Mind Game

by Iris Johansen

  “You can’t tell me what you need on the phone?”

  “I could, but I’m not going to do it. I want to see your face when I talk to you. Though God knows if I’ll be able to tell anything from that, either.”

  Palik was clearly upset, and Caleb didn’t like it. It took a good deal for him to lose his cool. “I’ll come down. Meet me in the bar.”

  “Fine. I could use a drink.”

  Not good, Caleb thought. Palik never used drugs and seldom drank. In his line of work, he regarded lack of control as hazardous.

  And his expression was not encouraging when Caleb walked into the bar and dropped down on the red leather banquette across from him. It reflected he was both nervous and angry.

  “What’s the problem?”

  “I’m not sure. You tell me.” He stared Caleb in the eye. “I’ve been straight with you. I know you don’t trust anyone, but that’s how I operate. I don’t lie to you.” He paused. “And you don’t lie to me. That way, I can cover my ass for what’s coming.”

  “You think I lied to you?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe. I’m hoping you didn’t, because I definitely don’t want to get on your bad side. But if you did, I’m here to tell you that I can’t work for you any longer.”

  Caleb’s gaze narrowed on Palik’s face. “I can’t recall lying to you, though it would be a lie if I said I wasn’t capable of doing it if it was to my advantage. In what instance am I supposed to have lied to you?”

  Palik didn’t speak, his hand clenching on the glass in front of him.

  “Palik, I’m beginning to get impatient.”

  “You said that you were through with Said Ben Kemal. That you had all the information you needed from him.”

  Caleb nodded. “Yes, I did. So?”

  “Did you decide you needed something more from him? Or were you annoyed at what he was doing to that kid?”

  “No. Yes. And both issues were resolved. Why?”

  “Because Ben Kemal was found in his apartment this morning gutted and with his throat cut.”

  Caleb went still. “It couldn’t have happened to a more worthy victim. I take it that no one knows who committed the happy act?”

  Palik shook his head. “The police think it might be a mob hit.”

  “But you thought it might be me.”

  “It occurred to me. You’re very clever. You could have made it look like anything you wanted.”

  Caleb grimaced. “But gutting and slitting a throat? I’m surprised you’d think I’d be so crude. Why would I when I have other ways to make someone’s death look totally natural?”

  “You didn’t do it?”

  “I didn’t do it.”

  Palik let out a relieved breath. “I had to be sure. My business is based on contacts, and if it got around that I’d set up Said Ben Kemal for a hit, everyone would run for the hills when they saw me coming.”

  “No retirement palace in Morocco?” Caleb asked absently. His mind was moving quickly, trying to put the new piece into the puzzle. “Why do the police think it was a mob hit?”

  “The gutting and slit throat isn’t enough?” He shrugged. “He was also missing his tongue. Mob retribution usually calls for a statement to indicate a snitch.”

  Caleb stiffened. “And it didn’t occur to you that the only one who had received information from Ben Kemal lately was me? Which meant that someone found out that he’d told me everything he knew. It’s logical that person could be Santara or one of his men who was royally pissed off that Ben Kemal had talked. It’s the kind of example Santara would set.” He lowered his voice to lethal softness. “Just who did you tell about my little trip to see Ben Kemal?”

  “No one,” Palik said flatly. “I’m a professional. I don’t make mistakes like that, Caleb. Maybe it was Ben Kemal himself.”

  “Not possible. I gave him orders not to talk, and he wouldn’t disobey them.” That post suggestion he’d given him would have made it too excruciatingly painful, Caleb knew.

  “Well, it wasn’t me.”

  Caleb was inclined to believe him. That kind of indiscretion was unlikely in Palik. He was too sharp, and as he’d said, he was a professional. So Caleb either had to believe it had been a payoff or that Palik was innocent.

  Yet there had to have been a leak.

  “I swear it,” Palik said. “Not from anyone I dealt with and not from me. Find someone else to blame. Look in your own backyard.”

