Fatal Charm

by Aimée Thurlo

  “I’ll contact you again in an hour.”

  The line was disconnected before she could ask any more questions. Relief and fear began pounding through her. Relief because now Tony would have to remain in her life, fear because she was once again in the thick of things.

  Amanda called Tony’s pager number, then sat back to wait. He would return her call soon, then it would all start again—if indeed it had ever ended. Destiny. Maybe Tony had been right all along. Only, unlike him, she couldn’t quite see a happy ending for them.

  Chapter Ten

  Tony saw Amanda’s number blinking on his pager. Gut instinct told him the kidnappers had called. He hurried back toward the day care, still wearing his maintenance-man disguise. He’d had a feeling that the trail to the kidnappers might begin with the day-care center. That’s why he’d staked it out for the past few days whenever he’d had a chance.

  Monitoring the bugs he’d placed in her office and her home had confirmed one thing: Amanda was as innocent as he’d hoped. And Bernice hated him as much as he’d suspected. He grinned mirthlessly. She had good reason to.

  He rushed to Amanda’s office. She jumped to her feet and quickly ushered him inside as he appeared at her door. “They called, didn’t they?” he asked.

  “Yes, and with a new demand.” Amanda played the tape for him.

  Tony listened to it, rubbing his neck with one hand. “When they call you again, tell them that before I risk jail to get this, I want proof that they know where my Carmen is.”

  “All right, but I also think we should contact Raymond. We’ve got to cover ourselves on this.”

  “What do you think Raymond could do, besides bail me out?”

  “I don’t know, but I want someone else in our corner. If things go wrong, I want muscle there to give us backup or, at the very least, substantiate that we were coerced into this. I don’t think they’ll carry out their threat of exposing our role in delivering the stolen file to them, but this plan of theirs could land us both in jail. Without some way of covering ourselves, I’m not sure I have the courage to go through with this.”

  Tony considered it. The kidnappers would love to have him tied up with the police. Then, they could take off for good, leaving him high and dry like the last time. “I’ll approach Raymond, but first I’ve got a few things I want to check out. This new request by the kidnappers has given me a few ideas I want to look into. There’s a definite connection with this and the information they wanted on that forgery case the Bureau’s handling.”

  “You think they’re forging drivers’ licenses?”

  “Yes, and that could be only the tip of the iceberg. They could create whole new identities from that starting point.” He walked to the door, then turned around. “At least they didn’t say anything about Hope or her possible involvement in the future.”

  “No. I think they’ve backed off on that, thank goodness.”

  “Good. I’m relieved to hear it.”

  Tony walked out of the building and toward his pickup. He’d have to approach Raymond carefully. He had a plan, but it entailed bending the law, something he wasn’t sure his friend would go along with. What he’d need first was a bargaining chip, something that would make things more palatable to his Bureau buddy.

  * * *

  AMANDA WATCHED THE CLOCK. Forty-five minutes had passed. She’d hoped Tony would return before the kidnapper’s contact called. There was no telling how the caller would react when she heard that Tony had demands of his own.

  Tony arrived at her office just as the phone on her desk began to ring. Amanda glanced down at it hesitantly, then up at Tony.

  “Answer it. I’ll grab the extension on Bernice’s desk. She’s not there to demand an explanation.”

  The electronic voice greeted her cordially, which made it all the more revolting. Amanda steeled herself to take as hard a line as necessary. Being tough had seemed easy when they’d threatened Hope, now she wasn’t sure she could carry it off.

  “Does Ramos understand the plan?”

  “Yes, but he wants proof that you really do know where his daughter is. Otherwise, he won’t do it. I won’t, either.”

  “What kind of proof?”

  Tony cut in sharply. “I’m here. Talk to me directly. No more games, slimeball.”

  “I’ll make this fast, Ramos. We’ll deliver convincing proof to the day-care-center office by two this afternoon. Be ready to move on our plan for you to steal the blank driver’s license from the Department of Motor Vehicles by four forty-five today. By then, the employees there are tired, and they have a tendency to get sloppy. That’s the best time to strike.”

