by D. V. Berkom
“Get out in the crowd and mingle. Keep a low profile, but be ready for her. We'll take care of the rest.” The background noise suggested the caller was riding in a car. “And, Selena? Remember, we're watching you.”
“When can I see her—”
The line went dead.
She stared at the phone as a feeling of dread crept up her spine. What if they didn't keep their word? A part of her had died when they told her what they planned to do with Amy if she didn't cooperate. She would have done anything to get her back. They'd assured her the two of them would be reunited after the premiere.
Now Miles didn't trust her, making everything that much harder. All the time she'd spent memorizing the details about Miles' and Mara's lives, all the studying she'd done, was for nothing. All because of Leine Basso. She'd tried to alleviate the woman's suspicions, thought she'd done a good job, but then they'd had that argument in the bathroom at the Briar Cliff when Leine pulled a gun on her. Though it had petrified her, the incident helped cement her relationship with Miles. It also made an enemy of Leine.
She hadn't seen the DNA results coming. Although she'd known the test was a certainty, Greg had assured her she'd be out of Miles’ life before it became an issue. She'd mistakenly thought they'd have to ask her permission, or at the very least inform her of their intentions.
The limo rounded the corner and drew even with the back of the theater. She checked her makeup once more in the mirror as Joe got out and came around to open the door. She took a deep breath and climbed out, Joe's hand helping to steady her as she stood. A lone paparazzi waiting nearby came forward, but when he saw she wasn't anyone famous he slipped back into position. A uniformed cop stood sentry near the door. It was a far cry from the explosion of camera flashes and people trying to get her attention when she was with Miles.
The life she'd been pretending to live was now coming to an end. She didn't know what would happen if Mara didn't show up and try to get to Miles. Time was running out and she would no longer have any influence, would be back to living at the whim of the brutal man she'd just spoken with on the phone. She'd have ended her life long ago, if it wasn't for the chance of being able to save her younger sister.
She'd have to make sure things went right this time.
***
Miles smiled and shook hands with the crowd, searching every face. He'd given Thad a head's up and showed him Mara's picture, although he found himself wishing Leine was there with him instead of the silent blond man with the crew cut who shadowed his every move. At least Leine had called him on his bullshit. True, he went ahead and usually did what he wanted, but at least he knew she took an interest in his well-being. Thad was too distant. When Miles tried to strike up a conversation, he gave short, curt answers. The guy was a one-word wonder.
Thad nudged him in the side. Miles finished signing a kid's program and turned to see what he wanted. Leine watched them from behind the red velvet rope. Relief washed through him as he walked over to talk to her.
“You need to see this,” Leine said, handing him an envelope.
Miles opened it and slid the picture out. He glanced at Leine. “A mug shot of Jean?”
“Her name's not Jean, Miles.”
He looked back at the picture. “Selena Fullerton?”
“I ran her fingerprints.”
He could feel her stare at him as he processed the new information. “Mara's not her daughter, is she?”
Leine shook her head. “No. I'm pretty sure she's working for the traffickers.”
Rico Pallini hurried down the aisle toward him. When he caught sight of Leine, his eyes narrowed. He stopped short and put his hand on Miles' elbow in an attempt to direct him back to his fans, but Miles shrugged it off.
“What can we do? She's here,” Miles asked Leine. Feelings of betrayal mixed with fear for Mara's safety rushed through him. He'd let one of the traffickers come to the premiere, putting Mara's life in danger.
“Who's here?” Rico demanded.
“Where is she?” Leine asked, ignoring Rico's question.
“I told her to come through the back. Leine—” Miles stopped for a moment and took a deep breath. “I'm sorry I didn't believe you before. You were right.”
“Right about what? Who the hell are you talking about?” Rico's complexion had turned a deep red. He leaned over to whisper in Miles' ear. “This isn't the time to be dealing with anything but your adoring fans, so buck up and get moving.”
“Give me a minute, okay, Rico? I'm talking to Leine.”
