Vengeance: An Action-Adventure Novel (A Jon Steadman Thriller Book 3)

by Nellie Neeman

  “Where’s the drop?”

  The woman told him.

  Luanne looked at the GPS. “No way we can make it in thirty minutes.”

  The negotiator said, “You don’t have to. I’m not recommending the Davises follow this plan. I had told Theo that when the kidnapper calls, to stall him, but he lost his nerve. He was scared he’d never hear from the guy again. Big mistake. Now I’m encouraging them to wait till the guy calls back and negotiate a better arrangement.”

  Jon asked, “Why? He’ll be infuriated at that point.”

  “No choice. He wants the money left in a drop box. Said he’ll be watching and that once he’s free to count it, he’ll give Lizzy’s location. It’s too risky.”

  Jon said, “Go ahead with it.”

  Silence. Then, “I can’t in good conscience tell the Davises to do that. The perp can easily take the money and run. He’ll have no incentive to divulge where the girl is. Do you understand what that could mean?”

  Luanne heard the strain in Jon’s voice. She watched as he glanced at Oakley who sat silently beside him, his face a mask of apathy. Jon said, “I do, ma’am. But I have a trick up my sleeve.”

  Luanne heard the negotiator let out a deep sigh. “You had better be super confident of it, Agent. A nine-year-old’s life is on the line. And you’ve just placed her survival squarely in your hands.”

  ***

  Tahoe City Marina

  The marina was deserted in the winter months. Making it a perfect spot for the money drop. Gerard lifted the binoculars to his eyes, focusing them on the black Range Rover pulling into the parking lot. Slowly he scanned the surrounding area. No one else around. The Davis guy was following his directions to the letter. Two million. It would afford him a sabbatical of sorts. Time off from the rigors of his regular wet work. Funny, when he’d entered university he would have been thrilled to one day earn a hundred grand a year. Now he was using his God given talents instead of the useless ones he’d learned at school, earning twenty times that. He was glad he thought to ask for cash instead of a money transfer. There were risks, but the one thing Franklin Oakley had taught him was never to trust computers. Anyhow, what could compare to cold hard cash? The impending money drop excited him, reminding him of the old spy films he loved in his youth.

  Gerard watched as Davis got out of the car and retrieved a duffle from the backseat. He rapidly walked toward the pier keeping his head forward as instructed, seemingly desperate to find the wooden crate with an attached red ribbon that Gerard had described on the phone. He hoped the guy would find it already. He needed to keep things on schedule. The kid would be rousing soon and he wanted to be long gone by then. He’d given her a small dose of morphine, which was why when she last woke, she hadn’t felt her broken leg. It kept her from screaming in pain. Once the Ketamine and drugs wore off, that would change. Without a phone or a literal leg to stand on, she wouldn’t get far. Still, despite the remoteness of the cabin, her cries could attract the attention of any wayward hikers, and he didn’t need to take any unnecessary chances. He would keep his word and give the parents their daughter’s location. Once he was at a safe distance. With his money. He was nothing if not a fair man.

  ***

  Jon, Luanne, and Oakley sat in the car a half mile up the road from the marina. It was fifteen minutes after the scheduled drop. Jon turned the phone to face Oakley. “Where’s the kidnapper?”

  As Oakley reached out for the device, Jon pulled it back.

  “No way you’re holding it. Tell me what to do.”

  “You won’t be able to do it yourself. The interface doesn’t work like a live app.”

  Jon’s eyes narrowed. “Find a simple way or I’ll leave you here on one of those dinghies without your legs.”

  Luanne grimaced, but Oakley started talking

  Jon followed the instructions. “Is he the flashing yellow dot?”

  Oakley nodded.

  ***

  Ring, damnit! His heart in his throat, Theo repeatedly glanced at his phone. He drove past Jon’s car unaware his son was only yards away. When his phone rang, he grabbed at it. “Davis.”

  “You did well, Mr. Davis. Allow me to reiterate. If anyone tries to stop me from getting the bag, you will never learn where your daughter is. She’ll die alone wondering why her parents never came to save her.”

  Theo swallowed the lump in his throat. “No one will stop you. Where’s my daughter?”

