A Father's Desperate Rescue

by Amelia Autin

  She went in search of Dirk. She tapped on the door, and when he called out, “It’s open,” she went inside, closing the door behind her.

  As she had once before, she stood with her back to the door. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. I just forwarded the email to you. Before you ask, I’ll tell you. It’s not the same GPS coordinates. I did the calculation, keyed the numbers into Google Maps, and...” An expression of frustration crossed his face. “It puts their location right in the middle of Victoria Harbour.”

  “That’s not possible. Could you have made a mistake when you did the math?”

  He shook his head. “I did it three times. So either he knows about the GPS embedding feature and somehow managed to change it, or he was on the ferry when he took the picture. And I can tell from the picture they’re not on the ferry.”

  “There’s a third possibility.”

  “Which is?”

  “GPS in cameras isn’t always perfect. If you turn the camera off—in this case, his iPhone—then turn it back on and take a picture before the camera receives an updated GPS signal, the GPS coordinates embedded in the picture will be the ones at the last location where the signal was received.” She hurried to add, “That’s why I said we need two pictures with the same coordinates to nail down their location.”

  “Terrific.” The acerbic way the word was delivered was more to the point than the word itself.

  “I’m sorry. I wish I had a better answer for you.” She looked at her watch, then back at Dirk. “If we’re going to go, we should leave soon. It’s more than an hour’s drive to get there. The Tian Tan Buddha is on Lantau Island, west of the airport—nearly as far as Tai O. And it will take us a while to climb the stairs.”

  “What do you mean, if we’re going to go?” he demanded. “I thought you said we should do exactly what the kidnappers asked.”

  “Slip of the tongue,” she countered swiftly. “I meant to say—”

  He shook his head and cut her off. “I don’t buy that. You had a reason for saying it.”

  Mei-li hesitated, but by the stubborn expression on his face she knew he wasn’t going to be deterred—he wanted an answer, and he would wait until he got one. So even though she wasn’t sure, she confessed, “I think the ransom deliveries today are a ruse. I think they’re meant to keep us busy, so we don’t have time to do anything except deliver the ransom.”

  Dirk went very still. “Why do you say that?” he asked in a quiet voice.

  “Because...” You have to tell him, her conscience insisted. “Because the two previous ransom drops we made were never retrieved.”

  He didn’t respond at first, but a muscle twitched in his jaw. Then even more quietly he asked, “And how do you know that?”

  Chapter 15

  When Mei-li didn’t answer, Dirk’s eyes narrowed and he nodded to himself, as if the answer should have been obvious to him. “You had someone following us. Watching us make the drops. And then watching to see who picked them up. If someone picked them up.” The lack of emotion in his voice hurt her more than she’d ever imagined possible. She knew he thought she’d betrayed him...betrayed his daughters. And the only way he could deal with it was to shut down his emotions.

  “It’s not what you think.”

  His bark of laughter grated. “You don’t know what I’m thinking.”

  “Yes, I do. You think I put your daughters at risk. I didn’t. This is the only way, Dirk. I told you two days ago I have no experience with kidnapping for revenge, but you wanted me on the case anyway.” She moved until she was standing right in front of him, and her voice was urgent, needing to convince him. “You trusted me—don’t stop now.”

  “I’m supposed to trust you...but you haven’t trusted me.” The dangerous softness was back in his tone.

  “You’re right. And I apologize. I should have told you right off the bat what I was doing and why.” Her apology didn’t appease him, she saw. She glanced at her watch again. “I’ll explain everything, but not right now. We really do have to leave. This time of day, there’s no telling what the traffic will be like.”

  “Why bother?” he asked, bitter self-mockery lending a sarcastic edge to his words. “If the kidnappers aren’t even going to retrieve the ransom...why bother delivering it?”

  “Because we’re being watched to see if we do what we’re told to do.”

  He stared at her for a moment. “And you know this how?”

