"You said it got worse?"
"Oh, yeah. After he graduated, he took his crimes to a whole new level at university. Gambling, prostitution rings with university girls, more extortion."
"Wasn't Elizabeth's cousin his roommate?"
"Yeah, but it’s not clear if he was involved. He might have been the one with the political pull and money to get Watson's record expunged. Bailey is still looking into who was involved and getting a link analysis chart together. You should see how that little analyst mind just churns all of the time."
Callum gave Sam a look but did not tease. The Watson information was unnerving considering he had close and continuing contact with Elizabeth and was on the short list to be her husband.
"But here is the thing. After the explosion four years ago and Elizabeth's parents come into town, all of a sudden Watson changes his tune. There seems to be a greater effort spent on destroying his records, and taking care of people associated with his university days."
"How do you mean?" Callum felt the blood in his veins go ice cold and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end.
"One guy’s house caught on fire with him and his family in it, a couple of car accidents, and then there was one connection I made sure Edward and the Prince asked him about."
"What was that?"
"It seems General Phillips's son was a close friend of Watson's at university."
"The General Phillips that was full of Argent."
"The very one."
Callum stood up. The wooden chair legs scrapped against the stone floor. "I'm going to the meeting. Tell Edward I will meet him there. What the add . . ."
Callum was cut off by a beeping sound that came from one of Sam's computers. Sam grabbed the headphones and put them around his ears.
"Sam here."
Sam's eyes darted from the computer screen to Callum then back.
"Roger. He is right here. Yes, Sir. Roger. Sam out."
Callum felt his hands ball into fists. Something was wrong.
Sam pushed the headphones so they hung down around his neck. "Watson was not at the house when they got there. They have the police and Edward's team searching the area."
"Where's the Princess? Call Cal."
Callum moved behind Sam so he could see the computer screens. Sam cursed.
"What?" Callum asked his body on full alert.
"The cameras in her suite were never turned back on after last night." Callum wanted to rage. That was him. He put her in jeopardy because he let his feelings for her get in the way of what he should have been doing and that was keeping her safe. While Callum railed on himself, Sam pulled the camera's up, but the Princess' room was empty. Callum felt his heart leap into his throat.
"Get Cal." Callum ordered.
In a second, Cal was on the line.
"Yeah, Sam."
Callum leaned over and spoke in the mic that jetted from one of Sam's laptops. "Where's the Princess?"
"Right here. She seemed pretty upset this morning and wanted to go on a run. We are heading out the palace now."
"Stand down. Get her back in her room. Watson is missing and I think he is a direct threat to the Princess. Keep her there until I get there."
"Wait. She's already started. Man, she's fast." Callum could hear Cal's breaths come more rapidly. He must be in a full run behind the Princess.
"Cal, I don't care if you throw her over your shoulder. You get her inside. Now." Callum ground out his words as he tried to hold back his temper. He needed to keep a clear head. Watson was coming after Elizabeth. He knew that with a certainty he could not explain. Although a part of him wanted to join the search for Watson - he wanted it be the first one at the man, his need to get to Elizabeth and protect overwhelmed him. And, if he was right, Watson would eventually come to Elizabeth and Callum would be there waiting.
"I'm on my way over now. Get her inside. And be weapon ready. If you see Watson, you have permission to detain him. Understood." Cal answered in the affirmative. Callum turned to Sam. "Sam, let me know the minute that they find Watson. Tell Edward I think he is our link to Argent."
Sam nodded his head and put his headphones on as Callum checked the weapon he kept in his shoulder holster. Callum grabbed two more magazines of bullets before he ran out to his car.
Chapter 16
Elizabeth pounded the ground underneath her feet in a mind-numbing pace. She wanted to think and feel nothing but the burning in her lungs and muscle. She was done. She was done with Callum. How could he walk away. And just say good-bye. Who did that? The story about his father was touching. He definitely did not have it easy growing up. But, damn it, neither did a whole lot of other people. That man needed to get over himself. Ugh! And she said she would leave her throne for him. Was she crazy?
She looked back and saw Callum's man, Cal, running to keep pace with her. He seemed normal. Attractive man with blonde hair, muscles in all of the right places. Even smiled once in a while. Why couldn't she go weak in the knees for him? Why did it have to be some brooding man who acted like he had to write a personal check every time he smiled. Well, no more. She was done. Done. Done.
The day was warm and it seemed like the sun would peak though the clouds. Elizabeth made a turn toward the forest when she heard a loud thump. She turned and saw Cal lying on the ground. Elizabeth turned around and ran right to the young man. He was shaking and sweating as if he had a fever. She crouched down and rolled him carefully on to his back. She wanted to call for help, but she did not run with her cell phone. Victor always had one on him if they needed anything.
"Cal, can you hear me? Where are you hurt?" Elizabeth asked looking down at the sick man. He made no response. She checked his face. His pupils were dilated and his skin color was grey.
"Cal," She called again. "Cal, I need to get you help. I'm going to check you for a phone." Elizabeth padded his clothes and found his cell phone. She played with the buttons and illuminated numbers, but she could not unlock it or make an emergency call.
