Fallen: A Leopold Blake Thriller (A Private Investigator Series of Crime and Suspense Thrillers Book 5)

by Nick Stephenson

  “Eight, seven...”

  “Rerouting the signal now. Waiting for confirmation.”

  “Six, five...”

  “Still waiting.”

  “Four, three, two...”

  Mary gritted her teeth, glanced over at Marshall. The special agent looked to be doing the same. Neither of them spoke.

  “One...”

  “I’m through!” Walters shouted down the line. “Disconnecting now; the signal is blocked.”

  Mary let out a yelp of triumph, Making Marshall jump. She hammered on the BearCat’s dashboard.

  “Dammit Walters, don’t freak me out like that!” she said, grabbing hold of the radio mic. “You’re going to give me a heart attack!”

  “Confirming the devices are disconnected,” said Carlson, the relief in his voice shining through despite the bad signal. “They’re still live, but without a signal from the encrypted line, they’re not going to go off any time soon.”

  “Cutting it close there, Walters,” said Ward. “But congratulations. We couldn’t have done it without you.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  Mary grinned. “Kane, you there?”

  No reply.

  “Kane? You copy?”

  Carlson broke the silence. “She’s gone after Robert Blake,” he said. “We’ve taken out his people, but he’s still unaccounted for.”

  “Any casualties?”

  “One man down. GSW to the abdomen. He’s still breathing, but we’ll need immediate medical support.”

  “I’m on it,” said Walters.

  “She’s going after him alone?” asked Mary.

  “Negative. She’s taken Leopold with her.”

  Mary froze. “You’re kidding me. He’s not combat trained.”

  “But Kane is,” said Marshall, putting on his best diplomat tone. “He’s in good hands. Blake’s father doesn’t have the training she does.”

  “Unfortunately, that might not be the case,” said Ward.

  “Sir?”

  “It’s what I was trying to tell you before. I found another file – one that fills in the gaps. And, like I said, it’s not good news.” He paused. “Leopold and Kane are walking right into a trap.”

  Chapter 92

  KANE FOUND THE concealed entrance Hawkes had used to gain access to the control room and wrenched the door open. Outside, a narrow corridor led toward the side of the ship, before branching off in both directions – presumably leading to the bow and stern. It was brightly lit, quiet.

  “Follow me and keep quiet,” she said, unholstering her sidearm and setting off at a brisk walk.

  Leopold obliged, his own weapon drawn, and the two of them made for the end of the hallway.

  “Turn right,” said Leopold. “The bow is the easiest egress point. It’s closer to ground level. If my father is looking for a way out, that’s where he’ll be.”

  “Good enough reasoning,” said Kane. She didn’t look back, kept walking, turned right at the end of the corridor. She moved fast, and Leopold struggled to keep up.

  About halfway down the long hallway, the path branched off again. Leopold noticed a sign pointing toward the bridge and, presumably, a way up to the deck.

  “Turn up here,” he said. “We can get a better vantage point.”

  “Carlson should be able to get the security feed up and running again,” said Kane. “If your father’s around here, we can get eyes on his location.”

  Leopold nodded. A crackle of static blasted through his radio and Mary’s voice came on the line.

  “Leopold? Do you copy? There’s something you need to know about your father. Ward dug out more intel. Copy?”

  Kane stopped a few feet short of the turning and whipped around. “Blake, turn that damn thing off. You’ll give away –”

  She never got to finish. Leopold flinched as a loud explosion filled his ears, and he took an instinctive step back. Kane’s eyes bulged and she dropped to one knee, a crimson spray of blood erupting from her leg.

  A flash of movement behind her, and a man’s arm reached down and wrapped around Kane’s neck, hoisting her to her feet. The other hand held a pistol, pressing the barrel against her skull. Leopold looked at the intruder’s face, anger welling inside his stomach.

  “Apologies for the rude introductions,” Robert Blake said, reaching down and taking Kane’s gun off her. “But I’m a little pressed for time.”

