by Terri Reed
“No. Just a shadow in the stairwell, and it looked as though Brian was talking to someone over his shoulder. But the voice on the walkie-talkie is the same as the guy who kidnapped me, and he doesn’t match the body type of any of the three from the Crew.”
Twenty-two minutes left on the timer now.
Trent glanced to Chloe. “I’ll do the exchange. You provide backup. I’m shaky, so we’ll need your finger on the trigger.”
“It should be me.” Daniel stepped forward. “With all due respect, you’re too hurt to handle hand-to-hand combat if it comes to that, and I’ve done transactions in volatile environments before. Albeit not hostage negotiation, but some of the sticky situations I’ve been in came pretty close. I should be the one to walk into that pen. As far as we know, your cover hasn’t been blown yet. Besides, I know the layout well. It was a favorite hiding place of Sarah’s when she was younger. She’ll understand what I mean if I give her cryptic directions.”
The pain echoing in his eyes made Olivia’s heart ache inside her chest. But command and control filled his stance and voice. She held her hands together behind her back to keep from reaching out toward him. She had to let him stay logical. It was probably all that was holding him together.
Trent and Chloe exchanged a look. Trent nodded and turned back to Daniel. “I hate to say it, but we’re short on options and you’re probably right about being the smartest choice. You go in. Chloe and I will keep you in our sights and provide backup. I have a spare bulletproof vest. Actually, I think between us we’ve got one for each civilian.”
Ricky raised a hand. “Is it okay that I’m still really confused about what’s going on?”
“I’m a cop. She’s a cop. We’re supposed to be undercover. His ward’s been kidnapped. Someone will explain whatever else you need to know later. If you want to make yourself useful, take the photo card out of the computer.”
“On it.” Ricky nodded. “But I might end up wrecking it. It’s pretty wedged.”
“We’ll have to risk it.” Trent reached under the bed, pulled out a bulletproof vest and tossed it to Daniel. “We’re giving them the laptop. It’s clean except for the photos. I back up everything on an external drive. It’ll be a better show of faith than just a tiny piece of plastic that’s clearly damaged, and makes it look as though we’re cooperating. We’re just going to have to hope we’ll be able to get the photos off the card again.” He dumped three walkie-talkies on the bed beside Ricky. “You’ve got technical experience, right? Be useful and set these all to the same frequency.”
“No problem.” Ricky yanked the memory card free and stuffed it into his pocket. “I can set up a wireless video call between the laptop and our smartphones, too. Don’t need internet, just wireless capability. That way the laptop will stream live video of whatever its camera sees directly to our phones.”
Trent’s eyebrows rose. “Yeah, do that.”
Chloe checked her weapon. Daniel peeled off his shirt and slid on a bulletproof vest. Olivia sat. She felt tiny and every bit as useless as that little powerless kid who used to stand in the kitchen too short to even help pack boxes while her father’s latest blowup forced them all into another move. She wasn’t six feet tall. She wasn’t trained in law enforcement. She didn’t know how to handle a weapon or set up a wireless connection without the internet. Before this weekend, she’d never stared down the barrel of a gun. She was the only one here unable to help.
But the back of her mind was screaming there was something important she was missing. That everyone was missing. They were all being so logical, they were missing the obvious—
“He asked for me!” The thought crossed her mind so forcefully she nearly shouted it. “The guy who made the ransom demand, he asked for me!”
“Honey, guys like that live off fear,” Daniel said, gently. “You’re the weakest link and he knew he could scare you.”
She crossed her arms. “You can’t possibly know that. He just said you. He had no way of knowing who I was with. What if he meant he wanted me to do the exchange?”
*
“Absolutely not.” Daniel pulled his shirt back over the vest. “There’s no way you’re going in there.”
“But I—”
His hand shot up. “Don’t even start. Yes, I know you’re gutsy and plenty brave. But this isn’t running off to cover some random adventure. This is life-and-death.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Her voice rose. “You really think I want to just run into some creepy abandoned park knowing the Faceless Crew are lying in wait? Of course I don’t. The thought terrifies me. But I heard his voice. He was talking to me. My instincts tell me that he wants me to hand over the photos. Not you or Trent or Chloe. Me.”
