“Yeah!” Abigail said as she jumped up and down with excitement. “We’re going to make Daddy a chocolate cake for his birthday!”
“I’ll meet you in the kitchen,” Lauren said as she followed Abigail.
Donovan let himself into the study. William was seated on the sofa. As usual, he was wearing one of his trademark tailored suits, complete with vest and carefully knotted tie. Donovan knew he purchased his wardrobe from a small, but exclusive, shop in London. Tall and wiry, William had a head full of shock-white hair and piercing dark eyes that were surrounded by the lines of age. He was seventy-six years old, but as tough and hard-charging as men half his age. Donovan often joked to William that he would outlive them all. In the Washington, DC, inner political sanctum, William was revered by many and outright feared by others. He’d been a special envoy to the State Department for the better part of three decades. William had amassed a huge fortune, first as Donovan’s father’s right-hand-man at Huntington Oil, then as Robert’s.
They’d been inseparable in life and business since Donovan was a boy. William had raised him from the age of fourteen when he’d become his legal guardian. Guided by William’s vast experience and expansive view of the world, Donovan knew that nearly everything he’d accomplished was either directly, or indirectly, the result of his relationship with William. He was one of six people in the world who knew the truth—that he was once Robert Huntington.
“Lauren finally admitted she’d contacted you,” William stood to meet Donovan. The two men shook hands warmly, and then it quickly turned into a hug. “I had mixed feelings, but I’m glad you’re here.”
“I came as fast as I could.” Donovan pulled back. Etched on William’s lined face were dark circles and overall signs of stress, reconfirming Donovan’s commitment to help in any way possible.
“How are you, son? Are you okay?” William asked as he looked him up and down.
“I’m fine,” Donovan replied. “I took the time off. I needed it. But I’m here to talk about you and what’s happened to Stephanie.”
William lowered himself back to the sofa. He rubbed his eyes as if trying to compose himself in preparation for what he was about to say. Donovan waited. He knew William well enough to know the statesman was nothing if not deliberate.
“I’ve already given Lauren a quick version of events as I know them. I’ll admit, I have serious reservations about telling you any of this, but in the end I know you’d never forgive me if I kept you in the dark. Four days ago, there was a minor eruption of a long-dormant volcano in Guatemala. As you may or may not know, Stephanie had recently decided to resume her career in photography. At the behest of a former editor, she immediately boarded a plane and flew to Guatemala City, where she joined up with a United States Geological Survey team that was en route to the volcano. That’s the last anyone’s seen or heard from her. That was twenty-seven hours ago.”
“Then what?” Donovan asked, fearing the answer. He could see that William was trying to gauge his next words carefully.
“This morning, the Guatemalan police searched the mountain where the USGS team was headed. They found the bodies of the two scientists and the guard who was assigned to protect them. They’d all been shot and buried in shallow graves. There was no sign of Stephanie.”
Donovan shifted uncomfortably, he knew what was coming and could feel the sudden heat as his face went flush. There was a ringing in his ears, and his shoulders slumped as if a great weight had been placed on top of him. His mind raced back and forth between Stephanie and the unavoidable memories of Meredith Barnes. The effect was quick and devastating. Donovan pressed his fingers to his temples as both guilt, sorrow, and anger all fought to consume him.
“We don’t know anything for sure,” William put his hand on Donovan’s shoulder. “She may have escaped. She could simply be out of contact in some village. I can tell from the look on your face I was right in being hesitant to tell you about any of this.”
Donovan straightened as if regaining his strength. “I’m fine.”
“I understand how you feel, that on many levels this is probably harder on you than it is on me,” William said the words quietly, as if he could sense that Donovan was poised between two worlds, fragile. “You’ve been through a great deal in the last few months, I’d understand if you needed to sit this one out.”
“We all went through the same ordeal and survived. That’s the last I care to hear about how damaged I might be.” Donovan stood abruptly and went toward his desk. “It’s already been twenty-seven hours. We can be in Guatemala City later tonight.”
