His eyebrows rose. She’d take that as a no.
“Let me guess. Al told you all you had to do was help him get me to the van. Easy money. But then I ran, and you were forced to chase me. Then what? You were told you wouldn’t get your money until I was caught?”
“Stop it,” he said. “Just show me how to work the machine.”
“It just kept evolving, didn’t it? Spying on where I’d went, taking my pictures to send to...who? The person who’d hired Al? Maybe to prove you hadn’t lost me completely?”
He looked down.
“Blocking the road, kidnapping two people instead of one, bringing more people in... It all just kept spiraling out of control, didn’t it? You still weren’t getting paid.”
“I said stop it!” he shouted. “Look! I can hurt you, all right! We get the money for turning you over. They don’t care what we do to you first.”
“Who?”
A noise like thunder exploded above their heads. The room shook. Plaster fell from the ceiling. Billy screamed.
NINETEEN
Mark eased himself up off the floor and glanced out through the wreckage of the storage room door. The small explosive had been crude but effective. He peered through the smoke. The hallway was deserted. He braced a length of shelving over his shoulder like a baseball bat and handed another to his father as a shield. “Come on, Dad. Let’s go.”
The two men had barely reached the bottom of the stairs when Katie rounded the corner. Mark caught her with one arm, pulling her into his side.
“I thought I told you to run.”
“Billy had me at gunpoint. Then he freaked out and ran away.”
“He did what?”
“There was an explosion—”
“That was me. I blew open the door—”
“One second Billy had a gun to my throat and was trying to get me to show him how to set up a radio broadcast. The next, he was screaming like the roof was going to cave in. He slammed the case shut and ran.”
“What?” Sure, their kidnappers probably hadn’t expected the storage door to blow open. But he’d figured they’d have been running toward the sound, not away.
They heard an engine turn over. He sprinted for the doorway, just in time to see the last of Al’s teenagers leaping into the back of a van. Then it took off down the road before they’d even gotten the back door closed.
It seemed their kidnappers had given up on holding them all and had narrowed their prisoners down to just one—Katie’s boss. Now they might be his only chance to make it out alive. They had to save him.
“Dad. Are there any vehicles here?”
“There are golf carts.”
It wasn’t ideal, but it would have to do.
“Can you drive?” Mark called to Katie as they chased the old man around to the side of the house.
“Well enough.”
“Okay, then. Then keep your head down and try not to get shot.” He looked at his dad, who was already climbing into the nearest cart. “That goes for you, too.”
* * *
Katie grit her teeth and focused on keeping the golf cart on the narrow, winding road. There was no way they’d be able to catch up with the van once it reached the open road. But as long as they were weaving around potholes on an unpaved road, there was still a chance. Jonah hunched low in the backseat, trying to get through to security on the ham radio. She could see the back of the van now, its back door flying open again as it spun around a corner.
“What do you want to do?” she shouted to Mark.
“We’ve got to slow them down before they reach the highway.” He stood up in the passenger seat. “If they manage to get into that maze of rural roads that run around here, the police might not find them until it’s too late.”
Which could mean Ethan being killed or tortured. As much as she disliked her boss, she knew what it was like to be the one tied up and terrified in the back of a van. If they could distract the driver to slow the van by even a few minutes, it could give the police time to catch up.
A flurry of bullets shot out of the back of the van now, spraying high through the air before landing ineffectually on the road ahead of them. Then the van turned another corner, the momentum throwing the door shut again.
“Tell me the windshield is bulletproof,” he said, turning back toward his father.
But Jonah was talking into the radio now and didn’t seem to hear him.
Okay, so hopefully that meant a whole phalanx of police and security were heading their way.
Grabbing the roof with one hand and a golf club with the other, Mark pulled himself up to standing. He braced himself against the dashboard. “Can you get alongside them?”
“I can try.” She nudged the golf cart forward until they were skimming along the roadside parallel to the van. Just like the vehicle Al had thrown them in yesterday, this one had no windows in the back, which meant they were probably going to be a whole lot safer beside them than behind them, unless someone was suicidal enough to try shooting out the driver’s window.
Mark leaned out the side of the golf cart. She caught a glimpse of Billy’s face behind the wheel. The teen’s eyes opened wide. Mark swung the golf club hard, taking out the driver’s side window. The van swerved toward the tree line. Mark grabbed the dashboard with both hands. Katie hit the brakes. The van slammed into a tree with such force she was afraid for its passengers.
The driver’s door opened, and the ashen-faced teenager tumbled out. Then the van’s back door swung open, showing a tangled mass of bodies and weapons as the boys struggled to their feet. Al and Ethan were nowhere to be seen.
Mark leaped from the cart, the club still poised over his shoulder. But before a prayer could even form on her lips, she heard the screech of tires. She looked up. A black SUV and two police cars had pulled up in front of them. Within moments, police had the van surrounded.
The SUV door opened, and Sunny stepped out. “I don’t know what kind of stunt you’re pulling here, but it’s not going to work.”
