By the time he and Ashley’s father had talked through the necessary logistics of his plan last night, they’d been exhausted and had gone to bed. He knew that sooner or later he and James Sullivan would have a heart-to-heart talk about his intentions toward his daughter. Nick preferred later to sooner.
“So what’s your plan?” Ashley asked.
“Okay. Here’s what we have that I think can work for us. The American people believe that the Sullivans are on a yacht fishing in the Gulf. Later they’ll hear that the president has the flu and has canceled his appearances. No one will be expecting to see you as a family on vacation in the Southwest.”
“Are you saying that we shouldn’t stay here in New Orleans?” Juliana asked.
“Yes. I’ll rent a van for all of us.” He looked at each one of them. No one said anything. “My suggestion is that we go shopping and get you some different kind of clothes—tourist wear, so to speak—that would not be something you usually wear. As Ashley has long ago discovered, clothes provide a simple disguise that works with the general public.”
“But where would we go?” Juliana asked.
“I’m suggesting that we drive back to Colorado. It will take three to four days, which I think is long enough to bring this matter to a head back in Washington.”
They looked at each other. “We could go home,” Juliana suggested.
“Home?” Nick asked.
“To Boulder,” Ashley explained. “We still have our home there.”
“How many people know about it?” Nick asked.
Sullivan smiled. “I doubt that anyone remembers that we had a place in Boulder before I became governor and we moved to Denver. From there we moved to Washington. We very seldom have the opportunity to go back to Boulder, although we have a couple living there looking after everything.” He took Juliana’s hand. “I think it would work. Besides, if Nick’s calculations are accurate, we would probably arrive in Denver in time to fly back to Washington.”
Sullivan looked at Nick. “Is Freeman aware of where we are?”
“No. He won’t know until he’s beyond any suspicion of being a part of this.”
“You’ll never convince me he’s behind this.”
“That’s been my take on the situation, as well. However, is it worth risking your family’s safety to let him know where you are?”
“I suppose you’re right.”
“Do you remember Harvey Cameron?” he asked Sullivan.
Sullivan thought for a moment, silently repeating the name, then smiled. “Of course. Harvey worked with us years ago.”
“Well, Harvey was the one who rented the car in his name. I’ll follow you and take the car back to him—I’ve got his phone number—if you will allow him to once again be your security. Ashley and I will fly out of Denver and no one will know we’ve seen you.”
“Are we going to return to Colorado wearing leg irons?” Juliana asked with a slight smile.
“Actually, with a little time, I think I’ll be able to pick the locks on them. It takes patience and a steady hand. I’m a little rusty at it, but at one time I could pick a lock with no problem.”
Sullivan shook his head. “I don’t believe I want to know how you learned that particular skill, Logan.”
“All part of my training as a government employee, sir.”
“That’s what I was afraid of.”
Nick managed to remove the president and first lady from their bondage. Since the boys still slept, he suggested that he and Ashley go shopping for the family and bring back some breakfast for everyone.
Ashley wrote down everyone’s sizes. They found a discount store and divided up the list. It was important that the clothes be warm enough for where they were going, as well as masking who was wearing them. By the time they left the store, Ashley was giggling.
“What’s so funny?”
“Can you imagine what Dad’s going to look like in this? He hates loud colors.”
“Good.”
“And these hats will make the boys look ridiculous.”
“Even better.”
“And Mother! She’s going to think I’ve lost my mind.”
“Let’s get them some food, so we can get on the road. We have a lot of miles to cover. The faster we’re out of New Orleans, the better.”
“Did Dad talk to you about me?”
“In what respect?”
“He was upset when he found out we’ve been sharing a room.”
“Really? He never discussed the matter with me. What did you say to him?”
“Not much. Mom didn’t think we should discuss it at the moment.”
“Good point.”
After renting a van, they stopped at a fast-food place and stocked up. Ashley followed the van in the car back to the motel. Both of them had their hands full when they reached the door. Nick fumbled for the key, but was rescued when Jamie suddenly jerked the door open. “It’s about time, you guys,” he muttered, reaching for the bags advertising the national fast-food symbol. “I’m starved!”
“Me, too,” Matt said, rushing to greet them.
“When does the maid service come?” Juliana asked. “It wouldn’t do for all of us to be found here.”
“She didn’t show up yesterday until almost four o’clock. I think you have plenty of time.”
Sullivan said, “Let’s eat, change and get moving. We’ll follow you since you know the way.”
“We want to ride with Nick,” the boys said almost in unison. “Us guys have to stick together.”
Ashley rolled her eyes but didn’t comment.
While they were eating, Nick removed the leg irons from Jamie and Matt. Because of the earlier practice, he was able to make it look much easier than it was. The boys were very impressed with his skills and wanted him to teach them how to do it.
Their mother had to remind them of the need to change into the new clothes so they could leave.
Within an hour they all looked like a rather tacky tourist family hitting the road, exactly the look Nick had planned. They would also have warm jackets and sweaters to wear once they reached the Rockies.