  “I’ll call once I’ve counted the money.” He hung up.

  Theo wasn’t accustomed to others manipulating him. The emails to expose his misdeed had made him bristle, sparking a righteous anger. This time, despite the extortion, he was eager to meet the lunatic’s terms. He had to bring Lizzy home. No matter what the price. Even if the cost was his life.

  Chapter 51

  Lake Tahoe

  Gerard zipped the duffle, placing it in the backseat footwell of the Chevy SUV emblazoned with the U.S. Forest Service brown and white logo, and got back behind the wheel. He had always been a fan of hiding in plain sight. All the money was there. He intended to leave town once he counted the cash, then contact the Davises with their daughter’s location. But cooler heads prevailed. He knew who he was dealing with. Franklin Oakley was a computer genius. Surely, among his significant talents was the ability to track peoples’ movements. He kicked himself for not thinking of it sooner. He knew both SIM cards and the handsets could be traced. It wouldn’t matter if Oakley was tracking him. Oakley was no threat to him. Unless he was working with the Feds. Though unlikely, Gerard was a cautious man. He had stayed alive and out of prison for one reason only. He was paranoid.

  Gerard took several turns, frequently looking in the rearview mirror. It was the moment of truth. He half-expected to be followed, which was why he was driving away from the kid. Satisfied no one was tailing him, he pulled up to a convenience store and click-locked the SUV. He didn’t want to leave the money unattended, but the task would only take a couple of minutes, and no one would break into an official vehicle. Keeping an eye on the car, he entered the store and purchased two disposable phones and a SIM card. Back in the car, he jotted down several phone numbers from his working phone, then pulled on to the road. When he reached Donner Pass, he lowered his window and tossed out the device.

  It was time to get the kid. He wanted her off his hands. The sooner the better.

  ***

  “What’s my next turn?” Jon, Luanne, and Oakley had left the marina and were following the yellow dot into town.

  Luanne checked the app. “Oh, no!”

  Jon asked, “What’s wrong?”

  She tapped frantically at the phone’s screen. “It’s gone.”

  Jon's voice bordered on panicked. “What do you mean? Did the battery die?”

  “No, the yellow dot. It’s gone.” She instinctively looked around. They’d reached a small downtown area with ski rental outfits and boutique shops. There were several cars nearby but she knew the one they were following was a fair distance ahead of them. Careful not to be seen, they didn’t yet know the make and model.

  Jon slowed the car, unsure where to go. “Oakley, what the hell happened?”

  Other than his earlier protestations, Oakley had remained quiet on the ride down from the Reno. Including when Luanne peppered him with questions. She understood it was likely he wouldn’t talk, but it was worth a shot. She saw it as an opportunity to get solid quotes from the horse’s mouth—the most important source of her exposé.

  Oakley shrugged, then seemingly considering the consequences, said, “Let me see it.”

  Luanne hesitated. “Jon?”

  “Show it to him but watch his every move.”

  Luanne scooted over behind Oakley, the gun now in the elastic waistband of her pants. She held up the phone for him to see so he wouldn’t need to shift his body. Awkwardly, he tapped at the screen. “I need to hold it.”

  Luanne saw Jon nod and she handed the device to the hacker.

>   Oakley typed and swiped. “Gerard’s on to you.”

  Alarmed, Luanne said, “How do you know?”

  “There’s no signal at all. Best guess is he took out the SIM card.”

  Jon swerved the car to the curb, putting it in park.

  Luanne said, “What do we do now?”

  Oakley was gleeful. “Gerard’s gone. Guess you lost the kid, Steadman.”

  Jon unbuckled his seatbelt, turning to face the smug hacker. Without a word, he clenched his fist and delivered a backhanded punch making contact with Oakley’s face.

  Oakley let out a grunt turned into a deep howl. Luanne heard something snap as blood began spurting from his nose. “Jon! Oh my God!” She was stunned at the sudden violence.

  Oakley’s hands shook as he gingerly touched his face, his fingertips turning red. “You broke my nose!” His voice was nasal, stuffed with blood. Luanne saw something she hadn’t before. Oakley was deathly afraid. Of Jon.

  Jon spoke slowly as if he was placing a heavy weight on each word. “I am going to find that little girl. And you’re going to help me.”