  Hearing the dial tone, Tony hung up and went back into Amanda’s office. “They didn’t even hesitate about the proof. They’re the real thing, all right. They probably know where Carmen is right now.”

  “They must want that form pretty bad,” she commented.

  “They have their own agenda. This is what they wanted in the first place. False IDs on the real forms can be worth thousands of dollars.”

  Amanda glanced at the photo of Hope on her desk. “I won’t risk going to jail, Tony. I just can’t.”

  “I’ve taken care of that. Raymond’s in on this and a plan’s already in motion. You’ll be in no danger.”

  “Can I talk to him before we get started?”

  “No. It’s best if he’s nowhere near you until after it’s over. Besides, he’s got his hands full at the moment.”

  “I want to know exactly what you’ve got up your sleeve.”

  He shook his head. “Not this time, Amanda. This involves other people’s secrets. If you want, I’ll sign a statement right now saying that I’ve coerced you into going along with a Bureau sting operation, and I’m solely responsible for your involvement. You won’t go to jail, believe me.”

  Amanda walked to her computer, composed a short statement, then printed it out. “How’s this? It’s mostly what you just said.”

  Tony read it over. “Fine.”

  “Wait. I want Bernice to witness the signature.”

  She called Bernice into the office, and after Tony signed the paper, she handed it over to Bernice to place in the safe.

  Amanda wasn’t sure what Tony was up to. His story about Raymond being too busy was probably true, but she couldn’t be sure Tony wasn’t pulling a fast one. “You’ll be back here at two to receive the proof, right?”

  “I’m shooting for one-thirty, just in case they’re early. In the meantime, I’ll try to get Raymond to give you a call if you think it’ll set your mind at ease. I’ll also ask him to tail the messenger. We’ll want him questioned, but not detained, in case the kidnappers are watching our every move.”

  “I’d appreciate that.”

  Amanda stayed at her desk long after Tony left. She filled out reports, then answered calls from parents and prospective clients, trying to fight her nervousness by immersing herself in her duties. Nothing seemed to work. Bernice walked in a half hour later, holding a sandwich and a cola. “Here. With all the pressure on you, I don’t think you should skip lunch. You don’t need to get sick.”

  Amanda took the food from Bernice’s hands, though she wasn’t hungry, and set it down on her desk. As she did, her sleeve brushed against a cup holding pencils and pens, sending them crashing to the floor.

  “Oh, great. Typical of the way my day’s going.” Amanda bent down to retrieve them.

  “I’ll let some more light in here,” Bernice said, opening the curtains all the way.

  Amanda reached under her desk for a pencil that had rolled there and spotted something lodged under the desktop, near where the phone rested. At first glance, it appeared to be a wad of gum, but she had no idea how it would have gotten there. “Have any of the kids been in here?”

  “Not to my knowledge,” Bernice answered.

  After reaching for a Kleenex tissue in her pocket, she pried the object loose. It was a bit too firm to be gum.

  Amanda
rose to her feet and placed the object on top of her desk. She stared at it, comprehension slowly dawning. Someone had been listening in on all her conversations with a tiny microphone.

  Putting a finger to her lips, Amanda stepped outside her office, pulling Bernice along by the arm. Then, just for good measure, she walked out to the playground in the back, motioning for Bernice to follow. “Our conversations have been monitored,” Amanda finally announced.

  “The kidnappers?” Bernice sounded shocked.

  “Possibly, but that doesn’t seem right. They were more interested in giving orders than in listening to anything I had to say.”

  “But then...Tony—” Bernice began echoing Amanda’s thoughts, her voice suddenly full of conviction.

  Everyone had told her that Tony was manipulative, a user of people who’d honed that particular skill to an art. She hadn’t truly believed that, but now the truth stared her plainly in the face. Tony had used the device to gather information about her, making sure he was employing all the right techniques to lower her guard. The pain of his betrayal pierced her soul.

