The Hijacked Wife

by Winn, Bonnie K.

  Jack’s throat worked. “You don’t even know what we’re running from.”

  “No, but I know you, and that’s all I need to know.”

  Jack thought of everything he wanted to say—everything he couldn’t say—and settled for a firm nod. He kept his pace just beneath a run as he rapidly covered the ground between the audience and the choir. Luckily Summer stood on the second tier of the risers.

  Her face brightened when she spotted him. Jack didn’t pause, striding up to the group. The women on the front row parted, allowing Jack to reach for Summer’s hand.

  “Jack!” she began with a laugh. When he didn’t respond, her smile faded, along with her voice. “Jack?”

  “We have to leave now.”

  Fear bloomed in her eyes even as she tried to school her expression. “Of course. I nearly forgot,” she improvised for the benefit of the curious onlookers. Quickly she stepped off the risers, ignoring the surprised glances from the choir members.

  Jack gripped her hand in his as they walked quickly away from the group. “Fisher and Wilcox just headed into the hardware store.”

  Fleetingly Summer followed his gaze. “Then Danny’s all right?”

  “For the moment, but we don’t have any time to waste.”

  “I wish I’d driven here,” she fumed.

  “The pastor’s driving us home,” Jack told her, forcing himself not to run across the park and draw attention.

  Shock widened her eyes. “He knows?”

  “No. He just knows that something’s wrong and we have to leave. Knowing any more would endanger all of us.”

  The pastor was waiting in his car with the engine running. As soon as they were inside, he pulled away from the park and headed toward the church.

  “Won’t they miss you back there?” Jack asked, craning his head backward to see if anyone had followed them.

  “It’ll give Chandler a chance to shine. He loves the spotlight.” The pastor’s glance widened to include Summer. “Besides, I have the feeling I won’t need to be gone all that long.”

  Pastor Steiger was right. They bundled their belongings in record time.

  Jack tossed a duffel bag in the bed of the truck.

  “Hold it, son.”

  Surprised, Jack paused. “Pastor, I appreciate your help, but we have to hurry.”

  “And my guess is that truck doesn’t move very fast.”

  Jack’s eyes narrowed. “Your point?”

  Pastor Steiger tossed him a set of keys. “Take the car.”

  Flabbergasted, Jack could only stare.

  “We have two,” the pastor continued. “And we want you to take it.”

  Mary stood beside him, nodding in agreement.

  “I can’t—”

  “Yes, you can, son. I’m not sure exactly what’s going on, but you don’t want to put Summer and Danny in greater danger because of your pride.”

  Jack swallowed a lump of gratitude. “It’s only a loan, Pastor.”

  “I’m counting on that. Now, you’d better hurry and get going.”

  They quickly loaded their belongings in the car, and Summer bent to strap Danny in his car seat before sliding inside.

  Jack closed her door, then skirted the hood. He paused before opening his own door, then shook the pastor’s hand. “I’m not sure why you’re doing this, but thank you.”

  “Just remember what I said, son. Your late wife would have wanted you to be happy. Once everything’s straightened out, don’t forget that.”

  The words tantalized, then were stashed away as Jack concentrated on leaving Caleb Corners without attracting any attention. Still, stray thoughts kept assailing him. Would Linda have been happy to have someone nurturing Danny? Or would she feel betrayed as he’d always believed?

  Despite the daylight, Jack decided he couldn’t afford any more detours. He had to get to D.C. and find Tom Matthews. Perhaps he could find out where the agent had gone. A terrible thought occurred to him. What if Fisher and Wilcox had targeted Matthews out of revenge, just as they had once targeted him? He didn’t want to chase a miracle—or a ghost, if that were the case—but someone had to believe him; somehow the truth had to be revealed.

  Summer’s gaze met his. “I hate leaving here. I hate that they found us.”

  Jack nodded in agreement. He’d been certain Fisher and Wilcox would have dismissed Caleb Corners as their hideaway, but the dirty agents must have revisited the safe places listed in Jack’s file.