* * *
The gentle strains of pleasant conversation and a string quartet floated through the night air. Mark crossed through the courtyard to Katie’s guest townhouse, weaving through the well-dressed crowd. Soft white lights twinkled in the branches of the trees. Frustration burned inside his heart.
His sister had gone ahead with the party. All of Al’s ragtag army had been arrested without incident. But Al and Ethan hadn’t been in the van. Neither was the broadcast unit. Billy said Al had taken it.
Thanks to Billy’s cooperation, the ringleader had now been identified as Allan Blau. The small-time drug and weapons dealer had a history of mental illness. He’d operated out of Langtry Glen before the building’s demolition had forced him to find a new client base. Police now presumed he was behind over a dozen death threats that had been sent to the Shieldses in the weeks that followed.
Billy had been pressed into helping him kidnap Katie in exchange for having a sizable drug debt erased. Yes, he knew Al had been able to track her cell phone by GPS, but he didn’t know how the tracker had gotten into her phone. He didn’t know who had offered to pay Al for her capture—if such a person even existed—or have any idea where Al had taken Ethan and the broadcast unit.
Mark shuddered. The power of one delusional man to destroy the life of others was terrifying. Now the police were combing the surrounding area for Ethan. His father was resting, safe in his home with a security guard at the door and Albright by his side. Yet somewhere, lost in the partying crowd, his sister was eating and mingling as though nothing had happened. She hadn’t even been willing to talk to him. He straightened his tie. Albright had taken the liberty of having someone drop off a selection of business attire and formal wear in his room. It was the first time he’d been back in a suit since he
’d left his world. But when he’d looked out the window of his guest room and seen the overdressed crowd below, it had seemed more respectful to change into something more formal before walking through the complex to Katie’s suite. As much as he disapproved of Sunny’s actions, he wasn’t going to embarrass her or make a scene by being spotted by some reporter sauntering through a gala in muddy jeans. Besides, whoever had selected his wardrobe hadn’t thought to include anything casual.
He glanced up to the sky.
Oh, Lord, how could his own sister go on with a party when a man’s life was in danger? How had his sister’s priorities gotten so messed up? Was there anything he could do to make things right again?
Then he saw Katie, standing on the balcony of her townhouse. Her hair was pulled back off her face. Pale blue silk fell from her shoulders down to her knees. His breath caught in his throat. She was beautiful.
Her eyes met his. She smiled. He watched as she tilted her head and had a quiet word with the security guard standing beside her. Then she started down the stairs toward him. But suddenly, he was rushing up the stairs toward her, reaching her before she’d even made it halfway, catching her around the waist, pulling her into his arms. His lips brushed over her cheek until he found her mouth, allowing himself to kiss her for barely a moment before pulling back again.
“I hope this is okay,” she said, glancing down at her clothes. “It doesn’t really feel like attending the party is the right thing to do. But—”
“You are the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen.”
She sighed happily. “The police had finished questioning me. I had an interesting conversation with work. Then, I saw the party had started.”
“Yeah. I don’t know what Sunny was thinking.” Taking her hand, he led her down the stairs to the courtyard below. “Do you want to tell me how things went with work?”
“In a bit. How is your dad?”
“Tired. He still feels foolish for heading to the clubhouse without backup. But he’s okay. His cardiologist just wants to keep an eye on him.” His arm slid around her waist. Her head fell against his shoulder. Within moments, they were lost together in a sea of gowns and suits. Waiters waved trays of sparkling drinks and hors d’oeuvres in their direction. Security guards nodded as they passed. He tightened his arm around her.
Mark glanced up at the canopy of stars spreading out above their heads. This moment was almost perfect. They were together, safe, alone. And yet he couldn’t let himself enjoy it. Her boss’s life was still at risk. The man responsible was still lurking out there, somewhere in the darkness. There were so many questions still unanswered.
Not to mention the fact that in barely more than a day’s time, he’d be climbing onto an airplane, jetting off to the other side of the world, leaving her behind. Would she be willing to wait for him? Was that even fair of him to ask?
“Are you okay?” Her voice brushed against his ear.
“No.” He stopped walking and turned her toward him. “Believe me, I want to be. I want to just let myself be here in this moment with you but I can’t. I wish I could say that knowing you’re safe is enough for me. But it’s not. I need to know that horrible man you work for is going to make it home safe. I need to know Al will never recruit another kid, get one more person hooked on drugs or hurt anyone else for the rest of his miserable life. I need to know that I’ll be able to work something out with my sister and my father, and save TRUST—”
Her fingers ran up his arms and onto his shoulders. “You need to know you did everything you could. Not just to save me but everyone.”
He nodded. “Is that wrong of me? Does it make me sound ungrateful?”
She laughed and shook her head lightly. “No.” Her lips brushed against his cheek. “That makes you rather wonderful.”
“Well, if it isn’t my long-lost brother!” Sunny was striding through the crowd toward them. Her dark hair was piled high above her head like a crown. A sneer curled her red lips. “That was a pretty neat stunt you pulled, getting Dad alone like that.”
