She listened patiently as the doors of the elevator opened and she made her way to her suite. A police officer stepped aside as he opened the door for her. His presence meant Amon was still on the run. She nodded a thank you and strolled inside, laying her purse down on the foyer table. Robert sounded excited at the prospects of meeting the president.
“Robert, you need to get busy. Your plane leaves in a few hours. The Secret Service will get you to the airport in Sacramento. I’ll see you at dinner. No. I have plenty of room here. Love you too.”
Just as she clicked off, her cell phone rang. The new Enigma phone she’d been assigned looked very much like the old one. Chase’s picture appeared then faded as he hung up. In seconds a text appeared.
“Will see your tomorrow at the White House ceremony.”
Tessa tossed the phone on the sofa. How could he anger her even with a text? She resisted calling him back. The thought of him being conscious enough to remember the promise she’d made in a moment of weakness still managed to turn her face crimson. Why had she done such a thing? For a short time the only idea she could think about was life without the captain. She would have done anything to save him, to give him a reason to live.
Well, he’d lived and remembered her desperate attempt to revive him. The humiliation of that weakness would no doubt plague her the rest of her days.
She knew he’d been released from the hospital, but didn’t ask where he’d gone. The members of the team had not contacted her. Only Dr. Wu had checked in on her, making sure she wasn’t suffering from post-traumatic stress or some willy-nilly breakdown. He’d come to her suite, ordered some muffins and made tea. He’d stayed for about an hour talking about nothing in particular. Tessa wondered if she gave him any insight to her feelings about Chase by participating in his off the cuff conversation.
To avoid thinking about the captain and his well-being, Tessa focused on her family and realized how much she missed them. Maybe they could take a few extra days to sightsee Washington. They might have to get cheaper accommodations, but it would be worth having the children see so many wonderful things.
But ultimately her thoughts wandered back to Chase. She picked up her phone and stared at it for several minutes, battling a voice inside to be careful. With the press of one button, the phone began to ring.
“Hello.” The masculine voice was warm and confident.
~~~
Chase arrived early at the White House. He told himself it was because he needed to be working. But the truth was he was anxious to see Tessa. She’d not returned to his hospital room after he’d teased her about the promise. It still brought a grin to his mouth when he thought about how anxious she’d been for his welfare. He was careful not to bring it up again when she’d called the previous day.
For the first time since they’d met they just talked, about the weather, politics and even the possibility of aliens and Area 51. Their conversation lasted ninety two minutes. It had been friendly, but not personal. Stretching out on the bed, he tried to imagine what she was doing when her soft voice came over the phone. Enigma was never mentioned or her future role there. They treaded on dangerous ground when it came to their relationship. Keep it simple, he thought. But Chase knew he was kidding himself. He wanted complicated, not simple.
He turned to Carter and Sam. “They’re here. We’ll let the Secret Service escort them up. The president is in his office waiting.”
“Should he be up?” Sam looked around the area where guests had begun to arrive.
“Dr. Kelley tried to stop him, but he wanted to give the American public the impression he was good as new.”
“Is he?” It was Carter. He too was doing the visual scan.
Chase shrugged. “Here come the Scotts.” He nodded at Tessa’s family coming through the doors. “I don’t want Mr. Scott to take notice of any of us.” His eyes went to Sam. “Especially you, Sam. He’s not lightly to forget you.”
Sam moved out of the immediate view of anyone but the team.
The Scotts entered the White House with wide eyes and excited voices. The boys had grown tall over the last year and looked a great deal like their father. Sean Patrick, although only twelve showed signs of being ready for a growth spurt. His brother Daniel wasn’t as husky as he’d been a year earlier. He too would be tall.
Chase’s eyes went to the little girl holding Tessa’s hand. She bounced happily and asked her mother question after question, which Tessa answered patiently. Her reddish brown hair was much curlier than Tessa’s and hung down almost to her waist. Her rosy cheeks and pouty mouth created a carbon copy of her mother. She swished her new taffeta dress around to make the blues waver as she walked. Chase felt his heart lurch again. Was his chest hurting because of the bruises the gunshots left or because a second female had just branded his soul?
