by Lisa Harris
“Please put the gun down,” Nikki said. “He’s telling the truth.”
“That he’s got a real police badge? That doesn’t mean anything. You can buy those on eBay. Besides, I’ve heard a lot of cops wear fake badges so they won’t lose the real ones.”
“We’re with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Missing Persons Task Force, and we’re here to talk to you about Erika Hamilton.” Nikki studied his reaction. “We know she’s in trouble, and that you’ve been trying to help her.”
His face paled at the mention of Erika’s name. “How do you know that?”
“If you put down your weapon, we’ll tell you. But we’re here because we need your help.”
“I don’t understand.” His eyes narrowed. He was clearly thrown off by what she’d just told him. He’d obviously been expecting Russell’s men to come after him. Not the good guys coming to him for help. “Why would you need me?”
“Because we know Erika’s been on the run since the plane crash. We also know that she was coming to Nashville to testify against Brian Russell, and that you helped her hide the evidence she has against him.”
She wasn’t ready to tell him Erika was dead.
“I don’t know.” The conflict was clear in his eyes. “Just because you’re the authorities doesn’t mean I can trust you. She was in an FBI safe house and they got to her. If they can find her at a presumed safe house, no place is really secure.”
Nikki drew in a slow breath. “I understand you’re scared, but please understand something. We’re on your side.”
“I … I don’t know who to believe anymore.” His hands were shaking, and with the safety off … “Besides. You don’t know what it’s like to watch someone you love go through this. How guilty I feel—”
“I understand.” Nikki bit her lip. “I lost my sister ten years ago, but it still feels like yesterday. Someone kidnapped her, and we never found her. I’ve always felt it was my fault because I was late picking her up that day.”
He dropped his hand to his side, so the barrel of the gun was pointing toward the ground. “We can talk, but not here. We’re too exposed.”
“Give me the gun first,” Jack said, stepping toward him.
Brandon hesitated, then flicked the safety back on before handing the gun to Jack. “Are you going to arrest me?”
“We’re not here to arrest you,” Jack said. “We really do need your help.”
They followed him back to his apartment, then waited for him to open the front door, certain that his neighbor across the breezeway was watching until he shut the door behind them. Inside, the small apartment looked like a typical bachelor pad, with a pizza box on the table and a few scattered Coke cans. From the TV setup, it was obvious that he was heavily into gaming.
“I don’t have a lot of time,” he said, offering them a seat on the leather sofa. “If you’re telling the truth, then you know she’s running because they’re after her and the evidence she has.”
“The evidence she has for the grand jury,” Nikki said.
He hesitated, then sat down on a cushioned leather chair across from them. “She never should have agreed to help the FBI, but she thought … she thought if Brian was in jail, she’d be free of him.”
“How do you know Erika?”
He drummed his fingers against the arms of the chair. “We met first at work when she was here in Nashville. I helped her out a few times, computer stuff, and we got to know each other. We were just friends. And then after a while I started noticing that something wasn’t right.”
“What wasn’t right?” Jack asked.
“She would come to me and ask questions about digitally tracking people, tagging people with GPS trackers, spyware, and monitored phone tracking.”
“Did she ever tell you why she wanted to know those things?”
“At first she just told me she was curious and found the subject interesting, but I eventually figured out that she was afraid of someone.”
“Brian Russell?” Nikki asked.
Brandon nodded. “No matter what most people think about him and all his money, she deserves so much more.”
“So you’re in love with her?” Nikki asked.
“Yes, and she feels the same way about me.”
“And did you know about Lily?”
Brandon nodded again. “Brian has money and power, and Erika … she thought if she left Brian, she would lose Lily.”
“And so you decided to help her.”
“There wasn’t much I could do. Not until she came to me with evidence that Mr. Russell was involved with some very illegal things.”
Nikki leaned forward. “What did you do with that information?”
“I encrypted the information she had and hid it in her cell phone. Because that evidence is the only leverage she has. As soon as Brian goes to jail , she’ll have full custody of Lily; and we’re going to get married. We just … we couldn’t tell anyone. Not even her brother knows.”
“According to her phone records, you spoke with her a couple hours after the airline crash,” Jack said.
“She told me about the crash, and that when she got off the plane, she saw one of the men who tried to grab her at the safe house. She realized she was being tracked. She’d gone to her friend Kim’s house to pick up some clothes and money and to use her car.”
“Did you know Kim is dead?”
Brandon nodded. “Erika found out. It totally freaked her out. That’s why she wouldn’t let me pick her up. She was convinced they’d find me and kill me too.”
“When’s the last time you spoke with Erika?”
“We spoke briefly again last night on the burner phone she’d bought. Then today, she left me a message. When I called her back, she didn’t pick up.”
“A message that said she was scared and being followed?”
His legs were shaking, rattling the glass on the table next to him. “How did you know?”
“Because we have her phone,” Jack said.
“Wait a minute … I don’t understand.”
“That’s how we found you. You were one of three people she called on her burner phone.”
“If you have her phone, you should know where she is.”
