Countdown

by Carey Baldwin

  They were miles offshore.

  There wasn’t another vessel in sight.

  And Lilly Parker had a test to take.

  A little game of do you trust me?

  He didn’t trust her, not after she’d asked him about Pamela Jean and then less than an hour later the cops had asked him the same question. And certainly not after that mystery package she’d received by messenger today.

  On the one hand, he smelled sisterly collusion.

  On the other, Lilly seemed to be genuinely in love with him, despite the fact he’d thrown her over for her sister. Tonight was designed to tell him whether she truly wanted to be with him or not, and more specifically, if she trusted him.

  If she did, he could manipulate her, and that meant she’d be more valuable to him alive. He could use her to reel in Rose—the big game fish he was truly after.

  But if Lilly didn’t trust him, the plan was too risky.

  He’d have to get rid of her now and find a different way to get to Rose.

  A boating trip was the perfect opportunity to disappear Lilly forever—should the need arise.

  Yes.

  This black water diving expedition had been nothing short of a brilliant idea.

  Besides, it was supposed to be an amazing experience. Tommy had it on his bucket list. Not that he would be kicking it anytime soon. He planned to live a very long and healthy and rich life. Too bad neither of the Parker sisters would be joining him on that journey.

  Their loss.

  Their call.

  He’d been quite willing to bring them along for the ride.

  Twins raised by a con man.

  So very interesting.

  “If you want to back out, Lilly, I’ll turn the boat around. I don’t want you to do anything you’re not comfortable with.” Even as he made the offer, he killed the engine. “It’s just that I was thinking this might bring us back—I mean—closer together.”

  It was hard to read her expression in the dead of night, and it was far too early to tell if she’d be making the return trip with him.

  “N-no.”

  The telltale stutter.

  Lilly was nervous.

  Which was right, unless it was for the wrong reasons.

  “Perfectly normal to be anxious about a black water dive. I’ve heard even the most experienced divers get sweaty palms their first time.” He unzipped his dive suit to his waist and stuck her hand on his bare chest. “Here, feel my heart.”

  Such a delicate little hand.

  Such crushable little bones.

  His heart was roaring in his chest, feeding off the adrenaline of anticipation.

  She looked at him, her eyes luminous, her lips parted. “Tommy . . .”

  “You see. It’s natural to be afraid. But that’s the whole point, my sweet. If we’re ever going to be able to move past this terrible thing that’s split us apart . . .”

  She jerked her hand away. “We broke up because you married my sister. That’s what split us apart. And you still haven’t told me the truth about the trouble between you and Rose. That’s what is keeping us apart.”

  “Then we must turn around. It seems you really don’t trust me at all.”

  “I—I’m not going to lie.”

  We’ll see about that.

  “I don’t fully trust you. After everything that’s happened I don’t believe any sane woman wouldn’t have her doubts. But I do want to believe in you. That’s why I agreed to go through with this. You have to understand it’s hard for me to trust anyone. Or have you forgotten I was raised by a con man?”

  “No dear, I haven’t.”

  “Do you know where that expression con man comes from?”

  “I do. Con is short for confidence. In order for any con to succeed, the perpetrator must be able to gain the confidence, the unconditional trust, of the mark.” He reached out and touched her cheek. “Are you conning me, Lilly?”

  Her skin, already pale under the moonlight became almost translucent. “Are you conning me?”

  He took hold of her hands. “I love you, Lilly. It’s always been you. Even when I was with Rose, you were all I could think of. I’m going to ask you a question and I want you to think long and hard before you answer. Do you still love me? Did you ever love me?”

  He watched her throat as she swallowed. He’d always been fascinated by her tall, slender neck.

  The wind picked up, gently swaying the boat beneath them.

  “I—I tried to stop loving you, for Rose’s sake. But, I don’t think I ever truly succeeded.” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Still . . . I . . .”

  “You don’t trust me.”

