by Jeff Abbott
Still, it bothered Miles. ‘Why risk it, though? If she was there as a spy, why take on a client who might expose her?’
‘She must not have known at first that you were a federal witness – but I don’t know… Dodd ran her show. Listen, all I need is your help to vanish.’
‘Ask Dodd.’
‘No.’ Wallace shook his head. ‘No way. I want out. No more.’
Miles said, ‘It’s not right.’
‘What the hell do you mean?’
‘She died on Tuesday night. You say that the server was wiped today. Sorenson can’t be dead – if he did the wiping.’
Wallace blinked, nodded. ‘Well, yes.’
‘How do you wipe a server?’
‘Like you would any hard drive – you have to have the high-enough account level and then you use a specialized program that overwrites all the files on the drive.’
‘So why didn’t he clean it off on Tuesday? It doesn’t make sense
…’
‘I don’t know.’ Wallace stood. ‘I can’t stay. We’d better go.’ He paced the floor, talking to himself. ‘Mexico. Not far enough. I had to learn French and German for my doctorate in science, so Europe would be good…’
Timing, Miles thought. Days to notice the files, hours to run. Yet Wallace stayed, the fresh widower, the frightened lab geek, waiting for Dodd’s vengeance.
Wallace was lying, and Miles reached for the gun in the back of the pants just as Wallace seized his abandoned gun on the table and, with a runner’s grace, spun toward Miles and fired.
FORTY-FOUR
‘Mrs. Brent,’ the man repeated, and Celeste got to her feet, shaking, leaning against the wall. ‘My name is Dodd. Do exactly what I say and you’ll be safe. Please untie Nathan. Go wash your face. Sit on the bed with him. Do not leave the room, do not make a phone call. Do not scream. I will help you. Am I clear?’
Stunned, she nodded.
Dodd shoved Groote out of the room, pushed him against the wall, started searching him. His gun, she thought, and opened her mouth to speak: I kicked his gun under the bed. But caution made her be quiet.
Dodd glanced back at her. ‘Mrs. Brent. Do as I say, please, and everything will be fine.’
She worked Nathan’s gag free. ‘You okay?’ he said.
She nodded and untied the knots binding Nathan’s hands and feet. She was so glad to be alive she shivered, from head to toe, as though she’d plunged into freezing water.
‘Sir,’ Nathan said to Dodd, ‘thank you. Thank you.’
‘You’re all right, Nathan?’ Dodd asked.
‘Yes, sir.’ Crisply said, as though he were back in the military, ready to go fight the war all over again.
Celeste washed her face. Her lips were swollen and she’d bled from her mouth and her nose, but not much. The soap smelled of lemon and she scrubbed her skin hard.
‘Who are you?’ Celeste asked as she dried her face.
‘He’s my boss,’ Nathan said, a clear pride in his voice.
‘Boss?’
Dodd finished searching Groote and shoved him facedown to the other bed, put the cannon close to his back. ‘Answer my questions or your spine will be gone. You work for Oliver Quantrill.’
‘Who?’ Groote said.
‘I admire loyalty but only to a point. Where’s Sorenson?’
‘I have no idea.’
‘Don’t lie, Mr. Groote.’
‘Sorenson broke my nose – ask Nathan. If I knew where the bastard was I’d kill him. But I don’t.’
‘Interesting,’ Dodd said. ‘Mr. Groote hurt you, didn’t he, Nathan?’
‘With a screwdriver.’ Nathan scrambled to the floor and retrieved Groote’s gun, handed it to Dodd, and Celeste wondered, What the hell is he doing? She thought, too late, she should have retrieved the gun first.
‘Want to take a screwdriver to Mr. Groote?’
Nathan shook his head. ‘No.’
‘Isn’t Nathan a better man than you are, Mr. Groote?’ Dodd asked.
‘Apparently.’ Hatred coated his voice.
‘Nathan,’ Dodd said, ‘don’t be alarmed by what I’m going to say to Mr. Groote. It’s only because we live in desperate times.’ He leaned closer to Groote. ‘I have an offer for you. Quantrill’s a dead end. You need to come over to my side.’
‘Which side is that?’ Groote asked.
‘We’re the people who invented Frost in the first place. Your boss stole it from me.’
‘What-’ Celeste started to say, and then Nathan silenced her with a subtle shake of his head.
