See Me, Cover Me: Full Heart Ranch Series #4

by Barbara Gee

  The most innovative thing about the finished bomb would be its container, which would give it a very good chance of slipping past the notice of the security detail at the venue. After Khalud had entrusted Tanner with the knowledge of where his bomb would be set off, the two men had spent many hours discussing the best vessel for the device. The bomb had to be placed close enough to the concert stage to kill the Secretary of State, but his protection detail would make that extremely difficult. There would be Secret Service in place. Not as many as if the president were attending, but a good number, and they’d likely sweep the stage area for explosives as a matter of routine. That meant if they were going to hide the bomb on the stage, it would have to be placed on or beneath the highly guarded platform just before the event began, after security had finished their work. Neither man could come up with a way of doing that.

  So they had brainstormed some more. It was hard for Tanner to give his all to planning something he knew wasn’t going to take place, but he had to convince Khalud he was dedicated to making sure the plot succeeded. He had to come up with something good.

  Tanner had studied photos of similar events, trying to get an idea of how things were typically laid out. Soon he noticed one thing each event had in common. There was always a rope barrier between the stage and the crowd, separating the celebrities from the masses.

  Once he picked up on that, Tanner had the answer to their problem. The ropes were attached to pedestals, and the pedestals were hollow. They were also plenty big enough to be packed not only with the required amount of C4, but also ball bearings, which would make the device even more lethal.

  Khalud had eagerly taken that idea and run with it. He was much better at logistics than he was with the technicalities of bomb building. Within a week, two of his men had applied for work at the event management company that would be setting up the venue. If he had people on the inside, Khalud was confident they could get the death pedestal past the gate security, and make sure it was placed near the center of the stage.

  Tanner had been perfectly content to see Khalud hunker down and waste hour after hour working out the details of a plan that would never be implemented. While the other man focused on that, Tanner had begun modifying his bomb design to fit the cylindrical shape of the pedestal.

  At first he had considered not even going to the trouble of designing a bomb that would actually work. The small sample bombs he’d built had gone off perfectly, and that had given Khalud the desired confidence in his skills. Now Tanner was sure he could pack C4 and some fake detonator parts into the pedestal, and Khalud wouldn’t question whether it would work.

  The problem with that plan was that although Khalud had confidence in him, the men who were higher up in the chain of command had every reason to be leery. After all, the bomb was at the very center of their plan, and they couldn’t afford for it not to work. Tanner knew there was a chance they would eventually bring in another explosives expert to check his work, this time ignoring Tanner’s objections, and if that person found he had built a bomb that was never intended to go off, his cover would be blown.

  So he’d come up with an innovative design that would fit in the pedestal and function flawlessly—except for the fact that he would cut the wires to the detonator and put in a separator. He was confident he could repair the wire casing so well it would pass even the most meticulous examination. With that safeguard in place, Tanner had finalized his design.

  ***

  It had now been two months since Maliq Hadim had been identified via the fateful email. Since then, the two men who had applied for work at the event management company had both been hired, and Khalud was more confident than ever that their plan would work. As far as he was concerned, it was full speed ahead.

  Tanner, however, had come up with some ways to stall the final assembly of the bomb, because he didn’t want Khalud to decide his job was done and thus conclude Tanner’s presence was no longer required.

  First, the 3D printer had supposedly acted up. Tanner had spent almost a week fiddling with it, installing new drivers and replacing perfectly good components. Once that tactic had run its course, the batch of C4 he’d ordered had been “lost,” thanks to the cooperation of the FBI cover company he’d purchased it from. That had bought him another two weeks. Finally, he’d ordered the wrong pedestal to hold his bomb. The two men from the house who were working for the event management company had given him the brand and model of rope barriers used by the company, and Tanner had placed an order. Unfortunately, he’d accidentally (on purpose) keyed in one wrong number, and the pedestal that had arrived had been chrome, rather than black. Getting the correct one had taken another week.