  After a moment, Franklin said, “H-How?”

  “Use your tech savvy and figure it out. Or I swear, your nose will be the least of your worries.”

  ***

  Nicole rushed to the door as soon as she saw her husband. Haggard, his grey stubble well past a five o’clock shadow, he looked like he’d aged ten years in the last twelve hours. He was accompanied by the negotiator who had been outside the room awaiting his return. “What happened?” She looked past him. “Where’s Lizzy?”

  “The man said he’ll call back after he counts the money.”

  Fear gripped her. “What if he doesn’t?”

  The officers in the room looked anywhere but at Nicole. Only Theo met her eye. He seemed desperate to hold her, be held by her. Something in her broke and she went to her husband, his eyes widening in surprise. And anguish. When he opened his arms, it was as though he’d thrown her a life preserver. While the stoic negotiator watched uncomfortably, Nicole and Theo cried together.

  Chapter 52

  Lake Tahoe

  The atmosphere in the car was tense. Luanne had given Oakley all the tissues she had in her bag which were now stuffed in his nose. The skin around his left eye was turning purple. Luanne still couldn’t believe Jon had hit the guy. Granted, Oakley was a despicable human being. But she didn’t expect Jon to go that far. She knew if Matthews got wind of it, Jon would be cited for brutality, probably lose his job. But one thing was certain. If it came to it, she’d back him up, lie if necessary. Oakley deserved whatever he got and she wouldn’t be a party to him getting off on a technicality.

  With Jon’s okay, Luanne handed Oakley the iPad from his bag. It was easier to manipulate. He swiped and tapped it several times, then passed it back to her. “Here, I did it.”

  Jon said, “Did what?”

  Ignoring Jon, he addressed Luanne only. “The app stores the tracking history.”

  “You mean the phone’s past locations?”

  He nodded.

  “Show me.”

  Oakley pointed out where Gerard’s phone had been over the previous twenty-four hours. There were only two places lasting longer than a couple of hours. And only one had coordinates in a remote section of the Tahoe forest.

  Twenty minutes had passed since they’d lost Gerard. Luanne said, “Jon, we’re back in business. I think I know where Lizzy is.”

  Luanne heard Jon whisper, “Thank you,” uncertain if he was addressing her or some unseen force.

  “You need to call the sheriff,” she said.

  “If Gerard gets wind of a police presence he might hurt Lizzy.”

  “You can’t handle this alone, Jon.”

  “I’m not. I have you.”

  Luanne was about to argue that that wasn’t much better. In the short time she’d known Jon, she’d learned there was no point. Once he made up his mind, nothing she—or anyone—would say had the power to sway him. He would stick to the plan he had in mind. No matter what.

  To her surprise, Jon made the call, getting the sheriff on the line. “We got a bead on Lizzy Davis. Perp’s name is Gerard.”

  The sheriff’s voice boomed through the car’s Bluetooth. “How’d you get all this?”

  “I’ll explain later. Can you get a team together ready to move when I give the word?”

  “I’m on it. Give me the location.”

  Luanne did so.

  Jon added, “Sheriff, if you show yourselves too soon, Gerard will panic, act unpredictably. We can’t risk that.”

  “Understood.”

  “Have an ambulance on standby as well.” Jon paused. Then, with a catch in his voice, he added, “We never know what we’re going to find.”

  ***

  Sheriff Harding agreed with Agent Steadman’s assessment. If they came out in force too quickly, the perp would go to ground and the child would be in further peril. On the other hand, organizing a team to arrive on the scene in time required a great deal of logistics and speed. Officers on the move could easily attract attention. He hoped to balance it all successfully. Too much was on the line.

  ***

  Gerard pulled off the road. The kid was in the back footwell covered in a blanket, drugged. He’d never considered leaving her at the cabin knowing his DNA could eventually be found there. He’d taken protective measures. Ten minutes to the drop off point where he’d leave her. Then he’d be on his way and call the Davis guy to pick up his kid. A car flew by him at top speed heading in the direction from where he’d come. Unmarked. No lights or sirens. But Gerard’s gut screamed. Someone was on to him.

  Oakley.