  That was what Caleb was trying to do. His mind was going over every possibility, every person who had access to the information. There had to be some someone who—

  “What about that kid, Ahmed, you sent out of the apartment that night?” Palik offered. “Though my latest report on him is that he’s scared shitless and is just trying to dig a deep hole for himself. I made sure no one knew where he was.”

  “The boy didn’t know what was happening. Even if someone got to him, he wouldn’t know that I was after information from Ben Kemal. As you say, it was a statement, and he—”

  He stopped, his entire body electrified as a thought occurred to him.

  Look in your own backyard.

  Holy shit!

  He reached for his phone.

  ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND

  EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

  11:35 A.M.

  “I can’t believe everything’s going so smoothly,” Jane murmured to Jock as she watched MacDuff and Nigel Tambry, the bank vice president, disappear into the vault area accompanied by two security guards. “Hey, you did good, Jock.”

  “Told you so.” He smiled. “And only MacDuff and that vice president will know what’s in that box until it’s locked in a special compartment in the vault. Even then it will be on a need-to-know basis. See, you should have trusted me.”

  “I did trust you. I just felt I had to put a period to Cira’s gold, and the only way I could do it was to see it disappear into that vault.” She reached out and took his hand. “Understand?”

  He nodded. “It’s been a long journey for you. But I have to tell you how grateful I am that you took MacDuff along.” He squeezed her hand. “We owe you a great debt, Jane.”

  “Bullshit. We’ve all been in this together from the beginning.” She gave a mock sigh of relief. “And now there’s a small chance that we may be able to live normal lives again. I might even be able to finish that painting of Michael.”

  “It’s a wonderful painting.”

  “He’s a wonderful subject. And I think that Eve’s going to—”

  Her phone rang and she glanced down at the ID.

  “Caleb.” She accessed the call. “I hope you haven’t been talking to Lisa again. That was pure nonsense that—”

  “Who’s there with you, Jane?”

  “What? Right now? Jock.”

  “That’s good. Who else is there at the camp? MacDuff?”

  “Yes. But we’re not at the camp. We’re in Edinburgh.”

  Caleb cursed, his voice low and vehement. “What the hell are you doing in Edinburgh?”

  “We’re at the Royal Bank of Scotland, making a deposit.” She could feel her chest tightening. Caleb was never this upset without reason. “What’s going on, Caleb?”

  “What’s going on is that I thought you were all safe at the camp at Loch Gaelkar, where the situation could be controlled. Instead, you’re all running around the damn country.”

  “Lisa’s not here. She’s fine, Caleb. It’s not as if we left her alone or unprotected at the camp. We took only four of the guards with us to Edinburgh, and Jock said that he’d left enough there at the camp to assure security. Besides, Joe stayed behind, and you know he’d never let anything happen to Eve or Michael.”

  “No, he wouldn’t. I still don’t like that you’re all away from camp.”

  “We won’t be as soon as we get this business finished. Are you going to tell me why?”

  “Said Ben Kemal’s throat was slit and his tongue ripped out. Someone didn’t like that he’d talked to me.
I’m assuming that someone was sent by Santara.”

  Shock. “That’s seems … reasonable,” she said after she had recovered. “And how does this impact our leaving the lake for half a day?”

  “No one should have known I talked to him. Not Palik. And I guarantee Ben Kemal wouldn’t have told anyone.”

  “Well, someone evidently knew.”

  “Yes.” He paused. “You, Jane.”

  “What? Are you crazy? I’m supposed to have told Santara that you—”

  “No, but you’re the only one I told Ben Kemal’s name to and that I was going to pay him a visit.”

  She felt as if she’d been kicked in the stomach. “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying that your phone has been tapped. Maybe Lisa’s, too. And since I doubt that anyone could have had access to your phones, I’d bet that Santara is right on top of you at that camp with special wireless extender instruments.”

  “You have to be wrong.” His every word was destroying that precious sense of security she’d had during these last days. “There’s been no sign of him. As far as anyone knows, he hasn’t even located Lisa since we escaped.”