Shit. "Cal, I'm going to run for help. I promise I will be right back."
Elizabeth thought she saw him nod, but could not have been sure. It made her feel better thinking that he knew what was happening. She ran as fast as she could hoping to see someone that could help, but everyone was helping get the palace ready for the signing with the American later in the day. They had only gone about a half mile from the palace. Elizabeth was sure she could get him help in time.
She rounded a corner and ran past the gates into to car park.
"Elizabeth." She heard her name being called from the other side of the car park, closer to the palace.
She saw Watson, dressed in a tailored suit, and called to him. "Watson. Cal is sick. You need to call for help."
With a few strides, she came up to him. Her breath blew in and out of her lungs in rapid succession.
"Watson, you need to call someone. Hand me your phone, I will call." Elizabeth held out her hand.
Watson looked at her with a deadpan expression like he did not understand the words she said. She had never seen him like this before.
"Watson. Your phone now. He is sick and I need to get him help."
After a second, it seemed as something snapped in Watson and his blue eyes locked with hers. His lips curled into a grin that did not reach his eyes. It sent chills down Elizabeth's spine.
"Why would I send help when I was the one who made him sick." Watson spoke in a normal tone which made his words seem even more surreal.
"What?" She did not understand. Why would he joke about such a thing. An image of Cal flashed though he mind. She could deal with Watson later. She needed to get Cal help now.
She moved as if she was going to go around him, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.
"I think we should take a ride."
She struggled against him. "Watson, what is wrong? Why are you acting so strangely? Let me go. I need to get Cal now."
He ignored her and pulled her along
with him, her feet dragging along the gravel. Elizabeth frantically looked around, but did not see anyone.
"Watson, let me go now. You're hurting me." His finger-tips dug into her skin as they reached his car.
"Watson." She screamed.
He opened the car door and threw her inside. She tried to scramble free and let out a yell. Elizabeth felt the sting of the slap across her face before she realized what happened. She had never been hit before. He face stung where the back of his hand hit her cheek. A new sensation came over Elizabeth. Fear. The change in Watson was so dramatic that she was stunned. He mind told her body to move, but her body did not cooperate.
He pushed in on her. Grabbed her hips and fling her across the seat. Her hip connected with the gear shift that sat in the middle between the passenger and driver seats.
"Move." He growled. Elizabeth had never heard his voice sound so forceful.
She was forced further into the car as he crowed his body into the passenger seat. Reaching for the passenger side door, Elizabeth thought she could pop out on the other side of the car and make a break for it, but just as her hand reached the door handle she hear the click of the door locks. She was trapped.
She had no choice but to twist around and sit in the seat.
"Watson, what is wrong with you? Where are we going?"
"Somewhere we should have gone before."
Desperate, Elizabeth tried to command him to stop. "Watson, I order you to stop."
All he did was laugh. It was a spooky, guttural laugh that came from a dark place.
"You think you can order me? Its time you leaned who was in charge."
Callum swung the rental car around the corner and into the palace car park. The guards tried to stop him but darted out of the way when Callum did not slow down. He would apologize later, but right now nothing matter more than getting to Elizabeth. The gravel sprayed as he brought the car to a stop. The guards were running toward him and he could hear an alarm sounding in the distance. Callum checked his Glock and stuffed the extra clips in his pockets. As he jumped out of the car, he pulled out his cell phone and called Sam.
"Call Stefan now, and tell him to get the palace security to stand-down. I just ran the gate and they don't look happy."
"Roger that. And, Mac, Cal had not picked up in the last ten minutes."
"Geo-locate him."
It was a few seconds before Sam came back on the line. Mac felt his body coil with tension. Rule one - always answer the radio. Uncoordinated radio silence will be assumed as a distress signal.
"He is about half a mile from your location. Toward the back woods. I am sending you the location now."
Callum was already moving. Hopefully if he could find Cal, he would find Elizabeth. But, his instincts prepared him for the worst. As Callum pushed his body to the limit in a dead run, he began running scenarios in his head. He rounded a cluster of pines and heard moaning in the distance. His eyes scanned the forest trail. A man was down on the ground. Cal. Shit. Callum ran toward his teammate and friend and slid to the ground when he reached him.
Cal was pasty white. His eyes were dilated. His breathing became rapid as if he could not get enough air in his lungs. Callum remembered the man from the ballet and his heart stopped.
"It’s okay buddy. I'm here. We are going to get you help. Just hang in there."
Callum called Sam on the speed dial. His fingers shook from adrenaline and fear.
"Sam. Get someone to the location you just sent me. Now. I think Cal has been injected with Argent and Elizabeth is nowhere to be seen."
"On it."
The line went dead. Callum threw his phone down in the dirt and began CPR on Cal. One. Two. Three. Four. One hundred compressions in a minute. Callum focused on the rhythmic count as his forced Cal's heart to beat. Where the hell was Elizabeth? His eyes probed the forest around him looking for any sign on where the Princess could be.
"Come on, buddy. You just joined the team. This is not a first in, first out kind of business. You have to wait your turn to die like a hero."
