Royal Target

by Traci Hunter Abramson

  “I have plans myself,” Isabel commented lightly.

  “I thought your only plans were to become a princess.”

  She shrugged one shoulder. “It takes a great deal of money to live alongside royalty. Now that the American has left, perhaps Garrett will come to his senses.”

  “You don’t really think that you can buy yourself into the royal family, do you?”

  “I don’t need to buy my way in,” Isabel said confidently. “Once the queen is gone, the royal family will need someone to play the role of hostess. With my close association with the family, I’m an obvious choice. A little more time with Garrett, and I’m sure everything will fall into place.” Her tone turned haughty. “I would love to see my mother’s face when Garrett and I announce our engagement.”

  Roberto wondered what drove her more, her hatred or her greed. “Was your mother really that horrible?”

  Her eyes narrowed, and her tone filled with venom. “She took all of my father’s money, left him to struggle to make a life for himself, and never once tried to contact me after she moved back to the United States.”

  Realizing too late that he shouldn’t have broached the topic of her mother, Roberto swiftly changed the subject. “Hurry up and get out of this tourist traffic. The sooner we make the drop, the better.”

  “Why don’t you go downstairs and get ready?” Isabel suggested. “We’ll be clear in a few minutes.”

  Begrudgingly, he moved below deck as a speedboat approached pulling a water-skier behind it.

  The driver of the other boat took a path parallel to them, and the sailboat rocked as it hit the speedboat’s wake.

  “Tourists.” Isabel shook her head. A moment later, she heard footsteps behind her and turned just in time to see a gun barrel pointed at her head. She stared at the gun several long seconds before she looked up at the man who held it. Her jaw dropped when she realized it was the man who had just been waterskiing beside them.

  The speedboat came back around with several people on board holding weapons aimed at Isabel. She could only gape at Garrett when he climbed aboard.

  “Where is she?” Garrett demanded.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Isabel attempted an innocent look but failed miserably.

  Already Garrett was headed below deck as Tim secured Isabel’s hands. A pistol in his hand, Garrett pushed open one door to reveal a stateroom. He did a quick search only to find the room empty. He then turned and saw the man down the hall only a second before a shot was fired.

  Garrett dove into the room he had just searched as bullets whizzed down the hall. He could hear a door open, and he cautiously peeked out the doorway. His eyes widened when he saw the man dragging his unconscious mother out of the room, holding a gun to her head.

  “Drop the gun and go back up those stairs or your mother dies.”

  His heart pounding, Garrett evaluated the man in front of him for about two seconds. The man swallowed hard and panic shone in his eyes. Slowly, Garrett let his gun drop and stepped into the hall with his hands spread out to the side. “I just want my mother back.”

  “Go on.” The man waved the gun in his direction briefly, his hand shaking as Garrett backed down the hall and he moved cautiously forward.

  Garrett sensed someone behind him as he reached the stairs. “Please, just let me get her to the hospital, and no one will get hurt.”

  The man shook his head, wordlessly moving forward. He dragged the queen with him, using her body to shield his own as Garrett ascended the stairs. With a prayer in his heart, Garrett stepped out into the light and moved back as the man followed him.

  Garrett didn’t worry about where Tim and Commander Peters were, nor did he take the time to see that Isabel had already been moved to their speedboat and tied up. He concentrated only on the man in front of him. The man’s eyes shifted to the speedboat as he backed up to the railing.

  “Get back on your boat, and maybe I’ll let your mother live.”

  Panic shot through Garrett as he considered what the man was demanding. “I’m not leaving without her.”

  “You don’t have a choice.” He pressed the gun firmly to the queen’s temple, the muscle twitching in his arm. A second later, Commander Peters emerged from his hiding place on the far side of the boat and squeezed off a single shot. He hit his mark, the bullet penetrating the kidnapper’s forehead.

