by A. G. Henley
Brown turned to Bart and me. “I’m in 317. Get yourselves cleaned up and come down.”
Veena’s room was across the hall from her parents, but my key was in the pocket of my coat, which she had. Bart let me in with his. “Wash that cut, and I’ll dress it when you come down.”
Cut? I remembered the dripping blood on the laundry bag. I touched the spot on the back of my head where I’d butted the guy in the face. Blood caked it.
The hotel room was warm and still. I undressed and stood in the shower with rusty water pooling around my feet, willing my heart rate to slow and my still-twitching muscles to relax.
I went through every decision, every move, from when I received the alarm to when coffee man showed up. I relived every kick, punch, and jab I’d given and received. Flinching, I felt myself drop without Veena when the shot rang out. I should be unconditionally fired for that. Except only the bad guys, and Veena, had seen it.
I rested my chin on my chest and let the water clean out the cut. The game had changed today from vague threats to active danger. But I’d been very lucky. Veena was alive, despite my massive error. And for now, that was enough.
Forty-five minutes later, I stood inside Brown’s suite. This one had the same basics as the Eagle’s Nest Inn, kitchenette and all. Without a word, Bart handed me my baton, which he must have found in the street, and motioned me to a chair at the table. He pulled out a first aid kit and, quickly and professionally, cleaned and bandaged my scalp and the cuts on my hands. Brown set a fresh cup of coffee in front of me.
Outside, snowflakes floated by the window instead of being dashed against the pane. I could finally see the mountain. Brown took a seat beside me.
“Tell me what happened from the beginning,” he said. “Where were you when Veena pushed the panic button—and how did you find her?”
I considered telling him about lunch with Connor and decided it was none of his business; I’d been off duty. I also didn’t mention hitting the floor of the truck without Veena. But everything I did tell him was true.
I was eating lunch when the alarm sounded, and I took off running, scared the hell out of a family, found The Continental Divide, and spotted the laundry truck. I suppressed a shiver when I relived hearing Veena’s faint cry. If I hadn’t heard it, the kidnappers would have her in hand right now. Brown asked clarifying questions while Bart took notes. I finished with coffee guy showing up and scaring the kidnappers away.
Brown and Bart exchanged glances. Chief asked, “This was the man from the Vail club that you asked me to check out?”
I nod. “Any idea how he’s involved?”
He puffed out a breath. “Wish I did. There are already too many wild cards in this game.”
Only . . . his expression was too blank. I turned to Bart. His face was empty, too. My eyes narrowed. If they knew who the man was, why wouldn’t they tell me?
I sat back in my chair, too tired to figure out their angle right now, and winced as the movement made the wound on the back of my head throb.
“You did good, Green.” Brown’s voice was unusually soft. “You threw a wrench in their plans and bought time for us to get there. I heard one of the kidnappers was gimpy. That was you, right?”
“Yeah.” My lips twisted upwards. After all my mistakes, I really needed to hear some encouraging words from my chief. “But—”
“But nothing. You found her. You were with her. You did your job. Take the win. God knows they don’t always come.” Brown’s phone rang, and he picked up and listened, his gaze growing stony. “Uh huh, I understand. Right.”
“What is it?” Bart asked when Brown hung up. I could tell it wasn’t good news from the chief’s expression.
“Local PD lost the Escalade. Blamed the snowstorm. They said they were stretched thin with all the accidents on the highway, and road conditions were too dangerous to chase them down. Unbelievable. These clowns live here, drive in storms all the time.” His jaw clenched.
“Maybe we’ll get lucky and find the Caddy in a ditch,” Bart said.
My shoulders drooped. Without the kidnappers in custody, Veena wasn’t safe yet. Not by a mile. “What now?”
“Now, we see what our clients want to do,” Brown said.
I squinted at him. “What do you mean?”