‘Let me tell you how we can help you, and help your daughter, Mr. Groote.’
‘My daughter-’ Groote said in choked shock, and Celeste saw real fear light in the man’s eyes, real terror. ‘You don’t go near my kid, goddamn you…’
‘Only fearful men make threats, Mr. Groote. Confident men make promises. Here’s my first promise to you: I’m your new employer.’
‘I don’t recall looking for a new job.’
‘Breathe a sigh of relief; you’ve had the shit kicked out of you since you signed on with Quantrill. Now you work for me. I’m buying out your contract.’
‘I’m not for sale.’
Dodd produced a digital recorder from his pocket. ‘I know your price.’ He clicked the button.
‘Daddy?’ A girl’s voice was quiet, drugged, blissed. ‘Dad? Hi. It’s me. I’m supposed to say hi to you first. They’re moving me to a new hospital this morning. They said you were too busy to come see me during the move but that you’d visit soon.’ A murmuring woman’s voice sounded next, whispering to the girl to say good-bye. ‘Yes,’ the girl slurred. ‘I love you, Daddy, come see me soon.’
The recording ended. Groote gasped in strained hitches and found his voice. ‘I’ll fucking kill you.’
‘And what will happen to your Amanda then?’
Groote said in a torrent: ‘Jesus, please, don’t hurt my kid, God, where is she? Who the hell are you that you can move her without my permission?’
Celeste felt chilled by the fear on Groote’s face, the smug smirk on Dodd’s, the heartbreaking whisper of the girl’s voice. She stood.
‘Keep her still, Nathan, please,’ Dodd said.
‘What the hell is this-’ Celeste started, and Nathan pulled her back to the bed, made her sit.
‘Do what he says, he’s the good guy.’
Celeste thought, No he’s not.
Dodd said, ‘Amanda’s simply insurance. I just want to be sure you stay on my side. You’re going to betray Quantrill for me, Mr. Groote, but I want to be sure you don’t pull a double cross on me. Your daughter is perfectly safe. It’s up to you to see that she remains perfectly safe.’
‘The government,’ Groote said suddenly. ‘You’re with the government.’
‘ Government sounds so large. Unwieldy. Inefficient. I’m more of a back corner,’ Dodd said.
‘Quantrill said Frost was abandoned research,’ Groote said. ‘You saying he stole Frost from the government?’
Dodd put his lips close to Groote’s ear. ‘Here’s the deal. All you need to know is that if you get Frost and kill Quantrill and Sorenson for me, you get your daughter back safe and sound. Guaranteed. You’re not prosecuted for any of your freelance activities. And, Dennis – may I call you Dennis? – your daughter gets Frost. Just like how Nathan gets Frost, and how Mrs. Brent will get Frost if she and I can come to an understanding.’ Dodd gave Celeste a polite nod. She wondered if she could reach the door before he fired. Eight steps. Two more out the door. He’d mow her down, shoot her in the back, she had no doubt.
Groote swallowed. ‘I’ll do whatever you want.’
‘Understand this. Amanda’s safety depends on my safety. You betray me, she suffers. No one wants an innocent girl who’s already suffered so to endure additional pain. Give me no reason to doubt you, Dennis.’
‘I won’t,’ Groote said. Celeste could not feel sorry for him but the confident killer who’d broken into their room
s was gone, a confused hulk in his place.
‘Sit up.’
Groote obeyed.
‘You came here first?’
‘Yes. I figured they would go for the cheapest motel.’
‘You followed them all the way from New Mexico?’
‘Of course not. I flew to Fresno this morning. I saw on Celeste’s computer the Frost files were transferred to a server owned by Wallace.’
‘But you haven’t been to see Doctor Wallace?’
‘No. I got delayed in Santa Fe answering questions from the FBI. About Kendrick. The Bureau’s looking for him.’
‘Because he’s a missing witness?’
Groote nodded.
‘You think Kendrick has Frost?’
‘I believed he did.’
‘Did you kill Allison?’
‘Hell, no.’
‘Did you kill Sorenson?’
‘No but I would if I could.’
‘They – and Nathan – all worked for me. At least they did. Sorenson killed Allison, tried to kill Nathan, ran off with Frost, I suspect,’ Dodd said.
‘To sell it,’ Celeste said, and they all looked at her. ‘None of this is about helping people, it’s just about the money. It’s always money.’
