This sincere new American would probably never know he betrayed his new homeland.
An appalling thought.
Patti balled her hands into fists. In a country as large and as free as the United States, there could be thousands of innocent people like Rakeem being manipulated into helping with terrorist acts and not even be aware of it.
Only the inner circle knew the master plan, the ultimate goal.
She shuddered.
“Are you cold, ma cher?” She shook her head, but he put a hand to her forehead to check her temperature.
She struggled not to slap it away.
“You may indeed have caught something on your trip. Airplanes are notorious germ carriers.”
She nodded, but didn’t trust herself to speak.
Sirens blared from behind them.
A police car was following with lights on.
Had Carter figured out where she was and they were about to pull her out of the limo and ruin her chance to find her sister’s kidnapper?
Patti decided she was seeing this deception through to the end. She wouldn’t let these people blow her cover if she could help it.
Rakeem slowed and pulled to the curb.
Joseph muttered words in his native tongue under his breath, but turned to smile at her. “It is fine, I am sure. Rakeem is a good driver and he did not break any traffic laws. Just a minor inconvenience.”
Perhaps Carrie and Robert called the police. Told them some crazy woman was pretending to be Jamie.
Or the FBI had shown up and Robert told them the type of vehicle she’d left in.
Or maybe Carter or Marcus…there could be a thousand different things going on instead of a routine traffic stop.
She held her breath.
If the policeman tried to make her leave, she would refuse.
The cop walked up and bent down to stare at the window dividing them from the driver. The officer motioned at the window.
He was looking for her. She just knew it. Patti prepared for whatever was about to happen. She hoped he wouldn’t ask for an ID. Hers said Patti Jakowski, not Jamie.
Joseph pressed a button and the window slid down.
“Good afternoon, Officer. Is there a problem?” Joseph asked.
The officer stared at Joseph, then at Patti. “Not that I know of.” He turned back to Rakeem. “I need to see your chauffeur’s license and the city operating permit.”
Rakeem handed them to the officer as requested.
The officer took them and walked away without comment.
Joseph whispered to Patti. “This is the kind of harassment we are exposed to in this country.”
Patti bit her tongue but wanted to scream. She nodded with what she hoped was a concerned look on her face, but her mind raced with worry.
“Just ridiculous.” Joseph muttered.
The officer returned. He bent down and peered into the back seat.
It took every ounce of strength not to look away from him. She was sure she’d look suspicious if she did.
“Officer, we are in a hurry. We are on our way to a children’s benefit. We must arrive before—”
The young officer held up a hand and turned back to the limo driver. “Could you come with me, please?”
Anger seethed from Joseph.
Rakeem opened his door and walked to the back of the limo.
Patti fought the urge to twist around to see what was happening.
Patti and Joseph waited in silence.
Rakeem returned in less than ten minutes.
Joseph waited for them to drive away before he spoke.
“What was the problem?”
“J…just a broken tail light, sir.” Rakeem stammered. “Nothing to worry about.”
Patti breathed a sigh of relief.
“Did he ask you any questions?” Joseph’s tone changed from kind benefactor to interrogator.
“N…not really. Just made conversation, asked me questions. How I liked this country and why I came. He wanted to know how I got my visa.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“I told him I loved America. It is a great country.”
Joseph shook his head. “No, no. What did you tell him regarding your visa?”
“I told them I won it in a lottery held in my country once every year.”
“Good, good. Did they ask about me?”
“No.”
Joseph nodded his approval at Rakeem. “Very good, very good.”
Joseph hit the button and the glass slid up. Joseph turned his focus back to Patti. He picked up her hand and placed it to his lips. “You are trembling, ma cher. Are you all right?”
“A little nervous.”
“But it is what you have wanted for so long. Rahmed is my brother. No need to worry. He will love you as I do.”
“I know, but…” Patti’s voice trailed off.
This man seemed so confident that he could keep her safe and yet Jamie was missing.
Could she be on the wrong track? Perhaps Jamie’s disappearance had nothing to do with these people.
“He will meet you and everything will be settled. Then, I will complete my final assignment.”
Settled.
Perhaps, but not in the way Joseph expected.
If she had her way, Joseph and his brother would be in custody before the end of the night and Jamie would be home. If she didn’t have her way…well…Patti shuddered at the thought.
He patted her hand. He reached for her and pulled her close to him. “I haven’t seen you for such a long time.”
She allowed his arms to stay around her, though she was repulsed. She couldn’t risk his anger again. She changed the subject. “I know, Joseph. You are a good man.” She allowed herself to lean against him and hoped she sounded more loving than she felt. “It hasn’t been easy for you.”
“You helped me to become a better person, Jamie.”
The more time she spent with Joseph the more she believed he did love Jamie.
Could Jamie have truly been planning a life with him?
She squeezed his hand. “And you have done the same for me.”
“We will go to the party. Rahmed will meet you and see you are trustworthy. He will love you as I do. Stop worrying and have a good time. It will be a wonderful party.”
She turned and smiled at him, praying she’d still be alive at the end of the party.
28
Their limo slowed due to a long line of limos waiting to drop off the other partygoers.
