by Cassie Miles
Chapter Eight
At ten o’clock the next morning, Tess stood at a bay window in a sitting room at the front of Pierpont House. She looked out at a garden area that was probably gorgeous in the springtime. Even now, in the dead of winter, the grounds were attractive with a light snow tracing the rose bushes and the bare branches of trees.
Leaving the window, she sat in a Federal-style chair with gold-and-black upholstery and mahogany arms. As she sipped perfectly brewed coffee from a delicate china cup, she counted the ways that she’d violated proper business procedures.
Number one: There wasn’t time this morning to stop at the office to brief Trudy on the day’s events, and Tess was carrying all the information about the Zamir dinner in her briefcase.
Number two: She’d brought Joey along with her to an appointment. After Stacy met her in the foyer, they’d trekked through the mansion to a cheerful playroom near the kitchen where the preschool twin girls and Stacy’s autistic son were being watched by the twins’ mother and her new husband. Joey didn’t mind being dropped off; he loved playing with new friends.
Number three: Like it or not, she was involved with Nolan. Close personal relationships with clients and their staff counted as a huge breach in professional behavior.
Even worse, Tess was about to break another rule. She intended to step outside her role as event planner and ask the governor personal questions about Bart’s son. What was she thinking? It was vital to make a good impression with Lila Lockhart. If Tess performed well on this event, her career could really take off.
The smart thing would be to keep her mouth shut and do her job to the best of her ability. But Lila might have the answers. Saving Bart was more important than anything else.
She crossed and uncrossed her legs. In spite of the chilly weather, she’d worn a gray suit with a tulip skirt and black pumps. At least she was dressed like a career woman.
When the door opened, she placed her cup onto the saucer and set it on the wood-inlay coffee table. She popped to her feet, straightened her spine and fixed a polite smile on her lips.
It was Nolan. The sight of him sent a rush of excitement through her. He closed the door behind him and sauntered toward her. “At ease, soldier.”
“Are you saying that I look tense?”
“You look great. Nice necklace.”
“Thanks.” The old-fashioned silver locket engraved with her initials had been a gift from Joe.
He took a seat in the matching chair opposite her. His muscular body seemed too big for the spindly-legged antique. “I wanted to be here when you talked to Lila about Bart. I’m not going to say much, but I’m a good listener.”
“You might have to sit through another in-depth discussion of menus and table arrangements,” she warned him.
“I can handle it.”
His easy grin surprised her. All day yesterday, he’d barely cracked a smile. Last night, he’d loosened up over dinner, and now he seemed positively relaxed.
His upbeat attitude relieved her. After she’d declared her undying love for Joe, she’d expected Nolan to back away from her so fast that he tripped over his own feet. Instead, he seemed even warmer toward her. Or was he? The man was hard to read, not just because of the ever-present dark glasses and the strong, silent attitude. There was something intriguing about him, something that made her curious, something special.
Her gaze calibrated the breadth of his shoulders. He was wearing the same navy crewneck sweater as last night. The button-down collar of his shirt and cuffs were white, just like last night. He must be one of those guys who found an acceptable outfit and wore it like a uniform.
“I met Wade Coltrane,” she said. The twins’ father had welcomed Joey into the playroom with open arms. “He’s more of a cowboy than you.”
“Wade grew up in Freedom, Texas.”
“Have the other men from CSaI arrived?”
“The gang’s all here. Coltrane will be overseeing security here at the house. Not a difficult assignment. A lot of high-risk individuals stay at Pierpont House, so the place comes with a security contingent. It’s a fortress.”
“I know.” Joey had been thrilled when they pulled up at the gate, and he saw the armed guard. “They checked my credentials before they’d let me inside.”
“There’s bulletproof glass in the windows and security cameras watching the perimeter. Even a panic room where everybody can hide in case of assault.”
There had been a number of threats on the governor and her family. “I thought the danger to the Lockharts had passed. Are all these precautions necessary?”
“Being prepared is better than the alternative.”