Robert was smiling so big Chase wondered if his face would crack. He talked a little too loud to his boys, explaining about the building of the White House and how it once had been set on fire by the British. They listened attentively to him although their eyes strayed to other areas around them. Sean Patrick spotted Chase and stared without smiling. He could feel the young eyes begin an evaluation of him standing in the shadows. He did not step away to avoid scrutiny.
“Mom, who’s that?” Sean Patrick stepped from his father who had moved away to inspect a painting and pulled Daniel after him. Tessa straightened and followed the direction where her son nodded.
“Sweetie, I don’t know everyone here.” With a timid smile Tessa reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder. When did he get so strong, she wondered?
“I will find out!” Heather dropped her mother’s hand and ran to Chase, her taffeta dress swishing as she giggled.
“Heather. Stop.” But it was too late. Heather ran so fast she couldn’t stop herself and crashed into Chase’s legs. Robert turned around briefly but continued talking to his second child.
Tessa walked up to the captain feeling a nervous kind of dread wash over her. Sean Patrick stepped up beside her and reached for his sister’s hand which she jerked away.
“Bub wants to know who you are.” Heather had always called her oldest brother Bub for brother. “Who are you?”
This time Sean Patrick grabbed her hand and jerked her back. “Sorry, Sir. She’s little.”
“Am not.” Heather tried to twist her hand free, but gave up when Sean Patrick tightened his grip.
Tessa looked up at Chase’s face, pleased that the swelling was nearly gone. Even though he wore sunglasses, traces of his black eyes, turned yellow, could still be seen. A narrow white bandage striped across his nose. In a clean suit and tie, Chase looked like any other Secret Service or FBI agent.
“I’m so sorry, agent. They’re very curious.”
Chase smiled and squatted down eye level for Heather. “I’m Agent Adams.” He needed to remember that name in case it ever came up again. “And you are?”
“I’m Heather. This is my bubber. I mean brother!” She pointed to him.
Chase smiled when he saw how embarrassed the young man was at his sister’s description. He took her small hand in his and shook it. “Nice to meet you, Miss Heather.” He then extended his hand to Sean Patrick and was surprised at his grip. “So what do you think of the White House so far?”
Heather smiled. “Cute place.”
Chase laughed and stood up to meet the anxious eyes of Tessa. She was dressed in a navy suit. The typical unruly hair had been pulled back in a neck ponytail. Unable to resist a full body scan with his eyes behind sunglasses was now possible. Finally he locked onto the area below her ear where he wished he could taste. “Mrs. Scott, nice to see you.”
Before she could respond, Heather started pulling on her mother’s hand. “Does he carry a gun, Mommy? Sean Patrick says people who work in the White House carry guns.”
“It’s not nice to interrupt, Heather. The agent was speaking.”
Heather pushed out her lip and looked up at Chase. �
��Sorry, Agent Adams.”
Chase had the over powering urge to scoop up the little girl and team up against her mother and brother. “So what have you been doing since your mommy has been gone?”
“I watched some movies.”
Sean Patrick squirmed and pulled his sister to his side with a “shush.”
Tessa caught the signal and felt her alarm bells go off. “What kind of movies, Heather? Disney?”
Heather shook her curls and smiled her biggest smile. “I’m not sure. I didn’t understand most of them. I think about trucks.”
“Okay, Heather. Time to go.” Sean Patrick tried to pull her away.
“Hold on,” Tessa snapped at her son and freed her daughter of his grasp. “Trucks?”
She smiled up at her mother, then Chase. “Yes. I know ‘cause they kept saying ‘mother truckers. Mother truckers. Mother truckers.’” Sean Patrick slipped his hand over his sister’s mouth.
Tessa sucked in her breath with exasperation and glared at her son. Chase started laughing so loud that other members of his team turned to have a look. “Does your father know you watched those kinds of movies?”