Nikki glanced at Jack. It was the part of her job she hated the most. Telling people that the person they cared about wasn’t coming back. Because she knew how it robbed them of any hope that one day everything would be the same again.
“Brandon.” Nikki leaned forward. “I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, but Erika was involved in an accident a few hours ago. Her car ran off an embankment. She died shortly after.”
“Wait. No … Erika can’t be dead.” Brandon rubbed his hand behind his neck, then stood up. “It’s not possible. We were going to meet later today. I was trying to figure out a way for us to leave the country.”
Nikki found herself choking up as she watched his frantic denial. “Brandon … I really am sorry. I was with her when she died.”
“No. I don’t believe you.” He started pacing in front of them. “She’s okay. She has to be.”
“Listen to me, Brandon. I know this is hard for you, but Agent Spencer and I work with missing persons and we need your help. We need to find Lily. Do you know where she is?”
“Yes. She’s been staying with Erika’s friends. The Popes. I drove her to Tennessee. It was the only place Erika believed Lily would be safe. “
“The problem is, we can’t find the Popes,” Jack said.
Brandon rubbed the back of his neck. “Erika called them and told them that they weren’t safe. Told them they needed to disappear. But I don’t know where they went.”
Nikki let out a sharp breath of air. Surely this wasn’t going to turn out to be another dead end.
He sat back down and caught Nikki’s gaze. “I tried to do everything I could to stop this from happening, but now … I just can’t believe she’s really gone.”
Nikki nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“He’s going to pay for this,” Brandon said, not trying to mask the anger in his voice.
“Brian?” Jack asked.
“Yes, and I know where to find him.”
“Where? How?” Jack asked.
“I’m in IT. I work with computers.”
“How does that help us find him?”
“A few weeks ago, I started tracking his phone. It’s been off until a few minutes ago. I was actually on my way to see him now.”
“With a gun?” Nikki asked.
“I wasn’t going to shoot him. Just talk to him.”
Right. Somehow she didn’t believe him.
“Where is he?” she asked.
“He’s checked into a suite at the Fairmont Hotel.”
25
9:16 p.m.
I-40 toward downtown
Nikki stared out the car window while Jack sped down I-40 toward the Fairmont. “So Erika finally finds a decent guy who appears to love her—and who as far as we know isn’t a serial killer or a cold-blooded criminal—and now it’s too late for them.”
“Not exactly a fairy-tale ending,” Jack said.
Nikki’s cell phone rang and she answered it, then switched her phone to speaker so they both could hear Gwen.
“Your new friend Brandon was right,” Gwen said. “I was able to trace Russell to a suite at the Fairmont. Room 795. He checked in under the name Patrick Gray, which interestingly enough is one of the aliases he uses, according to the information from Erika.”
“We’re on our way there now,” Nikki said.
“But you need to know something else. Since you spoke with Maggie about arranging his flight here, I’ve been trying to track down the plane he arrived in. And guess what? Russell owns the plane under the name of Patrick Gray.”
“The house … the plane. Why’s he hiding assets under a bogus name?” Jack asked.
“Haven’t figured that out yet, but he’s definitely hiding things.”
“Do you know where the plane is right now?” Nikki asked. If they could locate it, they could have a team waiting at the airstrip to pick up Russell just in case he’d already left. “Because that’s his ticket out of here.”
“Not yet, but I’ll keep trying to track it down. How far away are you from the hotel?”
Nikki glanced out the window of the passenger seat, thankful it wasn’t rush hour. “I’d say five minutes, tops.”
“Go find out if Russell’s at the hotel. I’ve called in backup to meet you there.”
Nikki checked her watch. “I had a uniform escort Brandon to the precinct. He should be there in the next fifteen minutes. Work with him to finish translating the files on Erika’s phone. The FBI will appreciate the help, and we might be able to use the information as well.”
“And we’ll need a warrant to search Russell’s room,” Jack said.
“Already on it,” Gwen said. “I’ll have it faxed to you at the hotel as soon as it’s ready.”
Nikki’s fingers gripped the armrest as Jack pressed through traffic.
They were one step closer to grabbing Russell, but if they missed him again …
We need to get him this time, God.
Because they needed to find Lily and end this.
“What are you thinking?” Jack asked.
“That I want this to be over. And yes, I wish Erika could have gotten her fairy-tale ending.”
“While I hate what’s happening, I never pegged you as the sappy romantic type. You’re more of a realist.”
“I don’t believe there’s a magic formula or a fairy godmother waiting to give you a perfect Oscar de la Renta dress and pair of Prada shoes for the ball, if that’s what you mean. And even with a happily-ever-after ending, you still have to do the dishes, take out the trash, and work hard on your relationship.” She glanced at Jack’s profile and caught the determination in his face. She wasn’t the only one ready for this to be over. “We need to get this guy. And make sure we find Lily before he does.”
Two minutes later, Jack parked the car near the entrance of the hotel, and they were making their way toward the swanky lobby she’d only heard about on the news. The Fairmont was a newly reconstructed hotel, located conveniently near downtown, giving it access to some of the city’s main highways, Music Row, and Vanderbilt. Inside the large glass entrance, huge chandeliers hung from lofty ceilings above a cozy lounge area where guests sat chatting on cushioned chairs.