One. Two. Three. His mind raced with guilt and regret. If he had never left Elizabeth. If he had never let his emotions take over. If he had never touched her. He could have kept her safe. He should have been doing his damn job instead of stealing kisses and more. One. Two. Three. Four. At the very least, Callum should be lying on the ground full of the deadly toxin instead of this kid. He continued to curse himself as he forced his weight on to the boy's chest.
Callum heard noises coming up the path. Sam must have gotten the Prince to call off the guards, because no one came around the bend shooting. At least something was working. Callum called to one of the guards.
"Do you speak English?"
"Yes." The guard answered. "The doctor is on his way."
"Do you know CPR?"
The guard nodded his head.
"Take over, and do not stop until the doctor gets here. I don't care if you hand is about to fall off. Do you understand?"
The guard nodded his head again.
The men timed the transfer so a beat was not lost. Callum watched the guard and was impressed by his compressions and form. He seemed to know what he was doing. Callum looked down at Cal whose eyes were open but not focusing on anything. He brushed back the blonde hair from Cal's forehead with the palm of his hand. Callum swallowed hard when he felt the cold, clammy skin. He brushed the boy's hair back once more than stood.
"I mean it kid. You hang in there." Callum turned to the guard on his knees beside his teammate. "Don't stop. That boy's life is in your hands."
"Yes sir." The guard said not looking up but focusing on the compressions.
There were two other guards that rounded the bend. Callum picked up his phone and walked over to them.
"Did either of you see where the Princess went? Is she inside the palace?"
"No sir." The taller one spoke in broken English. "She left with the Count."
"Who?" Callum was already calling Sam.
"Count Watson Winfield." The guard said. "He drove fast out of the gates."
The blood that ran through Callum's veins went ice cold.
Callum put the phone to his ear as he watched the guard keep Cal alive. Callum was too well-trained to go running off without knowing the direction he needed to go and get the information he needed about the target. He forced his emotions aside. Elizabeth needed a soldier not some love-crazed ex-boyfriend running round like an idiot.
"Sam. Watson has the Princess. Find him."
"Bailey is already on it. She hacked into the police camera. Unfortunately, the coverage is pretty spotty, but we do have his car, a red late mode Ferrari, blowing out of the palace gates and heading west. We pick him up again on the highway heading out the city heading northwest. Then we lost him. I'm working with Edward's team out of DC to see if we can get a drone or stalactite coverage of the area. Don't worry man, we'll find her."
Callum cursed. The doctor and other guards cleared the forest. Callum spoke rapidly to the doctor, telling him the situation. He made sure that the doctor was in touch with the physician taking care of the king. They already had a helicopter on the way with the antidote. Callum gave Cal one last look and sent a prayer up to whoever might be listening. A wave of guilt washed over him, which he quickly suppressed. There would be time for regret and guilt after he found the Princess and dealt with Watson.
Callum turned to the tall guard. "I need a car. A fast one."
The guard nodded his head and broke out in a run. Callum followed him as they headed back toward the car park. Callum ran toward the garage and memories of Elizabeth and her feisty attitude about driving the Aston filled his mind. He took a deep breath and ignored the emotions that threaten to overwhelm him.
The garage doors opened and Callum ran around and jumped into the yellow Lamborghini Superleggera. Before he closed the butterfly doors, Callum told the guard to call the police and tell them not to stop him, and to clear the streets between the pal
ace and the roads to the northwest highway.
Without waiting for an answer, Callum pulled the door closed, revved the powerful engine, and put the car into gear. He called Sam on speaker phone when he passed through the gates.
"Where are we?" Callum asked as he used his fingers on the paddle shifter and the car purred in reaction.
"We are still looking for her." Callum slammed his hand against the steering wheel. Not good enough. If anything happened to Elizabeth . . .
Sam continued. "But, we think we know where he's taking her. Bailey found reference to a hunting lodge owned by his family that is about an hour outside the city and located in the direction they are going."
Callum pushed the gas petal down as his fingers paddle shifted and he opened the car up to take the increased speed. "I'm heading to the highway. Let me know the second that you find him. We don't have a second to lose."
"Roger that. The Prince has called on the police to begin the search and Edward is retargeting his team. And, Mac . . ."
"What?" Callum could hear the tension in his voice. He needed to calm himself down. Focus.
"Victor is gone."
"How the hell did that happen?"
"Edward left him in the detention room of the Embassy, while he joined JT and Buzz to deal with Watson. He let one of his best men in charge of a team. They just got a call that they team is down and Victor has escaped."
Elizabeth. Callum saw red. If he did not contain his emotions, he would rip the steering wheel off of its column.
"Get me a location. Now." Callum ground of the words. This was his fault. If anyone hurt the Princess, even looked at her in a threatening way, Callum would take them out. He was well past the point of working about rules of engagement or how he should be acting as a soldier in a foreign country. This was his woman they threatened. Geopolitics and chess pieces aside, this was personal.
Callum hit the freeway as the city disappeared in his rear view mirror. He shifted again and sent the car rocketing down the highway. Callum sent up a silent prayer. Please let Elizabeth be safe. And God help anyone who stood in his way.
Princess Bodyguard Page 19
