“Dell.”
“Did she say where she was from?”
“Midwest, I think.”
Not a local girl and Mallory wondered if Considine’s trafficking business extended to other states. “What did you hear about the party she went to?”
“What do you mean? Nothing. I told you, she never made it back.”
“Who else was invited?” Mallory clarified. “Where was it held?”
“A couple of girls from the club. I don’t remember who.” Rita bunched the tissue in her fist. “As for the men invited, guest list was private. I don’t even know the name of the man I was with when I partied.”
“Think, Rita.” Mallory slid to the end of the sofa, reducing the distance to the other woman. “Maybe you’ll remember something more. It’s important.”
“I think Caitlin said she heard Billy talking and that the party was going to be on a boat, a yacht. Yeah, I think that’s it. She was excited about that. Said she’d never been on a yacht before.”
“What about the name of the yacht? Did she mention that?”
Rita dabbed her eyes with the tissue. “I doubt she knew. The way things worked, we were picked up, driven to the destination, only finding out where when we got there. I never saw her again.” Rita choked on fresh tears.
Mallory placed her hand on Rita’s. “Are you going to be all right? Do you need us to stay with you for a while or is there someone we can call to come stay with you?”
Rita removed her hand from Mallory’s. “Please just go and don’t ever come back.”
* * *
On the walk back to the car, Mallory raised the hood of her jacket and stuck her hands deep into her jacket pockets to stave off the chill. None of that helped. Her talk with Rita had left her with a coldness that ran bone deep. “Caitlin Dell. I want to run her through the system. See if anything turns up.”
Gage put his arm around her shoulders and drew her to his side. “I’d be surprised if anything does. Sounds like Wilder didn’t miss a step to keep those parties under wraps.”
Inside her jacket pockets, Mallory’s fists clenched. “He just can’t keep getting away with this, Gage. We have to stop him and then through him, Considine.”
They returned to her apartment. After they’d performed what had become their usual check of the place, she logged onto the Bureau’s database and entered Caitlin Dell’s name. “You were right, Gage. Nothing came back on Caitlin.”
“Wilder and Considine were sure to know that,” Gage said. “She was easy prey.”
“No one was even looking for her.” Mallory stared at the screen and felt a deep sadness over that.
In her haste to follow up on Caitlin, Mallory hadn’t removed her jacket when she’d entered the apartment. Gage slid down the zipper and tugged one sleeve off. Turning away from that blank screen she removed the other, then hung the jacket in the closet.
She heard a small beep from her laptop. She went still at the sound. A message? Plopping down in front of her computer again, she saw it. She blinked to make sure that her mind hadn’t conjured the email, so desperate was she for there to be one. But, no, her eyes weren’t playing tricks.
“Gage.”
He came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. “What does the message say?”
“Basic greeting. Brief bio. Into weight lifting and body building. Rap music. Having a good time.”
She typed back a description that continued the traits exhibited by the girls in Wilder’s photos and added the reminder that she was nineteen and into music and fun.” She hit send.
Within a few minutes, she received a response. The exchange continued into the early afternoon.
“I’m so tempted to ask to meet,” Mallory said.
“Need to wait for him to initiate contact.”
“I know you’re right but I’m so tired of waiting. Another message.” She sat up straighter as she read. “Bingo. A request to meet.”
“Where?”
“Not there yet. He’s waiting for me to agree.” Mallory typed Yes then hit send.
This time the response held a specific location. She read aloud. “Grandview Park. At the fountain. Four p.m. Will bring the beer.” Mallory replied “See You” with an abbreviated C U.
“Do you know where Grandview Park is?” Gage said.
“Next county.”
“With the weather, won’t be many people there.”
She glanced out the window at the dull sky heavy with clouds promising more snow. “A good isolated choice.”
“How long to get there?”
“Half hour, I’d say.”
“You familiar with the place?” Gage asked.
“Never been there.”
“Do a search. Bring it up on screen. I want to see if there’s a layout of the area.”
She tapped the keyboard, bringing up a website. Gage sat beside her, clicking on the links. There weren’t many of them and fewer visuals. Mostly, the write-ups touted the natural beauty of the place and the couple of photos showed sprawling green grass under a blazing sun.
Gage took his hand from the laptop. “That was no help to us. If this guy is the one we’re looking for, he’ll get there ahead of the meet time, wanting to set himself up. Box you in so you won’t be able to make a run for it when he makes his move. I want to get there before him. Look the place over. Make sure we can cover you.” Gage checked his watch. “We should leave now.”
* * *
Gage parked on the street, a short distance away from the park between an SUV and a white van and they left the car. The sky had grown darker during the drive here. Mallory looked up at the sky laden with clouds and hoped the snow dump would wait a little longer.
At the entrance to the park, a wooden board held a map of the place. Mallory traced her finger along a thin red line. “By the look of this, the fountain is off a path, into the trees. Away from the main stream of things.”
Gage grunted at that. He took her hand and led her onto the snow covered grounds.
The crunch of snow beneath their steps sounded louder than it should have due to the absence of other sounds.