  “I want to.” She squeezed his hand. “So badly. But I don’t know how to anymore.”

  “Then let me help you. Let me show you exactly how safe you are in my care.”

  By the end of the evening, he’d know how much Rose had revealed to Lilly. If Lilly knew everything, and if she believed everything Rose had told her, she’d never get into the water with him. She’d be too terrified of him to put her life in his hands.

  And she’d be right.

  “Are you ready, darling?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then it’s time to put on those flippers.”

  She struggled with them, and he helped her, rubbing his hand along the inside of her thigh to remind her of the pleasure they’d shared. “I’ve missed you so,” he whispered.

  Tied into an iron rung underneath the boat was a heavy rope. He lifted it out of the water and secured it around Lilly’s waist. Her whole body trembled as he pulled the rope tight, and her fear caused his blood to expand. The thought of her failing his test and what he would do to her after excited him, but he tamped his eagerness down. It would benefit him more if he could keep her alive long enough to use her to lay a trap for Rose.

  We shall see.

  “Are you going to be tied up, too?” He thought he could read dread in her eyes.

  “Yes. We’ll both be tied to the boat as a safety measure.”

  She looked down at the pitch black of the ocean. “It’s so dark.”

  “That’s what makes this experience so special, so beautiful.”

  “But shouldn’t we have brought someone along to stay up top with the boat? What if the boat crashes into something while we’re underwater?”

  That would be the regular way to do it, yes—to have lots of watchful eyes onboard, ensuring the safety of the divers.

  But this wasn’t going to be a regular dive.

  “We’re in the middle of the ocean. There’s nothing to crash into. It’s only a short dive. I want to keep you underwater just long enough for us to regain the trust we’ve lost in one another. Ten minutes in the depths of the ocean. No one around but you and me. We’ll have no one else to rely on but one another. Unless, you don’t want us to find our way back to where we were before Rose’s interference.”

  “What if I don’t know what I want? I—I’m scared.” She stepped away from the edge of the boat.

  He steered her toward the ladder. “This may be your first night dive, but it’s not that different from a day dive, and I know you’ve done those before. I’ve double-checked all the equipment, particularly the air cylinders. Get your mask and regulator in place.”

  She did.

  “Ready?”

  Before she had a chance to indicate yay or nay, he lifted her by the waist and tossed her overboard. He had to laugh at the way her arms flailed in terror. He observed the dial on his watch, letting her drown in her fear for a full minute. The rope sank deep in the water. There was no way she could find her way to the surface in the dark. He debated how long he could leave her and still give her a sporting chance to prove her trust.

  This was too delicious, but hardly a fair test if he waited any longer. He secured his own equipment and guide rope, then climbed carefully down the ladder and let himself sink deep. With his underwater flashlight he located her tether. He tugged it, pulling
her to his side. Then he shut off the light, and grabbed her hand. They were weightless, floating beneath the boat in the blackest depths of the ocean.

  This was what an out-of-body experience must feel like.

  It was as if he were watching himself, watching her.

  Her head and her white, white neck—the only not-black things in the universe—appeared detached from her body.

  As if she’d been beheaded by the night.

  He signaled her with his hand and aimed his light beneath them.

  Soon, bioluminescent creatures came into view. Ghostly creatures lighting up the sea, spewing forth the skeletons of the fluorescent plankton that nourished them. Some might call it creepy. But Tommy had never felt more a part of the universe than he did at this moment.

  The power of life and death was in his hands.

  Never had he felt more like a god.

  Chapter 27

  Sunday

  Heritage Townhomes

  Papeete

  Tahiti Nui

  The only word that fit Lilly’s modest townhome, with its tiny tiled kitchen and thickly coated green walls was quaint. Tommy had never been fond of quaint. Though it had been a relief compared to the orphanage, he’d lived for the day he could move Heather Preston out of that “quaint” little dump of hers.