  Before Garrett could rush forward, the man fell overboard, taking the queen with him. “No!” Garrett shouted as he raced to the side of the boat and leaped into the water after them. He saw his mother facedown in the water and quickly stroked to her side and turned her over. He wrapped an arm around her, taking the time to find that she had a weak pulse. He then pulled her to the side of the boat, leaving the kidnapper’s body floating behind them.

  “Is she okay?” Tim asked, reaching down to help Garrett lift his mother into the boat.

  “She’s been drugged.” He climbed into the boat and looked past Isabel, who was tied to a seat, instead motioning to Dan, who was now standing at the wheel. “We’ve got to get her to a hospital fast.”

  Tim helped Garrett situate the queen on the rear bench. Dan, who was already on the radio requesting a medevac helicopter, put the boat in gear and turned toward land.

  Garrett sat on the bench, resting his mother’s head in his lap. He closed his eyes, praying silently. Please let her be okay. He heard Tim move toward them, draping a towel over the queen. Garrett looked up into his friend’s eyes. “Will you give her a blessing?”

  Tim nodded. As he prepared to add his own prayers to Garrett’s, a helicopter sounded in the distance.

  Chapter 37

  The private waiting room was nearly full as King Eduard stood silently by the door. Security outnumbered the family and friends who were waiting anxiously for news of the queen’s condition as well as Enrico’s. Patrice and her family had already been informed that Enrico had a ruptured blood vessel, and they were all praying that the surgeon would be able to repair it.

  Dan Peters had taken custody of Isabel and was dealing with the task of turning her over to Meridian authorities. No one had any doubt that she would spend the rest of her life in prison, but they didn’t care about that now. Their only concern was for the health and safety of those dear to them.

  Garrett glanced across the room where Tim was sitting quietly with his wife and found himself envious of what they had together. He kept expecting to see Janessa walk through the door, but so far he hadn’t heard from her. Dan Peters had promised to bring her up to date after he finished reporting to the local authorities, but Garrett was starting to wonder if he should go outside so he could use his cell phone and call her himself.

  His thoughts were interrupted when the doctor walked in.

  “How is she?” King Eduard asked urgently.

  “She’s going to be fine,” the doctor said with relief. “I want to keep her here for a day or two until all of the drugs are completely out of her system, but she is responding remarkably well to treatment.”

  “Can I see her?” Eduard asked.

  “For a few minutes.”

  Garrett and Stefano followed their father down the hall into their mother’s room. She was sleeping peacefully, and already her color had improved from when Garrett had first found her. As Eduard sat beside his wife’s bed, Stefano tapped his brother’s shoulder and nodded toward the door. Silently they left the room together.

  * * *

  Janessa pulled into the garage, turned off the engine, and let her head fall back in surrender. They had nearly been too late. She kept going over her actions in her head, second-guessing every move, every decision she’d made since she had found out the queen was missing. She still wasn’t sure what she should have done differently, but she knew she should have done better.

  After the helicopter pilot dropped her off to pick up her borrowed car, she had swung by the hospital to check in on Queen Marta and Enrico before heading back to the chatea
u. She had missed Garrett and Stefano by a few minutes, but she had been able to see the king long enough to be assured that the queen was indeed going to recover.

  She had also spent a few minutes with Patrice, who was still waiting to see Enrico. Patrice had been informed that the surgery had been successful but that it would take Enrico some time to fully recover. Despite the fact that her husband would be in recovery for a couple of hours, Patrice refused to leave the hospital until she saw for herself that he was going to be okay.

  Janessa thought of the guard who had lost his life. Though she didn’t personally know the man, she felt the emptiness deep in her stomach that came with an unexpected death. She knew firsthand what it was like to lose a coworker in such a way, and the other guards would undoubtedly have some grieving to do in the months to come.

  Wearily, Janessa opened the car door and stepped out. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been so physically and emotionally exhausted. Guilt was still eating at her that the queen’s security had been inadequate and that Marta had managed to leave the chateau in the first place without Janessa’s knowledge.