Jumbled thoughts raced through Patti’s mind. How was she ever going to pull off this charade?
She had no idea if Jamie’s friends would be there. She could walk right past them without knowing it. Did Jamie know the host and hostess of the benefit? Would she be able to fool them? Her mind jumped from question to question.
And with each new question her heart raced faster. She thought she might pass out, or have a heart attack before they even arrived at the yacht.
Joseph laid a hand on her arm.
She forced a smile when she looked at him.
“You will like Kathryn and H.H. They do a lot of good with their money. They have donated their time, money, and yacht for this benefit.”
Relief flooded through her. One question answered. Perhaps, she could find out more information for the FBI. “Are they involved with you know…your other activities? Do they help fund those activities, too?”
Joseph’s hand rested lightly on her arm but as she spoke, it tightened into an iron grip.
Another mistake.
She needed to keep her mouth shut, or she’d never make it to the party.
His voice was low with irritation. “Why would you ask such a question? You know H.H. and I have been business associates only. You know this.”
Too late to do anything but bluff her way out of the situation. Patti shrugged. “Sorry. Of course. I was trying to make conversation.” She smiled at him in apology.
He didn’t smile b
ack. Instead his eyes assessed her in a cold, clinical way. “I do not like when you talk of such things.”
In a twinkling, she knew without a doubt what Jamie would do. She flung her head back with a careless attitude and gave a deep, throaty laugh. “But I’m an American woman and we’re not passive little wallflowers who sit around and look pretty. That’s not who I am. If you want someone like that…” She moved away from him.
It worked.
The hand on her arm relaxed. “I know. I know. But you must learn to control what you say. Your tongue could get you in trouble, especially with Rahmed. Let’s not fight.”
“Let’s not.” She scooted closer to him, trying to forget that the man made her skin crawl. She willed her body to not tremble. Patti felt beads of sweat pop out on her hands.
Only three cars before their turn.
Hopefully, she would meet this Rahmed soon, learn his name, and get off the yacht so she could contact Carter.
Her heart lurched at the thought of Carter. It had been a mistake to run off and leave him. He could be here helping her had she not been so quick to judge his motives. People didn’t always have to conform to her way of thinking. If she’d learned that sooner, she and Jamie might be sitting on Jamie’s veranda enjoying the Florida sun. Instead, she was about to come face to face with a monster.
Staring at the yacht, she wondered how she’d get through this.
“I had no idea,” she mumbled. She looked back at him. “Wow! It’s amazing.”
Joseph nodded. “Her family dates back to the beginning of the oil business in this country. The yacht belongs to her family. H.H., of course, has his own money, but nothing like Kathryn.”
As they waited to disembark from the limo, Joseph picked up her hand.
Patti fought the urge to pull away.
The car moved up and it was their turn.
Rakeem opened Joseph’s door and then Joseph walked around the limo to open her car door.
If things went her way, she’d meet Rahmed soon and then she could leave this whole nightmare behind. She took a deep breath and stepped out.
He very gallantly offered his arm to Patti, and they walked up the gangplank of the enormous yacht.
Patti imagined herself as Jamie, the actress, and held her head high. She walked languidly up the red carpeted gangplank as if she didn’t have a care in the world, knowing at any minute she’d meet a terrorist.
Once on board, she saw a receiving line. More butterflies.
Did Jamie know any of these people?
Her stomach churned.
With a gentle touch, Joseph guided her towards the line, his voice solicitous. “Come, I will introduce you to our hosts.”
“Why don’t we wait until later? When the line is shorter.”
He scowled and shook his head. “It is important we follow protocol.”
“Of course, it was just a suggestion.” Patti thought she might be sick. In the best of times, she wasn’t the most socially graceful person.
Act like Jamie. Act like Jamie.
Joseph pointed out a woman as they waited for their turn. “The woman in blue is Kathryn Hart.”
“Pretty.” She was beautiful, but not flashy. Her long brown hair blew in the wind. She had on a mid-calf length turquoise dress that was sleek and accented her curves, but the summer print made her appear ready to take a walk on the beach, not host a party on a yacht for hundreds of the rich and famous.
When it was their turn, Joseph guided her forward with his hand firmly on her elbow, as if he thought she might bolt.
It seemed like a good idea to her.
“Kathryn, this is Jamie Jakowski.”
Kathryn grabbed Patti’s hand as if they’d known each other for years. “Jamie, it is wonderful to finally meet you. Joseph’s told me all about you. He’s been like a different man since he met you. You’ve made him very happy.”
“Just as he’s made me very happy.” Smiling, Patti tried to match her hostess’s gracious manner. “It’s nice to meet you. Everything looks simply fabulous.”
The man standing beside Kathryn looked over and smiled. He was tall and older than Kathryn. “Not as fabulous as you.” He held out a hand. “I’m Harold Hart the third, but everyone calls me H.H.”
“Well then, I guess I’ll call you Harry.” Patti tilted her head and winked. The group laughed. “I like to be different.”