Sean Patrick gave her a sheepish look that put guilt squarely on Robert’s shoulders.
“We’ll talk about this later, Sean. Your father is waving for us. Take your sister.” The boy started to open his mouth, but started walking backwards, when his mother growled. “Now, young man.”
Tessa turned her eyes back on Chase who clearly found the whole scene amusing. “I’m going to kill him,” she said under her breath.
Chase leaned forward and whispered. “I’d be happy to do that for you, Tessa.”
When Tessa stepped back and met his covered eyes, she realized the truth in his words. A cold revelation of what Chase was capable of dawned on her. She might have a bad case of hero worship for the captain, but she must never forget that killing for him was no big deal. It was a means to an end. Robert would always be in danger if she didn’t keep her feelings in check.
His head turned in the direction of her family. “Nice kids.”
She saw the rest of the team come up behind him. “What now?”
“Training.” He reached behind him and grabbed Sam by the arm and pulled her a little forward. “Sam, I promised you I’d make things up to you. You’re in charge of Tessa’s training.”
The look of panic paled Tessa.
Sam made a witch-like chuckle deep in her throat. “Thank you, Chase. You won’t be sorry.”
“No. I refuse.” Tessa started to turn away, but felt Sam grab her arm and jerked.
“You somehow think there’s free will in Enigma, Cupcake.” Sam’s voice sounded like she’d gargled gravel. “Lesson number one. No free will.”
Chapter 32
I t would be too late by the time the press core realized the mistake. A cameraman with ties to questionable groups in the Middle East let Amon assume his identity after giving the Israelis the slip. That in itself was a feat worth retelling to sympathetic jihadists if you lived long enough to brag about the event. The thought occurred to him, the escape may have been orchestrated by the Israelis, hoping to shoot him in the process then claiming the success to the American people. The Israelis almost never screwed up a prisoner transfer. But he really didn’t have time to ponder the implications.
If he could make it to the press conference and confront the Medal of Honor winners, they would vouch for his innocence. To be captured before that time meant being under lock and key with the FBI. Things happened in captivity. His story needed to get out. There was still time to discredit Gilad Levi and Israel.
Amon looked enough like the cameraman when he pulled a Redskins baseball cap down low over his forehead that no one gave him a second glance. Even though security was extremely tight, he looked familiar and appeared to know where he was going. Even one of the reporters called out to him and made a joke about backing the wrong football team. Amon flipped him off and grinned. It was a normal thing to do.
This could be a dangerous folly, Amon knew. There wasn’t time to plan. All Amon wanted to do was tell the truth. The Israelis obviously hadn’t finished with him. The thought of serving his enemy sickened him. If he got to the president in time, then his life would mean something. Posing as a cameraman, he might be able to finish what he started.
Inside his hollow camera he carried a small can of pepper mace. Walking through the front doors, he saw Tessa Scott and her family. He’d been allowed to read the paper at the Israeli Embassy so seeing her alive and well was not a shock. After all, this whole ceremony was to honor the very men he’d held prisoner. He also knew Jim Gault was dead and probably at the hands of his own government.
The children started playing tag and laughing, causing the distraction he needed to breeze in and past her family. He couldn’t resist cocking his head at Tessa, having been smitten with her blue eyes and blond hair. She showed courage during the ordeal and admired her contempt for the Speaker of the House.
Unaware that Tessa saw his reflection in a mirror long enough for her to turn and stare after him, he walked by her husband who chatted with a congressman from Tennessee.
In those split seconds, Tessa grabbed her children by their collars and shoved them at two of the burly men checking bags and purses of guests. The boys stopped their mischief as large hands took a firm hold. Startled, Heather held onto her big brother, Sean Patrick.
“Get them down,” she screamed so loud her voice echoed.
In that second, she was aware of two things; her eyes darted to the shadows where Chase drew his gun and moved forward like a lunging panther.
“Amon.” Her voice was astonishingly loud as it echoed in such a grand foyer.