“What would you do if Veena was your daughter? Would you let her stay at school after a kidnapping attempt?” He let that sink in. “If she were mine, I’d take her back to that nice, sunny compound in California until the FBI got a handle on whoever’s behind this. This plan was bad from minute one. Letting her train at a public ski resort with who knows who having access to her…” Brown was muttering by the end.
I stared at a growing patch of blue in the sky while emotions paraded through me. My boss was right; Veena would be safer at home. I’d told her that myself before we came to Copper.
Was this it, then? Would Veena go back with her parents? Would today be my last day as her CPO? Setting my disappointment aside, I thought of how devastated she’d be. Missing out on the Olympics. A gold medal. All her dreams. But there was nothing I could do to stop the Venkatesans from putting an end to it.
“Do you have kids, Chief?” I asked.
Brown stared, and Bart looked up from his notes.
“We gettin’ personal now?” Brown said.
I shrugged. “Why not? We’re about to go home. Might as well get to know each other.” Bart chuckled at that.
“I have a daughter, Briana,” Brown answered. “She’s thirteen. Lives in Virginia with her mother. I don’t see her much.”
“Why not?”
He raised an eyebrow and gestured around him at the hotel room. “Because of the job.”
“Where do you live?” When I imagined Brown’s home, it looked like his suite at the Eagle’s Nest. “And you, Bart?”
“You listening?” Brown’s words were harsh, but his tone was gentle. “Wherever the job is. I’m here, or I’m in D.C. Just last year I was in London, Singapore, Rio, and Reykjavik.”
My face crinkled. “Where’s that?”
Brown’s eyes narrowed then, like he couldn’t believe I asked that. “It’s the capital of Iceland.”
“Iceland? What was the job?”
“Six-week film shoot.”
“Who with?”
“Mason Ford.”
“Seriously?” My voice lifted. Mason was a hottest-of-the-hot new Hollywood actor.
“Oh, yeah, glamorous job. Freezing my ass off outside his trailer as a steady stream of women visited, all while being treated like the hired help.” He made a scornful noise, and Bart nodded his understanding. “Beautiful country though.”
“What will you do next?” I asked.
He sighed. “Take a little time off. Spend time with Bri. Wait for the next assignment.”
“What about you, Bart?” I asked.
“I live outside London, to answer your first question. No family.”
Brown snorted. “His babies are vintage luxury cars he keeps in a custom-made barn on his property. Impressive place.”
“When I’m home, I like to relax. Get away from people,” Bart said.
I thought about it. Xene was single, too, no children. I hadn’t bothered to wonder why that was before.
“Do you guys get tired of the life?” I asked.
Bart shrugged. My chief fixed me with a look. “Yeah, sometimes. But this is what we do. This is us. You ready to be us in a few years, Green? Still solidly single? Or divorced with a kid who’s given up on counting on you to be there?”
He was challenging me, but his question was honest. I pulled at a thread in the hem of my shirt. I might want a family and all that someday, but I had plenty of time to think about it. Anyway, my life didn’t have to go the way Brown’s had. Maybe he was a crappy husband and father. Except I didn’t think he would be.
“I don’t know, Chief. I’m just trying not to screw up this job first.”
He nodded. “Good plan.” His
phone buzzed; he picked it up and eyed me. “The clients want to see us.”
Sweat gathered under my arms as Brown and I followed the man down to the Venkatesans’ suite where the guard let us in with a keycard. Now that I had a chance to study it, the sitting room of this suite looked like Brown’s, only nicer. Everything was leather and wood. A couple of flower displays preened on tables, and a sizable balcony overlooked the mountain. SSA didn’t skimp, but their suite was another level.
Veena slumped between her parents on the couch. Her eyes were puffy, and she clutched a massive wad of tissues in her hand. She sniffed every few seconds and stared at her feet. I didn’t know what had happened in here, but it couldn’t have been good.
“Mr. Brown, Ms. Rossi, please have a seat.” Ms. Venkatesan motioned us to a pair of club chairs. Her face was calm, and her hands rested in her lap. Veena’s father didn’t look quite so put together. His hair stood on end like he’d been dragging a hand through it repeatedly.