‘Mrs. Brent,’ Dodd said, ‘I know I have Nathan’s loyalty, and I have enough of Dennis’s to let me sleep with one eye closed. You’re the open question.’
‘Sir,’ Nathan said, ‘Celeste is cool. She killed Hurley. He can’t talk about his work.’
‘Well, thank you, Mrs. Brent,’ Dodd said. ‘You did me a great favor.’
‘Allison worked for you?’ Celeste said. ‘Allison?’
‘She and Nathan were my spies, one inside, one outside, on how Quantrill and Hurley were improving Frost. I’m sorry Allison dragged you into this situation. I assume she needed a way to hide Frost from Sorenson and she used you in that cause. It’s regrettable.’
‘Are you going to kill me?’ Celeste asked in a whisper.
‘No,’ Nathan said. ‘No way. She can stay quiet. Can’t you, Celeste?’
‘Yes,’ Celeste heard herself say. ‘Sure.’
Dodd flipped open a cell phone, dialed a number, waiting, and then she saw a black fury cross his face as he asked who was speaking and his chest heaved in a disappointed sigh. Dodd raised the gun and aimed it straight at Celeste.
FORTY-FIVE
The bullet zoomed a good two feet left of Miles’s head and he didn’t shoot back, he barreled forward, stiff armed, and jammed his gun against Wallace’s throat. Wallace dropped the gun and Miles thought, He’s scared shitless, doesn’t know what he’s doing.
‘Stupid,’ Miles said. ‘Very stupid.’
‘Please. Please. He told me I had to kill you.’
‘Who?’
‘Dodd,’ Wallace said.
‘You wanted me to leave with you so you could bring me to him.’
‘Or to shoot you somewhere else. Not in my house. I’m sorry, I’m sorry… my wife is dead. I don’t want to die too.’ Wallace started to cry.
‘Tell me the truth. Do you have Frost?’
‘No. God, no. If I had it I’d have given it to Dodd immediately and I’d be a freaking hero to him, I’d be safe.’
‘Be honest with me.’
‘I found out Allison was dead on Wednesday. Dodd called me. I was devastated. I’ve hardly been out of bed the past few days; I haven’t been working, I haven’t hardly touched the server. I didn’t know the Frost files were sitting there. Please don’t kill me.’
‘You didn’t retrieve the files, then cover your tracks by wiping the server?’
‘I wouldn’t be in league with the man who killed my wife,’ Wallace said. ‘Jesus. I gave Dodd the server password as soon as he asked for it. He found nothing. He’s coming to be sure I’m not lying to him, to check. Please.’
The phone rang.
Miles tucked Wallace’s gun into his back. He picked up the phone. ‘Wallace residence.’
‘Who’s this?’ A quiet voice.
‘Miles Kendrick.’
‘Ah.’
‘Mr. Dodd?’
‘Yes. I have your friends with me. Rooms twenty-four and twenty-five at the Yosemite Gateway.’
Miles’s skin went cold. ‘Don’t hurt them.’
‘Actually, I saved them. Dennis Groote was drowning your friend Mrs. Brent in the toilet. Tell him that you’re well, Mrs. Brent.’
Miles heard Celeste’s voice, a few feet from the receiver. ‘I’m okay. But he’s pointing a gun at me.’ She sounded calm.
‘I don’t want them hurt,’ Miles said.
‘Neither do I,’ Dodd said. ‘We need to come to an agreement. Now, Miles, I’m wondering what you’re doing at Doctor Wallace’s house.’
‘Hunting for Frost. Same as you. Wallace says he doesn’t have it.’
‘Should we believe him?’ Dodd sounded almost coy.
‘I don’t think so. But I’ll give him to you in exchange for my friends and you can figure out if he’s telling the truth. You know him better than I do.’
Wallace’s eyes went wide but Miles mouthed, It’s okay, it’s cool, and raised an open hand to calm the doctor.
Dodd said, ‘Edward’s a strong scientist but not a truly strong man; I always thought Renee married him because he’d give her no trouble. I don’t mean your friends any harm. Nathan-’
‘-works for you. You planted him at the hospital when you got wind of Frost being tested. And you left him there to die when it all went wrong.’
‘I didn’t know he was in danger.’
‘Bullshit. I heard your name. When Sorenson was getting ready to kill Allison. I was in her office. Hiding. I heard him on a phone say, “Dodd doesn’t know.”’