  She started toward the door, turning when she heard a sound behind her. She turned a moment too late to prevent Eric Hennero from gripping her arm. The young councilman no longer looked interested in idle small talk about sailing. Instead his dark eyes hardened as he pulled Janessa closer. “Well, it seems you didn’t leave town after all.”

  She flashed back to her first meeting with Hennero. “It was you.” Janessa’s voice was deceptively calm as her eyes swept down to see the gun in his hand. “You were the other man meeting with Manero.”

  “Very good.” He nodded. “It seems Prince Garrett chose you for more than just your looks.” He glanced down at her left hand, and his eyebrows lifted. “Don’t tell me you really broke off your engagement over a few silly photographs.”

  “Cynthia was involved too?” Janessa asked even as she tried to comprehend her situation.

  “Not in the way you think.” Hennero let out a harsh laugh. “She was so sure you would leave if she could make you jealous that I gave her some suggestions as to how she might pull it off. I never realized it would work so well.”

  Terror gripped her, and she chose her words carefully. “I was a bit preoccupied this morning. I must have forgotten to put on my ring.”

  “Yes, that must have been difficult for you, finding out that the queen was gone.” Hennero nodded in understanding. He pulled her with him toward the car she had just climbed out of and reached into her purse to retrieve her cell phone. “Now, I need you to call Prince Garrett. Tell him to meet you here in the garage.”

  “Why would I do that?” Janessa shook her head.

  “Because if you don’t, I’ll kill you. Eventually I’ll get another opportunity to get to Garrett or Stefano.” Hennero’s voice softened. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. I just need some money so that I can get out of the country and start a new life.”

  “What makes you think the royal family will pay a ransom?”

  “I know the bank in Bellamo already had the money ready to pay for the queen. Prince Garrett can just go in and have the funds transferred while I keep you in the car for insurance. When my bank confirms the transfer, I’ll let you both go.” He held out the phone once more. “Now, make the call.”

  Janessa watched as he set the phone on speaker and then pressed speed dial for Garrett. When Garrett answered, she tried to keep her voice calm. “Garrett, could you do me a favor?” She continued before he could answer. “I left my engagement ring in my room this morning, and I was hoping you could run it down to me. I’m in the garage.”

  She heard a slight hesitation and hoped he realized that something was wrong. It would be obvious she was on speaker, but she could only hope he wouldn’t comment on the oddity of the request. Fortunately, his voice sounded perfectly normal when he asked, “Where are you going?”

  “I wanted to visit your mother, but I didn’t want the press to see me without my ring. You know how important appearances can be.”

  Another brief pause. “Are you going to be back in time for dinner with Mr. Rominez?”

  “I’m planning on it,” Janessa said, relief flooding through her. She didn’t know how much Garrett knew about the Rominez assassination, but she was sure now that he knew something was wrong.

  “Go ahead and pull up in front of the main entrance, and I’ll bring your ring,” Garrett suggested in a subtly commanding tone. “I’m headed out to the stables anyway.”

  “Okay, I’ll see you in a few minutes,” Janessa said and then watched Hennero end the call. She looked at him now, hoping to stall. “This family trusted you. Why would you steal from them?”

  “For the money, of course.” He laughed. “Unlike my partners, I was smart enough to take my payments in cash. If Tratte and Manero hadn’t panicked and bombed the embassy, no one ever would have known a thing.”

  Just keep him talking, Janessa thought to herself. “And the fire at the gas station?”

  “Manero was convinced someone had seen him on the night of the bombing. He was falling apart.” He motioned for Janessa to take her place behind the wheel of her car. “It was only a matter of time before he started talking.”

  “But why set bombs here at the chateau?” Janessa slid into her seat, praying for guidance.

  “You know what they say about a woman scorned.”

  “Isabel?” Janessa’s eyes widened as he slammed her door shut.

  “With some help from Tratte.” Hennero climbed into the back seat, keeping the gun trained on Janessa. “After all, we couldn’t have an American for a princess, now could we?”

