Echoes of Terror

by Maris Soule

  “Bob . . . ?”

  “Bob Lilly. The other half of VR Protection Services. Their ad says they stop spies from stealing industrial secrets.” She chuckled. “I guess it’s a good thing their ad doesn’t say they can stop teenagers from running away.” Again she smiled. “Anyway, they have other clients besides Tomoro Industries, but Tom’s company is a big part of their business, so when he says jump, they jump.”

  “Did your husband mention the name of the man your stepdaughter was running off with?” With a name, they should be able to find the two, especially if the guy was a local.

  “Tom said it’s Brian. Brian Payne . . . or something like that.” Crystal snorted. “You’ll have to ask Vince. He’s the know-it-all.”

  “And you think this Vince guy is here in Skagway?”

  “Should be.” She smiled. “He’s easy to spot. He looks like Vin Diesel. You know. Bald. Muscular. Kinda good-looking.” She sighed and glanced at her diamond-studded watch. “The ship’s going to leave soon. I guess I’d better go back, pick up a few things, and arrange for the rest of our clothes to be shipped home. Once we find Misty, Vince can fly us back to Seattle. Damn, I hope he brought one of Tom’s planes, not that Wright Brothers reject he owns.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  6:00 P.M.

  Jake Mathews watched an unfamiliar turbojet expertly touch down on the asphalt runway. Although there was no control tower at the Skagway Airport, he’d been listening to the radio chatter on the common frequency monitored by all pilots. When the King Air broadcast his intention to land, one of the Wings of Alaska pilots relayed the necessary information regarding the runway, best approach, and the danger of pedestrians and uncontrolled vehicular traffic.

  “No moose today,” the pilot had said. “At least not so far.”

  “Moose?” the other pilot had responded, then chuckled. “Roger.”

  No moose and no bears, which always pleased Jake. It was getting late, and the tourists returning from helicopter flights to the Chilkat, Ferebee, and Meade glaciers didn’t need any wildlife on the runways causing havoc.

  In the summer, aircraft were constantly taking off and landing at the state-owned airport. Most were planes and helicopters transporting tourists, but around ten percent were transients. An unfamiliar plane was not a unique event, and once it was down, Jake went back to his job of keeping the Wings of Alaska planes fueled and in good repair.

  He was working on an engine when a voice behind him disturbed his concentration.

  “I hear you’re the man to talk to about fuel.”

  Jake straightened, turned, and found himself facing a man who could have easily been a cover model for a muscle magazine. The guy was clean shaven—from the top of his head to his chin—and casually dressed in a white T-shirt, khakis, and sneakers. Jake put the guy’s age around forty, give or take a few years.

  “You heard right,” Jake said and grabbed a rag to wipe the oil from his hands.

  “I’ll need a fill-up,” the man said and nodded toward the King Air now tied down near the other private planes. “I assume you take credit cards.”

  “Any of the big three. You need anything else done?”

  “Nope. She’s good.” The pilot glanced toward the small terminal building. “But I do need to find a car to rent. I just checked, and the ones here are booked solid.”

  “There are a couple of independents in town.” Jake motioned toward the downtown area with his hand. “About a half-mile from here.”

  “And how far is the police station?”

  Jake raised his eyebrows, but he didn’t ask why the pilot wanted to know the location of the police station. He simply gave directions.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Before Crystal left, she hinted that a ride back to the cruise ship would be nice. Katherine ignored the hint. Enough pampering the tourists. If the woman wanted to wear three-inch heels, so be it, but she needed to understand there were consequences. At her own desk, Katherine suffered the consequences of a teenaged-runaway. Once they found the girl, there would be a report to write. No need to wait until then to start. She could list what they’d done up to this point.

  She was typing the names of tour agencies she’d asked Alice to contact when Gordon called in. He’d connected with the owner of the Explorer. It was red, and had obviously been in an accident. Besides the broken front light, there were scrapes of green paint on the dented bumper. “Do we have any accident reports involving a green vehicle?” he asked.

