by Serena Zane
“They’re moving, and definitely headed to the pier.” The blips on the screen steadily got farther away. Killroy increased the speed of the van to match pace with the speeding taxicab. The van swerved in and out through the traffic like a giant serpent. Unfortunately, the large vehicle was no match for the smaller one and they ended up stuck behind a line of cars in a stand still.
“Damn this traffic.” Kevin slammed his fist on the dash.
“At least we have a heads up on where they’re going. We can catch up to them in a minute. Keep your temper down. When things come to a head I will personally see to it you get the pleasure of interrogating our suspect Mr. Conner.”
Kevin’s lips curled in satisfaction.
“There’s an opening.” From the backseat Halverson pointed to the shoulder of the road and Killroy steered his way over.
“Good thinking, we’ll catch up to them soon.”
“I wish Lucy’d worn that damn wire.”
Killroy gave a little laugh. “You know our Lucy, she wouldn’t wear one. She said that he’d probably find the tap, she couldn’t take that risk. I tallied up the probabilities and figured she’s most likely right. So, I didn’t insist she wear a wire.”
“I realize she’s right Killroy, she normally is. I just wish she could’ve taken something with her. She didn’t even carry a gun.”
Killroy laughed. “If I know Lucy at all, you don’t need to worry about that one. She would never go on assignment alone. She considers her gun her personal companion.”
Kevin smiled when he remembered the time he and Lucy went on assignment together.
He thought she hadn’t brought a gun along with her when she’d reached down and pulled one from a leg holster on the inside of her thigh. He remembered how her creamy flesh felt beneath his fingertips and he closed his eyes for just a moment. No wonder, it’s dangerous to get involved when on mission. Lucy’s the most distracting thing that happened in his for a long time. He would need to watch it. A frown creased his brow.
“You okay?” Killroy asked concerned showing on his face.
“Fine, just fine.”
CHAPTER 20
The cab pulled up to the pier and screeched to a halt. Conner opened the yellow door and eased himself out. Reaching for Lucy with his free hand he helped her out of the vehicle. He grinned at the cabbie and handed him the money for the fair. Conner turned and took Lucy’s elbow to lead her towards the yacht waiting at the end of the pier.
Lucy looked around her and took in the scene with a great deal of interest. She wondered how Killroy and Kevin could miss seeing such a beautiful piece of work as Conner’s yacht as it floated in the water near the warehouse. The size alone would draw her attention. The expanse of its white body took over most of the small outlet where it was harbored. She stared at the tinted windows curious about what lay behind the dark panes.
Immediately, thoughts of her brother soared to the surface when she was led onto the boat. An overwhelming sense of urgency filled her. She fought to control her breath and steadied her thoughts as Conner led her up the plank. The decking, the smooth lines of the beautiful polished wood, helped her concentrate as she walked. If she could get to Chase somehow they might be able to organize a way to get him off the yacht without her being in suspicion.
Lucy noticed two men patrolling the deck in white uniforms. The bulge underneath their right arms told her they packed small side arms. They would be easy enough to disarm. She dismissed them without another thought and forced her gaze to take in the whole situation.
Conner led her up top and conversed with the captain. He spoke softly so she would not be able to hear what they said. She could only guess at what he told the captain.
Lucy looked at the man at the wheel and noticed he wore a small pistol under his uniform jacket. Turning to face her as he spoke with Conner the man looked at her like a prime steak. She shivered and flipped her hair back from her shoulders in agitation.
Conner came to where she stood waiting for him and took her hand, without a word, he led her inside the ship’s interior.
Lucy broke the silence.
“Oh, how lovely.” The deep mahogany interior took her breath away. Conner smiled at her as she took in the rich textures surrounding them. The hunter green upholstery matched the dark colors and made the room look like it belonged to something out of an earlier century.
“This is one of my favorite rooms,” he stated with an air of superiority, “I thought you might appreciate it.”
“I do.” The statement came out in a breath as she continued to take it all in. He really outdid himself in decorating both his apartment and this yacht.
“I’d like for you to stay in this room until we get out into international water. I don’t want the coast guard to think anything suspicious is going on.” His eyes roamed over her body in approval when she stayed in place.
She watched as he went out the door and firmly shut it behind him. Hearing a lock click into place, she sat down on the velour-covered sofa. Apparently Conner didn’t trust her as much as they thought he did.
Lucy looked at her watch and gave a mental sigh, only five-thirty in the morning. She glanced with longing at the soft cushions of the sofa and decided a nap would be in order. She couldn’t do anything locked up in this room. Laying her head down on the comfortable surface she began to plan.
***
“Wave bon voyage to Lucy for a while,” Killroy said as they watched the yacht pull out of the small harbor. “If things go as planned she should be in with the bad guys fairly soon. Come on. There’s a boat waiting for us with our name on it right over here.” He motioned to a speedboat harbored one pier over.
“You’re sure full of surprises.” Kevin’s mouth turned up at the corners.