  Mary’s voice burst through the radio again. “Leopold? Do you copy?”

  “Ah, that must be Sergeant Jordan,” said Blake, his scarred face lit up in sharp relief by the harsh overhead lights. He focused his gaze on Leopold. “Perhaps you’d be kind enough to patch me through.”

  Leopold glared back at him, his Glock raised.

  “Oh, please,” said Blake. “Let’s not pretend you have any intention of using that. Get me a channel open, or your friend is going to have a matching bullet hole in her head.” He pressed the gun against Kane’s head a little harder, making her wince.

  Leopold gripped his Glock a little tighter, but acquiesced. He lifted up the radio and held down the push-to-talk button.

  “I thought so,” said Blake. He raised his voice a little and continued, “Is that Sergeant Jordan on the line?”

  “Who the hell is this?” Mary said back.

  “I’ll give you two guesses.”

  “Blake? What the hell have you done with Leopold?”

  “My son is still in one piece, I can assure you. I couldn’t say the same for the redhead.”

  “If you hurt –”

  “Now’s not the time for idle threats, Sergeant. I’ve done my due diligence. You and my son seem to care about each other, so how about you help me out. Maybe you’ll see each other again.”

  Leopold kept one hand on the radio, operating the button. He used his other hand to keep the Glock trained on his father’s head.

  “Listen up, Sergeant. I know the drill – whatever support teams you’ve called in, I want them to back off. The redhead and I are going for a little trip, and if I see so much as a single blue light, I’ll put a bullet in her. Understand?”

  No reply.

  “Do you get me, Sergeant?”

  Another crackle of static. “Copy that,” said Mary. Leopold could hear the anger and frustration in her voice, but knew it was nothing compared to his own. He felt his hand shake, and he gripped his Glock a little tighter.

  His father continued, “You can send in one medical officer to deal with your wounded. But anyone else comes close, you know what will happen. Check me.”

  “Check.”

  Leopold frowned. He’s allowing medical personnel? Staring at the ruined face of the murderer who was once his father, Leopold tried to picture a happy memory. Any memory. But only flashes of emptiness remained. Whoever this man was, he was responsible for the deaths of countless people – Leopold’s own mother one of them – and any mercy he showed was only a way to help him get what he wanted.

  “I believe you mentioned Director Ward,” said Blake, tightening his grip on Kane as she began to lose the strength to stand up. The pool of blood had gotten larger, spilling down onto the floor.

  “Yes.”

  “And I trust he found the bread crumbs.”

  A pause, then: “Yes.”

  “So you know why I’m doing this? You know how this began.”

  “Yes.”

  “Then perhaps you’d like to enlighten your audience.”

  No reply.

  “Sergeant Jordan, I’d recommend you make it quick – before your redhead friend loses too much blood and I have to take another hostage. You can probably guess who that will be.”

  Mary hesitated. “What you’ve done doesn’t justify –”

  “Just read out Ward’s findings. I don’t have time to argue with you, and neither does Leopold.”

  “You were studying at Harvard during the seventies,” said Mary. “You majored in economics and politics. You were fluent in five languages,
proficient in six others. You had a head for numbers and were a first-rate athlete. After graduation, you were approached by the...” she trailed off.

  “Go on, Sergeant.”

  “You were approached and recruited by the CIA.”

  Leopold felt his stomach do a barrel roll. His hand started shaking more violently as his grip on the Glock intensified.

  Mary continued, “You were well trained and worked undercover for eight years before you left the service. They considered your family too much of a risk. You took up a similar role domestically with the FBI as an asset. Your job was to feed information about financial irregularities that might affect US interests at home, especially those potentially linked to terrorist activities on American soil.” Mary paused.

  “You’re missing out the good part,” said Blake.

  “You threatened to go public when you learned the then-director had gotten himself wrapped up in a scandal of his own. Money was allegedly flowing from the Middle East and Central Africa, direct to one of his offshore accounts. You were never able to prove it. Shortly after, you disappeared. Since then, your activities have been focused on supporting radical political groups overseas.”

