The Vanishing Angle

by Linda Ladd

  Novak set his teeth and backed away. It would be better to get her when she was alone and conscious and able to walk without him having to carry her. He swung a leg over the rail, determined to get her out as soon as Lori showed up. He wasn’t willing to wait longer than that, and he wasn’t going to tell Sokolov what he’d seen. Irina’s real father was better off not knowing what was going on inside that bedroom.

  Chapter 14

  Novak’s next glimpse of Irina came the following late afternoon. For the first time since they’d been on the island, the teenager descended the deck steps alone and walked down the beach toward Sokolov’s house. This time, she wore a one-piece black bathing suit and was barefoot, carrying a beach towel in one hand. She was listening to music through ear buds attached to her phone. She spread out her towel directly in front of the house next to Sokolov’s.

  Her face was sunburned, her eyes sunken, and she looked so listless that Novak was alarmed. She appeared exhausted and ill, but definitely not as spaced out as she had been the night before. She was still coming down off heroin, she had to be. This was their chance, maybe the only one they’d get. Her freedom on the beach was probably the result of Blackwood and Petrov having left the beach house earlier that afternoon. Novak had watched them drive off together in the Lincoln almost two hours ago. According to Sokolov’s vehicle tracker, they were playing golf on the other side of the island.

  “Oh, my God, Novak, look at her. She looks sick. Look how thin she is. He’s killing her with drugs.”

  Novak looked at her sunken belly—he had a feeling she was sick because she was no longer pregnant. He didn’t know when or where or how Blackwood had managed it, but he’d ended her pregnancy. He didn’t comment or conjecture to her father. “She’s an addict, and has been for years. She’s going to look worse than that if she doesn’t get clean. Forget how she looks, it’s time for us to move. Take a fishing rod down to the beach and wade out, maybe fifteen yards from her. Do you think she’ll recognize you?”

  “I doubt it. I was out of the country most of the time when she was little.”

  “Then I’ll make contact. The guards are watching her, trust me. Why they let her come out there all alone bothers me.”

  Novak gave the Russian time to grab a rod and walk down to the water. He watched him enter the shallows barefoot and throw out his line. Novak waited a few more minutes before following him with a beach umbrella and towel. He had pulled on a New Orleans Saints ball cap, and thrown on a windbreaker and shorts. He didn’t glance at Irina where she sat, about ten or twelve yards away and slightly in front of him. He shoved the umbrella into the sand. She never even glanced at him or anything else. She seemed in a complete daze, unable to notice anything, focusing only on the cresting waves. She looked dejected and depressed. Novak hoped she wasn’t sitting there contemplating suicide. That’s what it looked like.

  There were two men out on Blackwood’s lower deck. Keeping one eye on them, Novak angled the umbrella to shield him from their sight. Irina had removed her ear buds as she sat in the sun, as stiff and still as a slab of stone. The tide had receded to daytime levels, but the surf was loud enough to drown out his voice from the guards. He lay back on his elbows, weapon at the ready in case the worst happened. Few other people were at this end of the beach, so it was probably his only chance to contact her. After a couple of minutes, he called her name without looking in her direction. When he did glance at her, Irina had not moved or looked at him. He called to her again, a little louder, and this time she roused from her stupor and looked at him.

  “Act like you don’t see me,” he called out. Blackwood’s men were talking and drinking beer but still keeping an eye on her.

  She stared dully at him.

  “It’s me, Novak.”

  That got through to her. She perked up, frightened, jerking her head around to glance at the guards. She didn’t give him away, just placed her head on her bent knees and smiled. It looked pitiful and strained. The drugs were going to kill her if she didn’t get help soon.

  “Don’t look at me. Look out at the water.”

  Novak glanced again at the men. One had his face tilted up to the sun. The other was watching Irina, but didn’t seem to be aware of Novak.

  “Listen to me, Irina. We’re here to get you out of that house. You understand me? Nod if you do.”

  She nodded.

  Novak said, “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

  “I’m sick. Daddy gave me too much last night. How did you find me? Can you get me out of here, really? Daddy’s gone but he’s coming back soon. How’s Justin? He’s okay, isn’t he? Is he here, too?”

  Novak didn’t want to answer her rapid-fire questions. He glanced at Sokolov. The Russian was staring at his daughter, but he was also aware of the guards. “Can you get out of the house and meet me here around midnight?”

  “I don’t know. Daddy hangs around me at night.” A dark flush rose to color her pale cheeks. Novak knew what that meant. Her words flooded out after that. “Daddy and Vasily are gone somewhere. I don’t know when they’ll be back. Please, can’t we just do it now? Is Justin okay? Is he here?”