“Well, I thought someone needed the brains around here. I noticed that yacht out in the bay when we did the warehouse. I took all precautions. Isn’t that what I’m here for?” He looked full of his own glory for a moment.
Kevin knew if he hadn’t been so worried about Lucy he would burst out laughing.
“You really do have everything down to the last detail.” They climbed aboard and released the tie-downs.
“We need to stay far enough behind them that they won’t notice our craft.” Kevin watched as Killroy looked at the monitor Halverson had turned on in the dash. It bleeped just like the one in the van. Hawke had been busy. The two blips came across in bright red and green signals. Kevin started up the engine and began to follow at a discrete distance.
Three hours remained before they would reach international waters. Conner would make certain any deals would happen there. Kevin’s leg stung from the short jump into the boat and he thought of Lucy.
She’d learned a lot in her short time with the Agency. They were concerned she would not be able to handle this situation. She’s a tough woman, but she was also very small and only one person. Kevin remembered her as she stuck her chin out in defiance when he asked her to step out of the assignment. Kevin felt a wave of warmth surge over him.
In the next moment his eyes turned to slits as he thought of what Conner wanted to do with her. Just how far would she go to save her brother? His glare focused on the yacht in front of them. Kevin’s anger level rose with each thought of Conner as he put his hands on Lucy’s soft skin. His fingers gripped the steering wheel and it was all he could do to stop himself from going after her that minute.
The blackened waters of the Atlantic seemed to well up and increase his fears. He didn’t like being this far out of contact with any partner. Lucy had become more than just a partner; she’s everything he cared about.
He had watched her walk around agency headquarters the last year torturing his senses. Each time he spotted her, his pulse had sped up and he felt heat rush through his body. He leaned his head back and groaned as he thought of how much time he spent during that first mission trying to keep things professional. He shook his head at the thought of all that wasted time
.
“I know you are busy, but would you tell me why the green blip seems to be floating away from the yacht?” Hawke motioned to the computer screen and waited for Killroy and Kevin to take a look.
“It appears as though our man seems to have lost his cane.” Killroy glanced at Kevin and shrugged, “So, he isn’t as predictable as I began to think. Hawke, we follow the diamond. Since we’ve got sight of the yacht from here we can tell that is the correct signal. I wonder how he knew. I need to think. Kevin, are you good at the gears for a while? I need to go contemplate what this means.”
Kevin nodded.
“What do you think happened, Kevin?” Killroy looked at him with suspicion in his eyes, but wanted to see what he is going to say.
“I’m not altogether sure. To be honest, I’ve got no idea why Conner would chose to throw his cane overboard. Maybe Killroy is right. Perhaps he did just slip and lose it over the side.”
Hawke seemed doubtful and Kevin directed his gaze back at their target. Did they have a mole? He thought of each member of the team and quickly dismissed the idea.
Killroy handpicked this unit himself. That being the case, Kevin tried to think of other scenarios, which might lead to the cane being lost. Kevin didn’t believe that Conner would ever make a mistake like letting loose of his precious cane near the side of the yacht where it might fall into the waters churning beneath the ship.
The sun slowly crept into the sky, and the darkness of the night gave way to colors streaking the horizon. Kevin dropped back further from the yacht to stay out of notice. He glanced at Killroy occasionally and read the lines of worry on his weathered face. The director saw a lot of action in his time and Kevin knew it wasn’t a good sign when his boss took on an expression like the one he wore on his face at the moment. Kevin’s hand rubbed the leather grip of the steering column and he focused on remaining calm.
She’s a trained agent. She would be able to handle herself.
CHAPTER 21
Lucy glanced up as Conner came through the heavy oak door with a tray balanced on one hand. She inhaled at the smell of fresh coffee and sausage. Her mouth started to water at the thought of a proper meal. She lay down on her side and watched him with hooded eyes as he quietly crossed the room and placed the tray on the coffee table in front of her. He strode over to her and gently brushed a stray hair off her cheek.
“Time to get up Valerie, you’ve slept through the day.” His voice dropped as he looked over her lounging form.
Lucy opened her eyes all the way.
Conner held his breath their eyes met. “I thought you might appreciate a nice breakfast when you first woke up even though it is already dinner time.” She moved slowly, aware that he watched her like she was on the menu.
She repressed a shudder.
“Mmmm, smells good.” Lucy stretched and leaned forward to take the tops from the plates on the silver-serving tray. She took the lid off and examined the contents. As she looked over the delicious array of pancakes, eggs, and sausage her stomach growled. She laughed pretending to be embarassed. “I better get some of this wonderful food in my stomach, otherwise, I may die of starvation.”
“We wouldn’t let that happen. I promise you. If you die of anything on our little excursion it will not be from a lack of food.” Menace flashed in his eyes for a moment and made Lucy wonder if she imagined it.
He smiled at her and sat back to watch her eat.
“Aren’t you going to eat anything?” Lucy inquired.
“No, I ate my dinner earlier this day. There’re many things I need to accomplish before I’m able to spend time with you.” He leaned over and brushed a finger against her thigh. “I didn’t want anything to get in our way as we take time together.”
