Blake (Lighthouse Security Investigations Book 5)

by Maryann Jordan

  Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he looked and saw Tate’s worried expression.

  “You gotta pull it together, man. For her sake, you gotta be sharp.”

  “Tate, don’t you think I know that? All I can think about is her in that tiny ass, unsecure apartment, practically a sitting duck if there’s a threat.”

  “Right now, we don’t know that there’s a threat to her,” Mace said.

  Babs walked over with a cup of coffee, her smile gentle. “I’ll warn you, Blake, it’s only half caffeinated. I know you need to be sharp, but as jittery as you are, I don’t think you need to be fully hit with more caffeine.”

  Her words brought forth a little smile, and he both accepted the cup and offered his thanks. Feeling as though his skin was too tight, he paced a bit more. Just as he was about to suggest that he get Drew to fly him to New York, Josh’s voice rang out.

  “Got it!”

  Everyone turned their attention to Josh. “Of course, just like Smith and a bunch of other names that are common in our country, the name Boutillier is not an unusual French name. I know that Sara is particularly sensitive to hearing it, but that name alone would not be strange. Now, given the fact that they talked about expecting results, Paris connections, and then specifically mentioned drugs…now we’ve got real concerns. What I’ve been able to find out is that there is a low-level staffer from the French Guiana group whose name is Raynaud Bouchard. It turns out that Bouchard is his mother’s name. His full name is Raynaud Bouchard Boutillier. What’s more interesting is that his mother and René’s mother are sisters, making them cousins.”

  “Fuck,” Blake cursed, his anger ratcheting up.

  Cobb looked toward Mace. “Can we let the French Guiana government know that they’ve got someone in the UN from his country that’s part of a known drug family?”

  Mace nodded. “Let’s get all the facts we need first, make sure Sara’s safe, and then, yes, we’ll let them know.”

  Blake, anxious to find out more, pinned his gaze on Josh. “What else have you got?”

  “Reynaud Bouchard has worked at the UN for several years. According to his travel, he’s made numerous trips between Paris, French Guiana, and New York City. He was born and raised in French Guiana but has relatives that live in France as well. Hacking into the security records, it seems that there was a visitor who signed in late this afternoon for a meeting with Raynaud. Armand Fabre. He’s only been in the country for two days, and both days he’s met with someone at the UN French Guiana contingency.”

  “The conversation today sounded like it was the first time he talked to Raynaud,” Mace said, his intense stare focused on the security logs that Josh had tapped into and were now flashed up on the screen. “Who did he meet with yesterday?”

  Shaking his head, Josh said, “Looks like just an interpreter.” With a few taps of his fingers, he pulled up another name, and his breath left him in a rush. “Fuckin’ hell, I can’t believe I didn’t notice that the first time. This guy has the same last name. Phillipe Bouchard. Let me do some checking.” After another few minutes, Josh said, “Philippe is Reynaud’s nephew.”

  Blake startled and wanted to make sure he understood. “So, this interpreter, Philippe Bouchard, is also related to René fuckin’ Boutillier?”

  Josh nodded, asking, “Does Sara know him?”

  Jerking out his phone, he barely let her answer before he asked, “Sara, you’re on speaker with the rest of us. Do you know an interpreter at the UN named Philippe Bouchard?”

  “Philippe? Yes, I know him. He is fairly new to the UN, and when I’m there, we sit with some mutual friends at lunch. In fact, he had Bette call and check up on me today.”

  “Check up on you?” His voice was so rough it sounded foreign to his own ears.

  “Uh...yeah...uh…what’s going on? Why are you asking about Philippe?”

  Feeling as though he were going to burst out of his skin, he opened his mouth but snapped it shut as he felt a soft touch on his arm. Shooting his gaze downward and seeing Babs, he let his breath out slowly as she said, “You going ape-shit is not helping the situation. And it sure as hell isn’t going to help Sara. Lock it down. Work the mission.”