“Sit down,” William motioned Donovan to come back and join him on the sofa. “I’ve already been in touch with the State Department. Stephanie and one of the murdered scientists are US citizens, so I’ve called in a few favors. There is a State Department jet flying us there first thing tomorrow morning.”
“I can get us there faster.” Donovan picked up the phone and prepared to dial.
“It’s not about speed,” William said. “It’s about making correct, well-thought-out decisions. If we come screaming in on an Eco-Watch jet and start taking names, we’ve done nothing but draw unwanted attention to ourselves, and perhaps even panic the people who may have Stephanie. Now please, hang up and come sit; listen to what I have to say.”
Donovan’s impulse to act was at odds with William’s calmer, more reasoned approach—a no man’s land that Donovan had always hated.
“Put the phone down,” William repeated. “If I thought rushing down there would solve anything, I’d already be on my way, and we’d be having this discussion via satellite phone. I’ve spoken at length with Michael. He has no idea you’re here, by the way. I’ll leave that for you to explain. Anyway, he informed me that an Eco-Watch mission to Alaska, centered on the volcanic eruption of Mt. Resolute, was scheduled to begin in a few days.”
“Yeah,” Donovan replied. He thought about the development of the new airborne drone that would aid scientists in observing volcanoes. Michael Ross, the man Donovan had left in charge, was doing exactly what he should be doing—solving problems.
“Michael is canceling the Alaska mission and bringing the entire test to Guatemala. Eco-Watch will have a presence there, but it will be due to the volcanic activity, not the disappearance of my niece. Michael is fully briefed and staffed for the mission. He’s going to arrive in Guatemala City as soon as he can. You can fly with me tomorrow on the State Department jet, as an emissary between Eco-Watch and the Guatemalan scientific community. My plan is to work the official diplomatic channels—my position as a diplomat-at-large actually requires that approach. I’m guessing the kidnappers know who Stephanie is and her connection to me. My arrival in a government jet sends a message that I’m ready to do business. She’s fine for the moment because everything is static. It’s when the deliberations begin that considerations start to shift. It’s understandable after your history with Meredith, that waiting is difficult. But together we can cover all the bases and make this happen in a way that works for Stephanie.”
Donovan couldn’t help but think that the bureaucratic delays and red tape over trying to secure Meredith’s release twenty-two years ago were beginning to play themselves out again. If Stephanie were indeed kidnapped, only the name of the country had changed, Guatemala instead of Costa Rica. One set of third-world politics and politicians for another. He had failed before, and Meredith had paid for it with her life.
“I think we should bring Buck into the loop,” Donovan said, cell phone still in his hand. “We may need his particular skill set.”
“I’ve already spoken to him. The injuries he received in Alaska are healed. The doctors have cleared him to return to work. He’s joining us on tomorrow’s flight,” William answered. “I’m not taking you down there without a chaperone. Who’d be better at that than Buck?”
Donovan nodded. Howard Buckley, former Navy SEAL, had joined Eco-Watch less than a year ago. Donovan hadn’t hesitated for a
moment to hire Buck, as he was affectionately called, to head up security for Eco-Watch. He’d become an indispensable member of the Eco-Watch team. They’d need every advantage in Guatemala.
“We’ll handle this differently than we did Costa Rica. I promise, which brings me to my next concern. I know I can’t talk you out of going with me. I won’t even try. Promise me if you come, you’ll act within the parameters we decide are best.”
Donovan nodded his agreement. He knew his impulsiveness, while at times effective, perhaps wasn’t the best play this time around. “You have cash, for a ransom?”
“I’ve arranged for four million dollars. We’ll take it with us under the umbrella of diplomatic immunity. If they want more, we’ll have to adjust. I’m expecting more information on the situation from the embassy this evening,” William said. “I think we’ll have a better picture in the morning.”
“What time does the flight leave?” Donovan asked.
“I’ll have the driver swing by and pick you up at five-thirty. We’re leaving out of Dulles, which saves us the drive across town to Andrews Air Force Base.”
