be together, and I promise I’ll handle the danger so we can.”
“I can’t tell you what that means to me.”
Caleb looked into Livi’s eyes. “Once the danger has passed, I’m going to propose properly. Don’t think you’re getting shortchanged, because I’m going to make a big deal about asking you to share my life.”
Livi’s smile warmed him to his soul. No matter what happened, Caleb had opened his heart to her and told her how he felt. If something bad happened, he might not have that opportunity, so he was glad that he’d told her. He would do whatever it took to protect her, including putting his life on the line—but he hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
*****
The next day before breakfast, Caleb went for a jog with Livi. Later, he planned to drive her to the academy—no more trolley transportation or walking alone. She balked at the restrictions but agreed. Caleb assured her that it wasn’t a lifetime sentence, but the extra precautions were needed during this crisis.
Livi had no problem keeping up with Caleb. She stayed fit for dancing, making her limber and light on her feet. He had speed on his side yet had no intention of leaving her behind. Instead, he allowed Livi to get ahead of him so he could keep her in sight.
The park near the condo had a paved trail. There were tables for picnics and a playground for kids. The trees were thick with leaves, and flowers bloomed in manicured garden areas. The air was fresh and the early morning temperature was pleasantly warm.
Caleb watched Livi jog at a steady pace, admiring her long legs. She got into a rhythm, then increased her speed. Breathing hard, Caleb stayed up with her, no more than a few yards behind. For a moment, it seemed like the start to an ordinary day.
Birds sang, and the laughter of children in the distance made Caleb smile. A mother pushing a stroller passed by, and a dogwalker sat on a bench to give their pet a drink of water. The simple pleasures of life meant so much, and Caleb could think of no better way to spend his future than enjoying them with Livi.
Caleb sensed the approach before he felt an arm around his shoulders. It was a knife attack from behind. Caleb grabbed the guy’s wrist and hand to control the knife. With that at bay, he dropped then twisted around to knee the attacker in the groin.
Gasping for air, the guy pulled to free his hand and wield the knife. Yet he only succeeded in pulling Caleb closer. With a swift knee upward, Caleb smashed into the guy’s chin, knocking him to the ground.
Dropping beside him, Caleb pressed his knees on the attacker’s arm then twisted the knife
loose before plunging it into the guy’s bicep. He wouldn’t be stabbing anyone soon. Then Caleb punched him in the head to knock him out.
Blocking the knife attack had cost precious seconds, before Caleb was on his feet running toward Livi. She was across the lawn with a second man in pursuit, a couple of steps behind. She ran like a gazelle, pumping her arms and not looking back.
Caleb sprinted that direction, then the man grabbed Livi. She screamed, but the sound was muffled when her mouth was covered with a cloth. Before her attacker realized Caleb was there, he tackled from behind and shoved the guy to the ground.
Livi dropped then rolled away, while Caleb punched the attacker in the gut, leaving him gasping for air. Then a third man came into view and raced toward Livi. No way was that going to happen. Caleb leapt to his feet, heading toward the approaching man, who quickly changed his mind and direction.
Caleb turned to protect Livi. He didn’t know how many there were and couldn’t leave her alone. A sedan with blackened windows pulled forward in the parking lot. The fleeing enemy hopped inside then the vehicle sped off.
When Caleb looked across the lawn, the other two men were gone, too. They’d gotten away, but Livi was okay. He held her in his arms while he called the police then Hawke. “An attempted abduction in the park…in broad daylight,” he said in disbelief.
Livi’s skin was flushed from running and she was breathing hard. “They almost had me.”
Caleb sniffed the rag that had been dropped in the race to escape. “Chloroform…they would have knocked you out and whisked you away.” He pulled Livi into his arms. “Dammit, that was too close.”
The police pulled up with sirens blaring. It was too late to save the day, but maybe they could catch the sedan. Caleb had given the license plate when he’d called in. Although he suspected that plate wouldn’t be on the back of that vehicle for long, or that the perps wouldn’t drive it very far before changing to other transportation.
The abductors might have gotten away with it. They’d assumed that Livi was out jogging with her boyfriend, which was true. Yet they’d failed to do their homework, because they’d missed the fact that Livi’s boyfriend was a former Navy SEAL.
Livi held up well, all things considered. The police took the report and scouted the park for any sign of the criminals, but came up dry. One officer assured Caleb that law enforcement was looking for the sedan. When asked what prompted the attack, Caleb shrugged.
There was no way that he was going to tell the local cops what was involved. It wouldn’t matter, as this was above their pay grade. At best, they could patrol the park and pursue the sedan. Capturing the attackers wasn’t likely.
The police gave Caleb and Livi a ride to the condo, just to be safe. Once secure, Livi went to shower while Caleb checked in with the team. There had been no real opportunity to talk in the park.
“Is Livi harmed?” Hawke said.
“No, other than emotionally traumatized,” Caleb said. “She outran the asshole; you should have seen her.”
“I can imagine,” Hawke said.
“What do these guys want, anyway?”
“I think I have a clue,” Hawke said. “Can you put this on speaker so Livi can hear?”
Livi came out of the shower in a terrycloth robe with her hair wrapped in a towel. She sat on the edge of the armchair. “I’m here.”
“The team has been calling in every favor they can,” Hawke said. “It’s not easy prying information out of contacts. But we’re beginning to put together the pieces. I hope you’re both sitting down.”
“Don’t keep us in suspense,” Caleb said.