  “Oh, I think he knows exactly where you are. He’s been stalking, waiting for his chance. He probably realized that the security at the camp is pretty well impregnable, so he’s trying to find a way to get around it. That’s why he’s tapping your phone.”

  “You think he’s that close?”

  “Maybe not near enough for his presence to be detected, but he’s probably imported a lot of high-tech equipment and technicians to be able to scan your phones from a safe distance. But they’d only be able to do it within range of their equipment. If you’re in Edinburgh, I’d think this call is safe.”

  The idea that Santara might be listening was chilling. She still couldn’t comprehend how it could happen. “But we’re so careful. There’s not been even a hint of danger, Caleb.”

  “Not careful enough to avoid a tap. And killing Said Ben Kemal wasn’t a discreet move on Santara’s part. He had to know it was a risk that he’d tip his hand. Maybe he’s getting impatient and ready to make a move.”

  The thought sent a bolt of panic through her. All the people she loved were at that camp. “Are you sure, Caleb?”

  “It’s the only answer. I wanted to warn you. I’m on my way to my plane right now. I should be in Scotland in about five hours.” He added grimly, “And then I’m going hunting.”

  Five hours seemed a long time to her right now. She was only about an hour and thirty minutes away from the lake. “I’m going to go back to the camp right now. I promise Lisa will be okay. I’ll see you when you get there.” She pressed the disconnect.

  “What the hell is wrong?” Jock asked, his gaze on her face. “You’re white as a sheet.”

  “Lisa. Caleb says that he thinks Santara is close enough to the camp to tap my phone. Could he be right?”

  He thought about it. Then he nodded slowly. “We were really careful, but Santara is good, and his background and contacts could make the difference. If Caleb says that it’s true, then we’d have to bank that it is.”

  “That’s what I was afraid you’d say.” She turned toward the front entrance. “I’m going back to the lake. I’ll ride back in the Range Rover with Macauley and his men. Come as soon as you can.”

  “Wait, Jane. It should only be another fifteen minutes or so. Communications might have been breached, but I swear no one can get past the security at the lake.”

  “No. I can’t wait.” Her voice was shaking. “I’m going now. Eve and Joe and Michael … Everyone is there. And I promised I’d take care of Lisa. I promised.… I have to be there with them. Caleb said he was going hunting, but what good will that do if Santara decides to move before—”

  “Then I’ll leave MacDuff and go with you.”

  “No, finish up here. It’s not as if there’s a direct threat. I’m just scared. Go and hurry MacDuff along and then go straight back to the lake. I’ll call Joe and warn him to be on the alert once I get on the road with Macauley.” She didn’t wait for an answer, but ran out the glass doors of the front entrance and started down the street, where Macauley was waiting in the Range Rover.

  No direct threat, she reminded herself. Once Joe was warned, he’d be able to keep everyone safe. But it was Jane’s job, her responsibility. Eve had come to be with Jane on that special day she was planning.

  And she had promised Lisa, and Caleb, that she’d take care of her.

  No direct threat.

  Yet her stride unconsciously quickened as she moved toward the Range Rover.

  * * *

  She called Joe as soon as Macauley had reached the highway leading to Glasgow.

  He listened intently and then said quietly, “Stop worrying, Jane. I can almost feel the waves of angst. We’re all grown-ups and we don’t need you to take care of us. We make our own decisions.”

  “Michael’s not a grown-up, and what about—” She stopped and drew a deep breath. “Okay, I’ll calm down. Caleb just hit me where it hurt.”

  “He has excellent aim that way, but he probably didn’t mean to strike to the heart. He has concerns of his own in this.” He added, “But I’ll be glad to be one of his hunting party when he gets here.”

  He was so calm that she was beginning to settle down. “Is everything okay there now?”

  “Fine. And as soon as I get off the phone with you, I’ll go check on everyone in camp and then have a conference with MacDuff’s security team. By that time, you should be here and can see for yourself.”

  She felt a sudden rush of love for him. “I don’t need to see for myself. I just need you to tell me that all the people I love are going to be okay, including you.”

