Wrongfully Accused

by Ana Barrons

  “Sad,” he said. “But I didn’t expect anyone else to die. He said he was driving home alone, and then he changed his mind. I guess that makes the others collateral damage.”

  “Is that what Jeremy and I are?”

  “I have no interest in hurting you,” he said. “I wish I could make you believe that.”

  Jeremy raised his head and stared at her. His eyes were round and red-rimmed from crying, his expression one of sheer terror. It broke her heart to see it, but she winked at him ever so slightly, to give him hope that she had a plan.

  If only she did.

  “What about Michael?” she went on. “Was that your handiwork as well?”

  Archer sighed and bowed his head. “No. That was Tyrell. I could never have done that to him. I truly cared for Michael.”

  Like he was “genuinely fond” of her and Jeremy? “Then why did you let Tyrell do it?”

  He squatted beside her again. “You really can’t see that saving your life and trying to keep you out of prison has led me to this point, can you?”

  “How do you figure that?”

  “If I’d let him blow you up I would have collected my money and been long gone by now. But I couldn’t let that happen. I won’t deny, though, that I’m disappointed not to have the other twenty-five million he promised me.”

  Kate gasped. “Twenty-five million dollars?”

  He took her chin between his fingers. “Look at me,” he said, and Kate forced herself to meet his gaze.

  Please, God, let him see that this is wrong.

  “Do I strike you as someone who would do this for enjoyment?” he asked, his expression almost pleading. “Or for some kind of ideology?”

  “I... No, I guess not. But then, all this—” she gestured with her head to Jeremy and herself, “—is all about the money?”

  “At this point it’s for survival,” Archer said. “I found part of the code on Drew’s computer at the congressional office—God, the man was so arrogant he didn’t even hide his notes—but I needed the books, and they weren’t in his study like he told me. So I figured he had hidden them somewhere in the house, which is what led me to Tyrell, who Michael had been in touch with.”

  “Why?” Kate asked. The more he talked the more time she gave Gabe and the FBI to rescue them. But God, what if Gabe thought she’d hung up on him?

  “He had this idea about rehabilitating Tyrell. I had no doubt that Tyrell was a lost cause and I proved it when I contacted him and asked him if he wanted to make some big money.” He shrugged. “He said he’d do whatever I wanted. I knew he’d been in the service and he had certain skills that could come in handy.”

  “I still don’t see why Michael had to die,” Kate said.

  Archer frowned. “Michael was too smart, and he knew me too well. Both Drew and me, actually. He was beginning to put the pieces together, and once he did he would have felt obliged to go to the authorities.” He shrugged. “I might have waited, but I needed him to ‘confess’ to get you out of jail.”

  Good God. Archer had actually killed Michael to save her. If he would kill his friend, what would stop him killing her and Jeremy? “What will it take for you to let us go?” she asked, pleading now.

  “It’s up to your lover now,” Archer said. “If he does what I tell him you’ll both be fine. And knowing how devoted he is to his son I imagine he’ll do this my way.”

  “What way is that?”

  Archer pulled out a cell phone and punched in some numbers. “Listen and you will learn.”

  Chapter Forty

  Gabe picked up immediately, despite the unknown number. “Gabe Hugo.”

  “Listen carefully and don’t fuck this up,” the voice said. Archer. “I have your son and your lover with me at Kate’s house, and their safety rests completely on your shoulders.”

  The words slammed into Gabe’s gut so hard he was surprised he could talk. “Goddamn it, this has nothing to do with them.” He gestured at Scott and they stepped outside together. The rest of the team was silent. Waiting.

  “Of course it doesn’t,” Archer said. “That’s why you will do exactly what I tell you. Otherwise they’ll be blown into tiny little bits, just like those congressmen.”

  “I know it was you that switched the cameras,” Gabe said. “Look, I appreciate you saving Kate’s life, Archer. I’m counting on you doing it again.”

  “No, Detective, you have it backward. This time you’re going to save her life.”

  Gabe swallowed hard. “What do you want?”

