Dark Deceptions

by Dee Davis

  “When can I talk to him again?” she asked, desperation mixing with dread.

  “When you’ve accomplished your objectives. I need for your focus to be complete.”

  “You have to know that I can’t do anything well, knowing my son is in danger.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re a professional, Ms. Gallagher,” the tinny voice said.

  “That was a hell of a long time ago.”

  “Just get the job done.” The connection went dead and Annie stood staring down at the phone. For one second, she considered forsaking common sense and calling in help. She and Nash might be estranged, but he’d never let her hang in the wind. Especially if he grasped the true significance of the situation. Even as she had the thought, she rejected it. She’d reached out to him once before, and he’d turned her down flat.

  And besides, even if for some reason he did agree to help, she still didn’t trust the CIA. At least not with her son. His death would be viewed as nothing more than collateral damage, the primary objective being to take out the threat, no matter the cost.

  No. She couldn’t risk asking for help. Nash was a Company man to the core. He’d proven that in no uncertain terms eight years ago. Which meant she was in this alone. And she’d find a way to save her son. Even if it meant killing an innocent man.

  CHAPTER 4

  This is crazy,” Tyler said, lowering her field glasses. “We don’t even know that Blake Dominico’s our man.”

  “That’s why Avery assigned secondary teams to watch over Wright and Packard. But Hannah believes Dominico’s the most likely target. And she’s not wrong that often.” Nash shrugged, dropping the aerial photograph he’d been studying back onto the table. Something about it felt off to him, but staring at it didn’t seem to be helping.

  They’d been in Manhattan following Dominico for just over twenty-four hours. And in that time they’d agreed that the man’s most vulnerable access point was his apartment. Situated on the southeast corner of a building fronting the East River, it was lined with windows and a wraparound terrace. The setup was perfect, with a variety of places for a seasoned shooter to find concealment.

  Attempts to convince Dominico to move somewhere safer for the duration of the threat had been met with his signature arrogance and a blunt refusal, the fortitude that had helped make him a first-class negotiator also making him a blind fool.

  So they’d secured the building immediately across the way. A man on the roof was tasked with protecting egress and Dominico’s men were taking care of additional security in the ambassador’s building. That meant fewer options for the killer, but it was impossible to eliminate everything. Which left Tyler and Nash stuck doing surveillance from a conveniently empty studio apartment directly across from Dominico’s.

  Nash sighed. There was nothing worse than trying to protect an idiot. Especially a politically connected one.

  “There’s no way we can cover every angle.” Tyler frowned, echoing his thoughts. “Where do you think she’s most likely to set up?”

  “The most obvious,” Nash said, joining his friend at the window. “Because we’re the most likely to dismiss it. Annie is fond of hit and run. She’s in and out before anyone has time to realize what’s happened.”

  “Sound strategy.”

  “Except this whole thing feels off to me. Annie’s been out of the game over eight years. Why get back in now?”

  “Money.” Tyler shrugged, lifting the glasses again as she scanned the skyline, looking for anything out of the ordinary. “You’ve got to admit it’s a great motivator.”

  He turned away from the window, not bothering to answer. Whatever her motivation, if Annie really was planning to kill Dominico, she’d crossed a line he couldn’t even contemplate. Nash was as ruthless as anyone in the game, but he was also clear about which side he was fighting for. And as far as he was concerned, there were no shades of gray—only stark black and white.

  “So tell me honestly,” Tyler asked, swinging away from the window, her expression reflecting her concern. “How are you handling all this?”

  If it had been anyone else asking he’d have given a flip response, something that firmly closed the door. But he and Tyler went way back. If nothing else, he owed her honesty. “I’ve been better.”

  “Look, I know this is rough. Nobody would blame you for sitting this one out.”

  “Avery made it pretty clear the suits want me involved.”

  “So be an armchair quarterback.”

  “Not exactly my style,” he said, allowing himself the sliver of a smile.