Nikki stepped up to the black-and-gold front counter and showed her badge to the woman, who was dressed in a neat black suit and too-white smile. She read the name on her jacket lapel.
“Emma, I’m Special Agent Nikki Boyd, and this is Special Agent Jack Spencer. We’re with TBI.”
“TBI … Wait a minute.” She glanced toward the lobby, then leaned forward. “Please … If this is about the recent complaints of … solicitation, we can’t have our clients knowing there’s been any issues with the police.”
Nikki glanced at Jack. “I don’t know anything about solicitation complaints, but I do have a warrant. If you look at your fax machine, it should have just come through. We need access to room 795.”
“Seven-ninety-five. That’s the room of …” She punched something into her computer, then frowned. “That would be Patrick Gray. He checked into one of our executive suites yesterday.”
“Is there a problem?” Nikki asked.
“No, it’s just that he’s so … charming. It’s hard to believe he could be in trouble with the law. I could point out a dozen men I wouldn’t mind you arresting. But not Mr. Gray.”
“How long did he check in for?” Nikki asked.
“Originally for three nights, but I know he’s not in his room right now. He left the hotel about thirty minutes ago.”
“Did he say where he was going?” Jack asked.
“I’m sorry, but no. Only that he was planning to check out later this evening.”
Nikki looked at Jack. If Russell was getting ready to leave Nashville, it was more than likely because he’d found out where Lily was.
She held up a photo of Brian Russell. “Is this him?”
“Yes.” Nikki caught the slight blush that ran up the woman’s cheeks. “He’s quite the charmer, I have to say. Is he in trouble?”
“The warrant, please, Emma?” Nikki asked.
“About that.” The woman bit her lip. “I’ve never had to deal with a warrant before, so I’m going to need to call my manager.”
“Here’s the thing.” Jack took a step forward. “There isn’t time to call your manager. Mr. Gray is a very dangerous man, and the life of every guest in this hotel could be in imminent danger if we don’t find him quickly.”
“But he seemed so … nice.” Her eyes widened. “What do you want me to do?”
“Just check your fax machine for the warrant now, and we’ll take care of the rest,” Nikki said. “That, and we’ll need someone to let us into the room.”
“Of course. I’ll take you up there myself. ” She signaled to a tall blonde who’d just hung up the phone on the other end of the counter. “Cover for me, will you, Camy?”
The three of them took the elevator up to the seventh floor in silence. Nikki tried to ignore the worry lingering in her gut as they stepped off the elevator and headed down the hallway, but everything they were doing hinged on finding either the Popes or Russell. And if Russell managed to get to Lily first, she had no doubt he was going to disappear with the little girl for good.
They stopped in front of room 795 and Nikki knocked on the door. “Housekeeping.”
No answer.
Nikki nodded at Emma to use her key, then stepped inside the suite. There was no doubt they were in Nashville from the music theme of the space. A closed suitcase sat on a wooden luggage rack and a man’s shaving kit sat on the bathroom counter. It took less than thirty seconds to clear the suite, but there was no sign of Russell.
Nikki pulled back the blackout curtain to reveal a view of the Cumberland River
and downtown Nashville. If he hadn’t left, where was he?
“You were right. He’s not here,” Jack said to Emma. “Did he meet with anyone that you know of while he was here?”
The blush was back on her cheeks. The girl would probably swoon if he walked into the room right now. “He came down to the lobby right after I started my shift and had lunch at the Grill with an older man. A bit overweight. When I walked by the restaurant to check on something, though, they seemed to be talking about something serious.”
“His things are still here, so we can assume he’ll be back, but I think we need to call for backup before he returns,” Jack said. “The last thing we need is for this to go south.”
“I’ll get an ETA from Gwen, and we can meet them in the lobby to make a plan,” Nikki said.
“What do you mean, go south?” Emma’s face paled. “You weren’t serious when you said he was dangerous, were you? I mean … he seemed so nice. I didn’t think you were serious.”
Jack frowned. “We’re going to arrest Mr. Gray for smuggling, money laundering, and murder, if that gives you an indication of how dangerous he is.”
Emma’s jaw dropped. “What should I do?”
“Come with us back downstairs and do your job.”
Two men stepped off the elevator as they moved back into the hallway. Nikki recognized both of them immediately. The man on the right was Phil Olson, the accountant they’d talked to at Russell’s house. The man on the left was Brian Russell.
Nikki motioned for Emma to get back inside the room as she pulled out her weapon. They needed this to go down quickly and quietly, with no one getting hurt. And they needed Russell alive.
“TBI,” Nikki shouted, starting down the hallway. “Put your hands up where I can see them, now.”
The elevator doors had already closed, but Russell tried punching the button again. When the doors didn’t open, he pulled out a handgun and fired. A bullet whizzed past her head, slamming into the wall behind her.
Adrenaline rushed through Nikki as Jack shoved her into one of the recessed doorways.
She pulled out her radio. “When’s that backup getting here, Gwen? We have shots fired.”
