Pushed to the Limit

by Patricia Rosemoor

  “Honor Bright.” He let go of her wrist. Now that he had her identity, he didn't need to hold her by force. The knowledge was enough to keep her in line until he got some answers. “We've never met before but I recognize the face. Plus, I know my sister Syd set you up with work here in Seattle.”

  The situation was becoming even more puzzling. Could his younger sister have something to do with this fiasco? Dakota wondered, though he couldn't think of Sydney being involved in anything even slightly illegal after what she'd just been through.

  Before he could probe, Honor said, “That's why I didn't want to do this. Because of Sydney, I mean.”

  She winced as she rubbed her wrist gingerly, making Dakota wonder if he'd really hurt her, though why he should care he didn't know. Considering she had broken into his office – making him the victim of a crime in this situation – he was behaving quite reasonably.

  “We're friends,” Honor went on, “and I owe Sydney a lot. Not that I wanted to steal anything at all. You have to believe I was forced into this.” Her forehead furled into a frown. “But why from you? It's so weird. I've been asking myself that all day.”

  She truly sounded as if she didn't know.

  Dakota leaned back against a desk and crossed his arms over his pin-striped chest. “Why me? Good question. Maybe if you tell me the truth about what's going on here we can figure it out.”

  “What's going on is...”

  Her voice faded off and her forehead crumpled further indicating the intensity of her distress. He thought she was about to cry, but she pulled herself together and faced him with a neutral expression.

  “Promise me no police,” she said.

  “Hey, I'm not promising anything. I don't have to. I can call the police any time I want. Like now.” He reached for the telephone.

  “No, don't.” She caught his hand and her pleading gaze met his. “You win -- all right? They said if I told anyone, she would die. You just remember that.” She took a deep breath. “My daughter Nora has been kidnaped, so you can't call the police.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. Dakota couldn't tell whether the emotion was real or manufactured. Acting was Honor Bright's profession and he remembered her being good at it whether she'd had a bit part or a starring role or was merely posing for an ad.

  “How do I know you're not lying?”

  She blinked and a single tear rolled down her cheek. She let go of his hand to brush the moisture away. “I guess trusting me is out of the question, right?”

  Despite himself, Dakota was moved. He wanted to believe her. Only he couldn't quite manage such trust without more information.

  “Who kidnaped your daughter?”

  “I don't know. Yesterday we went to the Space Needle for a Sunday afternoon outing. We were having such a good time.” She swallowed hard. “Then someone bumped into me and the contents of my purse scattered all over. I only turned my back to pick things up for a few seconds... but that was long enough. They got Nora out in that crowd right under my nose.”

  The tears were falling freely now and, studying her intently, Dakota could tell they weren't the first she'd shed. The skin around her eyes was puffy and the whites were threaded with red. She'd been doing a lot of crying about something recently.

  “What do they want?” he asked gruffly. She was touching his emotions whether he would or no.

  “Not money. They wouldn't take my money. One of them called last night. The voice was synthesized... you know, electronically processed so I couldn't even tell if it was a man or woman. Whoever it was said I had to get my hands on classified information about your lobbying efforts concerning the salmon industry.” She choked out a laugh. “My daughter for some information on fish. I don't understand.”

  But Dakota did. “That explains why they chose you, I guess, since you're the spokesperson for the Northwest Coast Salmon Council – the competition, such as it is.”

  For whatever reasons, Honor had left the fast lane of Hollywood. His sister Sydney, who'd worked with Honor on the highly successful Flawless ad campaign, had suggested the NCSC job.

  “What's so important about these files?”

  “You don't need to know that.”

  The documents dealt with highly sensitive issues involving NCSC. Individuals' testimony and photos, evidence the council was whitewashing illegal salmon fishing activities. Dakota would use the information in his lobbying efforts to enact stricter controls. He hadn't figured the opposition had even known what they had.

  “I never guessed someone would be willing to put a little girl in jeopardy and make her mother a criminal for these,” he said, indicating the documents. And then, more firmly, “Finding the kidnappers is a job for the police.”

  “You can't call the police!” Honor cried, sounding as if she were fighting hysteria. “Nora's only a baby. Only four years old. I can't lose her.”

  “Professionals know how to handle–”

  ”No.” She grabbed onto his arm, her long nails pressing into his flesh through the fabric of his suit jacket. “Please, I'm begging you. Please.”

  Honor was weeping openly now and her sobs tore at Dakota's heart. And still he suspected she could be acting to get what she wanted. For God's sake, he didn't even know for certain if she had a daughter.

  Besides, he wasn't a man to overlook a crime. Raised by a father who was a judge, he'd spent his entire life working for and within the law, working for the public interest. His finely honed sense of justice demanded he get satisfaction from the situation, not only for himself, but for the people he might soon represent at a national level.

  He wanted to know who and why... and wanted to prosecute the guilty parties to the extent of the law.

  “No police,” he agreed tersely, “on one condition.”

  “What?”

  “You'll have to prove yourself.”

  “Anything. I'll do anything,” she promised.