  Robert Blake smiled. “It all sounds so benign, the way you people draft these things.” He stared at Leopold. “You were never meant to get hurt. What happened in New York was outside my control.”

  Leopold glared back at him.

  “When the FBI powers that be found out what I knew, they arranged a little get-together. Unfortunately, your mother was with me at the time.”

  “They tried to kill you,” said Leopold. “Can’t say I feel too sorry for you right now.” He kept the gun steady.

  “They succeeded in killing your mother. They succeeded in taking away everything I’d spent my life building. I had to disappear.” He tilted his scarred face up toward the light. “As you can see, I was prepared to go the distance.”

  “You killed innocent people.”

  “There’s no such thing as innocence. I’ve suffered enough to have learned that lesson well. I only wish I’d had the chance to teach you, as well.”

  “We’re nothing alike. I would never...” Leopold shook his head. “Nothing justifies a terrorist attack on a city full of bystanders. Whatever this government might have done to you…”

  “Collateral damage,” said Blake. “A necessary sacrifice. This country needs to learn that actions have consequences.”

  “I agree.” Leopold stepped forward, his Glock still aimed directly at his father.

  “You’ve had enough chance to use that on me,” said Blake. “If you had the stomach to kill me, you would have already. But you’re weak. You don’t have the courage to do what is necessary.”

  “You mean like you tried to do what was necessary?”

  Leopold stopped dead. He looked at Kane – she looked to be fading fast. Digging deep within himself, Leopold knew his father had a point. Killing a man in the heat of battle – in self-defense – was one thing, but he truly didn’t know if he had it in him to take the shot now.

  Even if it meant putting Kane’s life at risk, Leopold didn’t know if he could do what needed to be done. And maybe that was a weakness. Or maybe his greatest strength.

  He doubted it.

  “Sergeant Jordan?” Blake called out, “I think we’re ready to part ways, don’t you?”

  “You’d better hope to God I don’t catch up with you, asshole,” said Mary. “You’ll be crapping out teeth for a week.”

  Leopold couldn’t help but grin as he heard Mary’s voice. She had a knack for boiling down complex emotions into an easy-to-understand string of obscenities.

  “Charmed, I’m sure.” Blake turned his attention back to Leopold. “Now, unless you’re going to shoot me, I need to be going.”

  Leopold kept the gun steady, his mind racing. His finger hovered over the trigger, but the same doubts held him back.

  I don’t have what it takes.

  I don’t have the courage to do what’s necessary.

  I can’t take a life in cold blood.

  Blake backed away slowly. “Don’t follow me. If I see you, or any of your friends, Ms. Redhead will be the first to die.”

  Don’t be a coward.

  Take the damn shot.

  She doesn’t have to die.

  “And then I’ll be back for Sergeant Jordan,” Blake continued. “You know I’ll find her. I’ll take pleasure –”

  Robert Blake never got to finish his sentence. Leopold fired his weapon, sending a single round screaming into his father’s skull.

  He was dead before he hit the floor.

  Chapter 93

  MARY HEARD THE shot go off over the radio and the line went dead. She felt her heart leap into her throat. Before Marshall could stop her, she unbuckled her seatbelt and jumped out the BearCat, sprinting at full speed toward Thanatos, her mind focused on only one thing:

  Don’t you dare die on me, Leopold. Don’t you dare.

  Chapter 94

  ROBERT BLAKE LAY on the hard floor, a single red mark in the middle of his forehead. His cold gray eyes stared up at the ceiling, lifeless and unmoving.

  Leopold stared down at his hand, still holding onto the gun. It was shaking. He dropped the pistol and felt dizzy. Then he heard Kane speak.

  “Blake, you going to just stand there or what?” Her voice sounded ragged and weak, but the contempt came through loud and clear.

  Leopold made his way over to Kane, stepping over his father’s prone body, trying not to look at it. He heaved her up onto her feet, surprised at how heavy she felt in his arms.

  “You’ve lost a lot of blood,” he said.