Lucy tried not to pull away from his touch and forced herself to remain on the sofa. She took a bite of her pancakes and listened to him talk about the yacht. Lucy used the time to figure out how she would distract Conner enough to make him leave the door unlocked, the only way out of the room.
No way would she fit through one of the portholes without being seen. Even the door was a risky proposition. If she could slip out without being noticed, she might be able to locate her brother. Their connection got stronger here. She knew he would be on the yacht, stashed away. She just needed to find him.
Lucy ate almost everything on her tray as Conner talked about boating as his favorite hobby she couldn’t help but think he didn’t sound like a hardened criminal. His face looked angular, but soft around the edges, he seemed like a businessman, again she thought of a weasel.
“Is there a restroom I might use aboard this vessel you love so much?” For some reason the sight of his beloved yacht being blown into tiny little pieces popped into her head and she suppressed a chuckle.
“It is right down the passage and to your left. I will take you.” He placed a hand possessively on her elbow and guided her down the narrow passage. “Here we are.” He gestured to a smaller door hidden within the paneling. “Sorry it is a bit small, but that is how they come on yachts like this one.”
Lucy shrugged and made her way into the small cubicle to use the restroom and said thank you as she shut the door. She leaned her head back against the stall door. Lucy tried to think of a way to get rid of Conner without him being suspicious of why she wanted some time alone. She couldn’t arrive at any conclusions by the time she finished in the restroom.
Conner led her back to the study area. As they entered the room someone called him topside. He rushed out the door and left it standing open.
Well, that was easier than I thought it would be, Lucy mused.
She slipped out and headed farther down the passage past the restroom. Lucy took in all the details of the small hallway as she made a mental note that she would need to be careful while she made her way into the darkened interior of the yacht. Her fingers brushed the sidewalls and connected with a door on her right.
The cold metal of the door handle chilled her skin as she opened it onto a room full of crates. She squashed her narrow frame through the crack she’d made in the door and let her vision take an inventory of the things in the crowded room noting the label on each crate stamped with a South American customs label. She went to the crate nearest to where she stood and lifted the lid.
Strange, she thought, it’s not nailed down.
She peered inside and gasped looking down at a priceless Monet. Her breath seemed to stop as she realized what she inadvertently stumbled upon. The room was loaded with artifacts stolen over the past few months from top museums around the world.
What were they all doing here? Her mind raced with all the possibilities. Now wasn’t the time to stand around and gape. She turned to head back out into the passage when she heard voices close to the room.
“That’s right. It’s all here. After you look over the merchandise perhaps we can agree on a price.” Conner’s voice drifted to where she stood.
Lucy glanced quickly around, and found a closet on the far side of the room. She breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to hide herself within the confines of the tight space. Lucy closed the sliding door just enough to be able to see through a small crack, settling as they opened the room door wide to admit the entrance of a small entourage.
One rather tall man walked to the center of the room. She could tell by his arrogant stance this was the man Conner would be doing business with. She searched him from head to toe, her eyes raked every inch of his clothing for the distinguishing bulge of a gun. She couldn’t find a thing and guessed his two henchmen were in charge of his protection if he went unarmed.
Conner stepped over to the crate to his left and lifted the lid. She couldn’t see inside, but by the look of pleasure that crossed the stranger’s dark features Lucy could only guess it was another one of the world’s most valued gifts. His rich Latin accent permeated the air.
“When do you believe we can complete the transfer?” The deep tones played havoc with her ears and she forced her
self to concentrate on the scene in front of her.
“Soon. I want to make sure everything is in order. You do realize that you can never show these to anyone outside of your own circle?” Conner sounded doubtful.
“You’ve got my word, Mr. Conner, having them in my possession is quite enough.” His features twisted into a mask of dark pleasure as he opened another case. “Shall we go discuss our future then?”
“That’s just what I thought.” Conner led them out of the room.
Lucy let out a sigh of relief. This would make this whole thing much easier. She could get her brother out and get the goods all in one fell swoop if she played her cards right. A smile lit up her face as she wiggled back into the room.
Now, where’s Conner hiding my brother? Lucy looked further down the passage and thanked her lucky stars no one was about. She snuck down the hall until she found a third room. Without opening the door she pressed her ear to the paneling and listened. The voices within warned her not to approach that room until later.
She continued farther down. Her hand contacted with yet another door. This one smaller than the others, she doubted whether or not anything was in it. She hesitated for a moment just outside and pressed her hand against the doorknob. It creaked open. She stood there for a moment to let her eyes adjust to the dark. She didn’t want to take any chances that a light could be seen farther down the hall. As her eyes focused on the room, at first all she noticed were more crates.
A low groan sounded from inside.
Chase slumped over in a wooden chair in the center of the room. His limbs tied to each leg as though he’d have the strength to undo them himself if they tied them together.
Lucy forced herself to keep control. She closed the door behind her as quietly as she could and made her way over to where her brother sat entrapped. Kneeling down next to him, Lucy slowly raised a hand to his face so she wouldn’t startle him when he came to.