  He poured two cups of coffee and settled them on a tray along with the hot buttered croissants he’d prepared. After drying his hands on a striped cotton dish towel, he tossed it into the trash. This place was beneath him and beneath Lilly, too. Which made it all the more pitiful that it was going to be her last known address.

  He strode into the bedroom with his offering of croissants and coffee.

  “Good morning, my love. Did you sleep well?”

  She looked quite fetching with the soft rays of an early sun side-lighting her pale skin. He smiled at the memory of last night and how the skin between her legs was the fairest of all.

  “Last night was wonderful.” She stretched like a lazy cat.

  “It was good for me, too,” he said.

  He sat on the edge of the bed, and lifted a croissant to her mouth. “Try this.”

  She shook her head. “I’m never hungry in the mornings. Did you forget?”

  He let the bread drop back onto the plate and then carefully set the tray, coffee and all on the floor. Ungrateful little bitch. He was trying to make her last morning special, pampering her. Hand feeding her like a pet, and she didn’t have the sense to be grateful.

  Fine.

  She didn’t deserve it anyway.

  He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “Thank you, Lilly.”

  “For what?” She smiled and threw her bare legs over the edge of the bed, nearly kicking over the coffee cups.

  “For giving me another chance. I’ve been thinking all morning, while you were sleeping, about what we talked about before.”

  “About Rose.”

  “Yes.” He caressed her cheek. “I think we can make the case to the police that if I’m willing to forget she shot me, they should, too.”

  “You really think they would?”

  “Why not? The whole jail break incident makes them seem completely incompetent. I heard the deputy has been suspended from duty. I think we might even argue that Rose could sue them for sexual harassment. The officer in question took her out of the cell and plied her with liquor. He made drunken advances, and she had no choice but to flee.”

  “You’d do that for Rose?”

  “I’d do it for you.” He took her by the shoulders. “But only if I have Rose’s word she’ll stay away from us from here on out.”

  “She’s my sister.”

  This argument was getting old, but it was only for show so he might as well give in.

  “All right. But she has to convince me she’s not dangerous, and that she won’t interfere with us.”

  Lilly jumped out of bed. “Let’s call Inspector Brousseau right now. I have his card in my purse.”

  He took her by the wrist. “Not so fast, Lilly. I have to speak to Rose face to face.” He sighed. “If only we had some means of contacting her. We need to set up a meeting.”

  Her arm went limp in his grasp. He was absolutely certain that package he saw being delivered contained a message from Rose. He doubted she’d entrust Lilly with SADIE, but whatever else was in that package, along with it, he’d bet Rose had left instructions for getting in touch with her.

  “Lilly, after everything we’ve been through together. After last night, I think I’ve earned your trust.”

  She nodded. “You’re absolutely right.” Then she padded, deliciously naked, from the room.

  While she was gone he stroked himself into readiness. Might as well give her one last hurrah.

  She returned with a cell phone and placed it in his hand.

  “What’s this, then?”

  “You said you wanted to set up a meeting with Rose.”

  He continued to play dumb. “I’m afraid I still don’t understand.”

  Lilly sat on the bed beside him. “This came by messenger yesterday, right before you called about going on a dive. The phone is programmed with her number. I’m supposed to text if I’m in trouble.”

  She was definitely in trouble.

  He snatched it out of her hand. “I’m going to set up a meeting with Rose and then hang onto this for you.”

  “I’d rather text her myself.”

  He turned his back. “If you want me to fix this up for your sister, you’re going to have to convince me you trust me. That last night wasn’t just a game. For all I know you and your sister are pulling one big con on me.”

  “Tommy, no.”

  “Then I keep the phone.”

  She hesitated, but only a moment. “Okay, you can hold onto it for a little while. Will you set the meeting today?”

  “I’ll do it right now. Nature calls me, darling, but when I come back I expect you to be waiting right here.” He patted the bed. “Don’t put a stitch on.”