  “I haven’t taken any, but I’ll check with Alice.”

  “You know how I kidded you about the paw prints on the steering wheel,” Gordon said. “Well, I didn’t find any—didn’t even look for any—but there was a tuft of brown fur on the seat. Not real fur,” he quickly added. “That fake stuff they use for coats and stuffed animals . . . or on a costume.”

  Or part of a costume. “I’ll call the visitor’s center,” Katherine said. “See if they had someone wearing a bear mask today.”

  “If so, the guy’s got a lot of explaining to do.”

  Katherine agreed, starting with why he was parked across the street from her grandfather’s house that afternoon and what the note meant.

  “I’ll finish this accident report and come back to the station,” Gordon said. “Anything new with the missing teenager?”

  “We have the name of the kid she ran off with.” Katherine quickly summarized all that had transpired.

  “I don’t know of any Brian Payne in Skagway, but it could be one of the seasonal employees,” Gordon said, echoing her thoughts. “You’re sure they didn’t cross into Canada?”

  “I’ll give Canadian customs a call and see if there’s anything new,” Katherine said, almost hoping the constables on duty would say Misty and her boyfriend had found a way across the border. Once in Canada, the girl would be their problem. Less paperwork for her to deal with.

  As soon as she ended her call with Gordon, Katherine dialed the number for the Canadian customs’ station on the Klondike Highway. Constable Howard Wiffle answered the phone. “Now you’ve brightened my day,” he said the moment she identified herself. “Did you change your mind about going out to dinner with me?”

  She’d forgotten the last time they’d talked he’d asked if she’d like to go out to dinner. She’d thought her refusal would have quelled that idea. Obviously the man was persistent, and, on the off chance he’d written the note she’d received, she asked, “Did you send me a note? Something about getting together at five tomorrow?”

  “No, but I can pick you up at five, if that’s what you’d like.”

  “I’m pretty sure I’ll be working at five.” Especially if Phil didn’t show up. “And this call isn’t about going out to dinner. We have a missing teenager, and—”

  Howie stopped her before she finished. “Come on, Katherine. We’re doing our job. As I told Alice and that Nanini guy, your teenager hasn’t gone through here. We’ve even checked the video from the security cameras.”

  “What about Brian Payne, the guy she’s supposed to be with?” If they found him, he might be able to tell them where Misty was. “Has he been through there today?”

  “Payne? Mr. Nanini said the guy’s name was Bane. Brian Bane. And, no, we haven’t seen him, either. You might want to check with U.S. customs. From what I understand, Bane is Canadian. If he entered Alaska, they’ll have a record.”

  Brian Bane, not Payne. Katherine didn’t recognize that name either, and it seemed Misty Morgan was still the Skagway police department’s problem. “Well, as long as you’re sure she hasn’t crossed, we’ll keep looking for her around here.”

  “Trust me,” Howie said. “I would have noticed if a pretty blonde went through here today.” The moment the words were out, Howie backtracked. “Noticed, but only . . . I mean . . . I, ah . . . I prefer brunettes. So, when are we going out, Officer Ward?”

  “I thought I explained,” Katherine started, then stopped at the sound of a psst. She glanc
ed behind her and saw Alice back by the coffee machine, pointing toward the front office.

  “I’ve got to go,” she told Howie. “I’ll talk to you later.”

  The moment Katherine hung up, she turned toward Alice. “What?”

  “He’s here,” Alice said, her voice barely above a whisper. “And wait ’til you see him.” She fanned herself, and grinned. “He wants to talk to the officer in charge. At the moment, that’s you.”

  Katherine supposed with Gordon out of the building that was true. She also assumed this smoking hot “he” was the guy Crystal Morgan’s husband had sent.