“This place is deserted,” Mallory said. “Not even a bird or squirrel.”
Gage looked around, then back over his shoulder. “So far, the only exit point I’ve seen is back the way we came.”
“The path forks up ahead. That could be another way in or out of here.”
“Our guy could approach from that fork.” Gage rolled his shoulders. “Let’s see if that path also ends at the fountain.”
They cleared a stand of Evergreens. A large cement fountain rose up out of a small clearing. It was dry, turned off for the winter. A wooden bench sat a few feet in front of six statues of ducks swimming in a row.
They hung back, under the cover of the trees, taking in their surroundings. There wasn’t anyone in the clearing and if the guy they were after was in the dense trees behind the fountain, it was impossible to tell. The upside to that was he couldn’t see them either.
Mallory slid her hand from Gage’s. “I can’t stand here and wait for him to show first. I need to act like a woman hot for this date. I’m going ahead.”
She could see from his expression that Gage didn’t like it, but that was the reason they were in this park, freezing their assess off and he nodded. As she stepped away from him, he held her arm. “Take no chances.”
Mallory nodded and entered the clearing. Her hand was in her coat pocket, gripping her gun.
The wind toyed with her hair, blowing it across her eyes, but she resisted the urge to loop it behind her ears and bare her face. She didn’t want whoever was coming to realize she didn’t look like the photograph she’d posted until it was too late.
She checked her watch. It was a couple of minutes before four. A few more minutes passed, then she heard a rustling sound and a man appeared on the path. He was dressed in a hoodie that was pulled over his head with a ball cap beneath. The brim cast his face in shadow and she coul
dn’t make out his features. Whoever this was, he’d lied on his profile that he was a body builder. The guy was thin as a bean pole. Not that his appearance was of any concern at this point, once he’d lured his prey. He was also carrying a six pack of beer.
The guy breezed past where Gage was hiding in the trees and toward her, his stride long and lanky. He stopped in front of her and Mallory got her first look at his face. He’d claimed to be twenty one in his email message and looked like he’d reached that age about five minutes ago. He had an unfortunate beak nose and a severe case of acne that he tried to cover up by not shaving. As a result, whiskers had sprouted and formed patches on his face that looked like weeds.
He smiled. “Hey, I’m Kyle.”
She gave him a show of teeth in return. “Hey, Kyle.”
On the surface it appeared this kid really was expecting to meet a date, but Mallory knew appearances could deceive and she made a decision to play this out a little longer. She wanted to make sure this wasn’t a slick set up before she cut the kid loose, that this boy wasn’t a front for someone else who would swoop in like a vulture and nab an unsuspecting girl.
“Brought the beer.” Kyle held up the pack. “Let’s party.”
He went to the wooden bench, brushed off the snow on the seat with the beer cans, then slumped against the back, trying to look cool, it appeared to Mallory. He slid on the bench, ruining the pose. Some heat crept into his cheeks and he tried again. This time he got it down.
“Come and sit.” He held out his hand in invitation.
When she didn’t comply, he added, ‘please’ in a voice that squeaked.
Mallory lowered herself onto the bench. Kyle popped the tops off two cans of beer, placed one on the seat beside her, then draped his arm along the back of the bench. The smell of beer mingled with whatever cologne he’d liberally used and underlying perspiration.
He took a long swig. “Drink up. Got plenty more.”
The snow started. A few flakes landed on her eyelashes. Ignoring them, she trained her gaze on the boy. “How long have you been on that dating site?”
“Not long. Won’t be going back now that I met you.”
Mallory refrained from rolling her eyes. Could this be as innocent as it looked? Some kid looking to make out with a girl who was agreeable? She cautioned herself again that this could all be a ruse. That someone sinister could be waiting in the wings.
“You meet many girls there?”
The kid’s arm landed on her shoulders. “None that mattered before you, babe.”
Mallory shrugged his arm off of her. “How’d you find out about that site?”
His expression fell at her subtle rebuff with the shoulder. He took another swallow of beer. “Don’t know. Around.”
Kyle gave Mallory his version of a mega watt smile. “Enough talk. How ‘bout we get busy?”
“Got anyone else coming?”
The kid’s lips turned down at the corners in a pout. “No worries, babe. I’m more than enough man for you.”
He leaned in for a kiss and Mallory slapped her palm on the kid’s chest, pushing him back. “I’m out of here.”
She stood, but didn’t walk away. This would be the point where Kyle would signal to someone else for help to detain her, but, in truth, she wasn’t expecting it. Nor was she expecting Kyle to suggest moving on to another location to save the evening, or to make some move on his own to detain her forcefully now that his attempt at seduction had gone south. And she was right, the kid flopped back against the seat as docile as a puppy.
“But I bought beer?” he murmured.
Mallory glanced back over her shoulder. “Consider it a bad investment.”
“Strike one,” Gage said when she joined him in the trees.
Snowbound: Chapter Nine
Mallory unlocked the door to her apartment. When she was about to step inside, Gage placed a hand on her arm.