Governor Lockhart swept into the room like a petite blond cyclone with Stacy following in her wake. The governor’s energy was amazing, even more so because she’d had surgery, donating bone marrow to her grandson, less than a month ago. Before the door closed, she was already talking. “Thanks for coming over on short notice, Tess. I just had a few teensy-weensy details that I wanted to make sure you were aware of.”
In a choreographed greeting, she shook Tess’s hand and turned to Nolan. When she reached up to hug him, her sharp blue eyes stared into his sunglasses. “Any news on Bart?”
“Actually, Lila, we were hoping you might help us out on our investigation.”
“We?” She glanced back and forth between them. “I didn’t know you two were acquainted.”
Tess spoke up, “Our connection is Bart. Over the years, he’s been a good friend to both me and Nolan. More than a friend, actually. If it wasn’t for Bart, I don’t know how I would have survived my husband’s death.”
“Bart Bellows is a good man to lean on.” She sank onto the sofa, crossed her legs and gave Stacy a nod. “Would you please adjust my schedule? I’m going to take as long as needed with this conversation.”
“Absolutely,” Stacy said as she exited.
Tess liked the no-nonsense way the governor did business. “I appreciate it, ma’am.”
“Call me Lila. I insist. Now, how can I help?”
“We’re looking for anything you can remember about Bart’s son,” Tess said. “It’s likely that Victor is responsible for taking his father hostage, and they’re probably in this area. Nolan tells me there’s nothing in the military or civilian databases that gives any kind of clue as to where Victor might be or why he’d do this to his father. Your personal recollections might provide a lead.”
“I’ve only met Victor a couple of times,” Lila said.
“Could you tell me about the first time?” Tess asked. “Anything you can remember.”
“It was over twenty years ago, just after Bart’s wife passed away. I was a young mother. Oh my, that was so very long ago.” Absentmindedly, she played with her diamond cross necklace. “Bart thought it might be good for his son to experience the wide-open spaces at the ranch.”
“Was he having problems with Victor?”
“He was a difficult kid. Brooding and silent, but when he started talking, he wouldn’t stop. My daughter was a tiny pixie with bright blond hair. You couldn’t help loving little Bailey, but Victor got really mad at her when she touched his things. He shouted at her, told her she was a bad girl.”
“Did Bart discipline him?” Tess asked.
“You bet. Bart wouldn’t stand for rude behavior. Victor’s nanny wasn’t so strict.”
Tess went fishing for a lead. “Do you remember the name of the nanny?”
“Her first name was Roxanne. I remember because of the Sting song by that name. Roxanne. She was a hot little number, a redhead. I had the impression that she was more interested in becoming Bart’s second wife than in taking care of his son. I don’t think Victor liked her.”
“Why?”
“He played tricks on her. When they went riding, he spooked her horse and she could have really been hurt.”
“Roxanne’s last name?”
“I don’t know.” Lila shook her head. “I remember f
eeling sorry for Victor. He was almost a teenager. That’s a rough time for anybody. And he’d lost his mother.”
There was something in her tone that made Tess think there was more to the story. “What about his relationship with Bart?”
“I love Bart,” she said firmly. “He’s a man of action. Tough, strong and a patriot to the core. But he’s not the world’s greatest dad. After his wife died, he threw himself into his CIA career and was gone for long periods of time. I was always grateful that my late husband put family first.”
“I’ve noticed,” Tess said, “that Bart isn’t big on giving hugs. But I thought it was because of the wheelchair.”
“Oh my no, he’s never been a touchy-feely person, and he seemed extra reserved with his son. Once, I saw him put his arm around Victor’s shoulder, and the boy cringed like he’d been hit. He didn’t want to be touched.”
“Do you think Victor was autistic?”
“I don’t know about that,” Lila said. “But I’m pretty sure that boy was traumatized when his mother died.”
Tess was developing a mental image of Bart’s son. As a preteen, he was sullen and angry. He missed his mom and resented his dad. Not a pretty picture, but not unusual.