  He chuckled. “Then you’ve got it. Now come home and we’ll talk about how to keep them that way. I think right now you’re so on edge from lack of sleep that you’re overreacting. Possible?”

  “Maybe.” She paused. “I love you, Joe.”

  “Likewise,” he said softly. “See you soon, Jane.” He hung up.

  He could be right, she thought as she put her phone away. She’d gone without sleep, and when they’d found Cira’s treasure, she’d lost an essential motivation that had driven her life. Maybe her reaction to Caleb’s call had been extreme.

  But so had his reaction been, for God’s sake. He was probably flying back to Scotland even as she’d been talking to Joe. There was no doubt he’d been worried. And why not? He’d almost lost Lisa a short time ago. He wasn’t about to risk that again if he—

  Macauley was muttering a curse, his eye on the rearview mirror.

  “Bastard. Get off my tail.”

  She glanced at the side-view mirror. Macauley had a right to be pissed off. That yellow Hummer was only a couple yards behind them. She hadn’t been aware of anything when she’d been talking to Joe, but now she realized that Macauley had seemed tense and irritated for quite a while. “I agree. What an ass. Can you pull off and let the driver get ahead of us?”

  He shook his head. “Ditches on both sides. Maybe in the next ten miles or so.”

  But the yellow Hummer was speeding up.

  The next minute, it hit the bumper of the Range Rover!

  It spun sideways and Macauley was barely able to keep it on the road. “I’m going to kill him,” he said through his teeth. “I’ll beat the—”

  The Hummer hit them again, harder.

  The Range Rover spun again, this time toward the ditch.

  And the Hummer was now right beside them, ramming them in the side.

  Once.

  Twice!

  That driver has to be crazy, Jane thought as she lurched hard against the control panel. What was he doing?

  And then she saw what he was doing. Because she saw who was doing it.

  Santara.

  Santara was driving that Hummer.

  And he was smiling at her.

  And then he swung his steering wheel forty degrees
to the right and rammed their Range Rover at full force.

  It was already on two wheels, and the additional blow sent it barreling toward the ditch.

  Macauley was cursing, trying to right the car.

  Too late. It’s going to be too late, Jane thought as she watched in horror, realizing what was going to happen.

  The Range Rover skidded off the road at high speed, turned over in midair, and landed on its roof in the ditch.

  Pain!

  Darkness …

  * * *

  Jock saw the fire devouring the Range Rover as he turned a corner on the highway. “My God.”

  “Macauley?” MacDuff asked.

  “And Jane,” Jock said jerkily. “Jane was riding with him.” There were two police cars and a fire truck pulled over behind the wreck of the Range Rover. He sped up and screeched to a stop behind them. He jumped out of the Toyota and brushed aside the uniformed policeman who was trying to keep him from running toward the wreck. “Keep them out of my way, MacDuff. I’ve got to see if I can get anyone out of that inferno.”

  “You won’t. Don’t even try, sir.” A young policeman, covered with mud and soot, had come out of the ditch. “The driver was pinned by the air bag and was pretty bruised and broken up. But he made it out of the car and we found him trying to crawl up to the road. He’s in the ambulance over there. We’re trying to put out the fire now, but I’m afraid that it really doesn’t matter if—” He abruptly broke off. “Are you family?”

  “Why doesn’t it matter?” MacDuff demanded. “Finish what you were going to say, dammit.”

  “Maybe you should talk to my superior. He’s over there with the EMTs and two witnesses who were in a car right behind the Range Rover.”

  “Why?” Jock took a step closer to him. “Now.”

  The policeman took a hasty step back. “We got a look at the other three victims through the window before the tank blew. All three men were deceased. It appeared that they’d been shot in the head at close range.” He saw Jock’s expression and said, “They were family? I’m sorry for your loss. I shouldn’t be the one talking to you. Lieutenant Parren is interviewing witnesses over there. You’d better go see him.” He turned and almost ran back to the police car.