  She lay back on the bed and smiled. “I’ll be ready.”

  He hustled into the bathroom and shut the door.

  Powered up the prepaid cell phone and texted the only name in the contact list: Anna.

  Anna it’s me.

  Your loving husband.

  I have your sister.

  If you want to see Lilly alive again, head for Tahiti Iti now.

  Bring the thumb drive and any copies you’ve made.

  I’ll text you further instructions when I please.

  Be prepared to move quickly.

  If you don’t do exactly as I say, Lilly dies.

  Chapter 28

  Sunday

  Hôtel De Plage Dauphin

  Tahiti Nui

  Gretchen took a seat on the couch next to Dutch, and her hand brushed his arm in the process. Dutch’s face flushed at the accidental touch, and Gretchen smiled at Caitlin.

  Gretchen and Dutch.

  It was soon after his wife’s death, but with time, he might be ready. Caitlin couldn’t blame Gretchen for laying the groundwork while she had the chance. And frankly, there was no one more suited for Dutch than Gretchen. Tall, beautiful, brave—and as a fellow agent, she’d understand the demands of his work.

  “It’s six hours until the I do’s, folks, are you sure you want to talk micro memory cards?” Gretchen asked.

  Spense grinned. “I’m pretty sure six hours is a lifetime in dog years.”

  And that was just one of the reasons she loved him. Funny and charming and every bit as curious as she was about what was on that card. The good night’s sleep she was supposed to have gotten last night had been sacrificed to wondering about the mystery clue.

  “All right, then gather round,” Dutch said and positioned his laptop on the coffee table to give everyone maximum viewing access.

  He clicked on an untitled folder and the contents showed one file: SADIE.

  Caitlin blinked at the screen trying to remember why Sadi
e was pinging in her head. It only took a moment before it came to her. “Sadie is the name of Tommy Preston’s biological mother.”

  “We know,” Dutch answered. “And SADIE is protected, but it only took about an hour to get in. I’ve got a full file on Preston from the Riverbend Sherriff’s office that includes personal and professional intel. Password is Vader@RB!.”

  “As in Darth Vader?” Spense put his hands behind his head.

  “As in Preston’s dog. You gotta love a man who loves his dog.” Dutch typed in the password and a jumble of numbers, letters, and symbols appeared on the screen. “But you see the problem.”

  “Once we got in, we encountered multiple layers of encryption,” Gretchen said. “It’s well protected. And it’s going to take some time to extract all the data, but from what we can tell so far the information consists primarily of account numbers. Most likely tied to offshore banks and shell companies.”

  “Looks like you handed us a doozie of a case for the financial crimes squad. My guys and dolls in Dallas are on it already,” Dutch said.

  Dallas was the nearest field office to Riverbend, so the ball was in Dutch’s court now. This was no longer simply a case of a bride shooting her groom. This appeared to be a potentially major case, falling under Dutch’s jurisdiction. It was up to him if he wanted to share any more information with them from here on out.

  “Wait a minute,” Spense said—he had that aha look on his face. “Heather Preston mentioned Tommy owned a number of small businesses. You got the list?”

  “Yeah. Laundromats, a car dealership, campgrounds, a restaurant . . . and that’s just the beginning. Anything strike you as interesting about that list?” Gretchen asked.

  Caitlin had to admit it didn’t, but Spense was about to come out of his seat. “Cash transactions.”

  She wondered if she had the same bewildered expression on her face that Spense had worn yesterday as he stared at the ladies’ compact in his hand. It seemed everyone in the room knew something she didn’t. “What am I missing? What’s so special about cash transactions?”

  “When you put them together with offshore bank accounts and shell companies? A lot. Businesses that take in a lot of cash can be quite useful to a certain segment of the population—cartels, the mob, those kinds of folks. Their dirty money can be put through a legal enterprise and then handed back to said individual or organization. Usually for a hefty fee on the part of the ‘cleaner.’”