  Dutifully chastised, he gave a quick nod and sucked in another cleansing breath before saying, “Sara, this is what we found out. René Boutillier has a relative that works at the UN for the French Guiana staff. We don’t know what he’s doing, but that was who had the meeting today. He met with a man named Armand Fabre. Right now, our biggest concern is Philippe Bouchard. As it turns out, he’s also a distant relative to René Boutillier and I don’t trust that he’s recently befriended you.”

  He heard the quick intake of air from Sara and rushed to say, “Babe, tell me exactly what was said when Bette called.”

  “She said that he saw me rush out of the building and that he called out to me but I didn’t answer. Um...he told Bette that he was concerned, so he wanted her to check on me.”

  “What did you tell her?”

  He heard her sigh. “I just told her that I had a bad headache and needed to get home to take some medication.”

  He heaved a sigh of relief. “Good, good.” Looking over at Mace and then Drew, silent communication moved between them. “What’s important now is keeping you safe, Sara. Drew and I can fly to New York and—”

  “What if I take the train?”

  Giving a little jerk, Blake asked, “What? The train?”

  “I’ve already been looking up the train schedule before all of this happened,” she explained. “I thought it would be good to know for the trips we’re taking back and forth over the next couple of months until I move—oh, are we still on speaker?”

  “It’s okay, babe. They all know you’re going to be making the transition up here. Keep going.”

  “Oh, okay. Um...well, anyway, I’ve been looking up the train schedules between here and there, thinking that would be a cheaper way for me to travel. There are trains heading north constantly. I could hop into a taxi, get to the train station, and at least get close to you. If you and Drew want to fly down, we can meet in the middle. There’s a train leaving in just an hour.”

  Blake knew by the time he and Drew managed to get to the airport, file a flight plan, and get in the air, she could already be safely ensconced on a train. Looking at the other Keepers, not trusting his own judgment at the moment, he watched as they nodded in agreement. “Okay, do that. But I want you to stay in contact with me constantly.”

  “I know this might sound terribly foolish, but I can actually leave by the fire escape from my bedroom window. It goes down by the side of the building and would keep me from going out the front.”

  Her voice trailed off at the end, but Blake was pleased she was thinking of security. “Is it safe?”

  “Yes, I’ve actually used it before.”

  “You’ve used the fire escape?” he asked.

  “One of my former roommates used to have sex with her boyfriend in the living room. I needed to get to work and I hated walking past them, so I would go out by the fire escape.”

  He shook his head at the turn of the conversation. “Pack what you need for a couple of days, stay in constant contact, and when Drew and I figure out where we can meet you, we will. Don’t worry about buying a ticket. Babs will have one waiting for you when you get to the station.”

  Drew looked up from where he and Tate had been conferring and said, “Hope City. Tell her to get off the train at Hope City and we’ll meet her there. That’ll be the quickest way for us to get her.”

  He relayed the information and gained her promise to stay in contact to be careful. Disconnecting, he turned to Mace. “Drew and I will get to the airport. I’ll let you handle the Bouchards and Boutilliers any way you see fit.”

  Tate looked toward Blake and said, “I’m going, too. I figure you could use an extra pair of hands, just in case.”

  With a chin lift to both Tate and Drew, he said. “I appreciate it. Let�
��s roll.”

  27

  Sara raced around her bedroom, packing her carry-on luggage with as much clothing as she could cram into it. Furious at who she now knew Philippe was related to, she thought back to all the conversations they had. Did he know what had happened to me the first time we met? When I was relating my experience?

  Of course, he had told her he had never been to French Guiana, and he also did not speak with a French Creole accent. Is this just a crazy-ass coincidence or was he there for me? Not willing to stay around longer to possibly find out, she hustled, wanting to get to Blake as soon as she could.