  Novak looked out to sea. “We can’t do it now. A boat’s coming, probably tonight. If we get you aboard, you’ll be safe. Tell me where’s he getting the drugs he gives you. Is he picking them up here?”

  The question scared her. Her face was easy to read. “People come see us, you know, families. They talk to Daddy, then they go away. I think they bring stuff in. I hear him telling them when to go out for the drop. I don’t know where or anything. He keeps me locked upstairs in my room, but sometimes I get to go outside and watch the little kids.”

  “Do they move the drugs on boats?”

  Irina sat up straight, agitated. “I don’t know. I don’t know anything else. I guess it’s in boats.”

  “Turn away from me or they’ll get suspicious.”

  She obeyed.

  “At what other beaches do you meet up with these families?” Novak asked.

  “You know, all the popular ones like Hilton Head and Amelia Island and Jacksonville.”

  “Can you get out tonight without being seen?”

  This time her answer was slow in coming. Her face revealed nerves and uncertainty. She started sobbing. Novak’s muscles tensed. “Lie down, Irina. Turn over on your stomach so they can’t see you’re upset. They’ll get worried if you cry.”

  “No, they won’t. I cry all the time. They’re used to it.”

  She flipped over, shoulders shaking with emotion. She hid her face atop her folded arms. Novak watched the men. They were clueless, guzzling beer and laughing.

  “Please do it now. Daddy’s angry all the time, and he made me go to this doctor—” she began, stopping mid-sentence to weep harder. She didn’t have to say anything else. Novak knew exactly what her father had forced her to do. She got control back a moment later. “He says he’ll kill me if I ever look at another man. He says he’s tired of me, and all I do is cause him grief. He said I’m old and ugly now, and nothing but a junkie.”

  Blackwood was beyond despicable. If Lori didn’t show up soon, he’d take that kid out by car. “We’ll get you out tonight if you can get down here without being seen. Can you do that?”

  She nodded. “Justin’s going to be so sad about the baby. We wanted it so bad. We were going to name her Britney, if it was a girl.” More tears flowed. She put her cheek on the towel and wept again.

  Novak felt for her, but she was going to alert the guards if she didn’t cut it out. “Calm down, Irina. We’re here to help you, but you’re going to give us away.”

  “Is Justin with you? Is he all right? Why won’t you tell me? Please tell me!”

  Novak couldn’t bring himself to do it. She was already distraught, and the news that he was dead would send her over the brink. “No, he’s not here. Look over
there. See the guy fishing? He’s going to help us. You can trust him.”

  “Did you get Justin to the hospital? Did they fix him up all better?”

  “The guards are looking. I gotta go. Remember, tonight at midnight, out here on the beach, right here. We’ll be watching for you. Listen, Irina, if you don’t see a sailboat anchored offshore, don’t come down. It will be lighted up where you can see it. If it’s not out there, don’t come down to the beach. We’ll try to get you out tomorrow night.”

  “What if Daddy finds out?”

  “Just be careful. Go out your bedroom door and climb down on the far side of the deck. Have you snuck out before?”

  She nodded.

  “Then you know what to do.”

  She shut her eyes and asked no more questions.

  Novak waited a little while longer, then stood up and brushed the sand off his shorts. He took down his umbrella and strolled slowly down toward Sokolov’s house. As he climbed the steps to the low deck, he glanced back. Irina was still on her stomach, watching him. He hoped to God she didn’t tell Blackwood they were on the island. If she got strung out enough, that could happen. Otherwise, the die was cast. Lori would be there soon. When she showed up, they could move.

  Around dusk, when the daylight was nearly extinguished as the sun dipped into the sea beyond the horizon, the Sweet Sarah loomed up as a dark smudge against the darkening sky. Novak sat high in the widow’s walk and watched her approach. Lori sailed the boat like an expert, dropping anchor about two hundred yards off the beach. When she called him, she reported that all had gone well, and that she was ready whenever he gave the signal.

  Novak waited until it was dark and quiet all along the beach, then walked to where the incoming tide was creeping up high on the sand. He waded out to chest level and swam out to the sailboat. Lights shone from every window in Blackwood’s house. Sokolov was watching for trouble from the roof. Novak settled into a slow and steady crawl stroke. When he got close, he could see Lori sitting cross-legged on the swimming platform. Once he pulled himself up, she hugged him tight and laughed. “Well, now, you are a sight for sore eyes,” she said.

  “You look a lot better than you did the last time I saw you. You feel okay? You sure? Have any trouble getting here?”

  “Piece of cake. I feel better now that you’re here. What about you? You sounded worried on the phone.”