  Tanner was staring at that pedestal right now. He’d managed a month of stalling, but Khalud was growing impatient. Tanner decided it was time to finish what he’d started. He’d have to come up with another way to make himself indispensable to Khalud once the device was complete.

  ***

  Eight months. So much time.

  Izzy was lying in the hammock in her back yard, staring up at the stars and wondering for the gazillionth time whether Tanner was missing her as much as she did him. Most of the time, she was convinced he was, but she still had weak moments every once in a while, when she wondered if she was stubbornly holding on to something that was only going to lead to hurt and disappointment.

  Not that her occasional doubts ever resulted in a loss of resolve. Stubborn was part of who she was, and she loved Tanner too much to let go. She never would, not unless he looked her in the eyes and told her he didn’t want her anymore.

  Her phone rang and she reached down to where it lay in the grass below the hammock. When she saw the name on the screen she quickly sat up and hopped from the hammock.

  “Charlie? Is it finally time?” Andi was two weeks over due, and Izzy had been eagerly awaiting this call.

  “She just got admitted, Iz. Her contractions are regular. It could be a while yet, but, uh, if you want to go ahead and come, um, that would be fine.”

  Izzy grinned at the nervous excitement in Charlie’s voice. It was obvious he could use a little moral support, and with the hospital a half hour away, she’d better get going.

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can,” she promised. “Give Andi a hug for me and keep calm. She’s going to do great, I know it.”

  Izzy hung up and hurried inside to change from her sweatpants and tee shirt into something a little more presentable. Her heart was light as she anticipated the hours ahead. Soon Charlie and Andi would hold their long-awaited child in their arms. There could be nothing better.

  Perfect timing, Lord. I needed to get out of my own head. Let’s go get this precious baby born!

  CHAPTER 26

  Nine and a half months. Please let this be over soon.

  Tanner truly believed they were playing with fire. Every day increased the chances of something going wrong. Hadim had already cancelled two planned trips. He was currently scheduled to come in a week from today, but Tanner wouldn’t believe it until he laid eyes on the man.

  They were now only two weeks out from the concert, and tensions were running high in the house. Khalud seemed to be perpetually on the edge of a breakdown. The men he answered to were constantly questioning whether he had everything under control, making it clear they doubted his ability to pull it off.

  Tanner wasn’t sure what they had to gain by making the man a nervous wreck, but he suspected they just wanted to keep the pressure on so Khalud didn’t get complacent or over-confident.

  Khalud employed the same tactics on his own men. He quizzed Tanner about the bomb multiple times a day, until finally Tanner snapped and told him if he asked him one more time whether it was going to work, he was going to destroy the whole thing.

  Tanner was having doubts of his own, but not about the useless bomb. He was picking up vibes in the house, and he suspected several of the men weren’t as loyal to the cause as Khalud thought. Tanner’s innovative bomb
design would bring a high price on the black market, and as generous as Khalud had been over the years, none of the men were rich. Every one of them had probably thought about the implications, good and bad, of stealing the bomb.

  Tanner decided it was time to implement the plan he’d come up with to protect both himself and the operation. He would hide the bomb trigger away from the house, and only he would know where it was. Without the trigger, the bomb would be completely useless. Of course it was anyway, but no one else knew that.

  Khalud would be furious, but Tanner was beyond caring. Let him rant and rave. It would make no difference.

  ***

  “He’s the most adorable baby ever,” Izzy said emphatically, holding little four week old Noah Charles Jansen up so she could nuzzle his soft cheek. “Honestly, Andi, I don’t know how you get anything done. I would just sit and gaze at him all day.”

  “I spend a fair amount of time doing just that,” Andi said with a laugh. “But I’m kind of getting a routine down. Which is good, because this household doesn’t run itself.”

  Izzy put the baby up to her shoulder and patted his tiny back. “I’m so glad I get to be his first baby-sitter. Make sure you write that in his baby book, okay? I want the credit.”

