by B A Trimmer
“No, only the city.”
“Still, it’s a good start. There’s no telling how out of date this information is, but it will definitely be useful. I assume it’s alright if I share this with Gabriella?”
“That’s a copy and she can have it. Of course, I’d appreciate it if she didn’t let anyone know where she got the information.”
“I don’t think you need to worry about that. But I should also let my old unit commander know the actual name of the Snow Ghost. That way, the records of who he is will be complete.”
“Maybe they’ll want to do something official about him. It would save Gabriella some trouble.”
“Yes, but I wouldn’t count on it. I’m sure Viktor’s fallen off their radar over the past few years.”
“I suppose. Wishful thinking.”
“I need to have the wrap-up meeting in a few minutes,” Max said. “Of course, if you’d like, you could stick around and spend the night.”
“Um, I hope you don’t think it’s too bold of me, but we’ve been drinking, and I shouldn’t drive. And, um, I did happen to bring a change of clothes.”
“Huh,” he said. “It sounds like you came over here with some ulterior motives.”
“Maybe one or two.”
Chapter Fourteen
I woke up the following day and was pleasantly surprised to find myself in bed with Max. He rolled over and gave me a wonderful hug. This soon turned into kissing, which turned into something that threatened to keep us in bed all day.
~~~~
When we finally got up, I found it challenging to put myself together without my supplies. Still, I didn’t think Max would appreciate it if I’d brought over a blow dryer and a box of products.
Maybe later.
Beatrice must have gotten up early. The kitchen was spotless, and there was a breakfast of eggs, toast, bacon, and one of the new French-roast coffees waiting for us.
As I sat with Max, sipping coffee and munching on toast, I started daydreaming. I was thinking that I could get used to this.
“What?” Max asked.
“What do you mean, what?”
“You were sitting there with a smile on your face.”
“Who, me? No, you’re imagining things.”
~~~~
Max and I both took off at the same time. I remembered Lenny had a hearing all morning, so I decided to swing by the office before heading home. I figured it would be safe to visit Sophie without Lenny there giving me any new assignments.
When I walked up front, Sophie seemed to be in a good mood. She was reading the Surfline reports, singing to herself, and tapping her hands on the desk.
“What are you doing here?” she asked. “Both of your assignments are done. I’d leave before Lenny finds some way of giving you something new.”
“I only stopped by to say hello. I’m heading to the grocery store. It’s been weeks since I’ve had actual food over at my place.”
Sophie’s head perked up. “Oh, crap,” she moaned out.
“What?”
Sophie’s eyes grew big and she stood up. “Look out the window, quick! It’s the van.”
I turned to see the white van come to a stop, double-parking directly in front of the office. The doors opened, and four serious-looking men climbed out.
“Jeez,” Sophie moaned. “It’s the Men in Black. Damn it. I knew it was them.”
She then glanced at me, looking pissed. “If they take me away to their interrogation facility, just remember, most of this is your fault for making me run all of those stupid searches for you.”
The front door opened and two men wearing golf shirts and sunglasses walked into the room. One stayed next to the door and kept watch over the room, while the second walked directly to Sophie’s desk.
“Miss Rodriguez,” he said to Sophie in a slow, monotone voice as he flipped open a case containing a very real-looking badge. “My name is Agent Anderson. I’m here to discuss your activities concerning some sensitive information you’ve had access to for the past year and a half.”
“Hey, everything I’ve done is legit,” Sophie said with a tone of defiance. “We got your secret software after we helped out the DEA with a big case. They said it would be helpful as we searched out information on the bad guys.”
The man seemed unmoved by Sophie’s explanation. “I’ll be as candid as I can be, Miss Rodriguez. We’ve become quite concerned about your use of our database. In addition to the usual searches we expected you to perform in the normal course of your employment, you’ve run several searches on members of international drug cartels and on known terrorists.”
“Well, yeah. I sometimes run across some names, you know?”
“During the course of our investigation into your activities, we’ve learned that your searches earlier this year helped local law enforcement in the confiscation of a large shipment of heroin from an international drug cartel known as the Black Death.”
“Yeah, I did help with that one.”
“A month ago, you performed a search on a terrorist known as Major Nikolay Malakov. We had him listed as being killed, a casualty of war, you might say, a little over ten years ago. As it turns out, the information we had was incorrect. It now appears as a result of the intelligence you gathered, this wanted fugitive was, in fact, turned over to the government of the United States to face justice.”
“Oh, yeah. He was a total jerk. I’m glad you’ve got him.”
“Some of your most recent searches involved an international terrorist known to us only as the Snow Ghost. It has become apparent that a man you’ve recently performed a search on, Viktor Pyotrovich Glazkov, is, in actuality, this same person. Even our own intelligence community did not make this connection until you pointed them in the right direction.
“I guess I’m just a naturally curious person,” Sophie said, trying to smile and look friendly.
“In addition, the searches you’ve performed over the last two weeks are helping us piece together the activities of a large narcotics distribution ring. This drug operation has apparently been operating for several years out of Scottsdale General Hospital.”