  “Apparently not,” Janessa agreed numbly.

  * * *

  “It’s got to be Councilman Hennero,” Levi said as he stood in Prince Garrett’s sitting room. “He’s the only person the guards didn’t record leaving.”

  “At this point it doesn’t really matter who it is.” Garrett finished pulling on his riding boots and stood anxiously. “Are you sure those bullets will penetrate the car doors?”

  Levi nodded. “I’ve seen them work before.”

  “Are you ready?” Tim interrupted, tugging at Garrett’s riding jacket himself to make sure Garrett’s bulletproof vest wasn’t visible.

  “Yeah.” Garrett nodded, habitually picking up his cell phone and slipping it into his pocket. “I just hope this works.”

  “Me too. How good are these snipers of yours?”

  “They’ll hit their target,” Garrett said, not sure if he was trying to reassure himself or his friend.

  Tim stepped toward the door and turned back to face Garrett. “They’d better.”

  * * *

  Janessa gripped the steering wheel, her breathing coming in shallow bursts as she pulled up in front of the chateau. She closed her eyes, praying that Garrett would keep a safe distance. For the first time in her life, she couldn’t see a way out. If she refused to cooperate, Hennero would just wait until Garrett went to the garage to abduct him. With his mother in the hospital, there was little doubt that Garrett would

  use his car within the next twenty-four hours.

  He knows something’s wrong, she reminded herself. She thought of Garrett’s reference to Rominez and wondered how much Garrett knew. Rominez was the ultimate example of how the best security could fail. She prayed that this wouldn’t be one more such example. Still, the mention of Rominez’s name made Janessa feel certain that Garrett knew they were in danger.

  She looked up as the front door opened, and a new wave of panic enveloped her when she saw Garrett step outside. “No,” she whispered to herself without realizing she had spoken.

  The voice from the back seat was quiet but firm. “Just do what I tell you, and no one will get hurt.”

  Janessa watched him coming toward her. She didn’t notice his subtle analysis of the car, only the way he seemed completely at ease as he strode toward her. When he reached into his po
cket, she swallowed hard. Surely he hadn’t really brought her the ring!

  What would happen if she tried to drive away? Would Hennero be able to get a shot off at Garrett, or could she possibly get far enough away that he could flee to safety before it was too late? She reached forward to put the car in gear just as she heard her cell phone ringing.

  She gasped, and her movement stopped immediately. Her heart raced as she tried to listen for any sound from the man crouched behind her seat. He still had her phone, so she had no way of answering it, but Garrett was so close he would wonder why she didn’t reach for it. Suddenly, she realized who was calling. She turned her head back to look at Garrett, realizing that his hand was still in his pocket, the same pocket where he normally carried his own phone.

  With a subtle movement, she tilted her head toward the back seat. Garrett took another step and nodded to his right. Then suddenly gunfire erupted.

  Hennero made a strangled cry, and Janessa screamed. Garrett started forward, but Tim and Levi rushed out of the chateau, and Tim grabbed Garrett to keep him back. As Janessa pushed open the car door, Levi aimed his gun at the floor of the back seat. She pushed out of the car, refusing to look at the now lifeless body behind her.

  The moment Levi signaled it was clear, Garrett pulled free of Tim’s grasp and rushed forward to Janessa. He took her by the shoulders, his eyes scanning her as though making sure she was still whole. Then without a word, he drew her close and just held on.

  Chapter 38

  Janessa stood beside her sister’s hospital bed and stared at the new life in the bassinet beside her. A few days had passed since she’d left Meridia, but for now she tried to focus on the present. She reached down and gently caressed her niece’s tiny fingers. “She’s beautiful, Mary.”

  “I never thought I could love someone so much,” Mary said softly. When Janessa lifted her eyes to look at her, she continued. “Of course, I thought the same thing when I got married.”

  “Did you ever wonder if you were supposed to marry Kevin?”