She should have been used to this routine of checking out the place by now. They’d performed it each time they returned to her apartment, but this time it grated as no time before had. After they were sure they were alone, Mallory scrolled through her phone messages. None from York. She released a quick, tense breath. Next she checked her profile pages for any other hits. Nothing. She closed the lid of her laptop with a snap so loud it brought Gage’s head around.
“You okay?” he said.
“Fine.”
Gage rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m going to hit the shower, then we’ll do something about dinner.” When she didn’t respond, he said, “Mallory?”
She looked up at him and nodded.
He watched her a moment longer, then left the living room.
Waiting for York to pick up Billy was going nowhere. In the meantime, Considine was free to conduct his business as usual. She felt as if the women were slipping away. So much time had passed and still, they had nothing. It was time she turned nothing into something.
Gage.
She listened for the sound of the shower then penned a note to him.
Went out.
* * *
Paul Considine owned a couple of night clubs in Manhattan. Clubs that were completely legitimate. Mallory had never been to one of Considine’s clubs but as she went through the double glass doors, she saw that the hype hadn’t exaggerated. The decor was posh with glittering chandeliers and expensive rugs over marble floors.
The club boasted upscale entertainment with shows that featured top dancers, singers, and comedians where it was rumored even top government officials had been known to bring their spouses.
One more thing the club had, and the thing Mallory was most interested in, were the security cameras. They were everywhere and though discreet so as not to be eye sores, they were visible. Mallory went to the bar in one of several restaurants that made up a part of this club. Spotting one of the cameras, she went to stand beneath it. She tilted her head back so her full face was exposed. Smile.
Three hours later, she’d made the rounds of both of Considine’s clubs, always sure to stroll beneath the eyes of the lens. Satisfied that she’d splashed her face around enough, she went home.
As soon as she inserted her key in the lock, Gage pulled the door open so abruptly she grabbed the wall to regain her balance.
She returned her arm to her side. “Hello.”
His gaze sharpened as he looked at her, taking her in. His face was stark with worry. “Are you all right?”
She felt a stab of guilt at that, but she didn’t regret what she’d done. “I’m sorry if I worried you.”
“If you worried me?”
“That I worried you,” she amended.
He rubbed a hand down his face and blew out a long breath. “Where did you go? And why did you go without me?”
Mallory closed the door slowly. The soft thud hung in the air as she took a moment to respond. “I went to Considine’s clubs.”
“You went where?” Gage shook his head as if he hadn’t heard her right or comprehended the words.
“Paul Considine has two clubs in the city. I went to both of them.”
Gage’s eyes slitted. “We’ve been doing all we can to keep you safe from Considine and you’re telling me that tonight you went to him?”
His tone had Mallory straightening her spine. “Not to him. To his places of business.”
Gage clenched his jaw. “What—to flaunt yourself under his nose?”
She crossed her arms. “It wasn’t like that.”
“Wasn’t it? Then why didn’t you take me with you?”
Mallory lifted her chin but remained silent.
Gage grasped her shoulders. “I’ll tell you why, because you wanted him to focus solely on you.”
“I want Considine to feel heat. He’s not getting enough of that. If he starts to feel pressured, he’ll make a mistake. Maybe one we can use to find the women.”
Gage’s grip on her tightened. “Are you out of your mind?”
“In case you’ve
forgotten, I’m a trained agent.”
“Is that what the feds teach? To pull stunts like this one?”
Mallory glared at him. “I know what I’m doing.”
His eyes went so dark, she saw her own reflection. “I’m not going to stand by and watch you take unnecessary risks.”
“That’s not what I’m doing.”
“The hell it’s not. You’re going to get yourself killed.”
She could feel heat coming off him, a combination of anger and frustration. She was feeling the same, though in her case, anger won out. “That’s not going to happen.”
His body tensed. The muscles in his shoulders and arms strained. “No, it’s not. Not on my watch.”
She leaned toward him and tilted her head all the way back to look up at him. With the significant differences in their height, it was the closest she could come to getting in his face. “We’re no longer at the cabin. I’m not on your watch.”
She shoved his shoulder. He stepped back.
* * *
Mallory spent the time since her fight with Gage in her bedroom with her laptop. Angry. Sulking. No, not sulking. Well, maybe. Gage had inadvertently struck a nerve.
With a long, drawn out sigh, she set the laptop onto her nightstand and went to find him.
He was at the window. The snow had stopped and outside the sky was dark but for the city lights twinkling.
“You were right before,” she said.
He turned and faced her. “Right?”
“When you said that I deliberately didn’t take you with me to Considine’s clubs. I did want him to see just me rather than both of us. I wanted to show him that he hadn’t intimidated me. That I would not allow him to intimidate me. To control me. I needed to prove that to myself.”
Gage put his arms tight around her and drew her up onto her toes. “You don’t have anything to prove to anyone.” He kissed her as if it had been years rather than hours. Mallory clutched his wrists, feeling the same.
A thud came from outside in the hall. Gage pushed her behind him and removed his gun from the small of his back. Mallory’s purse was on the table and she withdrew her own gun. Gage took up a position to one side of the door. Sound carried from the hallway. A woman’s voice then another.
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