  “You got it,” Andi said with a laugh. She looked down the hall and checked her watch. “If Charlie doesn’t get out here soon, we’re going to be late for our reservations.”

  “I hope he’s taking you to Bob’s. Nowhere else is quite good enough for your first date post-baby.”

  Andi winced. “He is, but I’m nervous about being an hour away. What if something happens?”

  “I’ve got this,” Izzy said confidently. “I babysat all through high school. I’m a natural.”

  Charlie entered the room, freshly showered and beyond handsome in a black sweater and dark jeans. Andi’s face lit up.

  “Oh wow, maybe I won’t miss being able to stare at Noah all evening after all,” she said, rising up on her toes for his quick kiss. “You’re so handsome, Charlie. I’m so glad our boy takes after you.”

  “Go on, you two,” Izzy said happily. “You deserve an evening off. Don’t rush back. Noah and I will be fine.”

  Andi gave her a few final instructions, then wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pressed her cheek against Izzy’s. “You’ll be going out with your own man soon, Iz. I know it. I feel it. Your wait is almost over.”

  Izzy put on a brave smile. “If you say so. I’m one day closer than yesterday, right? That’s what I tell myself every night.”

  “Soon,” Andi repeated confidently. “Call if you need us.”

  “I will. Have fun.” Izzy watched them go, holding little Noah close. She was happy for them, but it made her long even more for Tanner. She hoped Andi’s feeling about him coming back soon proved to be right.

  “Guess it’s just you and me, kid,” she crooned as the baby stared up at her with big blue eyes. “Just you and me, but we’ll be fine, huh? Don’t worry, we’ll be just fine.”

  ***

  “They want a backup plan.”

  Tanner was at the stove, frying eggs to go with the tomatoes and goat cheese he’d already stuffed into a big pita bread. Breakfast of champions. When Khalud interrupted his cooking with that announcement, Tanner looked over his shoulder at the man, his eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”

  Khalud flung out his arms. “The Iraqi leaders want a backup plan in case the bomb is discovered, or doesn’t explode.”

  Tanner shoved the frying pan away from the burner and turned it off before swinging around to face the other man. “You can’t be serious. We’ve been sitting around doing basically nothing for the better part of two months. Now we’re nine days out and suddenly they want us to come up with a backup plan?”

  Khalud lowered himself heavily into a chair and buried his face in his hands. He was definitely a man on the edge. His visions of glory remained, but the burden of guaranteeing success was taking its toll.

  “What do I tell them?” he asked. “They’re the ones who called for this job, and I ultimately answer to them. And then you add to my stress by still refusing to turn over the trigger for the bomb. If they find out you’ve hidden it, they’ll think I’m a weak leader who can’t control my own men.”

  Tanner grunted, remembering the temper tantrum the man had thrown when he’d told him the trigger was hidden away from the house, and only he knew where it was. “I did what I had to do to secure my position. I don’t trust the men here. I’m not even sure I trust you. If you were to get possession of both the trigger and the bomb, what’s to stop you from cutting me out of the victory I’ve devoted almost a year of my life to?”

  Khalud sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping. “I don’t have the energy to fight with you about this again. Right now, we need to focus on a back-up plan. The leaders don’t want to risk embarrassment if your bomb doesn’t perform as promised.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” Tanner leaned over across from Khalud and slapped his palms down on the table top. “My bomb will work exactly as planned. Surely you assured them of that?”

  “I gave them all the assurances I could. They still want a contingency plan.”

  Tanner pushed back, making no attempt to hide his frustration. “How long are you going to allow these men to continue pulling your puppet strings?” he asked mockingly. “I’m beginning to think you enjoy being their plaything. Maybe you like when they make you dance.”

  “I have no choice!” Khalud spat.

  “Don’t you?” Tanner asked. “Have you learned nothing? What did I do when you tried to pull on my strings?”

  Khalud’s dark eyes went cold. “You took the trigger.”