Was that supposed to convince him? As if he wanted to think the same ruthless killers who had Sarah wanted Olivia in their grasp, too. “Your instincts are irrelevant right now.”
“Instinct is nothing more than your brain suddenly catching up with what your subconscious already knows. Just because I don’t think like you doesn’t mean I’m wrong.” She glanced at Trent. “We don’t even know how he knows I had pictures from that night. Are you really going to risk sending the wrong person in there when someone’s life is on the line?”
“I don’t know what to think, and we don’t have time to debate this.” Trent looked from the clock to Chloe. “Thoughts?”
Chloe pressed her lips together. “If we go this route, Olivia’s got this. I don’t exactly like the idea of her being in danger. But if she’s right and they want her to do the handoff I believe she can handle it. She’s strong and has great instincts.”
Daniel’s eyes closed. Lord, my heart is hurting so hard I can barely breathe. I hate everything about this. I’m already facing losing the ward I promised to protect. I can’t handle losing Olivia, too.
By the time he opened his eyes again, Olivia was already strapping on her sister’s bulletproof vest. She pulled the sweatshirt over it.
“Can you guys give us a moment?” Daniel asked.
“Sorry.” Trent scooped up the timer off the table. They’d reached nineteen minutes. “You’re going to have to talk while we run. I still think it makes the most sense if you’re the one going in. You already have the training and I’ve seen you in action. Plus you’re the girl’s family. Whether you go in alone or with Olivia, you two can sort out. Now, everybody stick together. Follow my lead. Act casual.” He tossed Ricky a laptop bag. “I can’t make you come any more than I can force you to stay here. But as long as you keep out of the way and do what I tell you, I might be able to use your help.”
They stepped out into the darkness. The rain had stopped, leaving nothing but a misty edge in the air. Trent led the way. His stride was fast but his posture still sauntered like someone not much caring where he was headed. Ricky followed with the laptop bag over his shoulder. Chloe came up the rear.
Which meant he and Olivia were right in the middle. Daniel slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. “I’m not okay with this,” he said as they entered the path through the woods.
“I know.” Olivia’s hand brushed his back. “But it’ll be okay. If I’m going to walk into danger, there’s no one I’d rather have watching my back than Chloe and no one I’d rather have by my side than you—”
“No. I’m sorry. There’s no way I’m going to risk walking in there with you.”
His voice was louder than he’d meant it to be. Trent and Ricky glanced back. Olivia pulled away, bowed her head and kept walking. He’d hurt her, and knowing he’d done so ached like someone had reached in and hollowed out something inside his own chest.
Before he could explain, a hoard of Leslie crew came tramping through the woods toward them.
“Hey, dude!” Jeremy called. “Some trucker guy says the highway north and some of the back roads have reopened. We’re gonna try heading out.”
“Catch you later.” Trent gave them a wave and kept walking. “Try not
to drown.”
They hit an overgrown path. A gaudy face leered from the underbrush. The plaster clown pointed down the path toward the fairground. They started jogging, single file. The air was silent except for the sound of their feet hitting the wet earth and branches brushing past their bodies.
How do I possibly explain the way being this close to her throws my senses into chaos? I can’t handle the way my heart aches at the thought of her being in danger. I can’t handle the fact I’m falling for her. And even though she’ll never be mine, I can’t face the pain of losing her.
The path widened. There was a clearing ahead, then he saw the edge of the crude chain-link fence that surrounded the fairground. It was a great place to hide and a terrible place to get caught off guard. The gate was chained but still managed to hang open just enough for a person to squeeze through. Thick trees surrounded the complex on three sides. An empty road lay on the other. Inside the fence, there were a few small structures covered in graffiti, some rusted playground equipment and a smattering of coin-operated rides, including a four-seat Ferris wheel and small merry-go-round. Badly painted clowns peeked from every corner. There wasn’t another person in sight.
There were four minutes left on the timer.
Trent handed out walkie-talkies. Daniel clipped his to the bulletproof vest and tucked it under his shirt.