  “I figured you’d say that. But I’m afraid there’s one more fly in the ointment.” She paused, her expression rueful. “Avery called while you were checking on the roof-top surveillance.”

  “And I take it you weren’t pleased with what he had to say?” Nash leaned back, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

  “It’s not really me he was worried about. Apparently the powers that be have asked Tom Walker to be part of our operation.”

  “But he’s Homeland Security. Why the hell would they want him in on this?”

  “It’s not a matter of wanting him. It’s more about playing nice with the other boys. Homeland Security has access to the same intel that we do, and they don’t much like the idea of our handling something that normally would land in their backyard. So after some wrangling it was agreed that someone from HLS would sit in on our operation.”

  “Tom. But why him, specifically?”

  “Oh, come on. I think that’s pretty obvious. You and Annie worked with him for what, ten years?”

  “Nine.” He frowned.

  Tom Walker, acting as a CIA division head, had coordinated most of Nash and Annie’s Eastern European operations. He’d been their handler, the man primarily responsible for getting them into and out of trouble. The latter more times than Nash cared to count.

  Tom had also been the one who’d secured Nash’s shot at A-Tac, his influence key in convincing higher-ups that Nash was the man for the job. And it’d been Tom who’d pulled his ass out of the fire after things had gone south on the last mission in Saida—literally. Tom had rescued him when Annie had left Nash high and dry. And Tom had been there to help put the pieces back together.

  But shortly after Nash had joined A-Tac, Tom had left the CIA for a suit job in Homeland Security. It was a huge promotion for Tom, a coup of sorts. In part because of the rescue in Lebanon. Nash had been happy for him, but after a couple of congratulatory phone calls, the two of them had more or less drifted apart, their friendship a casualty of political turf wars between two agencies whose objectives collided more often than not.

  “I’ve got no problem with Tom,” Nash said, shaking his head, “but I thought we were supposed to handle this. The CIA taking care of its own.”

  “You know there are always layers in these kinds of operations. Accountability. And you know as well as I do that Homeland Security can get pretty pushy when they believe someone is treading on their territory.”

  “So they wrangled their way onto the team.”

  “Well, this isn’t the first time we’ve had to play nice.” She shrugged. “And who knows, maybe the two of you sharing history will make it easier.”

  “Or maybe it’ll just make an already difficult situation worse.”

  “Way to look on the bright side.” She smiled. “Anyway, Avery says it’s just a temporary inconvenience.”

  “Avery doesn’t know Tom Walker.”

  “What do you mean by that?” She frowned.

  “Nothing ominous. Just that Tom’s a by-the-book kind of guy. Real results-oriented. That’s how he’s risen so far so fast.”

  “You think he’ll go hard on Annie.” Tyler frowned, cutting right to the heart of the matter.

  “I don’t know. Hell, if she’s really hired herself out to the highest bidder maybe she deserves what she gets.”

  “You don’t believe that.”

  “Yeah, actually I do.
But I’m done discussing it.”

  “All right,” Tyler said, holding her hands up in surrender. “We’ll stop with the heart-to-heart. I just wanted you to know that I’m here if you need me.”

  He appreciated the thought, but was uncomfortable with the sentiment. He’d paid once before for allowing himself to get too close to his partner, and he wasn’t about to do it again. “So what have we got?” he asked, moving back to the window.

  “Nothing at the moment. Everything is pretty quiet. So far Dominico’s managed to stay off the balcony and away from the windows. Which means for the moment, at least, he’s safe. There’s no way anyone unauthorized is getting into the building. And I’m not seeing any identifiable threats out there.” She nodded at the terraced buildings across the way. “Of course I’m just one pair of eyes.”

  Tyler hated surveillance. She preferred the heated exchange of a firefight to the incessant waiting that was an integral part of this kind of operation. Annie had been just the opposite. Comfortable with her own company, Annie had the ability to outwait and therefore outmaneuver even the most elusive of targets. It had made her a valuable asset to any team. And a woman impossible to read when it came to relationships.

