Royal Target

by Traci Hunter Abramson

  “How close am I?” she asked Levi, who was tracking her movements through the car’s antitheft system.

  “Take your next left. Your ride is waiting in a clearing about two hundred yards away.”

  She whipped around the corner, skidding to a stop a mere twenty feet from the waiting Navy helicopter. Grabbing her cell phone, she ran to the vehicle, lowered her head, and hurried to climb inside. She took a seat and strapped herself in, pulling her headset into place as the helicopter lifted off of the ground.

  “Do you have the last known location?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” The pilot’s voice came through the headphones. “ETA five minutes.”

  * * *

  Lauren O’Donnell sat quietly in the chateau library, feeling as helpless as King Eduard and Prince Stefano appeared. Tim had left just minutes after Garrett drove off, and Lauren was trying desperately not to think about the possible outcomes. She didn’t want to intrude at such a difficult time, but the silence was driving her crazy. “I can’t believe we haven’t heard anything.”

  King Eduard stood rigidly in the corner of the room, but he turned and gave a brief nod in agreement. With a glance at his watch, he turned to Stefano. “Garrett should have been here by now.”

  Lauren immediately averted her eyes to the floor. She didn’t know where Garrett was, but she knew that he had called Tim and asked him to meet him somewhere. She had been battling with herself whether or not to disclose this.

  From across the room, Stefano picked up on her body language. “Do you know where he is?”

  “I don’t.” Lauren shook her head. “But . . . I don’t think he’s coming back to the chateau. He asked Tim to meet him somewhere.”

  “Where?” King Eduard demanded.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know.”

  Before the king could press further, Martino opened the door, his eyes wary. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but the guests have started to arrive.”

  “We’ll be in shortly,” King Eduard informed him.

  “Father, you can’t be serious,” Stefano insisted anxiously. “We can’t go forward with the luncheon. What if we get a call from the kidnappers?”

  “We can’t let our guests know that anything is wrong.” The king moved to the door. “Take a few minutes to compose yourself. Then I expect you to come downstairs and entertain our guests. If anyone asks, your mother and Garrett aren’t feeling well and won’t be able to attend today.”

  As soon as he left, Lauren turned to Stefano. “How can he be so calm?”

  “He isn’t.” Stefano sighed. “But he’s right. We have to appear as though nothing is wrong. It’s all we can do right now.”

  Chapter 35

  The limousine was abandoned on the side of the road. Janessa instructed the copilot to relay the coordinates to the local authorities as the pilot continued onward. The road wound through the trees for several miles before there were any crossroads. Calculating that the kidnappers could only be about fifteen minutes ahead of them, the pilot conducted a wide sweep to look for any vehicles.

  When they found none, he continued forward again following the main road.

  Anxiously, Janessa stared out the window, hoping and praying that she would see something that would point them in the right direction. She sighed, wishing she were back at the chateau watching from the security room. She had dreaded watching the single women trying to gain Garrett’s attention at the luncheon, but she would trade that scenario for her current situation in a heartbeat.

  At least she had the satisfaction of knowing that Cynthia Renault had been taken off the guest list after lying to the press about her relationship with Garrett. Still, Janessa expected that Isabel Dumond, the museum director’s daughter, would have been at Garrett’s side for the entire event.

  Her eyes narrowed as she thought of Isabel. What if she, and not her father, had orchestrated the thefts? With Lord Tratte and Pierre Dumond in custody, everyone was assuming that they had apprehended everyone involved except for the woman who had been with them at the meetings with Alberto Manero. If Isabel really was guilty, one of the men who had attended the meetings was still at large along with her.

  Janessa pulled the mouthpiece of her headset to her lips. “Can you patch me through to the security office at the chateau?”

  “Just a moment,” the copilot said. He instructed her on how to switch to the external frequency, and a moment later she was speaking with Levi.

  “I need to speak with Prince Garrett.”

  “It will take me a minute to get him up here,” he told her. Janessa could hear him place the call to summon Garrett to the security office.

  Nearly two minutes passed before Levi came on the line once more. “Prince Garrett isn’t here.”

  “What do you mean he isn’t there?” Janessa asked, panicked.

  “He never returned from the caterers.” Frustration sounded in Levi’s voice. “I’ll call his cell phone and run a trace on his car.” He paused for a moment and then said, “Wait a minute. Prince Stefano just got here. He wants to talk to you.”

  Stefano’s voice came on the line. “Where are you?”

  “In a chopper, searching the area near the abandoned limo. Do you know where Garrett is?” Janessa asked, afraid to think of where Garrett might be right now. She closed her eyes, praying for guidance, wishing for some way to solve this nightmare before anyone got hurt.

  “We don’t know. Apparently Tim is with him, but my father is not happy that he went off on his own,” Stefano admitted. “Janessa, please tell me what I can do to help get my mother back.” His voice was pleading, and she could hear him struggle for control as he spoke again. “Please.”

  The sincerity in his voice forced her back to the task at hand. “Can you find out from Pierre Dumond who his daughter Isabel hung out with? Also see if he knows whether she was often gone on Tuesday nights.”