“Well, good. They need to be shut down.”
“Very well,” he said, sounding impressed. “We still aren’t entirely sure how you obtained these leads, but as a result of our investigation, we’ve tagged your account as a credible intelligence source. We’ll still closely monitor your activities, of course. But I’ve been authorized to inform you that you are no longer considered to be a terror suspect or a drug cartel member.”
“What?” Sophie yelled, clearly upset. “How could you think I’m a terrorist? I’m about the sweetest, nicest person you’re ever likely to meet. If you weren’t part of the government and would disappear me, I’d come over this desk right now and show you who’s a freaking terrorist.”
“Sophie,” I said, trying to calm her down. “It’s okay. They said you’re no longer a suspect.”
“Well, of course, I’m not a suspect,” she said as she flipped her hair back. “I’m not a threat to the government. I’m only a threat to people who piss me off.”
“One other item, Miss Rodriguez, you’ll need to stop looking up your old boyfriends from high school. Some might see that as a flagrant misuse of government resources.”
Sophie’s face flushed red. I thought she’d make up an excuse, but instead, she must have had a new idea. Her eyes opened wide with some sort of revelation.
“Hey,” she said to the man still standing in front of her desk. “Did you have anything to do with installing a brain control microchip in my head a couple of months ago?”
The room went silent as the two agents looked at each other. Agent Anderson was wearing an earpiece and he seemed to be listening to someone for instructions.
“I’m sorry, ma’am,” he finally said. “The government of the United States does not engage in mind-enhancing technology on civilians without authorization.”
“Ha! I kne
w it!” Sophie shouted in triumph as she looked at me. “Didn’t I say they broke into my apartment and planted a mind-control chip in my brain? You said I’d only passed out from being drunk that night. But maybe now you’ll believe me the next time something like this happens.”
“He didn’t say he planted a mind-control chip in your brain,” I pointed out.
“Yeah, but he didn’t say he didn’t. That sounds like a confession to me.”
I was about to ask the man to tell Sophie the government had nothing to do with installing a microchip in her head. But the agent was already walking out the door.
As we watched out the window, all four men got into the white van and it took off down the street. The office suddenly seemed eerily quiet.
“Damn,” Sophie said.
“What?” I asked.
“I wish Gina had been here. She’s never going to believe me.”
As Sophie sat at her desk, fanning herself, I got a call from an unfamiliar local number. When I answered, it was Roberto, Danielle’s boyfriend and bodyguard.
“Um, hi, Roberto. Is everything alright?”
“Actually, no. Things are not alright. Danielle is missing.”
Oh no.
I felt my heart sink. “How can I help?”
“I need some information from you. She said she was going to visit a friend of yours first thing this morning. Someone called Grandma. She wanted to ask her about a wedding present.”
“That would be Grandma Peckham. She’s my next-door neighbor.”
“I thought I should go with her, but she insisted on going alone. She said Grandma knew her as your cousin and posed no security threat.”
“That’s right. It’s a long story. When was the last time you knew where she was?”
“It was earlier this morning. She wanted to swing by your neighbor’s place, then she was coming to the office for a meeting. Unfortunately, she never showed up. I’ve called her cell phone, but she doesn’t answer.”
“Let me give you the address of the apartment house. I’ll meet you over there.”
~~~~
As I drove to my apartment, I called Max.
“Hey,” I said when he answered. “I don’t have any details yet, but it looks like Danielle’s missing. She was on her way to visit Grandma Peckham this morning. That’s the last anyone’s heard of her. I’m on my way home to talk with Grandma and see what I can learn.”
Max let out one of those soft sighs he does when he gets annoyed. “Thanks for letting me know about this. I can see this getting complicated quickly. Do you need any assistance?”
“Not yet, but maybe later. I’m meeting Danielle’s bodyguard over at the apartment.”
“Keep me informed. This isn’t good. Things are currently quiet between our two groups. I’d hate to think this could lead to something bigger.”
“But you didn’t have anything to do with it.”
“True, but things like this always seem to stir the pot. Everybody gets excited, and that’s when accidents happen. I’ll call Johnny. He’ll need to know as well.”
~~~~
When I pulled into the parking lot to my apartment house, Danielle’s white Camaro convertible was parked next to my beat-up old Accord.
Roberto pulled into the lot, driving a black SUV. Another man was sitting beside him. Following closely behind was another big vehicle with four men in it.
Roberto stepped out, as did his passenger. The other men got out of the second vehicle and fanned around the parking lot.
Roberto walked up to me. “Laura, this is Sebastian. He works directly under Danielle as second in command of our group.”
I shook hands with the man. I recognized him from the time I had covertly taken over as head of the group. Still, he was clearly distracted by events and barely looked at me.
“I think it unlikely that Danielle would be kept in a residence here,” Sebastian said in a thick Spanish accent as he looked up at the apartment building. “Still, we will need to search any place where she could possibly be.”