“Okay,” Donovan nodded. “I’ll be ready.”
“You’re sure you’re good to go?” William asked.
“Yes,” Donovan said, though all he could imagine were the problems, everything that could go wrong, as well as the consequences.
CHAPTER THREE
Lauren woke from an uneasy sleep. A quick glance at the clock told her it was three o’clock in the morning. She was a little surprised she’d managed any sleep at all. She threw back the light bedspread and pulled on her robe. She peeked in on Abigail and found her sleeping soundly.
Her thoughts turned to Donovan. He’d been so wound up, she knew there was no way he’d sleep. They’d tried to talk earlier in the evening, but Lauren recognized that he’d already left her, his thoughts and concerns focused on Stephanie and Guatemala. She’d seen it before; his mind started the journey long before his body. But that had been hours ago, and now she wondered how he was doing, and she was worried.
She padded silently down the steps and made her way toward the study. A thin strip of light coming from under the door told her she’d found him. In the hallway was his bag, packed and ready to go. She let herself in and discovered Donovan sitting at his desk. Lauren could see his expression, something between pain and torment. On the desk was his pistol, the clip was missing. He was honoring her request to not have a loaded gun in the house with Abigail around, though she knew the clip was probably in his pocket, and the gun could be fired in seconds if needed. The weapon represented one of the ways in which their relationship had changed. She, too, carried a loaded weapon when she left the house. Protecting themselves was the result of their experience when a terrorist had nearly killed Michael and Donovan as well as Lauren. That event changed a great many aspects of their life and was one of the many stressors in their marriage.
He glanced up as she joined him. Looking over his shoulder, she saw the image of Meredith Barnes on the screen. The whole world knew the Meredith Barnes story, her murder, a death blamed on billionaire oilman Robert Huntington, who had died only a few months after her.
Meredith had been young and attractive. Her charisma, intelligence, and her in-your-face environmental activism won the hearts of the world—and Robert Huntington. Lauren knew he’d been devastated by her kidnapping and subsequent murder. He’d been with her when she was taken. He was injured in the abduction, their driver killed, but it was the immediate aftermath that no one could have predicted. The standing government policy of not giving in to the ransom demands had doomed Meredith. In the end, he’d ignored the maneuvering bureaucrats and managed to bring in the money to pay the ransom himself, but it was too late. Within hours, her body was discovered in a muddy field outside San José.
Lauren remembered what a tremendous shock it had been to learn Donovan’s secret. She’d been among the Meredith supporters who believed in the conspiracy and she’d quietly rejoiced, along with the rest of the world, when Robert had died. She and Donovan had been at sea when he shared all the details of his life—and the intricate reasons why he’d done what he’d done. As she’d listened, she slowly grasped the enormity of his decision, and the complexities of his subsequent actions. Instead of anger at being lied to and misled, everything came together, every loose end and inconsistency she’d felt made perfect sense. She found in him a measure of courage and honesty that made her love him even more. Six months later they married.
“I could make us some coffee,” Lauren suggested, wanting him to know that she would sit up with him if he wanted.
Donovan shook his head.
“What are you looking for?” Lauren asked.
“It’s Meredith’s eulogy. I was just looking, thinking.” Donovan clicked to another link. “I don’t know, looking for closure, or anything I could do differently this time. I know this isn’t what you want to see your husband grappling with. I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize.” Lauren was a little taken aback at his admission and his concern as to how it might affect her. “We all have our pasts. I don’t care what it is you’re struggling with as long as you tell me and let me go through it with you.”
“I’m trying,” Donovan said as he looked up at her, a sad smile on his face.
She leaned down and kissed him. “What did you find?” Lauren wanted more than anything to keep him talking. If they stopped, the sorrow and tragedy that filled the room would be all they had.
“The same things I’ve seen for over twenty years. I failed to protect her. I should have been far more careful. I should never have dealt with the government—they didn’t care about her. They were only concerned about sending the right message to the next group of kidnappers. Because of the bureaucratic posturing, there was a delay assembling the cash. I think the kidnappers panicked and killed her.”