  She took a moment to straighten her uniform, then followed Alice back to the office area. Her first impression was that Crystal had been right; Vince Nanini did look like he could be a bodyguard. He certainly didn’t fit the computer geek stereotype. He had the bald head and swarthy complexion like Vin Diesel, but he was bigger than the actor. Not just in height, but in the width of his shoulders and the size of his biceps.

  His white T-shirt stretched over a solid chest and flat abdomen, then disappeared beneath the waistline of a pair of tan khakis. Nikes covered his feet. He wore no jewelry, no heavy chains, rings, or earrings. Nothing custom made or terribly expensive, except, perhaps, for the watch on his right wrist. Katherine had a feeling it cost a small fortune. Definitely more than her trusty Timex.

  “Mr. Nanini?” she said, holding out her hand.

  He didn’t offer his.

  “You’re the officer in charge?” The scowl he gave her was accompanied by a quick up-and-down look.

  From behind the counter, Alice answered for her. “This is Officer Katherine Ward. Our chief is in the hospital, and Sergeant Landros is out of the office at the moment.”

  “I am the officer handling this case,” Katherine added, letting her hand drop back to her side. She knew some men still held chauvinistic views about women police officers. She’d learned the best way to correct that was to take control. “May I see some identification?”

  He pulled out a passport and a business card and handed her the two. “My partner and I specialize in computer security,” he said. “Tomoro Industries is one of our clients. Thomas Morgan, the president and owner of that business, is also a personal friend, which is why I’m here. It appears Mr. Morgan’s teenage daughter has run off with a guy she met through the Internet.”

  “So I’ve heard.” Katherine looked at his business card—which identified him as Vincent Nanini, President of VR Protection Services—and then at his passport. Actually, his full name was Vincent Dominic Nanini, age thirty-eight, height six feet two and weight one-ninety. Those pounds were all muscle, from what she could see. His address was in Seattle, Washington.

  She handed back his passport but kept the business card. “Crystal said you worked for the FBI. May I also see your badge?”

  “I’m not an agent,” he said. “I did work for the bureau for a while as a consultant.”

  “Are you presently with any law enforcement agency?”

  “No, we—”

  She waved off his explanation. “Then I’ll be asking the questions.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Bitch, Vince thought, but kept his features neutral. He saw no sense in getting angry. Some women had to prove they were as good as a man, especially short women. He doubted Officer Ward topped five feet four.

  Her haughty attitude, lack of makeup, and short haircut made him think, if anything, she was trying to hide her femininity. Not that she was completely succeeding. There was something very feminine about her, a sparkle in her eyes and a beguiling softness about her mouth. Even her police uniform couldn’t hide a nice figure.

  She didn’t look more than twenty-five. Probably new to the force.

  Too damn young for you, he told himself, not quite sure where that thought had come from. Even worse, he realized he’d glanced at her left hand.

  She wasn’t wearing a ring.

  If she noticed the direction of his gaze, she said nothing, but got right to the point. “Why do you think Misty Morgan has run off with a man?”

  “Because this morning I discovered those were her plans.”

  “She told you?”

  “Indirectly. Look, how I found out isn’t important. What I need from you is assistance in finding her.”

  Vince knew he’d said that wrong the moment the words were out of his mouth, and he saw Officer Ward’s jaw tighten and her chin rise. Dammit all, he hated dealing with law enforcement. He’d seen how haughty the FBI agents could get when working with the public. It was one reason he’d walked away from that job.

  “The only way you’re going to receive any assistance,” Officer Katherine Ward said, each word tightly enunciated, “is if you answer my questions. Now, how did you learn that Mr. Morgan’s daughter planned on running off with a man?”

  If she wanted details, he would give her details. “I went to the Morgan house this morning and logged onto Misty’s computer. Tom has had us occasionally check their home computers for viruses and spyware, but our job doesn’t involve monitoring his daughter’s on-line activities. Tom felt that would infringe on Misty’s privacy.”