  She’d held things close to the vest. Too close, if he’d had any say at all. But he hadn’t, and that was, at the end of the day, the whole point. He blew out a breath and angrily pushed his memories firmly back into the past where they belonged.

  “I’ll check the video feed,” he said as he walked over to a monitor bank sitting against the far wall. The top row of screens showed Dominico’s apartment from every conceivable angle. Dominico himself was currently sitting at the dining room table reading the paper, the scene looking deceptively ordinary. On the next monitor over, his housekeeper was chopping vegetables in the kitchen, while some kind of soup boiled away on the stove.

  “Anything?” Tyler queried.

  “Nothing worth reporting.” Nash shook his head as he turned his attention to the bottom row of monitors, their affiliated cameras homed in on the buildings across the way, highlighting possible areas of access. “Pretty dead on our side, too. The only action’s in the park. And that’s been limited to a dog walker or the occasional jogger.”

  Dominico’s building sat at the end of the street, parallel to the FDR and the river. The park sat about three levels below the street, connected to it by two flights of steep stone steps. A cement walkway extended from the first flight of stairs across the highway to connect with the river walk on the opposite side.

  “They’re too far down to be a danger,” Tyler said, coming up to look over his shoulder. “And the angle is wrong to shoot from the highway, even if Dominico was standing on the railing waving his arms for attention.”

  “I wouldn’t put it past him. But I agree that the FDR isn’t an option. The park is all wrong, too. Like you said, it’s too far down. Which leaves us with a big fat zero.”

  “So what did the guy on the roof have to say?”

  Andre was an NYC man. He seemed competent, but Nash had never liked working with unknowns. “Nothing. Just that everything seemed normal.”

  “Beats the alternative.”

  “I don’t know,” he said, watching a jogger below on the walkway using the railing to stretch and warm up. “I don’t like the quiet.”

  “The optimal time to make a move?” Tyler frowned. “You think Annie knows we’re here?”

  “I doubt it. She’s working without backup, which puts her at a distinct disadvantage. She’ll have done her homework, though. Which means she’s more than aware of Dominico’s security detail. And she’ll factor in the possibility that others are watching. Hell, it’s standard protocol.”

  “But she won’t be expecting you.”

  “Not sure how that matters. But no, she won’t.”

  Tyler shifted to face him, her brows drawing together in concern. “You sure you’re up to this? I mean, if things go south…” She let the words trail off, her meaning more than clear.

  “You’re asking if I can take Annie out.”

  “I wouldn’t blame you for saying no.”

  His jaw tightened as he contemplated the unthinkable. “If the situation presents itself, I’ll do what has to be done. Satisfied?”

  “I wasn’t trying to—”

  “I know,” he said, shaking his head. “And you had every right to ask. Anyway, push comes to shove, you’ll be there, too. So I’d say we’ve got it covered.”

  “And if we’re lucky we won’t have to deal with it at all,” she said, turning back to the window. “Why don’t you check in with Hannah? Maybe she’s seen something we haven’t.”

  Hannah was watching the feed from Sunderland. Analyzing all activity. Using various technological applications to enhance the information the cameras provided.

  “Hannah?” Nash said, as he sat down at the table and slipped his headset on. “You there?”

  “Copy that,” she responded, her voice tinny as it carried over the wires. “Not seeing anything interesting from this end. What about you?”

  “Nothing suspicious.”

  “Much to your dismay.” There was a hint of laughter in Hannah’s voice.

  “Hey, I’ve never pretended to be a sit-on-my-ass kind of guy.”

  “You and Drake both.”

  “He complaining, too?”

  “Not complaining. Just lamenting the lack of action.” Drake and Emmett were stuck in Maine watching over Senator Packard. “Packard’s pretty much sequestered himself at his family’s compound. It’s on an island and security is pretty impregnable. So if he’s the target, we’re probably not going to see any action there.”