Rico scowled at Leine but was all smiles as he stepped toward the crowd to keep them occupied.
Miles slipped Selena's picture into his pocket. “What should I do if Mara shows up?”
“If you see her, make a scene. Make it hard for them to grab her without being noticed. I'll be somewhere in the crowd, watching.” She turned to leave.
Rico reappeared at Miles' side. “You gotta move, Miles. They're getting restless. And Vicki from Entertainment All the Time! is waiting to ask you a few questions.” He indicated the reporter a few yards away on the red carpet, speaking with one of Miles’ co-stars.
“I'll talk with you later, okay Leine?”
Leine nodded and stepped back into the crowd. People who'd been standing behind her surged forward to fill the empty gap in front of Miles. He automatically took one of the programs thrust at him and signed his name.
“What the hell was that about? I thought you never wanted to talk to her again,” Rico said, his voice low.
Miles handed back the fan's program and accepted another as he answered. “Jean's not who she says she is, Rico.”
“Leine tried to tell you that before. You said you didn't care, that you still wanted to help her. What's changed?”
Miles pulled the photograph from his pocket. “This.”
Rico glanced at the photo. “Yeah, so? It's a mug shot of Jean. She told you about her DUI.”
Miles turned to look at Rico. “Read the name under the picture.”
Rico stiffened, his expression registering confusion. “Selena Fullerton?” He followed Miles as he moved up the aisle, shaking hands and greeting his fans. “Are you telling me Jean—I mean, Selena's not Jean?” Miles nodded. Rico's eyes widened. “You're kidding me, right?”
“No.”
Rico rubbed his hand over his face. “Did you say she was here? Where's she now?”
“Coming in the back,” Miles said over his shoulder, still signing autographs. “Be careful, Rico. We don't know what she's capable of.”
“Right. I'll take care of it, Miles,” he said. “You keep working the crowd.”
Miles nodded. “Yeah. It's what I do best, right, Rico?”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
LEINE SLIPPED THROUGH THE THRONG of screaming fans, searching each young girl's face for Mara. If she could clone herself, she'd find Selena and immobilize her. At this point, finding Mara and getting her to safety was her first objective. If she left to find Selena and missed Mara she'd never forgive herself.
She headed toward the steps of the building next to the theater to get a visual of the area. The height enabled her to see both the crowd and watch Miles' progress toward the theater. Large posters announcing the movie acted as a backdrop where his co-stars had gathered at the entrance, waiting for him to join them before heading in for photos.
A man with a shaved head caught her eye. He looked out of place in the crowd of younger people and their mothers. Granted, there were a few men, probably fathers, in attendance, but most of them looked like they belonged with someone. Leine watched the man to see if he spoke to anyone, but he appeared to be alone.
Miles wrapped his interview with the woman reporter from Entertainment All the Time! and began to make his way up the red carpet past the crowd to join his co-stars. If Mara was there, now would be the time she'd show herself.
Miles smiled and waved for the cameras as he joined the group. He shook hands with each of his co-stars and
hugged his leading lady, all the while posing for the fans.
Out of the corner of her eye, Leine noticed Selena making her way through the crowd. The man with the shaved head changed his position so that he was only a few feet from where Selena stood. Scanning the area, Leine spotted two more men who didn't fit the demographics.
There was still no sign of Mara. Leine slipped down the steps and skirted the large crowd on the far side of the red carpet, edging closer to Selena and the other men. The man with the shaved head wore a bulky black leather coat, as did the other two. Leine held off, not wanting to spook any of them, and kept her head down in case Selena looked her way. Seeing Leine would set off alarm bells and could cause any traffickers that were there to scatter. She wanted them where she could see them.
Miles cracked a joke and the people standing nearby laughed. Somewhere in the back, a little girl screamed that she loved Miles, which set off a cacophony of screams and whistles. The man with the shaved head frowned as he searched the crowd. The wind whipped up and the tent that had been erected above the red carpet billowed. A splattering of rain drops fell on those unlucky enough to be in the open.