  “I want to leave the country unharmed and without interference. I have a helicopter arriving in Kate’s yard in one hour. I want you to guarantee that no one tries to stop us anywhere along our route, or meets us at the other end.”

  He eyed his lieutenant, who had joined them outside. “If I can even do that, what about Kate and Jeremy?”

  “They’ll be fine as long as you do exactly as I say.”

  “I can’t guarantee that the FAA or the FBI won’t interfere, Archer. Be fair.”

  “You will explain to them that your family’s lives depend on their actions. Surely you have some clout, Detective.”

  “I want to speak to my family,” Gabe said. “I want to know they’re really okay.”

  “You can speak to Kate.”

  Gabe waited, his heart pounding.

  “Gabe?” Her voice was pitched high, like a frightened child.

  “Kate! Are you all right? Is Jeremy?”

  “Yes—”

  “That’s enough,” Archer said.

  “Wait!” Gabe shouted. In the next instant he heard someone sobbing. “Jeremy? Honey, is that you?” The answer was muffled sobs, no doubt behind a strip of tape.

  Archer came back on the line. “Satisfied?”

  “Goddamn it, Archer,” he growled. “If he’s hurt I’ll kill you, you son of a bitch.”

  “You know what you have to do.”

  “And if I can’t pull it off, then what?”

  “Well, I haven’t quite finished laying the charges yet, but as soon as I—”

  “What charges? What the hell are you doing?”

  “Gabe,” Scott whispered, a firm hand on Gabe’s arm. “Calm down. Listen.”

  Gabe took a deep breath and forced his heartbeat to slow. He wouldn’t be much good to either of them if Archer hung up before he understood what was really going on over there. “Just tell me what you’re doing.”

  “That’s better. I’ve got every window and door in this house wired to explode within five minutes of when I detonate. But I’ll only detonate if A... Someone tries to stop me from leaving. Or B... Someone kills me or makes me unconscious. Is that clear enough for you?”

  “And if you do make it out of the country, then what?”

  “I’ll disengage and you can go in and rescue them, like the white knight I know you are beneath that tough guy shell.”

  Gabe was striding toward his car, phone pressed to his ear like a lifeline. Scott was right beside him, listening in. “And if your helicopter crashes?”

  “You’d better hope it doesn’t.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Exactly. You’d best start making arrangements, Detective. You’ve only got fifty-one minutes to make it happen.”

  “I’m on it,” Scott said under his breath and took off at a run.

  Gabe tore out of the parking lot and headed in the direction of Kate’s house. “Archer?”

  “Yes, Detective?”

  “If I lose either one of them, rest assured that I will hunt you down for the rest of your miserable life and kill you very, very slowly.”

  “I would expect no less of you,” Archer said, and clicked off.

  Chapter Forty-One

  “I put Bruno in the yard,” Archer told Kate. He was wrapping a charge around her ankles. “So if the house does go up, God forbid, he’ll have a chance. Knowing dogs, he’ll run away when he hears the first boom.”

  Kate stared down at him, trying to un
derstand how a person could appear so normal—generous, even—and yet be so crazy. Chances were he hadn’t always been, but he was crazy now.

  Well, love could make a person crazy.

  “Were you in love with Drew?” she blurted out, a second before he covered her mouth with tape.

  He flashed her a wry smile. “I admit I let myself believe for a time that he found me attractive. Funny, isn’t it? It was all one way with him, all about the worship. He let me—” he glanced at Jeremy and then back to Kate. “But he wasn’t interested in actually doing...you know.”

  She knew. He wasn’t all that interested in it with her, either. The thought struck her as hysterical in that moment and she began to laugh behind the tape. Tears ran down her cheeks and she began hiccupping. Problem was, with the tape over her mouth she was having trouble getting enough air, which made her panic. She tried to get off the chair but her wrists were taped together behind her back and her ankles were taped to it. Archer got the message and pulled the tape off her mouth. She gasped like a drowning person.

  “Was it something I said?” Archer asked. There was real concern in his eyes.