Nick kept a steady pace as they headed to Colorado. Their first overnight was spent in San Antonio, the second in El Paso. The family got into the spirit of the journey, stopping at various places to sightsee and buy souvenirs. At each stop Nick made the arrangements, this time getting connecting rooms. If this were a normal situation, there would be at least three more agents with them. However, the added men would have been more noticeable, particularly since Nick and Ashley pretended to be a couple whenever they stopped to eat. The group appeared to be a typical family on vacation. no one gave them a second look.
Once they reached Denver, Nick put in a call to Harvey and explained the situation. Harvey promptly agreed to take over guard duty of the president and with hours met them at the airport. Harvey turned in the rental car there and prepared to be their driver for the van.
When they were ready to leave, Nick stood back and watched as the family all hugged and kissed Ashley, gave her instructions, warnings and admonitions. Sullivan spoke to Nick in a low voice. “You take care of her, you hear?”
“That’s my job, sir.”
“So it is. Just make damn sure she gets back to Washington safely.”
“Yes, sir, I will. Or die trying.”
The older man nodded, satisfied. Then he herded the family to the van. Harvey shook Nick’s hand and said, “Looks like you’ve had quite a time since I last saw you.”
“Just part of the job.”
As soon as they arrived at Washington National Airport, Nick and Ashley caught a cab to George town, where Nick’s apartment was located. Ashley made no effort to find out where they were going or why. Unlike Nick, she couldn’t sleep on a plane. Now that they were back in Washington, she was experiencing a letdown after the incredible tension of the past several days.
They pulled up in front of an apartment building. Nick paid the driver,
then assisted Ashley with her bags. They went into the lobby and he signaled the elevator. Ashley waited until they reached the hallway to his apartment to ask, “Do you live alone?”
He looked at her in surprise. “Yeah. Why?”
“Just wondering.”
“You think I’d allow you to be recognized with me by someone else after all of this?”
“Guess I wasn’t thinking.”
He opened the door and motioned her inside.
The first thing she noticed was that the place was small. There was a living-dining area, a galley like kitchen and a door she discovered led to the bedroom.
“Make yourself comfortable,” Nick said absently, sorting through mail he’d picked up in the lobby. She wandered to the book shelves and studied his collection. They read many of the same books. Good to know they had similar tastes, although she’d already discovered that about him. Then she looked at a couple of framed photographs—obviously family. A colored Christmas photograph of a smiling family. Cute kids. An older couple, the man looking a little un comfortable in a suit and tie. An obvious studio picture.
No unaccompanied females in any of them. Ashley smiled to herself. So there wasn’t another woman in the picture. Good to know.
When Nick followed her into the room, she was standing at the window looking out. She turned and smiled. “Lovely view.”
“Right.” He glanced through the window at the brick wall a few feet away. “I don’t spend much time here.”
“So what do we do now?” she asked.
“I thought we would stay here tonight—give us a chance to regroup. We’ll go to the White House tomorrow. As far as anyone knows, we flew directly from Colorado.”
She went into the small kitchen and opened the refrigerator, then closed it, laughing. “Do you have any idea how old that lone apple is in your refrigerator?”
“Why? Are you hungry?”
“I was until I saw that thing. It looks like the mummy of some ancient relic.”
“Probably is. I think I have some frozen dinners in the freezer, maybe a pizza.”
“Actually, if it’s all right with you, I may just take a shower and go to bed. I’m more tired than anything.”
He nodded toward the bedroom. “The bathroom’s through there. Help yourself to whatever you find.” He glanced at his watch. “I have some phone calls I need to make.”
Maybe it was the Washington air, but Nick had reverted to his detached professional demeanor. Ashley knew she was tired and overreacting, but she felt as though the two nights they’d shared were in the far-distant past and that Nick had dismissed them from his mind.
Perhaps that was what she needed to do, as well.
Hours later Ashley roused slightly and discovered Nick quietly crawling into bed.
“What time is it?” she mumbled.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you. It’s almost one.”
She ached with the need to touch him, but she refused to be the one who initiated any intimacy between them. Nick seemed to have no reticence, however, and gathered her into his arms. He nuzzled her neck and kissed first her ear, then her cheek.
“I’ve missed you,” he finally said on a sigh.
“I’ve been right here,” she replied.
“I know. You are a temptation I don’t need right now. I can’t seem to resist you.” He kissed her and she relaxed into his very thorough, leisurely possession.
He had promised himself not to make love to her again, not to take advantage of the unusual circumstances that had thrown them together with such intimacy, but the fact was that he loved her with an intensity that ripped him up inside, because he knew he couldn’t have her.
She was here with him now, her warmth and tenderness completely undoing his firm resolve.
In the quiet of the night he made love to her, taking his time. He concentrated on bringing her as much enjoyment as he was capable of. Her sighs of pleasure were his reward.
When she finally fell asleep in his arms, Nick lay awake, holding her, staring into the dark.