Nothing Lila had said thus far explained Victor’s violent criminal behavior. When he kidnapped Bart, he’d set an explosive at a day care center. He’d murdered Bart’s driver. Nolan had told her that his military record showed acts of cruelty that would have resulted in a dishonorable discharge if he hadn’t been presumed missing.
She asked, “Did Victor have problems in school?”
“He was smart as a whip but a terrible student. Bart ended up putting him in a boarding school, and that seemed to work well. Bart bragged that his boy spoke half a dozen languages and was headed for a career as a nuclear scientist, and then it fell apart.”
“What happened?”
“I’m not sure of the details,” Lila said. “In Victor’s senior year, he and some of his pals got into a feud with some of the other boys. There were fights. And a building got burned down.”
“Burned?” Nolan questioned. “Were explosives involved?”
“All I know is that five boys, including Victor, were expelled. That was when Bart pressured his son to join the army.”
Tess looked to Nolan. “Do you know anything about that school?”
“It’s in Bethesda, not far from here. Might be useful to visit there and locate some of Victor’s old gang.”
She knew that they were both thinking the same thing. Victor’s penchant for explosives might have started young.
Lila snapped her fingers. “I remember something. Just after basic training, Bart came to the ranch with Victor. Long story short, he injured himself in the barn. Nothing serious, but I called the doctor to come to the ranch and stitch him up. Dr. Leigh is a very perceptive man.”
“What did the doc have to say?” Tess asked.
“Plenty.” Though they were the only people in the room, Lila lowered her voice. “He warned me to steer clear of Victor Bellows and to keep my kids away from him. Dr. Leigh said that Victor had a hair-trigger temper and couldn’t be blamed for his actions.”
“Couldn’t be blamed?” That was an odd way of phrasing a warning. “What does that mean?”
“I’m not real sure,” Lila admitted. “The doc wouldn’t tell me anything else because it violated doctor-patient confidentiality. You know what I’m thinking? I should have discussed Victor’s behavior with Bart, should have made more of an effort to tell him that there were real problems.”
“Do you have Dr. Leigh’s phone number?”
“Stacy can get it for you.” She looked toward Nolan. “Was it Victor who almost blew up my daughter’s day care center?”
He nodded. “I don’t think he meant to kill anybody. He was using the bomb as a diversion so he could grab his father.”
“All those babies were in danger,” Lila said. “If I’d sat down with Bart and made him see that his son was violent, things might have been different.”
“It’s not your fault,” Tess said quickly.
“I’m not blaming myself. Lord knows, I’ve got enough to repent.” She exhaled a sigh. “That’s just about all I can think of that might be useful. If anything else occurs to me, I’ll let you know.”
Nolan rose from his chair, came toward her and patted her shoulder. “Thanks, Lila. You gave us some leads to work on.”
“You keep me posted.” She turned to Tess. “Now, are we ready to talk about fruit cups and ice sculptures?”
“Of course.”
The rapid change of topic threw Tess off guard. She juggled her laptop, purse and briefcase. As she lifted the briefcase onto the coffee table, the file folder containing the information on the Zamir dinner slipped out. The contents cascaded across the carpet.
“Oops.” She dropped to her knees to gather her papers. Fortunately, she kept most of her data on her laptop. There wasn’t all that much clutter, only a couple of seating charts, a guest list and calligraphy samples that might be used on invitations and place cards.
She reached for a scrap. Her elbow bumped the coffee table. Her dainty coffee cup skittered toward the edge. In a frantic grab, she caught the saucer before it spilled. “It’s okay. I got it.”
Damn, damn, damn. She’d gotten through the difficult talk with Lila unscathed. They’d even bonded. Now, Tess felt like a total klutz. Could she possibly be more unprofessional?
Nolan squatted beside her and helped her. He held a sheet of paper and stared at it. “What’s this?”
She glanced at a list of names. Mrs. Zamir’s penmanship was impeccable. “A guest list.”
He pointed. “Do you know these people?”