  God, the man was a total whack job.

  “Please...leave it off. Screaming won’t help, so I won’t. I can’t breathe with it on.”

  “Hmm. I’ll leave it off for now,” he said. “But remember, Kate, if people try to get into the house they’ll die and so will you and Jeremy.” He lowered his voice when he said Jeremy’s name, but the boy raised his head anyway. “I know you have trouble believing this, but I really am quite fond of you. I have no desire to see you hurt.”

  “He says while attaching a charge to my ankles.”

  “Well, you’re a clever woman,” Archer said. “If you try to get out of the chair—and I have no doubt that you will—you’ll think twice before touching this tape.”

  “Why don’t you let Jeremy go and take me with you?” she said. “No one’s going to shoot the helicopter down if you’ve got a hostage on board.”

  “I did consider that,” he said. “But, you know, a sniper could pick me off inside that helicopter and then where would I be? This is a better plan. Less complicated. More likely to guarantee my freedom.”

  “If you won’t let Jeremy go, could you please take the tape off his mouth?”

  “So the two of you can talk?”

  “Please, Archer. What’s the worst that can happen? It’s not like we can run out of the house.” She leaned forward and looked at the charge taped to her ankles. “I can’t even get out of this chair.”

  Archer checked the time. “Right before I leave I’ll pull it off. Okay?”

  She heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

  Bruno began barking his head off from the backyard. Archer went to the window and looked out, then left the room.

  Kate turned to Jeremy. “Jeremy, honey, are you okay?”

  Jeremy raised his eyes to her and shrugged.

  “I know, stupid question,” she said. Good God, she had to ease the poor kid’s terror somehow. “He doesn’t want to hurt us, so that’s good. And I’m sure your dad will do whatever it takes to make sure Archer gets what he wants.” God, she hoped he could, but she wasn’t so sure. Still, she had to act as though they were going to get out of this. “Your dad loves you so much, Jeremy. He’ll pull out all the stops. You know how stubborn he is when he wants something.”

  Unfortunately, talking about Gabe got the tears flowing, so she sniffed and turned away. Gabe had been right about Archer. How could she have been so stupid and careless? He’d finally told her he loved her, and she’d dismissed it. But, if the worst happened, those words would be what she held to her heart.

  Gabe loves me.

  If only fate were on their side.

  * * *

  Gabe couldn’t believe his eyes when the van pulled up and stopped in the middle of Kate’s street. Parker jumped out of the passenger seat. “Goddamn it, Parker,” he roared. “I told you not to bring a SWAT team here.”

  Parker put up a hand. “They’re not going to shoot him. I told you, as soon as his helicopter takes off we’re going to send the bomb squad in to try to disable the charges. That is nonnegotiable.”

  “The guy was an ammunition specialist for eight years,” Gabe said. “He rigged up a camera with a timer detonator that took down a plane. He knows damn well you’re going to try to disable the charges and then take him down. Do you honestly think he hasn’t figured that into however he designed this? You may have to disable the whole house at the same time for all we know. That’s my son inside. And Kate. Do not screw this up.”

  “Listen.”

  There it was. The sound of distant rotors getting louder as Archer’s means of escape approached Kate’s house. When the helicopter came into view Gabe’s cell phone rang. He opened it, knowing it would be Archer. “I’m here,” he said.

  “What is that SWAT team doing here?” Archer shouted.

  “I was just giving the FBI shit about it, okay? They have orders not to shoot.”

  “You know what will happen if they do.”

  “Yes.”

  “The detonator is taped to my chest and responds to the beating of my heart,” Archer said. “If I die, your son and your lover die, Detective, and no one wants that.”

  “Of course not,” Gabe said. Please God, don’t let them die. “I’ve got clearances all the way up to the president that you’re not to be intercepted or attacked in any way, at any time.”

  “See that no one decides to be a hero,” Archer said. “Oh, and one more thing. If they’re planning to disable the charges on the house, they need to be aware that at the slightest disturbance the charge taped to Kate’s ankles will explode and take out both of them.”