  “You have to confront him with it. You have to make sure it was his handiwork and not someone else’s,” Bernice said.

  “I intend to do just that this afternoon. Then he and I will have to rethink a few plans. Trust between us is no longer an option.” Amanda turned and headed back to her office.

  From now on, she wouldn’t allow anyone to manipulate her, not the kidnappers, not Raymond, not Tony. It was time for her to start calling her own shots.

  * * *

  FROM THE MOMENT Tony walked into her office, he knew something was wrong. His gut tightened as he looked into Amanda’s eyes and saw the pain and anger there.

  Unwilling to hazard any guesses as to the cause, a sure way to make things worse, he took a seat, prepared to wait her out. Then he saw the bug he’d placed beneath her desk lying on top of some files directly before him.

  “Your doing, isn’t it?”

  Tony thought about denying it. He could always blame it on the kidnappers, but he’d always taken responsibility for his own actions, and she deserved at least that from him. His feelings for Amanda had grown deeper than he’d ever dreamed possible, and the time for lies was long past.

  “I did place it in here, yes.” The anguish he saw etched on her face knifed through him. “It was necessary at the time. Think back a few days, Amanda. When we first embarked on this I knew nothing about you. And my instincts told me you were holding back.”

  He watched her. She wasn’t really listening to him. He had a feeling she was trying to remember everything she’d said inside this office during the past few days. Then her expression suddenly changed, and she glared at him, fire in her eyes. “Is there another one in my home?”

  He rejected the thought of lying. He knew what was bothering her. He’d learned the threat the kidnappers had used to keep her involved and the real reason she’d allowed herself to be manipulated. He’d heard her discussing their tactics with Bernice, courtesy of the bug he’d placed in her office. He knew they had threatened to make him believe Hope was really Carmen, and that Amanda, having decided to keep Hope’s adoption a secret, was especially vulnerable, though that threat was without any basis. Knowing the truth, he wouldn’t have made problems for her that would have resulted in anyone taking Hope away from her. Of course, he couldn’t have predicted what the kidnappers might have done had she refused to cooperate.

  “There’s one there, too,” he admitted at last, “but I would never use anything I overheard against you.”

  “Where did you put it?” Her voice was the temperature of a frozen lake.

  “In the kitchen, underneath the trim on a cabinet.” He saw the pain flashing in her eyes.

  “And now you expect me to trust your word and believe you’ve really contacted Raymond.” Amanda shook her head. “I can’t. Your word, your honor, is questionable at best.”

  “You can trust the way I feel, and know I wouldn’t—”

  She held up her hand. “Enough. In my heart, I once gave you the benefit of the doubt, but not again.” Then a look of alarm crossed her face. “Wait a minute. If you placed a bug here, maybe the kidnappers did, too.”

  He shook his head. “Mine would have picked up interference. At least it kept you safe from them in that way.” Tony looked directly at her, trying to convince her he wasn’t the enemy. “Don’t judge me too harshly. Remember that throughout all this, you’ve chosen to keep your own secrets.”

  “Yes, but my secrets couldn’t harm you.”

  “Then why didn’t you share them with me? I would have protected you.”

  “The person I need the most protection from is you. Were you also responsible for the phony bomb, and the rock being thrown through my window, not to mention stealing the photo of Hope from my dresser? Was it all part of your plan to control me?”

  Tony stood up, anger surging inside him. “Those accusations are beneath you. Deep down, you know the answer.” He walked around Amanda’s desk and spun her chair around to face him. “Do you really have so little faith in me? I’ve protected you and your secrets. Face it, Amanda. We were both at fault. Neither of us trusted the other.”

  “Then maybe neither of us is worthy of love,” she said, an almost numbing coldness settling over her.

  “Love doesn’t depend on merit to exist. It never has and it never will.” Tony strode through the door and left her alone in her office.

