On His Watch (Vengeance Is Mine Book 1)

by Susanne Matthews

  Nikki had been planning to reject the FBI’s request to move her, at least for another week, but there was no way she was going to back down in front of this man. If he was against the FBI’s plan for her safety, then it had to have merit. She refused to believe this creature gave a damn about what happened to her, or Mandy. How could such a cruel, unfeeling bastard be her father? The FBI wanted to keep her safe, and while she wasn’t convinced Agent Spark was being honest with her, she’d give him the benefit of the doubt. Better the devil you know.

  “I am. I have every confidence the FBI can keep us safe,” she lied, chin held high.

  “Fine. Have it your way, but don’t come crying to me if you lose another child or end up in worse shape than you are. Your mother and I are leaving shortly for the house in Hawaii. I won’t allow her to participate in this farce.”

  Nikki sneered. “Won’t allow her? Doesn’t she get a vote?”

  He glared at her. “I hope in a couple of weeks you’ll have returned to your senses. I’ll consider accepting your apology when you tender it. Come, Nadia.”

  “Don’t hold your breath,” she mumbled.

  She would never allow him to dictate to her. At one time, it must have suited her, but it didn’t now. She didn’t think she’d like the person she must have been.

  “Goodnight, darling.” Her mother walked over to the bed in a cloud of perfume that made Nikki’s nose itch until she sneezed.

  “Bless you.” Her mother gave her a quick kiss. “I hope you’ll come back to us soon. I miss my daughter.” She joined her husband, and he opened the door for her.

  Nikki shook her head. She was pretty sure the person she’d been, the dutiful, obedient daughter, was gone for good.

  After Nadia had left the room, Thomas turned back to Nikki.

  “We’ve been advised to say nothing about this to anyone. We’ll do our part to keep you and Amanda safe. I only hope he can do his.” He left the room and closed the door behind him.

  Nikki stared at the closed door and sighed.

  “That didn’t go well,” she said aloud.

  “Grandpa’s really mad, isn’t he? Why would you lose me, Mommy? I thought you said we were staying together.”

  “Of course I won’t lose you, sweetie. Grandpa was talking silly. He’s mad at me because I don’t want him to sell our house. We might decide we don’t want to live in it again, but it should be our choice, not his.”

  The thought that her father might use his power and influence to take Mandy from her was frightening, but she wouldn’t let it happen.

  “You called me sweetie, like you used to do before. Are you remembering, Mommy?”

  She didn’t want to crush the hope she saw in the child’s eyes. “Maybe.”

  The door opened, and Cassie and Dr. Marion entered the room.

  “I saw your father storm down the hall. He didn’t seem happy.”

  Nikki hunched her shoulders in a what-can-I-say fashion.

  The doctor smiled and shook her head. “I don’t envy you. He can be a difficult man.”

  “It seems I can be difficult, too. No one is going to tell me what to do unless I want them to.”

  The doctor nodded. “It’s that aspect of your character that kept you fighting.”

  “Well, I hope it works for me now. Cassie, Agent Spark said you could contact him. Can you please call him now? I’m ready to listen to his proposition.”

  Chapter Ten

  Nikki sat in the wheel chair reading to Mandy.

  “And Drummer Hoff fired it off,” Mandy giggled.

  The door opened. Nikki looked up to see Agent Spark step into the room and the bodyguard leave.

  “Good afternoon, Mrs. Hart. I didn’t know you could read, Mandy. I’m impressed.”

  Mandy giggled. “Mommy reads the book, I just know that part. Mommy used to read this to me all the time. I think she remembers because it sounds exactly the same.”

  Nikki watched the way the agent gave Mandy his full attention. It was an unexpected side to his character that surprised her.

  “It must be a great book.” He turned to Nikki. “Cassie said you wanted to speak to me.”

  As if on cue, Cassie entered the room. “Mandy, how would you like to have a chocolate shake? I found one in the lunch room with your name on it.”