  “Good.” Though Dakota didn't think she was going to like this one. “Because you're going to have to work with me to turn the tables on the kidnappers.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  “WORK WITH YOU?” Honor didn't know why she was surprised. What else had she expected? That he would beg her not to try to steal his papers again? “But they're professionals.”

  “Then they won't suspect we're trying to trap them.”

  Honor wanted to scream at Dakota, but years of acting experience allowed her to keep her voice controlled. “The life of a four year old child is on the line here. If we make a mistake --“

  ”Then we won't make a mistake.”

  “You can afford to say that. Nora isn't your daughter. She's mine and I'm terrified they'll harm her.”

  “There are no guarantees, not even if you give them what they want.”

  A lump settled in Honor's throat as she met blue eyes as brilliant as aquamarines. Recognizing the shadow of pity in them, she dropped her gaze and stared at the pronounced cleft in Dakota's chin.

  She knew what he said was true, and that she'd been trying to fool herself. She'd convinced herself that if she did exactly what the kidnappers said, Nora would be freed. But deep inside, she also knew that Nora could be a liability to criminals who didn't want to be identified. Perhaps she'd been stupid, but believing that God wouldn't be so cruel as to take her daughter from her permanently was the only thing that had gotten her through the past thirty-two hours.

  Honor moved to the spot where Dakota had tackled her, where manila folders, papers and photographs had popped out of the hanging file and now lay strewn across the floor. She started to gather them.

  “What do you propose?” she asked.

  “To follow you. To stop the person who comes to pick up the ransom.”

  Her head whipped toward him. “You can't. If the others don't get these papers...”

  Dakota took the documents from her. “You won't have these papers to give in the first place.”

  “What do you mean?” she demanded, fighting the
panic that had threatened to envelope her since the unthinkable had happened. “I have to give the kidnappers what they want in trade for my daughter.”

  “Or a reasonable facsimile thereof,” Dakota argued. “I have a neutral report we had commissioned several months ago, before we really got into this case. You can have that. I can forge a couple of statements similar to but less incriminating than the real McCoy. And I have dozens of photographs of salmon boats that I can't use, but which could be useful as subterfuge. Maybe whoever's behind the kidnapping can be lulled into thinking we don't have anything of importance,” he said, more to himself than to her.

  “Why even bother having me deliver anything if you're going to stop the pick-up man?” she asked bitterly.

  How could any decent person be so callous when a child's safety might be on the line? she wondered.

  “The pick-up man could get away. Or I could follow him,” he conceded. “That might be better anyway. Where are you supposed to meet the guy?”

  Honor thought quickly. “

  Pike Place Market.” She'd be damned if she'd tell him the truth if there was any chance she could get away from him and make the real drop. “And I'm not supposed to meet anyone. I was told to leave the files behind one of the stalls.” She tried not to look too relieved when he nodded, obviously swallowing her story. Though she would have to make due with whatever he was willing to let her take, she could hope it would be enough for the kidnappers... or that it would at least buy her some time. Now all she had to do was figure out how to get away from Dakota so she could appear at the real rendezvous site alone as instructed.

  Putting the office right and preparing the fake document file took nearly an hour, time enough for Honor to conceive of a plan to counter the one Dakota formulated. When they closed down the office, she picked up the envelope and tucked it into her side. Dakota didn't argue, though he kept an eye on her as she accompanied him docilely to the elevator.

  As he pressed the call button, she moved away, saying, “I'll be right back.”

  Dakota grabbed her free wrist. “You're not going anywhere without me.”

  “Fine. Come to the ladies lounge with me, then, but I can't leave until I make a stop.” She gave him a pained expression. “You know what nerves can do...”

  “All right. Let's go.”

  Honor hurried around the corner, Dakota on her heels. She prayed he'd been raised with too much class to actually follow her inside. The elevator was already creaking and groaning its way up to the fifth floor. She had only a minute or so to execute her plan with the aid of the noisy old contraption to cover her movements.

  “Hurry,” he said, stopping at the door.

  She flashed him a smile of real gratitude – she was almost sorry she had to dupe him this way – slipped inside the lounge, and, the second door touched jamb, went for her tote bag into which she placed the envelope. Her heart was pounding and she could hear the elevator grinding to a halt as she ran on tiptoe and exited through the other door. Without hesitating, she moved quickly but quietly down the hall toward the fire stairs exit she'd spotted earlier. Now if only she could get down to street level before Dakota caught up to her.

  Taking the stairs two at a time, Honor pulled a calf-length knit duster from the bag and slipped it on. Fourth floor. She pulled out a dark curly wig and fought to get her braid under it as she kept moving. Third. A pair of horned-rimmed glasses came next. Second. Bright red lipstick. When she got to the first floor, she stopped a second to slip into a pair of heels, the sensible kind made by athletic shoe manufacturers – the kind she could run in.

  About to open the door, she hesitated. The guard might be suspicious that she'd used the stairs instead of the elevator. A few seconds delay and Dakota could catch up to her. So she kept going, descending deeper into the bowels of the building – a poorly lit basement that seemed to be a maze of pipes and obstacles. A mistake, or so she thought until she spotted the loading dock doors which must lead to the hilly street that ran alongside the building. Making an instant decision, she crossed the basement and burst through the door, setting off a building alarm.