‘That would mean that I didn’t know what Sorenson planned,’ Dodd said. ‘I wonder who he was talking to, don’t you?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘His hired help, I suppose. I came to bring Nathan back in from the cold, and to help you and Mrs. Brent.’
‘You came to get Frost and nothing else.’
‘Talk to me. Face to face. I’ll come there.’
No. The Wallace house was too remote, too quiet. Dodd wanted silence around Frost, around how it had been developed and tested. ‘No. I want public, highly public, to meet you.’ He thought quickly. Public, with limited access roads so if Dodd had backups, others with him, they couldn’t easily sneak up. Distance, to thwart any last-minute plans Dodd might put into place.
Wallace seemed to read his mind. ‘Inside the park. Bridalveil Falls.’
Miles said, ‘Bridalveil Falls. As soon as you can. If you hurt Nathan or Celeste, I’ll guarantee you never get Frost and that everyone in the press knows about Shaman. We understand each other.’
‘We certainly do.’ Dodd clicked off.
‘Hurry.’ Miles hauled Wallace to his feet. ‘We’re going now. Dodd could cut us off, be here in minutes.’
‘But, goddamn you, you said you would help me…’ Wallace sputtered. ‘I gave up the gun, I told you what he wanted me to do…’
‘I am helping you,’ Miles said, ‘do you want to stay and wait for Dodd? That doesn’t make sense to me. If you’re so scared of him, you should have run. You didn’t.’
‘I can’t hide from him, not for long.’
‘You were waiting to cut a deal with him, and you don’t want to cut a deal with me. Allison sent Frost to you for protection. Or she wanted a scientific analysis of the work, free from Dodd. Now she’s dead and you’re desperate for a bargaining chip to stay alive.’
‘I don’t have Frost, I swear I don’t!’
‘I’m your best hope for walking out of this mess alive, Doctor Wallace. I can protect you. If Dodd’s Pentagon, maybe he’d like to talk to my high-ranking friends in Witness Protection or a few hungry prosecutors I know in the Department of Justice; I’m one of their favorite witnesses.’ He hoped this was still true – he could always tell the WITSEC insp
ectors and the federal lawyers that he’d lost his mind when he ran from Santa Fe and throw himself on their mercies. They still needed him to convict the remaining Barradas. But even if he was trash to the government now, and he had no official allies left to help him deal with Dodd, he needed to bluff Wallace. ‘So I’m going to play good citizen, and I’m going to cut a deal with Dodd…’
‘You’re crazy!’
‘That would be the problem,’ Miles said.
Ten feet into the heavy growth of pines that inched downhill from the Wallace house, the man watched Kendrick and Wallace hurry to Kendrick’s car and wheel out onto the road. He lowered the listening device; the conversation between them had been about what he had expected. He flipped open a cell phone, pressed a speed-dial number.
‘Yes?’
‘Kendrick is taking Wallace to meet Dodd inside Yosemite Park. At Bridalveil Falls.’
‘Shit. Wallace may crack. Can you handle it?’ Sorenson said.
‘Sure. It just got about twice as complicated. Price doubled.’
‘No.’
‘Your choice. I’d rather be home.’ The man waited while Sorenson considered the offer.
‘Agreed.’ Sorenson said with a weary tone. ‘Torch the house first.’
The man clicked off the phone. He broke a back window of the kitchen door, sprayed lighter fluid all over the kitchen, curtains, and office floor, lit a match, and thumbed the flame toward the puddle. He ran out back to the woods and grabbed his motorcycle. It had taken him less than three minutes.
The man got on his motorcycle and peeled off after Kendrick’s car. He didn’t have to hurry and catch up to them; he knew where they were going, and it was a beautiful day for a mountain ride.
FORTY-SIX
Dodd drove a Lincoln Navigator, black, spacious. Seating was difficult; no one whom Groote had tried to kill wanted to sit with him. But Groote sat in the back, with Celeste, and Nathan sat in the front seat. Dodd gave Groote a piece of pillowcase from the motel room to stanch the flow of blood from the cuts Celeste had given him.
Celeste slumped in the seat and guessed that Miles had worked out a deal with Dodd – had he found Frost? If he was trading Frost for her and Nathan, she would have told him to keep running, because Dodd, she believed, wanted them all permanently silenced about his operation.