  “Really?” The child’s eyes were huge in her face. She turned to Nikki. “Can I, Mommy? I’ll eat all my supper, I promise.”

  Nikki chuckled. “Go with Cassie. I’ll see you in a little while, and we’ll finish the story.”

  “Promise you won’t go back to sleep for a long, long time like before?” She looked solemnly at her.

  “I promise, sweetie. Now go and be a good girl for Cassie.”

  Mandy nodded, leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek, and left the room with the nurse.

  “I’m glad you reconsidered, Mrs. Hart.”

  “Call me Nikki. The more I learn about Sam Hart, the less I like him, and since it might not even be his name, I’d rather use my own. Let’s get something straight right now. No one orders me around, and my daughter does not leave my side.”

  “Agreed. And you might as well call me Jason. It’ll make things easier. Can I ask what changed your mind? I was pretty sure you were going to refuse my suggestion when I was here earlier.”

  Reluctant to say that her father’s attitude had goaded her into it, she smiled.

  “I had time to think about what you said, and since keeping Mandy safe is my top priority, this is my best option.”

  He nodded. “Understood.”

  “So, where are you taking me, and how will you look after my medical needs?”

  “I’m taking you and Mandy to a safe place in Colorado while we bait a trap for the killer here.”

  “Won’t that put the people here in danger?” she interrupted.

  “No. We’ll have plenty of our own agents in place to make sure nothing happens to anyone. Dr. Marion will announce to the media that you’ve had an unexpected complication, and she’s been forced to put you back into a drug-induced coma. Cassie, and her husband, Nathan, who’s a doctor, will look after your medical needs. Angie, and Troy from Sentinel Security will assist me with your protection.”

  Knowing there’d be people she knew with them eased her mind. There was safety in numbers.

  “Why won’t the FBI be providing my security?” she asked, the distrust she’d felt earlier nagging at her.

  “Angie and Troy are both ex-military. They worked as U.S. marshals before forming their own security company. They know what needs to be done, and they’re damn good at their job. They volunteered for the assignment. I can get you their dossiers if it’ll help make you feel better. FBI agents will be on duty here to make it look as if you’re still in this room. Like it or not, with all the government cutbacks, we don’t have the manpower for more. My team will continue to work the case here, and if we need backup, there’ll be agents available to us from the nearest field office.”

  Nikki nodded. She trusted Cassie and liked Angie and Troy. “Okay, so fill me in on the details.”

  She listened attentively as Jason laid out the plan, stopping him here and there for clarification. When he’d finished she frowned and pursed her lips. “What does Dr. Marion say about your plan? Does she think I’m up to this?”

  He reddened. “I’m about to find out.”

  Her mouth fell open. “You haven’t cleared this with my doctor?”

  “No. There wasn’t much point in discussing the matter with her when you didn’t seem willing to go along with it. We’ve spent the last couple of hours trying to come up with something else. I’m glad we won’t have to. This plan is good and sound, the location isolated. We’ll keep you safe.”

  Before Nikki could comment, Mandy bounced back into the room. She smiled at her daughter and fixed her gaze on Jason.

  “I swear if anything happens to her, I’ll haunt you for the rest of your life.”

  Cassie
opened the door. “Agent Spark, Dr. Marion’s in her office. You said you needed to see her?

  “I do. I need you as well, Cassie.” He turned back to Nikki.

  “I will keep you both safe. You have my word on it.” There was sincerity in those gray-blue eyes, but the guilt was there, too. “I’ll be back shortly.”

  Nikki watched the door close behind him. His plan had merit. She relaxed. While she might not trust him, convinced he was still holding something back, she could admire his attention to detail.

  She picked up the book and let Mandy get comfortable beside her. “Now where were we?”