H.H. turned to the man and woman standing beside them and made more introductions. “This is Raymond and Maria Hammond. Maria is the co-chair of the event and has been so helpful with all of this. She was indispensable to Kathryn and myself. We couldn’t have pulled it off without her. Raymond is a fellow financier, much like yourself.”
As H.H. spoke, Joseph squeezed her hand, hard enough to make her glance at him. Raymond Hammond. Rahmed Hamed. It made sense. This had to be the man Jamie wanted to meet so desperately.
Patti wanted to cheer. Time to leave, now that she’d learned his alias.
Raymond’s gaze met hers. His black eyes blazed and his mouth twisted in rage.
Her heart stopped beating. He knows I’m not Jamie…Patti trembled, not wanting to think about what it meant. If she fell apart now, it would ruin her plan.
In an instant, Raymond replaced his sneer with a gracious smile, but his eyes were cold as he stared at her. He reached for her hand, but she was frozen, not able to move.
Joseph nudged her arm forward.
Every part of her wanted to scream—terrorist. In her mind, she saw herself announcing to the others that the man was a terrorist. But in the next second, she saw Raymond and Joseph laughing and telling the others she must be having a mental breakdown, and they would take her to the hospital.
No one would ever hear from her again.
Not a good idea, she decided.
“It’s nice to meet you, Jamie.” His mouth twisted into a sneer as he said the name. He grasped her hand, but instead of shaking it, he moved it to his lips and gave it a gentle kiss. His eyes mocked her.
Patti wanted to slap the man.
“And this is my wife, Maria. The two of you must make time to talk later. I’m sure you will both find it very enlightening.”
What kind of a woman married a terrorist?
Pulling her hand away from his, she turned to his wife.
Maria Hammond didn’t look well. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot. She looked as if she hadn’t slept in days.
Patti looked back at Raymond, taking him up on his challenge. “Sounds like a great idea. Maria, are you a native-born…Californian?”
“Not at all. I grew up in Pennsylvania.”
As Patti shook her hand, Maria’s fingers trembled. “Then, I guess we were practically neighbors growing up, since I’m from Ohio.”
“Ohio?” Joseph sounded confused. “I thought you were from New York.”
Raymond laughed. “Oh, I’m sure Jamie has a few more secrets that you know nothing about, Joseph. American women are like that. Are they not, Jamie?” His tone was soft enough others around them would not hear. Raymond leaned forward. “Please stay in this area. I will need to talk with both of you. We have urgent business to take care of.” His words were a command, not a request.
I’m the urgent business he’s talking about.
She had to get off this ship.
Joseph nodded. “Of course, Raymond, Jamie and I will be waiting for you.”
Looking at them, Patti saw a family resemblance and wondered if anyone else noticed it.
Joseph appeared to be the older, but there was no mistaking who was dominant—Raymond.
They walked away from the receiving line and wandered among the other partygoers on the deck.
Her mind raced, trying to figure out how to get away.
Raymond Hammond.
“We need to stay close by. Remember, Raymond wants to talk with us.”
He doesn’t want to talk with me. He wants to kill me.
She grabbed Joseph’s arm and urged him fo
rward. “He’ll be able to find us, but let’s look around. No reason not to have fun while we wait.”
Joseph planted his feet and the stubborn look on his face told her it wasn’t going to be that easy.
She leaned close and whispered in his ear. “Come on, Joseph. We won’t go far, but it’s a shame to miss a great party.”
He relented. “I suppose.”
Servers in brightly colored Hawaiian shirts with white shorts and real leis around their necks wove their way through the crowd, offering drinks and appetizers. Long black wigs adorning the female servers made them look even more exotic.
A waitress stopped in front of Joseph and Patti. “Sir, what would you like? These Bahama Mamas are tasty, but I can bring you something stronger if you wish.”
Joseph looked at Patti. “What would you like, Jamie?”
The last thing Patti needed was alcohol, but she was supposed to be having a good time. She smiled at Joseph. “Bahama Mama sounds great to me.”
His eyes widened, but he said nothing.
Too late to make a different choice.
She picked up two glasses and handed one to Joseph. She held hers up and clinked Joseph’s glass.
He tapped his glass against hers, but didn’t smile.
29
An old Springsteen song blared as they strolled along the deck.
Several well-known actors and one of her favorite writers were among the partygoers, not that she cared.
Her mind was focused on only one thing. Finding a way off the yacht.
Her attempts to leave had been unsuccessful so far.
Joseph was sticking to her like glue.
If she tried to leave again, he’d become suspicious.
Joseph looked at his watch. “We need to find Raymond.”
In spite of the heat of the sunny day, a chill crept down her spine.
This was it.
“You’re right. You go find Raymond while I find the powder room, and then I’ll be right back.”
Joseph tightened his grip on her arm. “What is wrong with you? For months, all you wanted to do was meet Rahmed and now you act as if you’re trying to avoid him. Rahmed wants to speak to both of us.”
“And he will, as soon as I find a bathroom.” Her voice was firm, but her insides were quivering. Her gaze roved over the sea of people. If she could just mix in with the crowd of people, she could disappear. She attempted to move out of his grasp, but he held on firmly.
Sisters By Choice Page 14