  “At least one of the three’s taking the threat seriously. What’s happening in Annapolis?” Jason and Lara were there, eyes on Richard Wright as he addressed a group of top military brass.

  “Overkill. Whatever Wright’s private security hasn’t got covered, the Pentagon does. Although Jason’s not complaining.” This time Hannah’s laugh was audible.

  “Downtime with Lara.”

  “Exactly. Anyway, I don’t think either team has anything to worry about.”

  “You’re still thinking it’s Dominico?”

  “Everything I’ve seen points in that direction. He’s the most outspoken of the group when it comes to Islamic extremists.”

  “Which means that thanks to the man’s stubborn streak he’s made himself the perfect target for a group like Ashad.” As if to underscore the remark, Dominico stepped out onto his balcony, five cameras adjusting automatically to follow the movement.

  “You guys see that?” Tyler called over her shoulder.

  “Yeah, we got him,” Nash said, frowning at the monitor. “Where the hell are his bodyguards?”

  “In the hallway,” Hannah said. “Monitor five.”

  Nash’s gaze moved to a grainy image of two men in black flanking the door in the hallway outside Dominico’s apartment. “Fat lot of good they’re going to do him there.”

  “Nothing else is moving,” Tyler said, studying the row of buildings opposite them. “Still, I don’t like the odds of his being out there on his own.”

  Nash scanned the monitors, and then, still wearing his headset, walked over to the windows. “Hannah, can you radio Dominico’s security?” Dominico stood near the railing, his eyes on the park below him. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but Nash couldn’t shake the feeling that Annie was out there somewhere and the clock was ticking.

  “Got them,” Hannah’s voice crackled over the headset. “They should be pulling him out now.”

  Moving back to the monitor, Nash watched as the guards appeared and, after a brief argument, hauled Dominico back into the relative safety of his apartment. “Well, that takes care of that.”

  Blowing out a breath, he studied the various camera shots for a moment and then the corresponding points in the buildings across the way. None of the angles seemed right to him, somehow. Too much of a risk, both for a
ccess and for making an escape. This was a high-rent neighborhood, which meant building security was at a maximum.

  He picked up the aerial shot again, studying the photo, trying again to figure out what it was that bugged him about it. The park consisted of an L-shaped strip of land situated at the bottom of a cliff. On top of the cliff sat the grounds of the building he was in now, a sixteen-foot stone wall insuring residents’ privacy and effectively keeping intruders out. Dominico’s building also had grounds, but they were protected by fencing and a sheer rock face cutting down to the highway itself.

  He frowned and then looked up at the monitor showing the park. The walkway over the highway was directly below the camera, only a part of it visible. He typed coordinates into the connected laptop and the camera’s angle shifted, the entire walkway now visible. The west side, nearest the buildings, sat well below street level, but as it moved toward the river, the path rose almost imperceptibly until, near the end, it was actually almost level with Dominico’s balcony.

  The jogger he’d noticed earlier was still there. Still stretching, but farther down, closer to the river. He maneuvered the computer, moving the camera lens closer. The woman’s face was obscured by a Yankees cap, but as she twisted, a strand of hair caught the light, gleaming russet in the sun.

  “Shit,” Nash said, a sense of urgency knotting his gut, as he jumped from his seat, already heading for the door. “She’s been out there all along. On the walkway. Right under our fucking noses.”

  He took the stairs two at a time, Tyler hot on his heels barking orders to Andre on the roof and to Dominico’s security guards.

  “Tell them not to do anything to give their positions away. She’ll bolt if she thinks we’re onto her. And no shooting. I want to take her alive.” For any number of reasons, none of which he was about to analyze now.

  They swung into the hallway on the bottom floor heading for the back way out and the garden. A small gate in the side wall gave access to what had once been a stairway, removed years ago for safety. The resulting overgrowth hid Nash and Tyler from view as they stepped out onto the rock ledge that surrounded the wall. The walkway was only a few feet away.