  “You think Isabel was using her father’s access codes?”

  “I do. It’s possible that she’s the woman who was meeting with Manero.” Janessa kept her eyes on the ground below.

  “Keep this line open. I’ll call right now,” Stefano agreed quickly.

  * * *

  Garrett’s Porsche screeched to a stop in the parking lot at the naval base. He was barely out of the car when he saw Tim approaching with Commander Dan Peters. “Are you ready?”

  Dan nodded. “We have everything you asked for. But I still don’t understand why you’re so sure the kidnappers would take her out to sea.”

  “It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Garrett responded as he fell into step with the two men as they headed for the dock. “There are too few roads leading out of Bellamo for them to think they could get away. The best way to slip past the authorities would be by boat.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Tim said as he stepped onto the speedboat Dan had prepared.

  “Do we have any idea where Janessa is?” Garrett asked as he followed Tim aboard.

  “You haven’t told her what you’re doing?”

  “No. I want her as far away from the action as possible.”

  Dan shook his head, silently communicating his disapproval. “Last I heard she was on a Navy helicopter. They’re searching the road where we lost track of your mother’s cell phone signal.”

  “What about the limousine?” Garrett asked.

  “It was abandoned.”

  “Let’s go then,” Garrett said, moving to take the wheel himself. He started the motor as the other men cast off the lines. With a prayer in his heart, he headed out to sea, hoping that logic would combine with inspiration to help him find his mother safe and sound.

  * * *

  “We’re here, Your Majesty.”

  Marta struggled to open her eyes against the bright light spilling into the back of the van. Her hands and feet were bound, and a gag prevented her from responding.

  The man she recognized from the caterers moved forward to release the bands on her feet and then pu
lled her from the van. He held her up as voices drifted toward them.

  “Are you sure about this?” a woman asked. “Shouldn’t we keep her alive until after we get the money?”

  “Don’t worry,” a man answered. “We’ll have the money before you get clear of the tourist traffic anyway.”

  “Call me when the funds are transferred,” the woman replied. “As soon as I receive your call, we’ll finish up the job.”

  The voices were vaguely familiar, but Marta didn’t think about that now. She struggled against the man holding her arm, reality closing in on her. They were going to kill her. No matter what money was paid, her fate had already been sealed. Knowing that she was fighting for her life, she nearly managed to break free as the man dragged her down a gangplank to a waiting sailboat.

  “That’s enough now.” The man gripped her arm harder, and Marta yelped with pain. “Things will be a lot easier on you if you cooperate.”

  She dragged her feet and tried to scream, but the gag muffled the sound. The heel broke off one of her shoes as she struggled futilely to stop her forward motion. Clearly frustrated with her, the man finally gripped her around her waist to carry her on board. Marta kicked her feet but only managed to catch her foot on the dock’s railing.

  “That’s enough!” the man roared at her. He set her down on the deck of the sailboat and took both of her arms to give her a good shake. Impatiently, he dragged her through a doorway and down a flight of stairs. Her eyes didn’t have time to adjust to the darkness before she was pushed into a room below deck.

  The queen’s eyes widened with terror when the woman came into view holding a syringe.

  The expression on Isabel’s face could only be described as smug as she spoke. “You’ve caused enough trouble.”

  Marta whimpered as she again tried to struggle free. Her fight took on a new urgency as Isabel moved closer, but none of her efforts could stop the needle from sliding under her skin. The drug took effect immediately, and Marta’s vision blurred until there was nothing but darkness.

  Chapter 36

  Eduard sat in the parlor, his head in his hands. The last of their guests had left shortly after three, finally concluding the longest luncheon he had ever attended. Now that they had survived the pretense that all was well, there was nothing to do but wait. He hated waiting.

  Stefano stood by the terrace doors, staring out at the road. Lauren sat across from the king, quietly waiting for any news. No words of comfort were spoken, as none would be accepted. Silently, they each uttered their private prayers. Only time could give them what they wanted, just as time could steal that which was most precious. No more calls had been received from the kidnappers, but Eduard had instructed that the money be available for when the time came to negotiate.

  Never before had Meridia paid a ransom, and that precedence warred within him now. No amount of money was more important than his wife’s life. If it came down to a choice, Eduard was afraid he would be the first to pay.

  For thirty-five years, Marta had been his anchor. She worked tirelessly each day, always putting his well-being and the happiness of their sons above all else. So many times she had been his sounding board and his voice of reason when he had a significant decision to make. This was the first time since he had ascended the throne that he had been faced with a crisis without her by his side.

  The fact that one guard had been killed brought home the very real fact that the kidnappers didn’t place a high value on life. Even now, Enrico was fighting for his life in the local hospital. According to the latest report, the doctors were still trying to determine if surgery would be necessary to relieve the pressure building up on Enrico’s brain.

  Hurried footsteps sounded in the hall, and Martino rushed into the room, a telephone in his hand. “Your Majesty,” he said as he held out the phone.

  Eduard took the phone, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. “Hello?”

  “Fifty million dollars,” the voice said. “You will wire transfer the funds to the Grand Cayman National Bank.”