The second thing was the Egyptian turning and grabbing her husband around the neck with his arm. After dropping the camera, he rammed something into Robert’s back. It was unclear as to what the object might be, but Tessa imagined the worst.
Robert’s eyes bulged when the knowledge of what had occurred hit him. He reached up and grabbed the arm, as if doing so would free him. He made a choking sound.
“Let him go, Amon.” It was Chase. His gun was raised with both hands. Other Enigma agents, Secret Service and FBI now were on the scene, guns drawn. Chase stole a glance over at Tessa and saw the children ushered outside.
“I want to speak to the president. Now.” Amon looked around him for shooters. They would soon realize he was armed only with pepper mace. “Get him or I’ll kill this man.”
Desperate words spilled from her lips. “No. Amon. Please,” she begged. Later she would realize that Robert looked at her in confusion, trying to piece together those seconds of knowledge that didn’t make sense.
Robert tried to jerk free and managed to open about a foot of space. The big man with a gun pulled the trigger and his attacker collapsed to the floor. Staggering toward Tessa, she ran to gather him in her arms. He panted and looked over his shoulder at agents bending down over the dead man.
Still clinging to Tessa, Robert watched as the agent who saved him approached. “Are you all right, Mr. Scott?” Chase tried to sound concerned.
Robert swallowed and nodded. “Yeah. I guess so. Thanks, man. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”
Tessa felt Chase’s eyes shift to her even though they were still masked by sunglasses. “I’ll think of something.” To reassure him, Chase patted him on the arm. “I’ll have someone take you in another way so the kids won’t see this. You better get them. They probably heard the shot.”
“Thank you,” Tessa whispered. “I owe you.” That probably wasn’t something she should’ve admitted considering the promises were stacking up. Chase merely nodded and walked away.
~~~
By the time the Scott family returned home two days later, Tessa was ready to settle down to a normal life again. The anticipation of problems with Robert asking too many questions about how she’d known it was Amon in the White House was explained by telling him
his picture had been everywhere in the paper and on the news. It wasn’t a lie, just misdirected truth.
Getting his picture taken with the president and lunching with the first family had Robert strutting like a peacock. He planned to frame the pictures and hang them in his office. Knowing a Medal of Honor winner and being a part of the revelation of the truth concerning the USS Liberty made Robert extremely proud. The media buzz concerning the appearance of Amon got him interviewed, but for some reason never aired.
To Tessa’s surprise, Robert eagerly embraced the job offer Benjamin Clark presented to her. The director told Robert she would be working on her Ph.D. in geopolitical studies at Sacramento Science and Technology. Her position as a liaison on special projects for the State Department involved some travel, but the director assured Robert there would be help for him at home when needed. The idea that the president took an interest in his wife’s educational skills was presented as a result of her uncle’s introduction. One thing led to another and Robert said she’d be crazy not to jump at the chance. He remained clueless as to her roll in saving the president’s life.
“I saw your salary, Tessa.” Robert hugged her, worried she might refuse. “Think of all we could do with that money. Better than the pittance the public school pays you.”
“I don’t teach for the money, Robert. I teach because I love children and learning.”
Robert snorted. “Spoken like a bleeding heart. Take the job. You deserve it.”
Tessa sighed. “What about the kids? Who will take care of them when we both are unable to be here?”
Robert dropped their bags in the living room. “I’ve got that covered. Our new neighbor is nothing short of amazing. The kids love her. I checked her out. She used to be a preschool teacher and is now retired.”
Tessa took a peek at her garden out the kitchen window. “I don’t know, Robert.”
The doorbell rang and excited children stampeded to the door, throwing it open. Tessa and Robert moved to join them and were greeted by a sixty-something woman with red hair streaked heavily with gray. Her delighted laughter filled the Scott home as the children talked all at once trying to tell about their trip. It was obvious how interested she was in their stories. She held a casserole dish between potholders.
The Enigma Series Boxed Set Page 69