Selena's glance darted from person to person. The light rain turned into a downpour and people covered their heads with their programs, turning the crowd into a sea of paper. If Mara was there, it'd be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
Leine kept her eye on Selena. Mara would likely avoid the obvious thugs in the crowd. She wouldn't necessarily pay attention to a woman, unless she had recognized her at the restaurant. Leine closed the distance separating her from Selena and stepped behind a couple with their daughter when she glanced her way.
The man with the shaved head spotted Selena and started toward her, his mouth set in a grim line. Selena didn't notice him at first, but as he drew nearer she turned and saw him. Her face paled and she moved in the opposite direction as she continued to watch the crowd. Why is she so scared of him, if she's working with the traffickers? Maybe there's another explanation, Leine thought.
Then Leine saw her. The sea of programs parted as Mara inched her way through the crowd toward the theater entrance, directly in Selena's path. Leine lost her for a moment, then located her again. Mara was now within several feet of Selena, although she hadn't seen her yet. Leine struggled to push through the throng, but only managed to gain a few feet before being shoved backward. She wiped a shock of wet hair off her face, irritation replaced by fear for Mara's safety.
Pinned between several screaming fans, the man with the shaved head raised his arms and waved at Selena to get her attention. Selena saw him and scanned the crowd to see what he was pointing at. She caught a glimpse of Leine and a look of alarm crossed her features. The man with the shaved head followed her gaze and immediately headed toward Leine.
Mara managed to make her way to the velvet rope next to the red carpet and now stood within a foot of Selena. She waved her hands and jumped up and down, straining to get Miles' attention. Selena's gaze settled on the young girl. Recognition lit her face and she reached down and latched onto Mara's upper arm. Surprised, Mara started to scream, but Selena clamped her hand across her mouth. Mara fought, twisting and slapping at her captor as Selena dragged her through the crowd. Leine tried to fight through the mass of people, but for every step forward she was pushed back two. Mara struggled to hang back, but Selena was too strong and the crowd too thick for her to break free.
Leine pressed through the mob, keeping Selena and Mara in sight. The pain in her side had become a dull, constant ache, interspersed with sharp jolts of pain when someone in the crowd jostled against her too hard. As she reached the edge of the crowd, something hard pressed against her back, next to her kidney. She inhaled sharply and pivoted, coming face-to-face with the man with the shaved head. His dark eyes narrowed as he shoved a gun with a suppressor into Leine's abdomen.
“Let them go,” he said, his voice a low growl.
Her reflexes took over and Leine slammed her hand against his wrist and stepped to the side. The gun went off, the bullet burying itself in the concrete. No one noticed. The screaming fans obliterated the muffled sound. She delivered a quick jab to his throat with her right hand and followed the move by ramming the heel of her left into his face. He dropped the gun to the ground, grabbing his now bloody nose with one hand and clawed at his throat with the other as he struggled to take a breath. Ignoring the pain in her side, she rammed her knee into his groin and he went down. A woman dressed in capris and high heels stared in horror at the bloodied man lying in a fetal position on the sidewalk and backed away. In a panic, she looked toward the theater and screamed for a cop. Leine seized the opportunity and picked up the gun, shoved it under her jacket and took off running in the direction she'd seen Jean and Mara disappear.
She rounded the corner of the theater and slowed to a fast walk, zipping her jacket closed to conceal the gun as she came to the alley. The squall stopped as quickly as it started, leaving several puddles in its wake. Leine entered the side street, one hand on the vest above her bruised ribs, her breath shallow. With her back to the wall, she searched the area.
There was no one in the alley. She sprinted to the end and searched the cross street both directions. There were a few people walking along the sidewalk, but no sign of Selena or Mara. She made her way to the back entrance. The uniformed cop stationed at the back door watched her, his face like stone.
“Did you see a woman and a young girl come by here?” she called to him.