  “By ‘we’ you mean you and . . . ?”

  “My partner, Bob Lilly.”

  “So this morning you go on her computer and immediately see something that tells you she’s planning on running off with this Bane guy?”

  “It wasn’t quite that easy, but yes.”

  “Crystal Morgan said her husband suspected something was wrong yesterday. Why did it take you until this morning to check the girl’s computer?”

  “Because yesterday, I was in Washington, D.C., on business. As lucrative as our contract is with Tomoro Industries, we do have other clients.”

  Of course, Tom hadn’t seen it that way. As far as he was concerned, when he called, either Vince or Bob should have been sitting in their offices ready to act.

  “I was in D.C., and my partner was in L.A. I took a red-eye back to Seattle, but I still didn’t get to the Morgan house until after eight this morning.”

  “All right then, why didn’t Mr. Morgan call his wife last night and have her stop the girl from running off? Or call the cruise line? They could have stopped her from disembarking.”

  “I can’t answer for Tom, but I’d guess he didn’t do any of that because yesterday he only suspected something was wrong. It wasn’t until I actually found the plans for the rendezvous that any of us truly knew what Misty was up to. Also, according to Tom, when he talked to his wife yesterday, she said not to worry; Misty was fine.”

  “So, where’s the girl now?”

  “I have no idea.” And having to explain things to this woman wasn’t getting him any closer to finding Misty.

  “Why contact the Canadians and not us?”

  “Because, according to the plans Misty and this Bane guy made, that’s where they were headed. Straight for the border. I called them because I’d hoped to stop her there.”

  “But, you didn’t,” another voice responded from behind him, one Vince recognized immediately.

  He turned and faced Crystal Morgan. “No, I didn’t because she never made it there.”

  “And, of course, neither you nor Tom called me this morning to let me know what was going on.”

  “Tom said he’d get in touch with you himself.”

  “Misty’s been acting like a brat.”

  “You’re the one who wanted to take this trip with her.”

  “I wanted to bond with her, but all she’s interested in are boys. You’re the security guy. You should have known this would happen.”

  What he should have known was Crystal would try to shift the blame onto him. Well, he wasn’t about to let her off the hook.

  “Tom hired us to keep hackers from getting into his company’s computers. Our contract doesn’t include watching over wives and children. Besides, I told you to hire a bodyguard.”

  “For a man who doesn’t want to watch over wives
and children, you certain have been spending a lot of time with Misty.” Crystal faced Officer Ward and the dispatcher behind the desk. “He doesn’t know it, but I’ve seen him groping Misty.”

  Vince tensed. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  All three women looked at him.

  “When you’ve come over and taken her downstairs. I’ve seen you hugging her. Grabbing her.”

  “I was giving her self-defense lessons.”

  “Sure you were.”

  “I’m her godfather. I was trying to show her ways to protect herself.”

  Except, lately, she’d treated him like the enemy.

  Crystal gave him a smug grin, then looked at the two other women. “Wouldn’t you think a computer whiz would warn a teenager about the dangers of the Internet?”

  “I did.” He didn’t like the way this conversation was going, especially the way Officer Ward was looking at him. “I told Misty to be careful, that you never know exactly who you’re texting. She told me to stop bird-dogging her.”

  “And, now she’s gone,” Crystal said, her gaze returning to him. “Hmm. Guess you’re not so great after all.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Katherine had had enough of their bickering. “I need answers, not accusations,” she said. “Mr. Nanini, what do you know about this man the girl has allegedly run off with?”

  Vince Nanini looked away from Crystal and back at Katherine. “His name is Brian Bane, he lives in Alberta, Canada, and he’s twenty-one.”

  “Was he on the boat with us?” Crystal asked.

  Nanini glanced back at her. “No, they set it up to meet here in Skagway.”

  Crystal snorted. “The little sneak.”

  “Do you have a picture of this Brian Bane?” Katherine asked, wanting to keep them on track.