  Looking down at her carry-on, she almost laughed. Years traveling with her parents with the Peace Corps had taught her how to pack. She rolled each piece of clothing tightly, fitting more in one suitcase than most people could fit into two. She cared more about the clothing than she did the toiletries, knowing she could get those in Maine. Focusing mostly on her personal items, she finished packing. With her laptop case and purse, she was ready.

  Turning out the light in her bedroom, she carefully opened her window and climbed onto the landing of the fire escape. Closing her window behind her, she hurried down the steps. With a little weight on the last part of the stairs, it lowered to the ground. Eschewing the front of her building, she hurried down the alley and continued on for another block until she flagged a taxi. Glad that she lived near the train station, she hurried inside to the ticket counter.

  She had received a text from Blake with her confirmation ticket number. Entering the number at the kiosk, her ticket was printed. Grabbing it, she hurried through security and had plenty of time to get to her platform.

  Glancing at her ticket, she was stunned to see that she was in a roomette. Following the attendant, she stepped inside the small room, seeing two seats. While it was roomy for one, she hated the idea of being confined with a stranger. Turning, she asked, “Will I have a roommate?”

  Checking her list, the attendant shook her head and said, “Your ticket is for the full room.”

  Sending Blake a text, she asked about the accommodations, sure that they were not necessary for such a short trip.

  He replied that they wanted her to be out of sight for security reasons. Shrugging, she placed her luggage on one of the seats, closed the curtains, and locked the door. Feeling very secure, she settled into her comfortable seat, leaned back, and allowed the tension to slowly leave her body. The trip would only take one and a half hours, and by the time she got to Hope City, Blake should be there to meet her.

  Glad that she had grabbed some snacks at the train station so that she did not need to make a trip to the dining car, she pulled her e-reader from her purse. Normally, she would have loved to watch the scenery go by, but since it was dark, she tried to focus on her book.

  An hour later, she received another text from Blake telling her they were close but had gotten delayed from a lightning storm. She had already looked at a map on her phone and knew that the train station and airport were only a few miles apart. “I’ll get off at the station, catch a cab, and get to you,” she said.

  “I don’t want you exposed,” he retorted. “Plus, we won’t be at the main terminal. I’ll be at the private terminal nearby.”

  “Perfect,” she replied. “I can get a taxi to drop me off there. No crowds...no lines.”

  “I’ve got an old Army buddy that’s an arson detective for Hope City. I’m calling to see if he can meet you.”

  A few minutes later, he texted back, giving her the name of Sean McBride and the address for the private airport. She almost laughed at the precautions he was taking, but knew he took his job, and her safety seriously. While she had been spooked at the United Nations building, she felt no fear now and could not wait to be back in his arms. The idea that she would be sleeping with him again tonight had her smiling widely.

  Soon, she was alighting from the platform and moving into the Hope City train terminal. With her rolling suitcase and bags, she moved with the masses as they made their way toward the exit. She had forgotten to ask Blake how she would know his friend and hoped she did not have to wander long to find him. Before she got to the outside doors, a tall, handsome man dressed in dark slacks, a white button shirt, and blue tie stepped forward.

  “Sara Lancaster? I’m Sean McBride.” Before she had a chance to respond, he pulled out his Hope City Police Department badge and ID, handing it to her. “I wanted to make sure to meet you before you got outside of the secure area.”

  She smiled up at him after verifying his identity. “How did you know me?”

  Chuckling, he leaned over and grabbed her carryon bags, placing them securely on her rolling bag. “Blake sent me your picture. Of course, he said you’d be the prettiest woman on the train, so I had no problem knowing I had the right person.”

  She laughed, shaking her head. “Well, I don’t know about that, but I’m sure Blake’s biased.” With his hand resting lightly on her back, she allowed him to guide her through the terminal and down the walk to his SUV. Sean made her feel instantly safe, his friendly but cautious manner putting her at ease. “I can’t believe that you dropped everything to pick me up.”

  Sean turned his blue-eyed gaze at her and smiled. “Are you kidding? Blake and I met years ago in the Army but rarely get a chance to meet up now, even though we stay in contact.”

