by Roy Johansen
She braced herself. “Olivia told you where I was? I’m surprised she didn’t call and warn me.”
“Why should she?” Lynch dropped down on the bench beside her. “Both Olivia and Jessie have far too much respect for you even to hint that you couldn’t handle me with one hand tied behind your back.” He grinned. “Though I prefer you have all appendages available and ready for action when we’re together. It’s much more enjoyable.” He took her hand. “Besides, they both knew that we had to come to some sort of detente before going forward. So did we, or you would have made it much more difficult for me to find you. As Jessie said, all I had to do was tap into what I knew about you. When you’re hurt or need healing, you always go to Olivia.” He was toying with her fingers. “I’ve always been a little jealous of that aspect of your relationship. You’ve never shown it to me.”
“Bullshit,” she said bluntly. “If I had, you’d have run the other way. We both know you appreciate your freedom as much as I do.”
“Do I?” He lifted her hand to his lips and brushed his lips on the palm. “Perhaps you don’t know me as well as you think you do. I found I was feeling very vulnerable when Jessie was telling me about your encounter with Adrian.”
“Vulnerable? Not likely.” She should pull her hand away, but she didn’t. His touch was making her feel safe and secure for the first time since the night Dee had disappeared. “I’ve never seen you vulnerable.” But the fact that she was feeling this need for him showed just how vulnerable she was to him. It would be okay. She could allow herself to accept these moments of comfort for a short time. “And I wasn’t trying to hide from you. I knew you’d be coming after me when I left that meeting this morning. The minute you walked into the conference room, I could see you were committed and nothing I could do would make any difference.”
“Commitment isn’t such a bad thing in a situation like this.”
“No, it isn’t. We’re lucky to have you. I’d be the last person to slam the door in Adam Lynch’s face when Dee’s life is on the line.”
“Even when you have such a dynamo as Kelland on the case?”
“He’s been very helpful.”
“I can imagine,” he murmured, before reminding her: “And you did your best to keep me out of the investigation.”
“Because you have your own life and career. Nothing could have shown me anything plainer than when I woke up one morning and found you’d left me without saying a word.” She held up her hand as he opened his lips. “I know, top secret. Most of the time I can accept it. But this time for some reason it hurt, and it brought home that maybe I don’t have the stamina for that kind of relationship. One thing became crystal clear: I can’t keep running to you to solve my problems.” She smiled wryly. “But here you are. So it seems I’ll have to deal with handling it later.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do. I do have to warn you that I’ll be preparing battle strategy, but I can hold off for a little while.” He leaned back on the bench. “In the meantime, it’s a beautiful day and we’ll try not to worry about what’s going down with Dee until tomorrow. We’ll talk and have dinner with Olivia, and I’ll tell you what I can about Tibet.” He reached out, and his fingers gently touched the hair at her temple. “And then you’ll let me hold you until it’s time for us to leave. No sex. No pressure. You don’t need that right now. I just want to be with you. I’ve been looking forward to that since the minute I got on that plane for Tibet. I figure we can leave here at three in the morning and be at Pershing Square in L.A. by six. Sound okay?”
“It sounds very unusual for you.” She looked at him curiously. “But very much okay.”
“I was afraid of that.” He sighed. “I’m being sensitive and trying to demonstrate a complete lack of clumsiness. But now I can’t get out of it even if I wanted to.” He chuckled. “And I don’t.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Now should we take Harley around the dog park one more time before we head back to the condo?”
* * *
Next Day
Kendra and Lynch arrived at Pershing Square shortly before 8:00 A.M., their journey delayed by hordes of journalists and fans lining the downtown streets.
Lynch cursed. “Crazy. This is what happens when you project your ransom note in letters eight feet high.”
Kendra looked at the barricades lining the sidewalks in front of the Hill Street jewelry stores. “The kidnappers knew it would happen. They planned for this.”