  “No shit.”

  “I can see you’re still feeling okay.”

  “Just get me the hell out of here, Blake.”

  Leopold wrapped her arm around his shoulder and grabbed hold of Kane by the waist, supporting her weight.

  There was movement behind them, and Leopold turned, his muscles tensing. He relaxed a little as Jerome appeared at the end of the hallway, a field-kit bandage wrapped around his injured shoulder. He started sprinting toward them.

  “Medical team is on the way,” Jerome said, as he drew up close. “Carlson got the cameras working again. I figured you might need some help.” He looked down at Robert Blake’s body, then at Leopold. “Are you okay?”

  “Nothing a lifetime of counseling won’t cure.”

  Kane grunted. “Listen, fellas – if it’s all the same, can we do this later?”

  Jerome nodded and took Kane’s other arm, wrapped it around his neck. He had to stoop a little to keep her from toppling over.

  “Medevac is briefed on the situation,” said Jerome. “Let’s get up on deck, meet them there.”

  Leopold nodded and started shuffling forward, heading for the bow of the ship.

  “Just hurry up,” said Kane. She looked up at Leopold. “And, just in case I pass out before I get a chance – thank you for saving my life.”

  “Sure thing. I guess that probably makes us even now.”

  “It’s a step in the right direction.”

  Leopold smiled. With one final glance at his father’s body, he grabbed hold of Kane a little tighter and stepped up the pace.

  Chapter 95

  LEOPOLD AND JEROME reached the top deck fast, dragging Kane alone beside them, despite her protestations. She had lost a lot of blood, and time was not their friend.

  They reached the exit hatchway and Leopold pulled it open, feeling the fresh air rush in. Heaving Kane’s body with them, he and Jerome crossed the threshold and stepped out onto the deck, taking a moment to catch their breath.

  “I need a minute,” said Kane, her voice weak. She leaned up against the wall.

  “The med team will be here any minute,” said Leopold. “Just hang on a little longer.” He paused as he heard a noise off to the starboard side, and he wheeled around. The sound intensified.

  “Someone’s coming,” said
Kane, her eyes flickering.

  Tensing up, Leopold felt his hand reach for his holstered weapon. Jerome did the same, taking a step to the side. There was movement, and Mary’s head appeared over the side of the ship. She hoisted herself up and off the ladder.

  Jerome stared at her. “Mary?”

  Without saying a word, Mary marched toward Leopold, her eyes never leaving his. She moved fast, crossing the distance in long, determined strides.

  Kane blinked hard. “Jordan, what are you doing here?”

  Mary ignored her and kept walking, moved past Jerome and aimed straight for Leopold. She drew up close, grabbed hold of his jacket.

  “Listen,” he said. “About everything that’s happened... I –”

  “Oh shut up, Leopold,” said Mary.

  She grabbed hold of the back of his head and pulled him in close, her breath hot against his skin. He felt her lips touch his, gentle at first, then more forceful – her hands wound up in his hair, holding on tight. Driving him forward.

  Leopold hesitated, then leaned into her, feeling their bodies melt into one another. He kissed her back, slowly and deliberately, suddenly not quite so surprised at what was happening. He felt himself lost in the moment, all other thoughts fading from his mind.

  Somewhere close by, he heard Jerome chuckle. “It’s about goddamn time.”

  Chapter 96

  RICHARD WARD WAS pacing the floor outside of Jerome’s private suite at Jersey City Medical Center when Leopold and Mary finally arrived. The medical team had taken Jerome in a separate ambulance from Kane and the injured SWAT officer, with no room for anyone else to ride along. Instead, Hunter had given them a ride in the BearCat, dropped them both off at the reception area, and then headed back to Manhattan.

  Leopold got to Ward first. “Is he okay?”

  The director looked like hell, but he managed a smile. “Yes, the doctors are confident he’ll be out of here before tomorrow. Nothing a little blood transfusion couldn’t fix.”

  Leopold relaxed. He felt Mary sidle up close to him and squeeze his hand.