  “I saw him at the museum. He doesn’t know I made him—you don’t have to worry about that—but it was him, I’m sure of it. And at the Peak I had the sensation we were being observed. I can’t prove it, but that’s what my instincts are telling me.” She gripped his forearms. “This man is smart. Remember how I told you most kidnappers are caught when they retrieve the ransom? Because they have to be at a certain place at a certain time? I think that’s why he’s not collecting the ransom, even though he’s at the drop site watching us. Because a million dollars is a pittance compared to nineteen million—and we already figured they’ll want you to wire the rest of the money somewhere rather than pay it in cash.”

  The harsh expression faded from Dirk’s face as what she was saying sank in. “If the cash ransom is a ruse, that means we hit a nerve yesterday, and they’re trying to prevent us from following up.”

  “We already know which of the five planes is involved,” Mei-li said. “But they don’t know we know. What they do know is we were asking questions yesterday. And they needed to put a stop to it. What better way—”

  “—to keep me occupied than to make me run all over Hong Kong delivering ransom packages?” he finished for her.

  She nodded. “I should have realized the minute you were told to deliver the million dollars in four installments that’s what they were doing.”

  He drew a sharp breath. “So the kidnappers can’t leave Hong Kong with Linden and Laurel because the plane isn’t ready. Maybe they could find another plane, but...it might not be that easy to locate someone willing to smuggle my daughters at short notice. And if they gave out too much info, they’d run the risk of someone going to the police.”

  “Exactly. This kidnapping was set up in advance,” she said. “Planned in detail. It wasn’t an opportunistic grab and run, a chance to make some easy money. But they had two pieces of incredibly bad luck, both related to the typhoon—the plane was grounded, then damaged in the storm. So now they’re improvising. And they’re not all that good at improvising—they’re making little mistakes. One of those mistakes is how we’ll catch them.”

  This time, it was Dirk who looked at his watch. “Okay,” he said. “I don’t give a damn if the kidnappers retrieve the money or not. But you’re right—I have to make them think I’m their puppet on a string.” His eyes were steely with resolve. “Two ransom drops down, two to go. Let’s do it. But, Mei-li,” he warned, holding up his hand palm out, stopping her from leaving. “When we get back... I want to know everything.”

  * * *

  Dirk stood at the base of the Tian Tan Buddha, staring up the endless staircase leading to the impressive statue at the top. “You weren’t kidding about the stairs,” he muttered to Mei-li.

  They weren’t alone. The stairs weren’t as crowded as the Peak had been, but a steady stream of visitors, both ascending and descending, passed them. Mei-li checked her watch. “Traffic wasn’t too bad and Patrick got us here quickly, so we don’t have to rush. But the sooner we start, the sooner we’ll be at the top.” She looked him over. “Shouldn’t be too much of a challenge for an action-adventure hero like you,” she murmured, a teasing glint in her eyes.

  Dirk was forced to laugh. “If this were a movie, they’d film me dashing up the first few stairs at the bottom, then film me jogging up the last flight, barely breathing hard. The audience would assume I ran the entire distanc
e and be impressed.”

  “I’m crushed,” she said, tongue in cheek. “My illusions are dashed.”

  He laughed again. And at the same time acknowledged it felt so good to laugh, even though a large part of him was worried sick about his daughters, about this ransom drop, about whether or not Mei-li was right that this entire day was a ruse on the part of the kidnappers to keep them from investigating the plane that was their getaway vehicle.

  Which reminded him that Mei-li still had a hell of a lot of explaining to do. “Come on,” he said, his laughter fading as he began the ascent. “You’re right—the sooner we start, the sooner we’ll be where we need to be.”

  They climbed the numerous flights of stairs in silence. About a third of the way up, they passed a minitemple structure between staircases, and another one two-thirds of the way up. Dirk was in peak physical shape—he usually worked out with weights four days a week and had his own gym at home in Hollywood. And his suite at the Peninsula Hotel also had its own exercise room, which was another excellent reason he’d agreed to stay there. But he was glad when they reached the foot of the last flight of stairs and their goal was in sight. Might want to add a stair climber to the gym at home, he thought, making a mental note. Great exercise for the legs and the heart.