  “Well, I appreciate it, and I know he does as well.”

  “I’m just thrilled that he’s finally met someone wonderful, and I have a chance to lend him a hand.”

  Tired but excited, she leaned her head back. Dawn was just beginning to break across the sky, and as much as she hated that Drew was having to fly to meet her again, she was ready to be with Blake. She watched the skyline of Hope City pass by, leaning forward when she glimpsed the harbor. “It’s lovely here.”

  “Thanks, it’s home. I was born and raised here. My family still lives here, and I guess it’s what I longed to come back to when I got out of the Army.”

  “He gave me the address to the private terminal. It won’t take too long to get there.” Sean turned off the main road and they left the city lights behind. Fog had settled over the area, and she worried about Drew landing safely.

  They barely had time for more small talk before he pulled through a gate and she was surprised at the size of the private terminal. Various sizes of charter and private planes sat nearby.

  Alighting from his SUV, Sean had her stand to the side as he took her bags while keeping his weapon hand free. Walking into the building, he escorted her to the information desk, where they let her know that Drew had just landed. Moving to the side, she pulled out her phone and called Blake. “I hear you guys just touched down,” she said. “Sean and I are here and in the private terminal.”

  “Can’t wait to see you, babe. Everything okay?”

  “It’s great, but it’ll be perfect as soon as I see you.”

  “Give me just a few minutes. We’re taxiing up to where Drew can refuel. As soon as I get out, I’m heading to the terminal where you are.”

  Disconnecting, she turned to Sean and said, “It’s so foggy, I’m going to walk outside to see if I can see Blake.”

  He nodded and said, “I’ll let you have your private reunion, but I’ll be right behind you. Let me grab your bags.”

  Smiling eagerly, she nodded and walked outside the building, looking in both directions to see if Blake was in sight. Continuing around the side of the small terminal, she tried to discern Drew’s aircraft in the mist as the heavy fog began to lift. There were so many more private planes than she had imagined. She had expected a tiny airport with a couple of planes, but this terminal was bustling with aircraft and activity. The sound of rapidly approaching footsteps coming from behind had her turn around, her ready smile plastered on her face. Before she could discern if the person was Blake, she was slammed in the back by a body, their arms wrapping around her, a cold barrel of metal pressed against her head.

  “Tu ne peux p
as m'échapper, Sara,” a voice growled in her ear as she was held tightly.

  Barely able to turn her head to see who had told her she could not escape, she gasped. “Philippe!”

  He dragged her backward, around the wheels of a small plane near the fence. She wanted to cry out but fear of being killed kept her voice captured in her throat.

  “I have been following behind you since you slipped out of your apartment. Close, but never close enough that I could get my hands on you. I cannot take a chance that you will let someone know what you overheard. And you did overhear it, didn’t you?” He crouched low, pulling her along with him.

  “I…I—”

  “I know you heard. I saw you leave the room, and Reynaud told me he had inadvertently left the interpreter conference radio on. You could ruin everything for my family.”

  She reached up and grasped his arm locked around her neck, but his hold was firm.

  “I couldn’t believe my luck in discovering you so easily after my family told me to keep an eye on you. You landed right under my nose.”

  “But why? What could I do?”

  “If you found out the connection between the Bouchards and the Boutilliers…you could have made things difficult for us. Our familial relationship makes the movement of Rene’s product into France much easier. There is no way we would allow you to ruin that.”

  Philippe was pulling her back toward a side gate near the parking lot. She knew Blake was near but had no way to let him know what was happening. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she cried out, hoping her voice would carry enough that Blake might hear.

  All she managed to accomplish was have Philippe clamp his hand over her mouth, the barrel of the gun still pressed against her temple as he growled, “Silencieux!” Continuing to pull her backward, he said, “You thought you’d sneak away, not even taking the main airport. But I’ve got you now.”