“Planned what?” Lynch said. “All of L.A. knowing I’m carrying a suitcase packed with twenty million? How the hell is this going to work?”
“We’re about to find out.”
Pershing Square, an elevated concrete park in the heart of downtown, was now surrounded by police barricades. After a uniformed officer checked off their names on a printed list, he ushered Kendra and Lynch up the dozen short steps that would take them to the main plaza. Kelland was there with a dozen FBI agents and over fifty uniformed police officers. No one seemed to have any purpose, except for a small group of officers surrounding an armored car in the middle of the plaza.
“Glad you could make it,” Kelland said. “Lynch, our command center is in the tent on the other side of the plaza there. We’re going to put you in a Kevlar suit.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Kelland frowned. “We’re not letting you make the drop without some kind of protection.”
Lynch patted his jacket. “I’m already wearing my own protective suit. Custom-made for me in Abu Dhabi. It’s made of Dyneema, much stronger and more flexible than Kevlar.”
“I’ve heard about it.” Kelland nodded approvingly at the clothing. “Ever been shot wearing that?”
“Twice. And only a cracked rib and a nasty bruise to show for it.”
“We’ll give you a helmet.”
“No, thanks.”
Kendra rolled her eyes. “Take it, Lynch. This isn’t the time to be worried about helmet hair.”
“Trust me, I wear the mussed-up look exceedingly well. I just don’t want anything interfering with my hearing or sight lines.”
Kelland shrugged. “Your choice.”
Kendra glanced around the plaza. “Have we heard anything from the kidnappers yet?”
“Not a peep.” Kelland checked his watch. “Eight thirty is still twenty minutes off, so they may wait until the last possible second.”
Lynch looked up at three news helicopters buzzing around the plaza, then at onlookers watching from offices and building rooftops. “How in the hell are we supposed to get instructions?”
“Kidnappers’ problem.” Kelland motioned for them to join him in walking toward the blue tent on the plaza’s far side. “We’ll be here at the appointed time with the specified cash.”
“We saw the armored car,” Kendra said. “I take it that belongs to Noah Calderon.”
“Yep. He and his security men are already in the tent. My guys are drooling at the sight of all that money. They’ve taken down some major drug lords, but I don’t think any of ’em have seen that much cash in one place before.”
They ducked into the tent and were immediately greeted by a row of six monitors cycling through views of and around Pershing Square. Agents wearing headsets staffed consoles in front of the monitor bank.
Several other FBI agents stood around a coffee-and-Danish station, while others just stared at the stack of cash on a folding table.
“Good morning, Dr. Michaels.”
Kendra turned to see Noah standing in the corner of the tent. Jessie stood next to him.
“Good morning, Noah,” Kendra said. “You seem awfully chipper for someone who’s about to put twenty million dollars on the line.”
Noah shrugged. “All for a good cause.” He extended his hand. “Mr. Lynch, I understand you’ll be custodian of my money. I knew I could trust you the moment I met you.”
Lynch shook his hand. “That’s the plan. But there’s no guarantee it’ll still be your money at the end of the da
y. My job is to hand it over and stay alive.”
Noah nodded. “And hopefully get Dee back.”
“That’s up to the kidnappers,” Jessie said. “Who really thinks we can trust these people? They’ve already murdered three men.”
“No one here trusts them,” Kelland said. “But if Lynch and that pile of money can draw them out, we’ll be better off than we are now.”
Kendra turned back toward the cash, which was being closely guarded by two uniformed employees of the armored car company. The men sported identical mustaches, and for some reason Kendra found that bizarre under the circumstances.
She looked from one to the other. “Does the facial hair come with the uniforms?”
Neither man smiled.
“Tough crowd,” she murmured.
Lynch looked at the money, separated into neat stacks and bound by blue paper bands. “Unmarked, nonsequential, untraceable?”
“Absolutely,” Noah said. “You wouldn’t believe what a pain in the ass it was to get that much cash without at least some of the serial numbers being consecutive.”