  And Caleb Corners had been the perfect sanctuary. Grimly Jack was realizing that temporary seemed to be the operative word for them.

  Summer could see the disgust on Jack’s face as he slammed the pay phone back in place. She saw his lips move and guessed she was better off being out of hearing range.

  He pulled the car door open and shut it with a tad more force than necessary.

  “No luck, I’m guessing,” Summer stated rather than questioned.

  Jack’s fist punctuated her words as it landed on the steering wheel. “There has to be a way to reach Tom Matthews.”

  “Isn’t there someone at the agency who could help us?”

  Grimly Jack shook his head. “Not unless we know who double-crossed me.”

  “You mean who wiped out your file?”

  “Exactly.”

  “Would that really help?” she asked. “I didn’t think you were interested in getting into your file. I thought you considered it a lost cause.”

  “Until I know who’s helping them, I can’t trust anyone at the agency.”

  “I wish I’d realized that,” she muttered.

  “What?”

  “I said, let’s go find out who’s behind this,” she replied calmly.

  “Just like that?” Jack snapped his fingers. “Now, why didn’t I think of a solution that simple?”

  “Do you want to find out or not?”

  “Of course, but—”

  “Then we have to find a computer.”

  “And then...?” Jack asked cautiously.

  “I crack the code and find out who the turncoat is.”

  “Look, I know you’re a computer programmer—”

  “A computer-security programmer,” she corrected him. “My speciality is designing programs to protect computers from hackers.”

  His gaze narrowed as a flicker of understanding dawned. “And to do that...?”

  “I have to know all the hacker secrets and tricks so I can set up security screens.”

  “You’re a hacker?” he asked incredulously.

  “Not exactly.” Summer grinned. “But you’re getting the idea. All I need is a computer.” Her hands fairly itched to reach a keyboard.

  Jack still looked skeptical. “I can’t believe it’s that easy.”

  “I’m not saying it will be. First we have to find a computer that’s hooked up to a modem. And we can’t do that on the run in a car.”

  He frowned, then slanted a glance at her. “I’m guessing you have an idea.”

  “We need to find a local newspaper, something that shows the entire region,” she replied, thinking furiously. “And a good-size bookstore that carries the latest computer magazines.”

  His expression was wry. “I suspect it’s best I don’t second-guess you at this point.”

  Jack’s subtle acknowledgment pleased her—almost as much as his original assumption that she was intellectually challenged had annoyed her. “I’m not making any promises, but it’s our best chance.”

  He reached for the map. “At this point, it may be our only chance.”

  Chapter 16

  The computer trade show in Weston, Maryland, only an hour from D.C., was a stroke of luck. And they were far overdue for some good fortune.

  Summer and Jack strolled through the crowded aisles, pretending interest in the displays as she searched for the setup she needed. A working modem connection was essential, but she also needed a fast processor and sufficient memory.

  “There!” She grabbed Jack’s
arm, careful not to wake Danny who rode in a carrier on his back. She pointed out the phone connection and a sign indicating the lightningspeed processor and extensive memory. It was located prominently in a row of computers in a nearby booth. “That looks perfect.”

  Jack nodded in agreement. “I’ll distract him,” he said, referring to the vendor who looked ready to pounce on the next customer.

  “Right. I need enough time to make a connection, then find the back door to the agency without setting off any alarm systems.”

  “The extent of my computer expertise is a few designing programs and basic Web surfing. Just do what you have to do.”

  She started to walk toward the computer, when Jack reached out suddenly, grabbing her arm. “Alarm systems? Don’t do this if it’s going to put you in more danger.”

  Summer crossed two fingers behind her back to cover her fib. “I don’t think we could be in any more danger. Besides, I know what I’m doing.”

  After logging on to the computer, she quickly ran through the numerous links it took to reach the agency. Glancing up, she saw that Jack was still keeping the vendor busy with his concocted tale about his architectural firm’s need for a complete new computer system.