“The . . . events today frightened us, as you might imagine,” Ms. Venkatesan said.
Brown and I nodded. You could say that.
“We were having our meal, enjoying being with Veena again, when the security person ran to the table to say she was gone.” Tears sprang to her eyes, and she paused. Veena took her mother’s hand.
The Venkatesans were pulling the plug—no question. Veena wouldn’t put her parents through more of this. Her mother smiled at her and then looked at me. “Thank you, Nicole. Thank you for finding her and for saving her from those . . . people.”
I glanced at Veena, ashamed. She must not have told them that I left her standing alone when the shooting started.
“We thought our security team would be able to protect Veena and us sufficiently.” She glanced coolly toward one of the men.
For a second, Brown looked like he wanted to pile on the guy. Instead, he demurred. “The abduction was well planned. They took advantage of the storm and the road closure.”
“But Nic was brilliant.” Veena’s voice was raw.
I sent a grateful smile her way, but her praise wouldn’t matter. I knew what was coming from her parents.
Mr. Venkatesan spoke to Brown. “We were told the highway patrol lost track of the kidnappers’ vehicle.”
He nodded with thin lips.
“Then her mother and I would like Veena to come home with us today. We don’t want her exposed to this dangerous situation for another moment.” Mr. Venkatesan’s voice thickened. “Her safety is most important. She has learned to manage the risks of snowboarding, but she cannot control this.”
“I understand,” Brown said. “Your daughter’s safety has been paramount for the past month, but these people are willing to take incredible risks. Your fears are justified.”
Veena made a pitiful sound. Much as I hated to, I jumped in, ignoring the sadness pressing on my chest. I was about to put myself out of a job.
“He’s right, Veena. After what happened today, you can’t pretend this isn’t incredibly dangerous.”
“I know it is.” She crossed her arms and wouldn’t look at me.
I didn’t want to make her angry, but the girl sometimes had a warped sense of risk. That must happen naturally when you strap yourself to a board and fly forty feet above a wall of ice on the regular.
“We’ve discussed this, beta. We only want you to be safe,” Mr. Venkatesan said.
Veena’s voice was barely a whisper as she spoke through tears. “What good is being safe when I can’t do what I love? I’ll stay home for the rest of my life after the Games. I’ll quit snow . . . snowboarding. Just, please . . . let me stay.”
There was a pause as the Venkatesans exchanged long looks. My pulse sped. Wait, did we still have a chance?
Brown spoke quickly. “We are still firmly committed to Veena’s safety. Had we been in charge today, this wouldn’t have happened.” The other security people in the room stiffened, but the chief ignored them. “And we have additional evidence and information now. Both vehicles and at least a partial description of the suspects.”
The Venkatesans seemed to be having a silent argument over Veena’s head.
“You said the kidnappers are determined.” Exasperation and pride mingled on Mr. Venkatesan’s face. “Our daughter is more so. Veena believes the chance to compete in the Olympics is worth the risk. While her mother and I don’t, we also aren’t prepared to tear her away from the goal she has worked toward for much of her life. We cannot bring ourselves to destroy her dreams.”
Veena’s head shot up, hope filling her watery eyes.
“We will allow you to stay,” Mr. Venkatesan said.
“With conditions,” her mother added.
Veena burst into fresh sobs. She hugged her mother, then her father, and her mother again. “Thank you! I love you both so much. I’ll pay for my coaching and the security with my sponsorship money. You won’t have to spend another penny.”
“I’ll work for free.” I winked at Veena.
“The rest of our team, unfortunately, will not,” Brown said with a glare my way.
“You know we don’t care how much it costs, anbe,” Ms. Venkatesan said to her daughter.
Veena wore a huge, goofy smile. She hugged her parents again, then me. She even went to hug Brown, but he looked so horrified, she stopped.
“Mr. Brown, I would like to know exactly how you will prevent something like this from happening again,” Mr. Venkatesan said.