  That sonuvabitch had led the cops to his door. Turncoat. The irony wasn’t lost on him. It was exactly why the hacker had hired him to get rid of Wang. He tuned into the police radio frequency. Roadblocks had been set up at various points on and off Route 89. There was no way to avoid them. He took a moment allowing his heart rate to normalize. Davis surprised him by allowing the law to get involved. Gerard considered turning around, dumping the kid somewhere, but only for a moment. The Feds had no information about him. He was certain of it. He looked at himself in the rearview mirror, then straightened his hat and adjusted his sunglasses. Perhaps this was a new opportunity. To learn exactly what he was now up against. And plan accordingly.

  ***

  Officer Peterson waved forward the ranger’s SUV, a growing line of cars inching up behind it. The spinning lights atop his cruiser created a dizzying array of red flashes reflecting off large puddles in the road.

  The cop eyed the driver, a middle-aged man wearing a banded, beige hat low on his brow. He gestured for the man to lower his window. “You got business out here, ranger?”

  “Yessir, that, I do.” The hint of a drawl seeped through. “On fire check duty. As you know, we can get ‘em even this time o’ year.”

  The officer leaned cross-armed on the window frame, glad to have a couple of moments to shoot the breeze. The roadblock assignment was boring as hell. “Yup. Lost a coupla houses last season. Some kids who thought the ground snow would put out their bonfire.”

  “I remember that one well. So, what’s happenin’? Didn’t hear nothin’ on the radio.”

  The officer said, “It’s being kept quiet. Child abduction. We’re on standby. Need to rule out a hostage situation.”

  The ranger frowned. “Jeez, that’s tough. Crazy people out there. Can I help? I could call someone to take my shift.”

  “Thanks, but I’m pretty sure they’re covered. They have about ten emergency vehicles already.” The cop stepped back, peering at the cars piling up, and tapped the side of the vehicle. “You’re good to go, Ranger.”

  Gerard raised the window and drove away.

  Chapter 53

  Tahoe National Forest

  A narrow, poorly paved road led to the cabin deep in the woods, swirls of smoke floating up from the chimney. Jon’s car spat up
gravel, making it impossible to approach stealthily. If Gerard was here, he’d surely heard their arrival.

  Jon told Luanne to stay in the car with Franklin while he scouted out the cabin.

  “Aren’t you going to wait for the sheriff?”

  “His team’s on standby. If Lizzy’s in there, every second counts.” He didn’t wait for her retort.

  Gun drawn, Jon checked the periphery. There was only one primary egress—the cabin’s sole door. No movement detected, though the silence could mean a variety of things.

  He was glad to have kept the sheriff’s team at bay. Their onslaught could easily lead to a hostage situation, not to mention significant danger to the child. He guessed Matthews would have played this differently, which is why he hadn’t called him with the latest update.

  Jon approached the door, slowly turning the doorknob. It wasn’t locked. Aware it could be a trap, he swiftly opened the door and dropped to a crouch. In the event Gerard was inside primed to shoot, the bullet would soar above his head.

  No bullet came.

  Because no one was there. Gerard was gone. And so was Lizzy.

  ***

  Lizzy crinkled her nose against the pungent odor, a mix of manure, hay, and leather.

  “Mommy?” she croaked, her eyelids fighting her.

  Why am I so tired? Confused, she slowly recalled waking before. The brown boots guy.

  No answer came. From anybody.

  Lizzy’s stomach growled. She was famished and her left leg was tingling. As she tried to shake it awake, the movement sparked a piercing pain. She cried out, forcing herself to stay still. Whimpering and groggy, she sensed movement near her and struggled once again to open her eyes. It was easier this time. She was lying on a bed of hay.

  As she looked up, her face was met with the giant head of a horse, its teeth bared in a comical smile. Startled, she emitted a strained scream. The horse ignored her, chewing the feed beside her, neighing contentedly. Its saddle and blanket had been tossed aside, the stall door penning them both inside. A rectangular wooden sign hung on the far wall. “Amigo,” it read. Lizzy had ridden before, was comfortable around horses and was grateful for the calm animal’s company. She put out her hand, gently petting the beast’s muzzle, then its thick, brown mane. “Hey, girl. Will you be my friend?”