  * * *

  RAYMOND KNOCKED at her door a short time later. He was dressed as a janitor and she barely recognized him. “I thought you and I needed a chance to talk. Are you okay with Tony’s plan?”

  “I’ll be fine as long as I don’t land in jail,” Amanda admitted.

  “There’s no chance of that. Tony has uncovered evidence of a forgery ring. He’s turned the information over to the Bureau and agreed to cooperate with our operation. His services are crucial to us if we’re to catch this gang that’s been working our area. The Bureau is on this case officially, and I’m heading the task force.”

  “How is my involvement being explained, officially, that is?”

  “You were contacted by the gang because you’ve been dating my old partner. When you were both coerced into agreeing to the theft, my ex-partner notified the Bureau.”

  “I’m glad we’ll be safe,” Amanda confessed.

  “I wouldn’t call it ‘safe.’ Unless your performance is convincing, the kidnappers will catch on, and Tony can effectively say goodbye to his kid. That trail’s been cold for too long. His chances of finding her are next to none without a good tip.”

  Raymond glanced at his watch. “But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s see what happens first, and what proof the kidnappers offer him. It’s almost time for that delivery. I better leave. I’ve got to keep an eye out for the messenger and see if we can ID the person.”

  “I’m glad you’ll be there.”

  “So am I,” Raymond replied. “Remember one thing, Amanda. My old partner’s not the only one with a few tricks up his sleeve. I know him very well, and I’ll take care of him. That’s what friends are for.”

  She knew that he was telling her far more than his words indicated. “I don’t suppose you’d care to be more specific?”

  “I’ve already told you more than I should have.” Pushing a large carpet sweeper, Raymond left her office.

  Tony arrived moments later. There was a fire in his eyes that nothing could disguise. He wanted action, she could see that plainly.

  They sat across from each other and Amanda watched him. She resisted the urge to reach out and take his hand. He could make her blood simmer with desire with only one look. She was tempted to try to salvage the few things that were right between them. But there were so many conflicting emotions racing through her, she wasn’t sure which to heed. “I have no more secrets from you, but you still have some of your own,” she observed.

  “What good would full disclosur
es do now? Telling you the truth has cost me enough. You refuse to believe me now, even when I do tell you the truth, that I love you and will protect you.”

  “I don’t know what to believe anymore. I’ve run out of answers,” she said wearily.

  “You’re scared, just as scared as I am.” Tony walked around to her seat and pulled her to her feet. “Yet, even now, despite it all, you respond to me when I’m close to you, just as I respond to you.”

  She could feel the warmth of his body, but although he stood only inches away, he didn’t draw her into his embrace. “Why are you doing this?” she whispered.

  “To remind you that we’re both just human. We can be hurt, and we have needs.” As a knock sounded on her door, he moved away.

  Bernice came in and glared at Tony. As she turned to Amanda, her gaze softened. “This came for you.”

  “Thanks, Bernice.”

  “I’ll be right outside if you need me.”

  Amanda handed Tony the sealed eight-by-twelve manila envelope. He returned to his chair and extracted the contents carefully, setting them out on her desk. “Copies of a birth certificate and an adoption certificate,” Tony said pensively. “If these footprints match the ones on Carmen’s birth certificate, then I’ll know.”

  “You’ll know what?”

  “That they forged the papers for my daughter and placed her up for adoption three years ago,” he said, his voice so controlled it was flat.

  “Is the adoption certificate real?”

  “The documents might be genuine, but if the footprints are Carmen’s, there’s nothing legal or accurate about the information on them.” He stood up. “I have some things to track down in a hurry. I’ll be back later with a final plan for us to carry out at the Department of Motor Vehicles.”

  * * *

  TONY MET WITH RAYMOND at a mall parking lot a short time later. He handed over the papers, then brought out Carmen’s real birth certificate. “I want Joe Parker to take a look at these. He’s the best in the state. If these two footprints are off even slightly, except for size, he’ll spot it. I have to know if this is for real, and this isn’t my area of expertise.”