  Concentrating on her task, Summer wanted to cheer out loud when the last link brought her to the agency. At just that moment, Jack wisely diverted the salesman’s attention to a computer at the far end of the display.

  After a few more moments, Summer couldn’t control a sudden grin. Her firm had created a proposal for the government, which had been ultimately rejected, that had included a test program identical to this agency’s system. It was a proposal designed to keep hackers out of the records.

  Her grin widened. Seeing the vendor glance quizzically in her direction, she tried to control her expression. But it was difficult because she remembered the back door into the program.

  Within moments, Summer accessed the command operating system. Then she was into command interface. Remembering all the key information she had discussed with Jack, in a short time she was able to resurrect his file. Trying to hurry before she activated any alarm systems, she copied the file.

  Knowing she was walking a thin line, Summer quickly printed out Jack’s report and then deleted the file so that it wouldn’t tip off anyone who might be searching for it.

  Catching Jack’s attention, she signaled him with a thumbs-up sign. The now suspicious clerk glanced between them.

  Jack shook the man’s hand. “Thanks for all your help. As I said, I’ll have to discuss the system with my partner. It’s a fairly large capital expenditure.”

  As Jack spoke, Summer triumphantly held up the newly printed report, then edged out of the booth toward the exit.

  The salesman was clearly perplexed. “You didn’t leave me a card.”

  Jack smiled. “Not necessary. I have yours.” Leaving the clearly aggrieved vendor, he joined Summer at the end of the aisle that led outside.

  “We did it!” she whispered as they exited.

  “A clean getaway?” Jack asked, shifting the straps of Danny’s backpack.

  She swallowed, glad that his gaze was diverted. “Probably.”

  His head jerked back around. “Probably?”

  “I didn’t dare stay online any longer—that might have really tripped an alarm. But it didn’t shut me out, and that’s a good sign.”

  “What did you find out?”

  She held out the considerable stack of paper. “You up for a little light reading?”

  Pale eyes scanned an urgent, confidential report. “The system has been breached.”

  “I can’t believe he knew how to crack the code!” Fleshy lips twitched in agitation.

  Controlled fingers tapped the metal surface of the desk. “He didn’t. But that woman he’s with did. Why didn’t you know about her?”

  The other man shrugged. “Anderson even threw the profiler off track. He’s good. How was I supposed to guess he’d hook up with some hacker?”

  Cold eyes paled further. “Not that it will do them any good. At least he’s leaving tracks now.”

  “Ones we can follow.”

  The laugh chilled more than the cold eyes. “This time, the leak is lethal. And Jack Delancey is flat out of places to run.”

  Frowning, Tom Matthews reread the wire services’ alert. What was a picture of Jack Anderson, aka Delancey, doing on the report? A man like Jack didn’t sacrifice the woman he loved, a successful career, and virtually his entire life to adopt instead a life of crime. It looked as though a lot had happened while he had been away on an undercover assignment.

  He reached for the phone, jabbing in the number of the witness-protection program. Told that Sedgewick was unavailable, Tom reached a clerk instead.

  “No, sir. No Jack Anderson or Jack Delancey. I’m afraid you’re mistaken, sir. He’s never been in the witness-protection program.”

  Tom remained calm. “Have you worked very long in this department?”

  Indignation flowed through the telephone wires. “Although I’m a recent transferee, I can assure you that I’m fully briefed on all operations. Your Mr. Anderson has definitely never been part of our program.”

  Tom paused. “Could there be a computer error?”

  “Our system is state-of-the-art, sir,” the clerk replied pompously. “And it’s in perfect condition. Perhaps you should recheck the name and identity you’re requesting.”

  Perhaps. Tom replaced the receiver. And perhaps he’d better find out what the hell was going on. But he didn’t plan to tip anyone’s hand doing so.