“This time will be different—it’s you, Buck, and William. Plus, with one of the Eco-Watch jets there, you’ll have Michael as well. The past doesn’t repeat for those who are aware of history.”
Donovan nodded weakly. “I hope you’re right—for all our sakes. I keep thinking about Stephanie, and our past. She’s always been one of the voices of reason in my life. William did a great job raising me after my parents died, but it was Stephanie that brought a softer, more feminine perspective to my life when I needed it most. She’s done so much for me. I can’t fail her.”
“I love her too.” Lauren replied, feeling her own sorrow and pain. “You know, she and I talk about you a lot, and do you know what she said that I’ve always treasured the most?”
“What?”
“She said that for a while at least, when you and I were together, you were happier, less tormented, and more at peace than she’s ever seen you. Despite all our subsequent problems, she thanked me for giving you that respite from your pain.”
“I spent time with her three months ago.” Donovan looked up at Lauren. “We were in the San Juan Islands, right before I went to Montana. She told me that the reason you and I were separated, was that I was afraid of you getting too close, of you seeing how broken parts of me were. She explained that after years of hiding my past, I was so compartmentalized, and guarded, that no one ever got the full sense of who I am. That people either happily accepted what they get from me, or they didn’t, and felt excluded. In three sentences she summed up why you and I aren’t working—was she right?”
Lauren was momentarily startled by his openness, but she also knew Stephanie wouldn’t have limited her comments to Donovan. “There could be an element of truth to Stephanie’s view. But we both know there’s more than just your part. What did she say was my culpability in all of this?”
“She said that you’re too analytical, you sometimes get in your own way. Instead of being emotional and speaking or acting, you withdraw and analyze, then get angry. Who wouldn’t? I’m not an easy man to be around, I understand, and I want to apologize.
”
Instead of bristling at the assessment, Lauren recognized that Stephanie had spoken from the vantage point of being outside the conflict. Lauren knew how poorly her internal process meshed with her husband’s at times. It was the epicenter of their conflict. “She’s not wrong.”
“I don’t want us to fight,” Donovan said. “I only wanted to say that I haven’t given up on us, and that for the moment, all of my energy is focused on Stephanie. I’ll never be able to change that part of me—it’s who I am.”
“I know,” Lauren said. “You once parachuted into the middle of a hurricane to save me.”
“And I’d do it again tomorrow,” Donovan said, then turned and looked at the image of Meredith glowing on the computer.
“You’ll find her,” Lauren urged, trying to comfort him.
“I’m afraid the same thing will happen to Stephanie that happened to Meredith. I failed her, and then I couldn’t even go to her funeral. Her family didn’t want me there because they thought I was responsible. All I saw was what was televised. I never did get to say good-bye.”
Lauren studied her husband. She watched as his eyes left the screen and went up to a framed picture in the bookcase. It was a picture of Stephanie, lean, tan, her blonde hair blown by the wind. She was sitting on a motorcycle, a camera in her hands. She’d been touring somewhere in the Italian Alps. Her wide beautiful smile lit up her face. Lauren watched helplessly as Donovan’s blue eyes grew moist. Lauren felt her own tears finally push through the surface and trickle down her face. Unsure where the boundaries of their relationship were at the moment, she leaned over, kissed the top of his head, and stroked his hair. She held her husband for a long time as he silently battled his demons.
CHAPTER FOUR
Donovan looked up from the stack of State Department documents they’d been handed the moment they’d stepped aboard the gleaming Boeing. Painted in the same scheme as Air Force One, the specially equipped 737 was used almost exclusively by the diplomatic corps. “Guatemala has been declared a ‘failed state’ due to an inability to provide security for its citizens. It says here that with nearly six thousand murders last year, Guatemala is one of the most dangerous countries on earth.”
Aftershock: A Donovan Nash Novel (A Donovan Nash Thriller) Page 3