  She hit the sidewalk at a run and immediately headed for her car which she'd left more than a block away. Although it was almost ten, people moved along the streets. Few bothered to look her way. Many were homeless. None posed a threat.

  Out of breath by the time she got to her car, she climbed in and waited only until her pulse steadied before starting the ignition. Dakota Raferty would be cursing her by now. He was probably calling the police. They wouldn't find her, not until she'd made the delivery. And once she had her daughter in her arms safe and sound, she didn't care what threats they used against her.

  She could afford the best lawyers, Honor told herself, thinking positively about Nora's return. Her actions had been justified. Any reasonable person could understand that.

  But in case they didn't, maybe she would take her daughter and disappear off the face of the earth.

  As Honor sped to the docks at the south end of Elliott Bay, her only regret was that she'd had to betray a friend. Sydney Raferty didn't deserve this from her.

  And neither, she suspected, fighting a rush of guilt, did Sydney's brother.

  DAKOTA CALLED himself every kind of fool as the elevator touched down to the first floor and the building alarm went off. He'd been sickened by a clever woman – again – and he didn't like being played for a fool one bit.

  As the doors opened, he saw the night guard leaving his post, gun in hand.

  “Grady.”

  ”Not now, Mr. Raferty. Sorry, but I gotta check out the alarm.”

  Dakota could have told the guard that he was too late, that someone had been leaving the building rather than breaking in. Instead of taking the time to stop the guy and explain, however, he raced out the front exit, around the corner and toward the loading dock area. As he'd suspected, he didn't get a glimpse of Honor Bright, who was a better actress than he could have imagined.

  He'd actually believed her...

  Knowing he was being even more of a fool, he headed for his car and Pike Place Market.

  As he'd known it would be, the market was locked up but for the few restaurants with late hours. And he saw no sign of a stunning redhead. Furious that not only had she given him the slip but had lied about the drop-off location, as well, Dakota thought to call the police.

  But what if she'd been telling the truth about her daughter?

  He couldn't get the possibility out of his mind. No matter that he thought Honor should have gone to the police herself, he couldn't do it. When he found a telephone, he dialed the number his sister Sydney had given him a few days before. He couldn't believe she was spending her nights reading Tarot cards in a bar – though she insisted it was more of a coffee house. He didn't see the difference.

  “Benno's Place,” came a familiar voice raised over the sounds of laughter and music.

  “Syd?”

  “Dakota? How's it going?” Sydney asked, followed by an anxious, “Is anything wrong?”

  “No,” he hurried to assure her.

  He didn't want Sydney tied up in knots with his problems, not after what she'd been through. The victim of a con man out to even an old score, she'd been gas lighted by a supposedly new husband who had then supposedly died – neither case having been true – in addition to which she'd been suspected of murder and had almost perished in a fire. The past month had been a living hell for her.

  “So what's up?” Sydney asked.

  “I met your friend Honor Bright this evening.”

  “Aha.”

  “What's the 'aha' for?”

  “I'm not naive, brother dear. I know your taste in women. Your hormones are stirred up, and you're obsessed, right?”

  Not about to tell his sister what he really thought of the actress, though obsession might not be totally inaccurate, Dakota hedged. “That Honor is a real beauty, all right. Smart, too.”

  He couldn't believe
how stupid he'd felt when he'd remembered the second exit out of the lounge. He'd stormed into the room only to find her gone.

  “And she's been divorced for more than a year.”

  He recognized Sydney's matchmaking tone and played on the fact to get the information he sought. “Must be tough, raising a kid all alone.”

  “I know for a fact that Honor considers raising Nora a joy rather than some tough duty divorce forced on her,” Sydney assured him.

  So Honor did have a daughter. At least that much hadn't been a lie.

  “She took the job in Seattle because of her daughter, you know,” his sister continued. “Honor wanted a quieter life for a while so she could spend more time with Nora and make a home where her little girl would have some stability for once. Traipsing around to various shooting locations can be pretty tough on a four year old.”

  So could kidnapping. Dakota suspected little Nora had that carefully manufactured security ripped away from her, just as her mother had claimed. Still nothing could excuse Honor's illegal actions. Even if he hesitated to bring in the police, he wasn't about to let her perfidy go as if it had never happened. Especially not when he was the target of the real criminals who might strike at his campaign in some other manner if they weren't satisfied with their end of the deal.

  Now all he had to do was find Honor with his unsuspecting sister's help. Help that Honor would no doubt be expecting.

  “Speaking of home... you wouldn't have Honor's telephone number and address, would you?”

  “What? You didn't get them?” Sydney laughed. “My big brother is slipping in his old age. I remember a time when a woman would force that information on you whether or not you wanted it.”

  “We didn't exactly have the opportunity,” Dakota said dryly. Not to mention the incentive. “Come on, Syd, stop ragging on me and find your address book.”

  “I don't have to. I know the address by heart. Got a pencil?”