  Sunlight streamed over the roadside picnic area they stopped at a few hours later. Set back far enough from the highway to be undetected by passersby, the area provided a perfect place for Summer and Jack to study his file. Danny napped in the portable crib while they nibbled at hamburgers and French fries and waded through the information, trying to isolate something that would help them.

  Surreptitiously, Summer concealed the pages detailing Jack’s wife’s murder, which included a picture of the soft, gentle-looking, pretty woman. A woman whom Summer knew Jack had loved. Right now, she knew he didn’t need to be reminded of his loss.

  Jack tapped one page of the report. “Look, it says here that Donald Sedgewick—my original contact in the agency—has been promoted. If that’s the case, I wonder why he was never available to take my calls.”

  She followed the line of text he pointed out. “It doesn’t indicate that anyone else has been assigned to your case. Do you suppose someone’s been blocking your calls to him?”

  Jack shrugged. “That would be my guess.”

  Her gaze skipped farther down the report. “Jack, look at this. You’ve been listed on the wire services as an escaped criminal. It wasn’t an isolated poster I saw.” When he didn’t say anything, she clasped his hand. “You were right all along. The police never would have helped us.”

  “It wouldn’t give me a grain of satisfaction to say I told you so. I wish we had been able to turn to them.”

  Briefly Summer rested her cheek against his solid shoulder, drawing comfort from his implacable strength. With the ugly truth spread out before them, how could either of them believe in good conquering evil? Or in any sort of tomorrow they could share?

  “Summer!” The note of excitement in his voice reached her. “Look at this!”

  She blinked away the sheen of tears that had prickled and followed his gaze. But the words disappeared when he turned her toward him to plant an exuberant kiss on her mouth. His lips lingered, then he pulled away. “Summer, you did it! Here’s an alternate number for Tom Matthews.”

  She hated to dash his enthusiasm, but Summer knew one of them had to consider reality. “How do you know it’s not the same dead end as the one we already have?”

  “Because not only is this an alternate number we didn’t have, but his primary number is different, as well. We’ve been chasing shadows, but this is real.” Jack paused, his face suddenly darkening
. “Unless you think they set up a dummy file, thinking we’d find it.”

  Summer smiled confidently. “I don’t want to sound like an egomaniac, but there are few people with enough expertise to crack the agency’s safeguards. Think of it like a Navy SEAL operation. The quarry is surrounded by minefields, automatic nuclear warheads and a hail of gunfire. Few people can even reach the minefields, much less tiptoe through them.”

  Jack looped an arm around her shoulders. “My own little G.I. Jane.” His grin widened. “And just when I thought you were enjoying the girlish thing.”

  Summer stiffened momentarily, then relaxed a trifle when she saw the admiration ... and seeds of something else lurking in his eyes. “The girlish thing?”

  “I know I’m enjoying it.”

  She swallowed, uncomfortable with the compliment, but inordinately pleased by it. “Maybe we should find a telephone.”

  As she started to rise, Jack reached out to cup her chin in his hands. “Thank you, Summer.” His eyes searched hers. “I don’t know what I—we—would have done without you. You’ve given us another chance.”

  The sudden lump of emotion that lodged in her throat was nearly her undoing. Resolutely she swallowed, knowing the closer she brought him to what he was seeking, the closer she was to saying goodbye. “We all deserve another chance,” she finally managed to say, not wanting him to see the agony she was feeling.

  Reluctantly Jack released his hold. “Time to find a telephone. And hopefully, some answers.”

  Jack clutched the receiver as he punched in the last digit of the telephone number. If this didn’t work, he wasn’t certain where he would turn. Half-expecting another recording, or a canned operator’s voice telling him the number was disconnected, Jack nearly jumped when he heard a live voice.

  “Tom?” Jack cleared his voice. “Tom Matthews?”

  “Yes.” The voice on the other end was equally cautious. “Who’s this?”

  “Jack Anderson.”

  A long silence echoed over the phone wires.

  Jack clenched his fist, trying to remain calm. “Are you there, Tom?”