  Mei-li paused when they reached the top. “I don’t remember if we should go left or right,” she told Dirk. “I don’t remember which side has the deva holding an offering of fruit.” She pointed in one direction. “I think it’s this way.”

  They found the statue in question and had no difficulty locating the spot where Dirk was supposed to hide the ransom. But Mei-li was right—it wasn’t going to be easy doing it unobserved. And after climbing the stairs Dirk realized she’d been correct about another thing. “You’re right,” he told her quietly, so none of the people around them could hear. “Retrieving the ransom and making a getaway from up here wouldn’t be easy.”

  “But I don’t think they have any intention of doing that,” she reminded him. She glanced around, her expression displaying nothing but the casual interest a tourist would show, but Dirk knew better. She was checking to see if she could spot one of the kidnappers watching them.

  “Which one is yours?” he asked, tilting his head toward the crowd of people enthusiastically taking pictures.

  “Mine?” Her brows drew together in a puzzled frown.

  “Which one of these people is the person you have watching to see if anyone recovers the ransom?”

  “Ahhh.” One corner of her mouth curled up in a rueful half smile. “Would you believe I really don’t know? I’m not the one running that show.”

  “But it’s not the police,” he stated. “You assured me it wasn’t them.”

  “It’s not. They’re better than the police. Better than your FBI, even.”

  “Who?”

  “They operate in the shadows,” she said, her face taking on the solemn expression he recognized. “They’ve only ever gotten involved in two cases I’ve handled before.” She fell silent for a moment, as if she was of two minds about telling him the rest. “They’re the refuge of last resort, Dirk,” she finally admitted. “Cases that appear hopeless.”

  He went cold all over. “Hopeless? You’re telling me rescuing my daughters is hopeless?”

  She shook her head vehemently. “No. It only appears hopeless. But this group—they call themselves RMM—they’re kind of like the Mission Impossible teams. But they operate outside the law.” She gazed up at him, and Dirk read the determination in her eyes. “Remember I asked you what you were willing to do to rescue Linden and Laurel? Remember I asked if you were willing to break the law, willing to go to jail?” She put a hand on his arm. “You didn’t answer the first time, but when I asked you again you said you would do whatever it takes.”

  Emotion overwhelmed him as he envisioned just how far he would go to bring his daughters home and keep them safe, now and forever—the same thing he’d done for their mother almost twenty years ago. “I’d kill anyone I had to,” he confessed in a low tone.

  “Then I did the right thing calling RMM in. They don’t see themselves as above the law—they really don’t. They just do what they have to do, knowing it might mean death or incarceration. They accept that as the price they might have to pay because—”

  Dirk’s phone rang, and Mei-li darted a glance at her watch. “It’s them,” she said in a tight voice. “It’s 4:30.”

  * * *

  It was a little after six when Dirk and Mei-li reentered his suite. Vanessa was nowhere in sight, but Rafe, Mike and Chet were out on the terrace talking. The three men quickly came inside when they saw Dirk and Mei-li walk into the living room, and Rafe asked anxiously, “How’d it go?”

  “Fine.” Dirk wanted to add something to that one-word response, but couldn’t think of anything. He couldn’t say that this phone call from his daughters, like the other two, had eviscerated him. He couldn’t say that he’d wanted to roar out his frustration and fling the money over the side of the landing where the Six Devas stood, instead of shielding Mei-li from the view of the crowd as she surreptitiously tucked the bag she’d been carrying under the stone next to the deva. He couldn’t say that it had killed him to keep silent the entire ride home, because Patrick was in the front seat, and not demand further elucidation from Mei-li about this shadow group helping them. “Fine.”