“Why don’t you both come in with me while I ask Grandma about Danielle. You can look around and see with your own eyes that Grandma Peckham isn’t a security threat.”
We walked into the building with a man trailing us. Sebastian stationed him in the atrium.
I suggested taking the stairs, and Sebastian agreed. I kept my eyes open but didn’t see anything unusual as we made it to the third floor.
“I don’t want to overwhelm my neighbor,” I said. “We won’t get good answers if there are too many of us. Would one of you mind hanging back for a few minutes?”
Sebastian motioned for Roberto to go with me while he stayed by the elevator. We walked down to Grandma’s, still keeping a lookout for anything amiss. I knocked, and the door eventually opened.
“Why hello, Laura,” Grandma said as she eyed the man standing next to me.
“Grandma, this is Roberto. He’s Danielle’s boyfriend.”
“Well, it’s good to meet you. Come on in. How is Danielle? I’m looking forward to seeing her again on Saturday.”
“That’s why we’re here. She’s missing.”
“Oh, dear,” Grandma said. “What do you think happened?”
“We’re not sure yet. She was coming over here to ask you about wedding gifts, and no one has seen her since.”
“I’ve been out most of the morning, shopping at the Bashas’ on Indian School Road, but she didn’t come here after I came back. The only visitor I’ve had today was Marlowe.” She pointed to my cat, who was fast asleep on his afghan.
“Her car’s down in the parking lot, so we know she made it that far,” I said. “She might still be somewhere in the building.”
“Was she driving a white convertible?” Grandma asked. “I saw one when I came back. I’d never seen it here before, and it was parked next to your car. I thought you might have a visitor.”
Roberto started to fidget, and Grandma read his thoughts. “Roberto,” she said as she rested her fingertips on his arm, “I don’t think Danielle could be in here, but let’s look anyway.”
Grandma led us on a quick tour of her apartment. It didn’t take us long to go through the rooms, which were all neat as a pin. Danielle wasn’t anywhere to be found.
“We’re going to go to my place next,” I said. “I don’t think she could be there either, but at this point, we can’t rule anything out.”
We said goodbye to Grandma and went back out into the hall. Sebastian joined us, and Roberto shook his head.
When we got to my door, my heart sank. The wood along the frame was splintered. From the marks, a prybar had been used on it.
Damn it.
“Someone broke into my apartment,” I said. “I don’t know if they’re still in there or not.”
I got out my key to unlock the door. But even as I inserted it into the lock, I was able to simply push it open.
Roberto and Sebastian each pulled a pistol. I let the two guys with guns go in first, and I followed behind them.
We quickly went from room to room. We searched the closets, the shower, and anywhere else Danielle could be hiding. I even looked under the bed.
We quickly found she wasn’t anywhere in the apartment. I was surprised but happy to see the damage to my place was minimal.
I was also relieved when I looked in my bedroom closet. My makeshift jewelry box on the upper shelf hadn’t been disturbed.
I should probably put my jewelry somewhere better than in my closet, like in a safety deposit box.
“Danielle doesn’t know about me getting a new car yet,” I said. “When she saw my old car in the parking lot, she would have assumed I was at home. She may not have been as cautious as she usually would have been.”
I had a sudden inspiration. “Roberto, when you last saw Danielle, was her hair up or down?”
“It was up,” he said. “She had it in a sort of bun.”
“I think I know what happened,” I said. “I�
��ve been looking into some shady activities at Scottsdale General Hospital. The men running that operation may still be after me.”
“And you think these men could have captured Danielle?” Sebastian asked.
“After they found out I wasn’t here, they must have waited for me to come back home.”
I pointed to the window, and the men looked out of it. They could see Danielle’s white Camaro.
“From the window, they would have seen Danielle come into the parking lot and get out of her car. We both look so much alike. If her hair was up, they likely would have thought she was me.”
“Yes,” Sebastian said. “What you say seems to fit with what we are seeing. Is there anything else you can tell me about this?”
“If it’s the same people, I think I might know where they’re holding her.”
I quickly described the operation that had been set up at the scrap metal business south of Curry Road. I also explained how I had previously been taken and what had happened to me.
Both men looked at each other. I could tell they wanted to act, but I could sense a feeling of frustration between them.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“We’ve run into this sort of thing before,” Sebastian said. “We have many men we can use for combat. But this is more of a hostage rescue.”
“Do you have anyone in your group with training in this sort of thing?” I asked.
“Not really,” Sebastian said. “Although kidnapping is a common tactic in our world, it is almost always a matter of wanting payment for their release. Trying to rescue someone is outside of what we normally do.”
“Usually, when it is tried, many people die, on both sides,” Roberto said. “Unfortunately, this often includes the hostage.”
“Um,” I said. “I might have a solution, but it would involve using some people out of Max’s group. Would you be okay with that?”
The men looked at each other. Roberto indicated it was Sebastian’s decision.
“I would need to discuss this directly with them,” Sebastian said. “And, we would need to be intimately involved, of course. But if they have people trained in hostage rescue, I’d be foolish not to at least listen to a proposal.”