“I’ve met some of them. This isn’t the first time I’ve worked with the Zamirs.”
Lila spoke up. “Do you know the Zamirs? That oldest daughter is a real beauty. A little wild, though.”
Tess wasn’t surprised that Lila knew them. Saudis and Texans shared a common interest in oil. “I’ve planned several events for Mrs. Zamir. I even found an importer for their chai tea that—”
“Tess.” Nolan snapped her name. He held the guest list under her nose. “Do you know this man?”
She read the name and shook her head. “Greenaway? That doesn’t sound familiar.”
He bolted toward the door. “Don’t leave. We need to talk.”
Chapter Nine
Nolan held himself together until he’d stumbled into the corridor outside the sitting room and closed the door. A tidal wave of tension and fear crashed over him. He braced his back against the wall to keep his knees from buckling. Greenaway was close, so close that Tess knew his name. She was in danger. And Joey, too. If anything happened to them…
“Hey, man.” Coltrane sauntered toward him. “You look like roadkill. Are you okay?”
“You should be watching the kids,” he snapped. Security should be tighter. They should call in a battalion to protect their families.
“I needed a break,” Coltrane said. “There’s only so many tea parties that a man can take.”
“It’s not safe.” Even though Pierpont House was a fortress of brick and bulletproof glass, they were under threat.
Coltrane tilted his head to the left and squinted into Nolan’s eyes. “Something’s up. Are you going tell me?”
Nolan fought his anxiety. His head throbbed. He rubbed the tips of his fingers against his temples as he willed himself to be calm. The situation called for cool, direct action. Panic would get him nowhere. “Do you remember the name Jessop mentioned? Greenaway?”
“A contact of Wes Bradley. Big-time distributor of opium and illegal weapons in Afghanistan. What about him?”
“He’s closing in,” Nolan said. “He’s been keeping an eye on Tess Donovan.”
“The party planner? Joey’s mom?” Coltrane was obviously surprised. “How does a nice lady like her get connected to an international sleazeball?”
“Through Bart. He’s a close friend of hers.” He caught his breath. “Bart referred Lila to Tess.”
“And now she’s in as much danger as the rest of us,” Coltrane concluded. “She and Joey need to stay here where we can provide protection.”
“Correct.” He was grateful that Coltrane needed no further convincing. There wasn’t time for explanations.
“What do we do next?”
“I’d like to mount a full-scale assault, but I can’t risk losing Greenaway or calling attention to us.” He recalled the heinous details of Greenaway’s threats in Afghanistan. His small band of brothers in CSaI didn’t have the man power or the influence to effectively pursue. “I’ll turn my information over to Omar Harris at the CIA.”
“We play it low-key but maintain high alert.”
“Exactly.” Nolan’s headache faded to a dull thump. He was beginning to think more rationally. They were already on their way toward finding Victor, and he suspected from the conversation he’d overheard at the Zamirs’ that Victor—using his Wes Bradley alias—was a part of this plot. “We focus on locating Victor. I got a couple of leads from Lila.”
Coltrane bobbed his head in a quick nod. He was a dark, muscular, good-looking guy—as smart as he was handsome. “Tell me where to start.”
“Victor had a nanny named Roxanne after his mom died. See if you can find her last name or the service she worked for. And he went to a boarding school in Bethesda.”
“That’s close to here.”
“And I’m hoping some of his old school buddies might still live in this area. They had a gang that was responsible for burning down a building. Victor might have stayed in touch with one of his former friends.”
“I’ll contact Amelia back at the office. She’s a genius when it comes to tracking down the impossible.” Coltrane shook his head. “Burned down a building? Sounds like young Victor was a hell-raiser. How could Bart’s kid turn out so bad?”
Nolan remembered Lila’s comment about the doctor who said it wasn’t really Victor’s fault. Dr. Leigh was the lead he’d follow up on immediately. Prying confidential information from a doctor would be a whole lot easier than convincing Tess that she and Joey needed to stay at Pierpont House.