  Dirk’s gaze went to the one remaining grocery bag on the dining room table, containing the last of the four ransom packages, and he mentally thanked God the day was almost over. Only one more, he thought. One more picture, one more delivery. One more phone call.

  Not that he didn’t want proof his daughters were still alive. Not that he didn’t need proof the way he needed air to breathe. Because if Linden and Laurel were dead, he might as well be, too.

  But he didn’t know how much more of this he could take.

  “Dinner,” Mei-li said, her prosaic reminder dragging his mind back from the dark side. “You need to eat something, Dirk. We all do. And since you can’t leave the suite until you get the last ransom-delivery instructions, you’d better call room service.”

  “Requests?” he asked the bodyguards. “And where’s Vanessa? She might want to pick what she wants for dinner.” He turned to Mei-li. “What about Patrick? I should have told him to park the Rolls and come up, but I...”

  He’d been too lost in thought, too concerned about his own problems to think about anyone else, and guilt stabbed through him. Now that he thought about it, he realized Patrick hadn’t said a word about missing classes at the university the past two days, and Dirk hadn’t even had the common courtesy to ask. He’d just assumed Patrick would be available to drive him wherever and whenever. Even though he’d suggested to Mei-li that her cousin might be involved with the kidnappers, he really didn’t believe it. There was a tiny corner of his mind that wasn’t quite convinced, however, and if Patrick was innocent Dirk would apologize...once his daughters were safely home. But assuming Patrick wasn’t guilty, he needed to respect that Patrick was doing him a tremendous favor putting himself at Dirk’s beck and call all hours of the day and night.

  “He’ll be up shortly,” Mei-li assured Dirk. “Didn’t you hear him tell us when he dropped us off downstairs?”

  Dirk shook his head. “No, I didn’t, but...I’m glad. What about you? Is there anything special you want?”

  * * *

  Room service hadn’t yet arrived when the doorbell sounded. Mei-li had been watching and waiting, and she jumped up immediately, hurrying into the foyer to answer the door. Dirk was only a second behind her.

  “Delivery for Mr. DeWinter,” the man in the blue-and-gray livery said.

  Dirk scrawled his signature and ripped open the envelope, not even noticing Mei-li closing the door.

  “‘Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower, 9:00 p.m.,�
��” Mei-li read aloud as Dirk held the page so they could both read it at the same time.

  Wait at the base of the tower and pretend to take pictures like a tourist. When you receive the phone call, you will have one minute to talk with your daughters—make it count. After you hang up, walk down the Kowloon Public Pier away from the tower. Take the first staircase down to the water’s edge and place the bag at the foot of the staircase. Leave and don’t look back. You will be contacted tomorrow. Don’t do anything stupid.

  “The Clock Tower,” she murmured. “We can walk there from here—five or six minutes at the most. It’s just down Salisbury Road, not far from the Star Ferry Pier.”

  “Then I don’t need Patrick to drive us.”

  She shook her head. “More trouble than it’s worth.” She walked into the dining room and picked up the grocery bag with the ransom money from the table. “Better get this out of the way,” she said, sending Dirk a message with her eyes before walking toward the double doors to the study outside his bedroom. “Room service will be here soon.” She turned at the door and asked Dirk, “Where do you want me to put it?”

  His face was impassive, but his eyes acknowledged that he knew she was trying to get him alone and he crossed the room with his brisk stride. “I’ll show you.”

  Mei-li waited only long enough for Dirk to lock the door behind them, turn on his laptop and log into his email account in preparation for the message they knew by now would arrive shortly. Then she said, “We don’t have a lot of time before dinner gets here. And any minute there should be an email from the kidnappers,” she added, pointing at his computer, “with the latest picture of your daughters. But I wanted to finish our conversation about—”

  “This shadow group you called in.”

  “Yes.” She bit her lip. “I don’t know a lot about them. I only have one contact—the man who founded the organization. And I can’t tell you his name,” she said before he could ask. “I can’t.”

  “But you trust him. Them.”