Nick stirred early the next morning and eased away from Ashley. He slipped on a pair of jeans and paused, taking in the picture of her in his bed. He forced himself to turn away and retreat into the kitchen, where he made coffee and turned on the news.
He poured his first cup of coffee and sat down at the bar, focusing on the television. It took him a moment to understand what he was seeing. A fire burned out of control on some docks somewhere. His uneasiness mounted as his certainty grew.
“The flames shot high overhead the New Orleans docks late in the night as firefighters fought to save nearby ships and other tankers carrying inflammable cargo. Officials are still uncertain what caused the explosion on board the tanker, nor do we know how many were on board.”
“That’s the ship my family was on,” Ashley said, standing in the doorway to the bedroom.
“Yes.”
“They could have still been on there.”
“I know.”
Ashley shivered and walked over to him. She’d found another one of his shirts to sleep in. She was still warm and rumpled from sleep. “It’s early,” he said when she leaned against his shoulder. “Why don’t you try to get some more sleep?” He hugged her to him, enjoying her warmth against his bare chest.
“Do you think whoever was responsible for the explosion thinks my family was on there?”
“I don’t know. We’ll try to find out, though.” He kissed her. “I need to shower and get ready. Are you prepared to face everyone today? You can’t let on that you know your family is safe.”
“They tried to kill my family.”
“We can’t be sure of that. The explosion could have been an accident.”
She leaned back so that she could see his face. “Do you believe that?”
“Not really.”
“Neither do I.”
“The explosion could also have been to destroy any evidence that the Sullivans had ever been on board.”
“If we’d been three days later, it could also have meant their death.”
“Try not to think about it that way. They’re safe.”
Ashley dressed quickly and drank coffee while she waited on Nick. When he appeared he was in his working attire—dark suit with white shirt and a dark tie. Once again he was the agent—highly trained, single-minded, with a smile that could slay her at ten paces.
She followed him out into the hall, paused while he locked the door, then continued following him to the elevator. Once the elevator stopped, they exited into the underground parking garage. He walked over to a late-model sports car, hit the security button on his key chain, so that the lights blinked a greeting and the doors unlocked.
“Well behaved, isn’t it?” she said, getting into the passenger seat.
He got in on the other side. “Who?”
“Your car. It did everything but wag its tail when we walked up.”
His expression was more than a little puzzled. “Has anyone ever told you that you have an over active imagination?”
She nodded with dignity. “A few times. I’ve ignored them.”
“Uh-huh.”
They didn’t speak while they made their way into D.C. Ashley was content with the company. She was still feeling the relief of knowing that her parents were out of the hands of the kidnappers.
They pulled up at the gate to the White House.
Ken White saw Nick and recognized his passenger. “Good morning,” he said, opening the gate for them. “How’s the world treating you these days, Logan?” he asked.
Nick gave him a mock salute. “Can’t complain.” He drove through and parked near the entrance.
“Is this where we say goodbye?” she asked with commendable nonchalance.
“You wish,” he muttered. “No, Ashley. I’ve got to report for duty and as far as I know I’m still assigned to you, so you’ll be seeing me later this afternoon.”
He helped her out, then gr
abbed her bag while she slung the knapsack over her shoulder.
After they were inside, Ashley gave him a little wave and headed toward the living quarters. He turned and went in the other direction, to the detail leader’s office.
Greg Chambers was on the phone when Nick paused in the open doorway. Chambers said, “I’ll get back with you,” and hung up. He came around the desk with his hand out. “Man, am I glad to see you. I was beginning to think you’d turned up missing, too.” He looked out into the hallway. “I hope this means that Ashley is safely back.”
“Yes, sir. She arrived with me and has gone to the family quarters.”
Chambers closed the door and motioned to a chair. “Sit down and tell me what’s going on.”
“I was hoping you would be able to do that for me. How is Ron?”
“We had him flown back after his doctor released him to us. He’s at Bethesda Naval Hospital.”
“That’s good news. I hope to get over there to see him today.” Nick glanced around the office, the first time he’d seen it, then looked at the man behind the desk. “What’s the news on the president?”
Chambers’s expression became grim. “We’ve received two more calls from the terrorist group. The first one came in on Sunday—giving us until tomorrow or they would begin to maim their prisoners.”
“When did the second call come in?”
“This morning, giving more specific threats.”
“What does the VP say he’s going to do?”
“He pointed out to the cabinet members and presidential aides that if we ever give in to terrorists’ threats, there will be no stopping them.”
“Has there been any luck on locating them?”
“Not yet.”
“Any more tapes played purported to be the president?”
“No.” Chambers shook his head. “There’s some talk that it may already be too late to save him.”
“Has a reason been given to the public for his delay returning from vacation?”
“Illness. Once Ray Clarke was out of the hospital and was supposed to be back from vacation, we had him visit the White House. He’s given an interview describing the uneventful nature of the vacation and mentions how unfortunate that his friend now has the flu. I know the VP will be pleased to have Ashley back home. Since most everyone believes she was also on board, it will make it seem she was the only family member who avoided the illness.”
The President's Daughter Page 21