  “Exactly. And you had no choice but to accept it, because you are nothing without the bomb.” Tanner let that sink in for a moment, then went on. “Just as they are nothing without you and your men. Think about it, Khalud. What are they going to do if you say no to the contingency plan? Call the whole thing off?”

  “Of course not,” Khalud sputtered. “We’ve gone too far to call if off now.”

  Tanner spread his arms. “Then you have nothing to fear. You hold the cards, Khalud, not the other way around. We are at the point where they need you more than you need them.”

  Tanner watched as the other man processed what he was hearing, his expression hardening with resolve as he realized the truth of Tanner’s words.

  “Don’t let them pull your strings,” Tanner added for good measure. “Tell them there will be no back-up plan. If they push back, remind them of what I just said. Your men and I answer to you, not to them. Without you, they have nothing.”

  Khalud pushed back his chair and stood. “I’ve been very blind, but I see the way it is now. In the beginning, I needed them to get the assignment. I did whatever they asked so they would choose me, and I got used to it. But you’re right, it’s the other way around now. I will tell them to forget about another plan. They will listen.”

  “Yeah, they will. They have no choice.” Tanner put his hands on his hips, deciding now was as good a time as any to try to get information on Hadim. “Is your cousin still coming tomorrow? Are you going to want me to show him the bomb?”

  “His plane lands at noon. He will be with me here in the daytime, but will stay in a hotel to sleep. He wouldn’t like the noise if the men stay up late. And yes, I will show him the bomb. He’ll probably offer to buy it.”

  “It’s not for sale. Only for killing,” Tanner said, completely in character.

  “Yes. This one is for killing, but you and I have become a good team. We could meet up in another city when the news dies down. With new identities. Perhaps with the next bomb, we can get cash instead of glory.”

  “We’ll see,” Tanner said. “I might go back to Iraq. My skills would be even more useful there than here.” He walked back over to the stove. “Let me know what the men say when you tell them there will be no contingency plan. And don’t let them mak
e you dance.”

  “I won’t. We will have the victory we seek, on our terms.”

  Tanner watched as Khalud left, then he dumped out the half-cooked eggs and dropped the pan into the sink.

  He felt excitement building. Things might finally be falling into place. Hadim would be there in just over twenty-four hours, and if Khalud was right about him wanting to buy a bomb, that could be exactly what Tanner needed to put him away, right along with his cousin. If Tanner could sit in on the negotiations, he could use the app on his phone that functioned as a wire-tap, and send the whole conversation live to the FBI.

  That app had been a vital part of this whole operation. He’d sent literally hundreds of hours of conversation to the bureau over the last nine plus months, enough to give them fool-proof cases against every man in the house. Adding Hadim to the pot would put a nice big cherry on top.

  The hard part for Tanner would be staying patient for a few more days. He couldn’t push or steer Hadim into anything, or trick him into saying something he could later claim was entrapment. It had to be all his idea. Tanner was confident the man would implicate himself given enough time, but that was the problem. Time was running short.

  Tanner would give it his best shot, but he wouldn’t make Hadim’s fate his top priority, not if it meant jeopardizing what the bureau already had. If they nailed the man, great. Wonderful. If not, they’d be content with the ten men they did have.

  Risking a sure thing for the cherry wasn’t worth it. Even though he did have a thing for cherries.

  He grinned at that thought, because it made him think of Izzy.

  Soon, Izzy-B. Soon. Hang in there just a little longer.

  He went upstairs to his room, his body practically vibrating with excitement and impatience. It was conceivable that in just a couple of days, he’d walk out of this house for the last time. Then, in the span of an hour, maybe less, the FBI would arrest eleven terrorists. Eleven men who wanted to kill citizens of the United States in horrible ways.

  The country wouldn’t know what they’d been saved from, but that was okay. Tanner didn’t need glory, just the satisfaction of a job well done. And Izzy. He definitely needed Izzy.