Voices stopped. Eyes turned toward them.
“What stunt?” Mark kept his voice low. “We were kidnapped. Our lives were threatened.” The hint of a growl slipped through his measured words. “Have you even gone to see him since we escaped? He was pretty shaken up.”
She sniffed.
“Come on. This has got to stop.” His voice softened. “I know Dad has made a lot of mistakes. But so have we.” Mark stepped forward and reached out for his sister’s arm. “Please, Sun. Let’s go talk somewhere private.”
She jumped back as though he had stung her. “Why?” She spun her arms around in a circle at the crowd. “Because you’re embarrassed by me? Embarrassed of this family?”
“No,” Mark started. Then he caught himself. Lord, give me the strength to be honest. “Okay, yes. I was ashamed of Shields Corp and everything our family name had come to mean. But not of you. Never of you.” He shook his head. “You are my little sister. I love you.”
“You left me!” Sudden tears built in her eyes. “You ran away. First our mother left. Then you. Then our grandmother.” She ran her fingers over her eyes. “I was left with nothing but a father who was going through some kind of late life spiritual crisis and a company he no longer felt like running. So, you know what I did? I stepped up. I worked hard at becoming the perfect little daughter. Working twelve hours a day, seven days a week, never taking a vacation, never having a party, never doing anything but trying to prove to him—to everyone—that I could do it. That I could run this company without the help of anyone.”
“I know, and he’s proud of you. I’m proud of you.” Again, he stretched out his arms toward his little sister, and for a moment, he thought she was going to let him hug her.
But then her arms snapped over her chest. “Then look at how he repays me. He turns around and gives half of everything to you. Even though you don’t deserve it. Because, he says, we’re equal in his eyes. Because no matter where you go, or what you do, he loves you.”
“He loves you, too, Sun. He’s just not very good at showing it. I think he’s trying to make up for lost time the only way he knows how before it’s too late.”
Her eyes flashed. “I’m still going to sue you for what’s rightfully mine.”
Sadness broke over him like a wave. Dear Lord, how had everything gotten so broken? What can I possibly do to fix it? “I hope you change your mind, because, yeah, I could use the money to do so much good. But that doesn’t matter to me anywhere near as much as you do. I love you, Sun. Not the money. Not this place. And I would give it up if it meant not losing you.”
She looked up through lids heavy with tears.
“I’m sorry I was not as good a brother to you as I should’ve been. I was so busy trying to do what I thought was right that I didn’t stop to realize how it was hurting you. Please, forgive me. Please, come with me overseas and see the kind of work I’m doing. I want you to be part of my life.”
Her mouth opened, and for a moment, hope leaped in his heart. But then the same hard look spread over her face again. “It’s too late.”
Mark watched as she strode away. The crowd filled in around her.
“You did the right thing.” Katie touched his arm. “She just needs some time to calm down.”
He blew out a hard breath. He needed out of this crowd and away from the noise and the chaos. He needed to be somewhere he could think. “You okay if we get out of here?”
She nodded.
Mark led her away from the crowd and pulled a compact but powerful walkie-talkie off his belt. “Albright?”
“Yes, si—Mark,” Albright’s voice crackled back.
“Do we still have any boats on the lake?”
“I’m afraid just a fishing boat. Your father sold the power boats.”
“That’s fine.” Something small and peaceful would be perfect. “Please inform security I’m going to take Katie out on the lake.”
* * *
The oars cut cleanly into the water. He hadn’t even tried to fire up the small outboard motor, preferring instead to lean his shoulders into it and let his muscles do the work. Katie sat curled up in the prow of the boat, her fingers trailing idly through the water. The noise of the party faded into the distance, replaced by the gentle creak of the oars turning against the side of the boat and dipping in and out of the water.
He took a deep breath and let it out again. Here, he could breathe.
“That there is my own tiny part of the world.” He pointed to where the shadow of a small island rose from the center of the lake. “I learned to swim there. Zack and I used to hike through the forest to the closest point of the shore and then swim out and back. Hadn’t even realized it technically belonged to my grandmother until she left it to me in her will. I used to say I was going to build my own home there.”
“Like your father.”
“Yeah...” The oars dipped down and up again. Was he really so different from his father? Sure, he’d given his life to helping others instead of making money. But below the surface, were their lives really so different? The long hours? The punishing schedule? Pushing everyone else away because the business he’d created demanded everything from him?
He’d judged his father harshly for not knowing how to fit a wife and children into his life. But was he really that much more able to make room in his life for Katie? When he’d left all this and changed his name, “Mark Armor” and “Jonah Shields Junior” had felt like two different people. But were they really?
“They offered me Ethan’s job.” Katie’s voice cut through his thoughts. “On an interim basis, at least initially. They want me back in Toronto first thing tomorrow morning. Doesn’t matter that it’s Sunday. The board is opening the offices to develop a full media strategy on how we’re going to handle Ethan’s kidnapping.”
Killer Assignment Page 17