“Everyone keep the channel clear,” Trent said. “We want to be able to hear every word Daniel says and hear everything he hears. So, nobody gets on the line unless it’s an emergency. Chloe, I want you to circle the perimeter. Our line of sight is going to be pretty terrible. Ricky, stay back and keep that phone link to the computer thing going and record the feed. Daniel, you’ll go in the front gate in plain view. I’ll stay in the shadows and provide backup. If I give the command to fall back, we meet back at the motel.”
The cop glanced at Olivia. “Whatever you’re going to do, you have less than sixty seconds to decide. Once that timer hits three minutes, I need everyone to be ready to go. As Daniel is the guy facing the guns, he makes the final call.”
Trent pushed the timer into her hands. The others kept walking.
“Listen.” Olivia grabbed Daniel’s hand. “Please. I’m telling you, something doesn’t feel right about this plan. Something’s off. I can feel it in my bones.”
“I know.” Daniel squeezed her hand tightly. “But I have to do this alone. I can’t have you walking in there with me. If you do, I’m going to be distracted. I’m going to be torn. It’s going to make the situation so much more dangerous.”
“You’re wrong about me.” Her voice broke. She dropped his hand and turned away. “You’ve got to know I’d never do anything to put Sarah in danger. I’m the one who ran to warn Sarah when the Faceless Crew showed up at your house. I know you don’t believe in me and think I’m just some reckless, foolish liability—”
“No, I don’t!” Gently, he ran his hands over her shoulders. He turned her toward him. “I think you’re a beautiful, brave, strong, incredible woman who knows how to handle herself in a crisis. I think you’re extraordinary. That’s why I can’t walk through that door with you by my side. You put me in danger.”
He pulled her into his chest. His fingers ran down the small of her back. “Don’t you get it? You rattle my brain, Olivia. You cloud my senses and keep me from seeing things clearly. I never should have let myself lose focus enough to escalate things with Trent. I never should have been sleeping in the garage loft, which allowed the Faceless Crew to sneak up on my house in the middle of the night without me knowing. I…”
He took a deep breath. She was so close now that all he’d have to do was lower his head and his lips would brush against hers. He gently pushed her back. “I never should have allowed myself to get emotionally compromised by getting close to you. I should have been smart. I should have kept my distance. Now all I can do is keep from making the same mistake again.”
Please tell me you understand…
“Three minutes.” She held up the timer. “Time’s up.”
*
They walked in silence down toward where Trent was standing by the tree line. Hot tears pressed against Olivia’s eyelids with every step. But she refused to let them fall.
Daniel could have left it at no. Instead, he’d felt the need to tell her he regretted ever letting her close. How many times did Daniel need to show her that he didn’t want her in his life? It was about time she believed him. And it was time she finally accepted a man like him had no place in her life, either.
All that mattered now was getting Sarah back safely.
“Chloe says the perimeter is clear,” Trent said. “No people and no vehicles, as far as we can see. Inside the fence, though, is a different story. She’s pretty sure she saw motion through the window of the smaller building. But we don’t know how many people are inside.”
“So it’s probably a trap.” There wasn’t even a question in Daniel’s voice.
“Likely.” Trent nodded. “Either way, someone’s going in. We can’t take off and risk Sarah’s life. Our top priority is getting the hostage out safely. You sure you still want to do this?”
“Absolutely.” Daniel didn’t even flinch. “I’m going in alone.”
“Okay, then, Olivia, you’re with Ricky. Your sister’s scouted a location for you. Stay there. Stay silent. Stay hidden.”
Something brushed Olivia’s arm and she barely managed to stop herself from screaming. It was Ricky. He’d taken the laptop out of the bag and turned it on. The screen was open with the pictures showing. If she looked closely, she could see a video chat icon glowing in the corner.
“Guess this is when I hand over this,” he said, “and you and I go hide.”
“Yeah.” But still her eyes lingered on Daniel. The thought of anything happening to him was almost unbearable. Lord, please give him wisdom. Give him strength.
His eyes met hers. Her voice broke. “Stay safe.”