“As to what’s at stake for our terrorist faction,” Hawke said, “it’s money…a sizeable sum of money.”
“What money?” Livi said.
“Funds to finance operations, so it’s no wonder the mission was critical.”
“How much money are we talking about?” Caleb said.
“I couldn’t get an exact figure,” Hawke said. “But it’s in the millions. That answers the question of what they want and will take big risks to get…information about where that money is.”
Livi clasped her hands together. “But I don’t have their money. And I don’t have any clue where it is, if it even exists.”
Hawke didn’t reply.
“I told you, Brendon didn’t pass anything along to me.” Livi looked pleadingly at Caleb.
“She doesn’t have it,” Caleb said.
After a beat, Hawke said, “There’s more.”
Caleb scooted to the end of the sofa and held Livi’s hand. “We’re listening.”
“The money was supposed to fall into the hands of Mustafa Shamon.” Hawke let that sink in.
“Shit,” Caleb said. “We intercepted the transfer of funds to a top terrorist leader in Iraq?”
“It seems that Brendon did,” Hawke said. “The mission ended when he was killed. It was a solo mission; he went undercover to intercept the delivery of the money—with a backup team, of course. But no one else on site knew the details. And he didn’t live to debrief.”
“You’re telling me that I’m the target of a terrorist leader?” Livi said, looking white as a sheet. “He tried to grab me so he could force me to give him information?”
“Not Mustafa directly,” Hawke said. “He wouldn’t be able to get in the country. But his nephew, Ibrahim Bousaid, was born in the U.S. He’s part of what we call a sleeper cell.”
“I’m not clear what that means to me,” Livi said.
“Ibrahim goes by Abraham at the University of Pennsylvania. He’s a U.S. citizen,” Hawke said. “He has lived a quiet life, worked and studied without drawing any attention. It was only recently learned that he is Mustafa’s nephew.”
“If I’m hearing you right,” Hawke said, “Ibrahim is following Mustafa’s orders and has been orchestrating the attacks against Livi.”
“Correct,” Hawke said. “With all of this coming to light, plus Livi’s role, the FBI has gotten involved. If they haven’t contacted her already, I’m sure that she will hear from them shortly.”
“It’s about time,” Caleb said. “I hope they can work fast, because we’re running out of time here.”
“I’m sending over a photo of Ibrahim Bousaid, so you won’t be caught off guard if he shows up.”
When the call ended, Livi sat motionless. “This gets worse and worse.”
Caleb agreed but didn’t want to say so. He was aware of the lengths that Mustafa would go to in order to recover millions in funding for his terrorist operations. The FBI was stepping up to take responsibility for protecting citizens and recovering government funds. But what Ibrahim and his cohorts had planned was a mystery, which gave them the upper hand.
Chapter 14
Livi tossed and turned that night. When she managed to fall asleep, she had nightmares about strangers interrogating her. She woke exhausted and couldn’t shake off the dreams. The surreal images were too close to real life.
She didn’t have much of an appetite, so showered and asked Caleb to drive her to the academy. It would be good to work and take her mind off the horrors that surrounded her. She greeted Elena then instructed an advanced dance class.
The ballerinas were absorbed in the movements and practiced the dance numbers with diligence. Their future was important to Livi, and she remained committed to improvements at the academy. She wasn’t going to let Alex, or a more powerful enemy, conquer her.
Livi’s life had spiraled out of control, but she clung to her purpose. She had to survive to take the role of artistic director and refused to believe that if Alex didn’t stop her, a larger threat would. Belief was a strong force, and Livi mustered confidence that she could overcome all barriers.
She only wished that fear didn’t tell her otherwise.
During the afternoon, Livi completed tasks that were overdue. The work kept her mind busy and offered a distraction. She willed herself to be patient. The board had received the package of m
aterial, so she might hear from them soon.
Midafternoon, Alex left without a word. It made Livi wonder if he knew that the wheels were in motion. Maybe the board had contacted him. He would be furious, and Livi cringed at the thought of retaliation. But she tried not to worry—which was easier said than done.
Late in the afternoon, Caleb texted: I’m on my way. He planned to pick her up every day until the danger had passed.
A few minutes later, Elena left for the day, because her sister was visiting. Livi assured Elena that was no problem, since her ride would be there shortly. After she was alone, Livi locked the front door to the academy and pulled the blinds. Then she took a document from her desk drawer so she could secure it.
The safe had been Brendon’s idea, as he had previously installed one in their home. It was in a discreet location, so a thief wouldn’t think to look there for it. When Livi moved to the condo, she hadn’t taken the trouble to install one. She didn’t keep any valuables at home.
The safe was in the wall behind her desk. It was large enough to hold documents, since that was its purpose. She didn’t want to use a safe deposit box. Brendon had felt that the personal safe was a better option.
While Livi had amassed evidence against Alex, she’d kept the records locked up. Copies had been sent to the board. A few summary reports were on the computer, which was password protected, but the substantiating documents were kept in the safe. Elena was aware of the safe, but Livi had been careful not to let Alex know about it.
On the wall was a heavy mirror in a gold frame. Livi reached behind the right corner and pushed a button. The mirror slid to the side, revealing the safe. Only Livi had the passcode. She tapped the number sequence and the safe opened.
There was a metal box inside that was rather heavy. It was sturdy and solid enough to withstand the elements, a standard issue for document storage. Livi carried the box to her desk then opened the hinged lid. She took the memo from her drawer and placed it on top of the other paperwork.
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