“And Veena insists on attending the interview this afternoon and competing tomorrow. Are you able to go with her, Nicole?” her mother asked me with concern.
I must look rough. My head and muscles ached, but I didn’t hesitate.
“Of course.”
Veena was determined to win gold. And after today, I was doubly determined to see her do it.
I had no idea how Veena pulled that media interview off after the kind of day she had, but she aced it. She was smiley, sweet, and funny, yet fierce when she spoke about riding and the contest the next day. She even managed to answer the skin care question by discussing the importance of wearing sunscreen at altitude. It wasn’t hard to see why every major media source covering the Games clambered to talk to her.
Miraculously, they hadn’t gotten wind of the kidnapping attempt—yet.
Cooley, Kovitch, and their teams arrived in Copper as the interview began, and they stayed close. Brown wouldn’t take any risks, and neither would I. The only place I didn’t follow Veena to was the toilet in our hotel room.
While Veena performed puja that night, I laid on my bed, staring at the ceiling. Feeling restless, I texted Mom, who was fine, and then I moved to the bathroom and called Xene to fill her in.
“An abduction was always a possibility given the threats and demands in this situation, Nicole. We adjust to ever-changing circumstances, and from what you told me, you did that very well today. Your principal is safe.”
Her words helped boost my confidence enough to sleep, although restlessly. I dreamed of dropping in the face of gunfire again and again, leaving Veena vulnerable. I hadn’t told anyone, and Veena apparently didn’t mention it, either, but that didn’t erase my guilt.
Veena’s life was in my hands. I had to be better.
Because something told me the danger was far from over.
Sixteen
The next morning dawned so bright and sunny that I couldn’t keep my eyes open outside without shades. Snowplows rumbled around, digging out the streets, while the chairlifts hummed up and down the long white slopes on the mountain. Despite the positive change in conditions, Veena was in low spirits.
“You okay?” I asked.
She grunted and shoveled a bite of eggs into her mouth. I remembered Ali and Gage said she was always salty at contests, and I couldn’t help noticing they sat at another table this morning. I spent the rest of the meal letting Veena stew in silence while I mentally ran through the details of the schedule today. Cooley would take point on the mounta
in, but I’d be there for backup.
Veena’s warm up and the qualifying round went well, although she didn’t attempt the double V. She was in the lead before the finals, and a Chinese rider named Mei was in close second. Darya was third, and Mei’s teammate, Jia-Li, was fourth. Veena said the Chinese riders were her strongest competition, followed by Darya and Ali. The women were all tough and focused. No goofing around before or after runs.
Lots of people milled around the top of the pipe before Veena’s last run: a mix of athletes, coaches, lifties, and trainers. Cooley was up here, too, and his team watched the crowd below. No hint of trouble so far.
Darya was at the bottom after laying down a solid final run. I’d confirmed she was in the stranded van yesterday, so she wasn’t directly involved in the kidnapping attempt. But still, something was wrong with that girl. When she’d been up here at the top, too, she’d stared at Veena as if trying to intimidate her silently.
Connor materialized next to me. Unsurprisingly, he’d been hanging around all day, never getting too close to Veena but always nearby. What was that about? Was it about anything at all?
Veena nodded and stayed loose on her board as Nate gave her a final pep talk. When the announcer called her name, the crowd cheered. She bumped fists with her coach, pushed herself to the edge and paused, outlined against the brilliant blue sky.
With the scraping of board against hard-packed snow, a sound I now associated with something astonishing from Veena, she dropped into the halfpipe. She swooshed down, picking up speed, swept up the left wall, turned, and shot up the right one. At the top, she flew to an impossible height, went upside down, grabbed the back of her board, and slid down the wall. On the other side, she again got huge air, twisted three times, and landed smoothly—a perfect 1080. She next pulled an elaborate McTwist, which I only knew the name of because Connor told me. From the oohs of the crowd, she’d executed it well. She landed one more jaw-dropping trick. The double V should be next.