  * * *

  Jason closed the door to her room, wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, and leaned against the door, waiting for his breathing and heart rate to get back to normal. Her agreement was the last thing he’d expected. He couldn’t imagine Thomas Lincoln supporting any aspect of the FBI’s plan. He would give his eye teeth to have been a fly on the wall for that confrontation. If Nikki had been as stubborn and outspoken with her dad as she’d been with him, there would have been fireworks for sure.

  He knew she didn’t have a lot of faith in him. It might be a good idea to have Brad and Ivan drop by before they left to reassure her that this really was the safest, most logical course of action. After all, it had been their idea, too. He didn’t blame Nikki for not trusting him—hell, at least half the injuries she’d sustained could be laid on him and his refusal to take the 9 1 1 call seriously. That was his cross to bear. He would have to earn her trust.

  Sighing, he pushed off the door, nodding to the security guard on duty. Now, all he needed was Irene’s cooperation, and they would be good to go. Once the doctor understood the danger Nikki faced, Jason knew she would support the plan. She’d fought tooth and nail to keep Nikki Hart alive. She wouldn’t give up on her now.

  He knocked on the door and entered the small, tidy office. Cassie was right behind him. The doctor sat behind her desk and smiled, surprised to see the nurse by his side.

  “What’s up?”

  “We need to move Nikki Hart out of the hospital tonight.”

  He quickly filled in the details of his plan. When he was finished, Irene stared at him, her mouth agape.

  “You can’t be serious!” She pounded her fist on her desk in frustration. “You want to take my patient out of the hospital tonight and spirit her into hiding? My God, Jason. Are you insane? She’s barely out of the coma. Her hand can’t come out of the cast for at least another two weeks. How are you going to do it? She can’t even walk. This hospital is a secure facility. What makes you think she’ll be safer elsewhere?”

  He ran his hand through his hair.

  “This killer is a pro, Irene, capable of obtaining information from a variety of sources. We need to keep them safe, and as far away from here as we can get them, and damn Thomas Lincoln’s ostrich-with-his-head-in-the-sand mindset. You would think he would do whatever it took to keep his daughter and granddaughter safe, but no, not him. It’s as if all of this is an inconvenience to him. I’ve pulled rank on him, and when this is over, I’m sure he’ll see to it that I’ll be lucky to get a job as a meter maid.” Jason shook his head and tried to control his frustration. It wasn’t Irene’s fault Nikki’s father was such an ass.

  The doctor frowned. “Mr. Lincoln can be a stubborn, cold-hearted man. If we hadn’t rushed her into surgery before he arrived, he would’ve done whatever he could to stop us. I actually think the man was disappointed when she didn’t die. It was as if her survival has inconvenienced him somehow. He’s the typical rich, arrogant man I despise, but I kowtow where I must. His company donates generously.”

  “I don’t trust the bastard. I actually looked into his alibi for the time of the attack, but he came out squeaky clean. He’s still on my radar. My brother thinks it’s all about money. If Nikki dies, everything would go to Mandy, and because of her age, Daddy dearest would be in charge. I know he’s rich, but they say you can never have too much money.”

  “What do you need from me?”

  “A believable reason why Nikki would have a relapse that would force you to put her back into an induced coma. The press is what got us into this mess, and it’s what we hope will get us out of it. You’ve done everything in your power to save her life. Help me keep her and her daughter alive.”

  Irene bit her lower lip and stared at him long and hard. He could almost hear her thinking. “She could have an embolism. Blood clots wouldn’t be impossible, considering the severity of her injuries. We’ve been giving her heparin just in case.”

  Jason nodded and continued to pace the room, each step filled with anxiety. “That’ll do it. For this trap to work, there has to be a body in the bed to make it look as if she’s still here. We’ll use a gel dummy with a little cosmetic paint to make it look enough like Nikki to fool anyone who glances into the room. We’ll have extra agents in place for security.”

  “Some of my staff will have to be aware of the situation.”

  “For everyone’s safety, the fewer people know the truth, the better.”

  Irene nodded.