“Pardon me if I don’t tear up for you,” Kelland said sarcastically. “The Bureau regrets putting you to such bother. May I remind you that you’re the one who offered to help keep Delilah alive.”
“And I’m here, aren’t I? I don’t deserve your rudeness, Kelland.” Noah picked up a stack of thousand-dollar bills and rifled through it. “They specified that it must fit in a container one by one by two feet. So they obviously don’t mind big bills.”
Kelland picked up a black leather satchel and handed it to Lynch. “You’ll carry it in this unless they instruct you otherwise.”
Lynch looked inside the empty bag and felt its sides. “No tracking devices in here, right? They were very specific.”
“No trackers,” Kelland said. “But our agents will have eyes on you from rooftops all over the downtown area.”
Lynch handed the satchel to another agent, who began loading the money into it. “Good. Because there’s about a hundred thousand other people out there who will also be watching me. And thanks to that projected ransom note, they all know I’ll be carrying twenty million dollars in cash.”
Metcalf ducked into the tent, holding a tall cup of coffee. “Don’t tell me the great Adam Lynch is getting cold feet.”
“Assassins and soldiers of fortune have never worried me. Greedy mobs are another matter entirely. I’ve seen riots break out over free doughnut giveaways. I can only imagine what twenty million will do to people.”
Metcalf smiled as he watched the cash being packed. “You’ve been in tough spots before, Lynch. I’m sure you’ll work your way through this one.”
“Now I am worried, Metcalf.” He smiled crookedly. “I’m not used to hearing words of encouragement from you.”
“Be afraid. Be very afraid.”
Kendra checked her watch. “It’s almost time. Any guesses how they plan to communicate their instructions? Skywriting? Dropped leaflets? Another PowerPoint?”
“Some of the cops outside were taking bets when I came in here,” Kelland said. “If you want a piece of that action, I’d hurry.”
“Racketeering concerns aside, I’ll pass.”
“Your choice. I got twenty dollars on a messenger service delivery. I just hope that—What the hell!” His gaze was on two LAPD cops escorting someone through the crowd outside and then into the tent. “Surprise. Surprise. What’s he doing here?”
It was Congressman Matt Dalborne, Kendra realized, and he looked very sheepish as he made his way across the tent toward her. “I apologize for getting in the way like this.” He turned to Kelland. “I thought my presence might help to keep the media at bay while this circus was going on. Instead, thanks to the LAPD I seem to have become a part of the circus. Just tell me where to stand to keep out of your way.”
“It’s a little late,” Kelland said sharply as he pointed to a corner. “And I won’t appreciate it if politics has anything to do with you showing up here.”
“Absolutely not,” Dalborne said quietly as he obeyed the order. “I just wanted to help. Kendra will tell you that I was at that concert when Delilah was taken. We’d already formed a bond at the school. This shouldn’t have—”
Kendra’s phone rang. She looked at her screen, and the caller ID lit up: DELILAH SAYS HI.
Jessie gasped. She’d seen it, too. “They spoofed the caller ID display.”
Kendra held up her still-ringing phone and showed it to everyone in the tent.
“Shit,” Dalborne murmured.
Kelland snapped his fingers and pointed to Kendra’s phone. One of the techies said, “We’ve got it. We’re recording.”
Everyone else had fallen silent.
Kendra answered the call and hit SPEAKERPHONE. “Hello.”
“Hello, Kendra Michaels.” The low, masculine voice sounded heavily synthesized.
“Who is this?”
“I have Delilah Winter. That’s all you need to know.”
Kendra spoke in an even tone. “How do I know you’re who you say you are?”
“We left her bracelet at the cemetery. We could have left her ring. The silver one that has ‘forever’ engraved inside. She’ll be wearing it when we return her to you.”
Kendra glanced at Jessie, who nodded her confirmation.
“You’ve killed three people. How do we know you haven’t killed her?”