“You, too.” Suddenly, Daniel was reaching for her. Strong arms pulled her tightly into his chest. Her hands slid up into the hair curling at the nape of his neck. He leaned his forehead against hers. She felt his breath on her face. “You stay out of the way and don’t get hurt, okay? Promise me, regardless of what anyone else does, if I give you the signal, you’ll grab Ricky and run back to that motel. You’ll get yourself out of harm’s way. Whatever it takes.”
“But—”
His voice grew thick with emotion. “Promise me.”
But… But… But…
Olivia, either you trust him or you don’t.
She took a deep breath. “I will. I’ll grab Ricky and run. What’s the signal?”
He looped his finger around a strand of her hair and tugged gently. “Wildfire.”
His lips hovered over hers. Her eyes closed.
The timer buzzed.
Daniel let go of her and took the laptop.
Ricky grabbed her arm and pulled her into the trees. “There’s a flipped picnic table just around the corner. It’s concrete. Chloe wants us to hide behind it.”
Trent raised his weapon. Daniel stepped out of the trees and slipped through the gate.
“Hello? Hello?” Daniel walked slowly through the shambles of broken equipment, holding the laptop out in front of him. The soft light of the laptop screen lit the ground at his feet. “I’m here and I have what you want.”
“Come on!” Ricky was practically running deeper into the woods now and yanking her after him. They reached the picnic table and slid down behind it. He pressed the walkie-talkie into her hand and held up his smartphone. They watched the screen. It was like some kind of small terrifying home movie. A broken swing set loomed in front of the screen’s view, followed by some broken riding toys shaped like clowns.
“Daniel? Is that you?”
The camera spun and Sarah’s face came into view.
“Thank You, God.” Daniel’s whispered prayer crackled softly through the walkie-talkie.
&nb
sp; Olivia pushed herself up in a crouch to look over the top of the picnic table but couldn’t see anything but fence and trees. Her heart ached to see his face.
I have to trust he’ll be okay. I have to trust that Chloe and Trent have his back.
Then she glanced at the leafy darkness above her and felt her inner worries turn to prayer.
Lord, You know how hard it is for me to trust that anyone can keep their cool when things get tense. And You know that I’m always expecting every good thing I find to be snatched away. Please help me have faith. Please save them now.
Ricky tilted the screen toward her. She sat back down. Sarah was walking toward the laptop. Her hands were in the air. A mass of wires and what looked like a brick-shaped block of explosives were duct-taped to her chest.
She’d been rigged to explode.
Another camera shift and she saw tall, thin Rake, the so-called leader and brains of the Faceless Crew, holding a gun to Sarah’s head. They were standing so deeply in the fairgrounds now there was no way the cops could get a clean shot through the fence.
“I have what you asked for.” Daniel’s voice echoed loud and clear. The camera shifted closer and higher, as if he was holding the computer up. “See, here are all the pictures. Every single one of them. We met our end of the bargain. Take them and let Sarah go.”
Sarah’s eyes darted past the camera. “Where’s Olivia?”
“She’s not here. Just me and the pictures. That’s all they’re getting.” He took another step toward her. His voice dropped. “It’s going to be okay. Are you all right?”
“Yeah.” Sarah nodded. “I’m still alive anyway. But if they don’t get what they want, this bomb is going to blow.”
The camera swung to Rake. “You asked for the pictures. Here they are. Take them and let Sarah go.”
Rake hesitated.
“But they don’t just want the pictures.” Sarah’s voice rose so high she practically wailed. “They want Olivia.”
“I know,” Daniel said calmly. “I know she’s what they want. But she’s not up for negotiation.”
He knew they wanted her? She’d thought he’d totally dismissed her hunch that the Faceless Crew wanted her, specifically, to make the exchange. But he hadn’t been dismissing her. He’d been trying to protect her. Olivia could feel her heart shake inside her chest like an earthquake. Daniel took another step toward Rake. But Olivia turned her eyes away from the screen, lifted her gaze to the sky fading to light gray above her and focused her ears on the sound of Daniel’s voice.