  Eduard picked up a pen and scribbled the account number down on a pad of paper. The voice was being electronically distorted, so there was no way for him to identify the speaker. “I want to speak to my wife,” he finally said. “I need to be certain that she is okay.”

  “Pay the money or she dies. You have four hours.”

  Eduard slowly held the phone out as the line disconnected.

  “Well?” Stefano asked urgently. “Is she okay?”

  “I don’t know,” Eduard said wearily. “I just don’t know.”

  * * *

  The helicopter circled around a series of crossroads. Janessa could feel time running out, and she felt helpless as she kept her eyes on the ground searching for anything remotely suspicious. She was trying to keep her thoughts positive, but if they didn’t find the queen soon, they would have to deal with the ransom demand. She knew what the percentages were on successfully negotiating the release of hostages, and she didn’t want to entertain the possibility of being on the losing end of those numbers.

  Knowing that Garrett was out there on the water looking for his mother made it that much more difficult for her to concentrate. Levi had informed her that Dan Peters was with him, but Janessa would have preferred for him to be safely back at the chateau. With a prayer in her heart, she continued to stare at the terrain below.

  Stefano’s voice came back on the line, frustrated and impatient. “Pierre Dumond couldn’t recall any specific friends that Isabel has associated with consistently over the past few years. All he could tell me was that she is gone almost every evening, including Tuesday nights. He also said she has been doing a lot of sailing lately.”

  “Sailing,” Janessa repeated, her memories tumbling over one another. “So Garrett has the right idea. The kidnappers may be trying to get away by boat.”

  “Hold on a minute. Levi wants to talk to you,” Stefano interrupted.

  A moment later Levi came on the line. “I think we’ve got something. A ransom call came in. We traced it to six miles southwest of your location. I already notified the local authorities. They will stop any vehicles in the area.”

  “Got it.” Janessa quickly switched frequencies and gave the location to the pilots. Switching back, she spoke to Levi once more. “Have you heard from Garrett?”

  “He hasn’t checked in for some time. I’ll call his cell phone and give him an update.”

  “Thanks.” Janessa shifted forward eagerly. Below her she could see two police cars racing along the street. She pressed a hand to the window as the helicopter made a sudden turn and a plain utility van came into view. Excitement and trepidation coursed through her as the pilot found a spot along the road where he could land. He maneuvered to bring the helicopter directly in front of the van, effectively blocking its path.

  The driver slammed on the brakes and made a sudden U-turn. The van traveled only fifty yards in the other direction before a police car cut it off. The second police car pulled up right behind the first, and the officers quickly drew their weapons and moved to secure the driver.

  To Janessa’s surprise, a woman was pulled from the van, but it wasn’t Isabel. Instead, it was a woman Janessa remembered from the caterers, presumably Elina Lumere. Janessa pushed open the helicopter door and approached the van with the naval officer that had been sitting beside her. She glanced in the front of the van to find it empty. She then moved to the back as one of the policemen yanked open the rear doors. Janessa stepped forward, stunned as her eyes swept over the interior. She closed her eyes against what she saw. Nothing.

  She moved forward to look for any sign that the queen had been inside just as her cell phone rang. She answered it to find Garrett on the other end.

  Garrett skipped any preamble and immediately asked, “Did you find her?”

  “Garrett, she isn’t here.” Weariness filled her voice as she looked once more at the empty van. “I’m so sorry. The driver was one of the women wh
o worked for the caterers. We didn’t come across any other vehicles when we were flying overhead. I don’t know where she could be unless they took her by boat.”

  “I’m already out on the water looking for her.”

  “I think Isabel Dumond may have been the woman meeting with Manero. If I’m right, she’s who we need to find.”

  Determination filled his voice. “I’ll find her.”

  * * *

  “How can we tell which one it is?” Dan Peters asked, looking out over the half dozen sailboats currently in view. He had taken over the boat’s controls ten minutes before so Garrett could focus on the boat traffic unhindered.

  “It’s not that one. There are kids playing on the deck.” Garrett shifted his binoculars to study the other nearby boats.

  “Only those two are flying Meridian flags,” Tim commented as he studied two boats to their starboard. One was cutting across the little bay, and the other was angling toward the open sea.

  Garrett pointed toward the one moving out to sea. “Head for that one.”

  Dan turned the wheel and increased speed. Beside him Garrett inhaled sharply.

  “What’s wrong?” Tim asked.

  “I think that’s Isabel.” Garrett continued to study the thin woman at the wheel with her dark hair streaming out from underneath a ball cap.

  “Then that’s the one.”

  * * *

  “We should have heard something by now,” Roberto Lumere said anxiously as he came topside. He still wasn’t sure he should have agreed to this kidnapping scheme. It was one thing for him and his wife to use their jobs with the caterers to switch forgeries for real paintings inside the royal chateau, but the prospect of being involved with the queen’s death was quite another matter—one that left his stomach queasy.

  Isabel glanced down at her watch. “Maybe your wife decided to skip out with the ransom.”

  “That’s not funny.” He scowled. “We have plans for our share of the money.”