He shook his head.
She'd lost them.
Leine returned to the parking lot where she'd parked her car, her frustration growing. She was going to have to go back to Vladimir and ask him to help her find Greg. She doubted Yuri was still alive, knowing it was only a matter of time before Greg's thugs found him.
Going to Vlad was the only way she would be able to track the trafficker down. Knowing him, he'd extract an even bigger trade this time. But, if she found Greg, she might have a chance of finding Mara. The man who'd purchased her was local. That meant she wouldn't be leaving the country. It gave Leine time to find her, but not long. If she didn’t get to her soon…
Leine refused to think about what would happen to the young girl if she didn't find her in the next few hours. She pulled out her keys and hurried down the aisle to her car, slowing when she realized someone was leaning against the hood, his back to her. He was tall and thin and wore a brown wool cap and a black quilted coat. She unzipped her jacket and pulled out her gun, and crept up behind him until the barrel was within inches of the back of his head.
“I have a gun pointed at your head, so don't make any impulsive moves,” Leine said in a low voice. The man stiffened, then lifted both hands to show he had no weapon and slowly turned around.
It was Yuri.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
“PLEASE, DON'T SHOOT. I HAVE come to help you.” Yuri's eyes darted nervously back and forth, checking the lot behind Leine.
Leine lowered the gun so it wasn't visible to passersby but kept it trained on Yuri. “How the hell did you know this was my car?”
“I was waiting across the street and saw you park. I knew you'd come here to look for the girl.”
Leine scanned the parking lot, but didn't see anyone else close by. “You can explain later why you're still alive. There's no time. Your compatriots have the girl. We need to go.”
He slammed his fist on the car. “I knew she would be here. It was the last place she could see Fournier before he left for Europe.”
“Get in.” Leine unlocked the doors, climbed in and started the car. Yuri opened the door and slid in the passenger's seat. “Where's Greg's office?” she asked, grimacing as she twisted in her seat and backed out of the parking space.
“Are you all right?” Yuri asked, watching her.
“I'm fine. Where are we going?”
He took a deep breath. “Sixth floor of the Brandon Building on Ventura Boulevard.”
Le
ine glanced at him before she drove out of the parking lot. “You'd best be telling the truth.”
“You'll see. I'm good on my word. Thank you for not killing me.”
“Don't thank me yet.”
They made good time despite the wet roads and traffic. Leine pulled over to the curb a few buildings down from the Brandon Building and parked. She checked the chamber in her gun and, satisfied there was plenty of ammunition, screwed a suppressor onto the barrel. She preferred to use her own weapon, rather than that of the trafficker she'd just nailed. Yuri's knee kept time with some syncopated beat only in his head.
“Nervous, Yuri?” Leine looked pointedly at his leg. He stopped jiggling his knee. “Before I go in there, I need you to tell me why you're helping me. If I don't like the answer, things will go badly for you.”
Yuri nodded. The tip of his tongue snaked out and wet his lips. “Greg called and said everything was fine, that he needed me back. Being a fool, I believed my good fortune and came to meet with him. He sent someone to kill me. He is dead and now I am here.”
“And I'm the only one you know who can protect you.” She glanced at the office building. “I'm surprised you're willing to come back to this place.”
Yuri shook his head. “I have given you the information you requested. You have no more need of me. I will wait here for you.”
“I'm afraid not, Yuri. You're coming with me. The more the merrier.”
The look on Yuri's face told her that he hadn't lied, at least about this being Greg's office. He definitely didn’t want to come along for the ride. She didn't know what she'd find, if anything, but she had to try. She couldn't just give up on Mara. Not when she'd been so close. She opened her door and got out. With obvious reluctance, Yuri did the same.
“Do you recognize any of the cars?” she asked, indicating the building's parking lot.
He shook his head. “No. Greg drives a black Navigator, and it's not in his usual spot. It's possible he could be parked in the garage below, but he doesn't like it there. He prefers to park outside.”