“You’re just going to have to trust me.”
“Not good enough.” Kendra held the phone closer to her mouth. “We have your money, but we’re not authorized to give it to you without proof of life. You need to do better than a couple of her trinkets.”
A long moment of silence.
Noah looked nervously to the FBI agents. He looked as if he was about to speak, but Lynch held up a hand to silence him.
The caller finally responded. “What do you propose?”
“Put her on the phone.”
“Not possible.”
“Right now,” Kendra insisted. “Or the twenty million goes back into the armored car. It’s a beautiful sight, believe me. It’s a lot to kiss goodbye. Work with us.”
The caller paused for a long moment. “You drive a hard bargain, Dr. Michaels.”
“A reasonable bargain. We need to know she’s alive.”
“Give me a question for her.”
“Excuse me?”
“A question for dear Miss Winter. Something that only she can answer. Something that will prove to you that she is very much alive.”
Kendra looked at Jessie and held the phone in her direction.
“Answer me,” the caller demanded impatiently. “That’s as far as I can go.”
Jessie quickly stepped forward. “The one thing Dee was afraid of when she was a little girl. She had nightmares about it. Tell us what that was.”
“Interesting. One moment.”
The line went silent, as if it had been placed on mute. A few seconds later, the caller returned.
“She says it was an orange ceramic cat in her mother’s bedroom. It had green eyes, and it terrified her.”
Jessie looked to Kendra and then the others. She nodded.
“Okay,” Lynch said. “How do we get the money to you?”
“To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?”
“My name is Adam Lynch. I’ll be bringing the money.”
“Very well. There’s a trash receptacle just outside your command center. An LAPD officer standing next to it.”
“You’re watching us?” Lynch asked.
“The whole world is watching. CNN has a particularly good angle right now.”
“Good to know.”
“Bring in the contents of that bag. You’ll need something in there.”
Metcalf bolted out through the tent’s opening. “I’m on it.” He returned in less than fifteen seconds and dumped the contents out into the middle of the tent. There were several empty coffee cups, empty paper bags, and half
a dozen cardboard food containers.
“What are we looking for?” Lynch asked.
“A dark blue zipper pouch.”
Lynch found the pouch and unzipped it. It contained a small cell phone and a wired earpiece.
“Put the phone in your pocket and insert the earpiece.”
Lynch did as he was told. A moment later, the phone rang and the earpiece lit up.
“Tap the button on your earpiece.”
Lynch tapped the button.
“Do you hear me in the earpiece?”
“Yes. Loud and clear.”
“Good. Leave your own phone, weapon, and any tracking device right where you are. You’ll soon be scanned. If you’re detected with a tracking device, Delilah Winter will pay the price. Do you understand?”
Lynch pulled out his phone and semiautomatic and laid them on a nearby folding table. “I understand.”
“There must be no one following you or walking with you.”
“Got it…”
“Good. Then walk north on Olive to Fifth Street. I’m transferring you to someone else for the remainder of the transaction. The others will also be leaving the conversation at this time.”
Kendra’s phone went dead.
Lynch grabbed the money satchel and took one last look back at the group.
Kendra moved toward him. She’d seen him in some of the most dangerous situations imaginable, but for some reason she’d never been more frightened for him than she was at that moment.
Lynch gave her a reassuring wink. “It’ll be okay.” He looked toward the group and patted the satchel. “Anyone want coffee? I’m buying.”
He ducked out of the tent.
Typical Lynch. Trying to defuse her worry with a wink and a quip.
It didn’t work.
Kendra whirled toward the monitor bank. “Do you see him?”
One of the techies nodded. “Yep. We’ll be able to follow him on almost any downtown street.”
Kendra joined the others around the monitor bank. “Come on, Lynch,” she whispered to herself. “Make the damn delivery and get your ass back here.”
* * *
“Turn left.” It was now an entirely different synthesized voice in Lynch’s ear.