  He walked over to the window and watched the setting sun, letting the doctor digest what he’d said. Everything was scheduled to happen within the next four hours. He prayed there’d be no screw-ups.

  “Very well, you win. Where and when will this transfer occur?”

  “We’ll do it tonight, around seven, between shift changes. There will be fewer people around.” He pursed his lips. “I don’t want to see anyone hurt here, but I have to do what’s best for Nikki.”

  The doctor stood, walked over to him, and held out her hand. “I hope to God you know what you’re doing. I’ll do what I can at this end to make things work. I want to see the bastard who did this caught.”

  “He will be, Irene, he will be. You have my word on it.” He shook her hand. “I’ve got to get back and polish up some last minute details. My teams will be here and in place within three hours.”

  *

  Nikki watched as Cassie reattached the IV line to her right arm. Two members of Jason’s team had come by an hour ago to fill her in on the final details. Brad, the team leader, would stay in San Francisco and communicate with them each day on a secure cellphone. Interpol agent Ivan Smirnov would leave San Francisco, ostensibly to return to Paris, but would actually set up shop in the Boulder, Colorado, FBI field office, the one nearest to their destination. He’d continue to pursue leads in France and be available for backup should they need it. She’d felt better about things after they’d left, but she was certain she was still being kept in the dark on some matters and that bothered her.

  Mandy was tucked into the bed beside her. The little girl’s milk had been laced with Benadryl to help her sleep during the transfer and ensuing flight and van ride. She’d wake up in Colorado, totally oblivious to where she was and how she’d gotten there. Jason had thought it best not to tell Mandy they were moving her. Nikki had agreed. Children that age weren’t necessarily the best at keeping secrets. The child’s excited chatter might be overheard, and that could ruin all their carefully laid plans.

  While she agreed Mandy should be calmed, she’d balked at the thought of being sedated herself. Irene had explained the rigors of the journey would be too much for her otherwise, and she’d reluctantly agreed. She hoped she was doing the right thing. If she wasn’t, it was too late to back out now. God help them both.

  “I may not agree with his decision,” Irene said, “but I trust him to keep you both safe.”

  Everybody trusted Jason Spark except her, and she was the one putting her life and that of her daughter into his hands. This had better be the right decision for all of their sakes.

  The door opened to admit two men dressed as orderlies.

  “Are you ready for your command performance, Mrs. Hart?” said the larger of the two men. “The others are already in place.” He smiled at her reassuringly. “We’ll get you out of here nice and safe, and Jason and h
is team will keep you that way.”

  Nikki nodded.

  “Let the show begin.”

  

  The C-28, a Cessna 404 Titan provided by the U.S. military, sat on the tarmac. The transfer from the ambulance to the ten-passenger, twin engine plane was accomplished quickly. Troy and Angie were already seated when Jason boarded. Nathan helped Cassie to a double seat where she’d be more comfortable and strapped her in using pillows around her abdomen to cushion the seat belt. He sat beside her. From the way she acted, Jason surmised the young nurse wasn’t a fan of flying.

  Two seats were fully reclined, and Nikki had been secured in one, Mandy and her doll in the other. Jason covered both his charges with wool blankets. Neither wore outdoor clothing, and he didn’t want them getting chilled. Irene had warned him a secondary infection for Nikki at this point in time could be dangerous.

  He sat in the seat beside Nikki, fidgeting as he tried to get comfortable. Despite all the precautions they’d taken, he was terrified something would go wrong. What if The Butcher had been watching and waiting all along, and moving her like this was exactly what he wanted?

  He shook his head. Why did he keep second-guessing himself? Yes, he’d screwed up once, but he had this now. Things would work out. They had to.

  The buzz of the other passengers’ chitchat made him antsy. He wanted to get the show on the road. He fastened his seat belt and waited impatiently for the plane to get moving.

  “Relax, Spark, for God’s sake,” Troy said. “You’re making everyone nervous. The plane can’t move until the pilots finish their pre-flight checks. I know it, and so do you.”