  “Jesus,” Gabe said, imagining the horror. “Please, Archer. I only have so much control over these guys. Take that damn thing off her, would you? I’m begging you. Please.”

  “Sorry, but it stays.”

  “How will I know when we can go in after them?”

  “I’ll call you,” Archer said, and hung up.

  * * *

  “Good luck, you two,” Archer said. “Let’s hope your savior comes through. I have every confidence that he will.”

  “Please let Jeremy go,” Kate said, knowing her words meant nothing to him. “Please. Gabe loves me. He wouldn’t do anything that would get me killed, I know that for absolute certain. You don’t need both of us.”

  “Ah, Kate, still so trusting, even now. The government needs a child to stay their hand. Besides, you’re a controversial figure. You were a suspect in your husband’s murder, for God’s sake.” He shook his head. “How ridiculous. But, the public wouldn’t crucify the feds if you were killed, no offense. The boy... Well, he’s the best insurance I’ve got.” He smoothed her hair gently and she forced herself not to jerk away. “I am truly sorry I’ve had to resort to this. With any luck I’ll be where I need to be in about eight hours, and they’ll be able to come on in and set you free. You shouldn’t get dehydrated between now and then.”

  “At least take the tape off Jeremy’s mouth,” Kate pleaded. “You said you would.”

  “I know I did, but I don’t think I could bear to hear his little voice begging.” He stopped at the bedroom door and stood there for long moments as though thinking. He raised his face to the ceiling, then blew out a long breath and turned back to her. “The five-minute delay is to give you a chance,” he said quietly. “If you haven’t gotten the tape off by then, find a way to get into the bathroom and shut the door behind you. There are no charges in there.”

  “Please,” she said again, but he left the room. She listened for the sound of the back door opening and closing, and prayed she didn’t hear a shot follow it. Within a minute she heard Archer go out and saw the helicopter lift off in her backyard. The clock on her bed stand read 2:13. So much had happened in the last hour and a half.

  “Jeremy,” she said. “I need you to wiggle your way over
here so I can bite off the tape on your wrists.”

  Jeremy’s eyes grew wide.

  “Easy does it,” she said. “Try not to tip over.”

  Jeremy shifted his body weight so that his chair moved about half an inch on the carpet.

  “Try not to fall over, just try to make the chair walk, one side at a time. That’s it. Easy, honey.” She directed him as he made his way, so slowly it was painful to watch. But he’d stopped crying, and a determined light shone in his eyes. God, please, keep him safe. Take me if you must, but spare him.

  Seconds later, he tipped.

  * * *

  “So, the pilot is Tyrell King,” Gabe said.

  “We have a positive ID,” Parker said.

  “You’re tracking them every step of the way.”

  “Of course.”

  “No one’s going to interfere with them.”

  “No. We, uh, also have confirmation that it is theoretically possible to detonate from very long distances via satellite.”

  “Fuck.” Gabe had hoped to God Archer was bluffing about being able to detonate from outside the country. Still, they had to find a way to disable the charges so they could get Kate and Jeremy out of the house alive. Drilling a hole through the roof and plucking them out that way was definitely under consideration.

  “If Kate can figure out a way to get one of them free at least we’ll know where they are and hopefully what Archer’s done to the house.”

  “If there’s a way, she’ll figure it out,” Gabe said, hoping and praying he was right. Hoping and praying like he’d never hoped or prayed for anything else in his life.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Jeremy slid on his side to Kate’s chair and looked up at her in mute anguish. “It’s okay,” she said. “Try this. Use all that good strength you’ve built up and try to roll on to your stomach... I mean, so your head and knees are touching the floor.”

  Jeremy grunted as he pushed and heaved, and finally made it.

  “That’s great. Now try as hard as you can to lift your head on to my lap.” After several tries he did it. “Beautiful. Turn your head so your cheek is up toward me. That’s right. Okay, I’m going to lean over and try to tug that tape off with my teeth. It will be awkward, so the more help you can give me the better, okay?” He nodded his assent.