  “I get nervous when we’re depending on Irina to hold up her end of things. She’s so shaky that she might screw up. We really need to get her out of here tonight. You game to take her out on open water?”

  “Of course. That poor kid has suffered enough, especially since she’s pregnant.”

  Novak shook his head. In the dim glow of the running lights, he could see by her expression that Lori understood. “Oh, no, she lost the baby?”

  “I think Blackwood lost it for her. She said he took her to a doctor.”

  “My God…that man is the devil incarnate.”

  “He keeps her high most of the time. She’s in bad shape, so we need to take her now before he loses his patience and hands her over to Petrov. According to her, he’s tired of her.”

  Lori was concerned. “Okay, how do we get her out here?”

  He went through the plan briefly. “I told her around midnight, but it all depends if she shows up. If he injects her, she won’t be able to think straight. This end of the island’s dark that late. The tide comes in high, but we can still get her out here.”

  “Does she know about Justin?”

  “I couldn’t bring myself to tell her. She’s already close to losing it.”

  “No, don’t tell her until we get her out of there .I don’t think she could take it, either.”

  “I’m taking the Zodiac back in to the beach. We’ll bring the girl out here in it and Sokolov will probably insist on going with you. She’s too weak to make the swim. He probably can’t, either.”

  They talked a while, during which Novak made sure everything was ready. Then he took the rubber boat back to shore, and Lori went below to prepare a cabin for Irina. Novak wanted to get her to a rehab as soon as he could and let a doctor bring her down. She was not well physically, emotionally, or any other way. If they could get her off the drugs for good, maybe she’d have a chance, but only if they could get her as far away from Blackwood as she could get. In her present condition, the hell of withdrawal was going to be difficult. He hoped she could get through it. Sokolov wanted to get her out of the country ASAP, and that was probably the safest bet.

  As the hours dragged by, their nerves were as tense as tight wire. Close to midnight, Sokolov turned off all the lights and locked up the beach house. They’d already stowed their gear in the boat Novak had dragged up to the back deck. Once everything was in place, both of them sat down near the boat and waited. Out on the ocean, Sweet Sarah was lit up like the most popular playhouse on Broadway. Irina could not help but see it. Maybe that would give her the courage she needed. Lori was prepared to set sail the moment they got the girl on board. All they had to do was get Irina out there, and she’d be gone without a trace. Blackwood would never find her.

  Midnight came and went with no sight of the girl. Novak’s stress level was maxing out. He watched the house with a night scope, finally catching a glimpse of her running down the sand toward them. Novak jumped up, ready to drag the Zodiac into the water, but then he saw the man coming after her. It looked like Vasily Petrov.

  Sokolov saw him, too. “Damn it, Petrov’s going to stop her.”

  They hunkered down in the dark and watched. Novak was ready to intervene. Irina had seen Petrov, having stopped and turned to meet him. They talked together for a minute. It didn’t look like he was going to hurt her or drag her back to the house. Petrov just walked along with her at the water’s edge. When they were about thirty yards from Novak, they sat down together on the sand. The tide was rushing in high, almost to their feet. They sat there a moment, and then Irina lay back on the sand. Petrov leaned over her.

  “Oh, God, he’s shooting her up.” Sokolov jumped up, ready to run to her aid, but Novak stopped him. “Wait—maybe she gets an injection every night. She’s not fighting him, maybe she’s playing along. If he leaves her there, we can still make it out to the boat.”

  Worried now, too, Novak crouched down in the shadows, ready to move if he felt she was in danger. Sokolov was shaking with fury, and could barely restrain himself. After a while, Petrov stood up and walked swiftly back to their place, leaving Irina sitting alone at the edge of the water. Not long after that, Novak saw the Lincoln’s headlights flash across the beach as it backed out the driveway and drove away. The other two vehicles followed it. That meant the guards were leaving. Novak was surprised they’d left her on the beach alone. He looked back at the girl. She was not moving, the incoming rivulets lapping over her feet. At that moment, he realized what they’d done.

  “We’ve got to move now, Novak. They’re gone.”

  “He just overdosed her, damn it! They’ve left her to die out there.”

  “Oh, God,” Sokolov cried, already running down to her.

  Novak followed in a panic. If they didn’t get to her fast, she was going to die—if she wasn’t already dead. He grabbed his backpack out of the boat and jerked out the Naloxone, ripping it out of the package as he ran down the sand. He fell to his knees beside her. He could barely see her face in the light of a distant dusk-to-dawn light a few doors down. Her eyes were shut, and he didn’t know if she was still breathing. Sokolov was trying to rouse her, but couldn’t get a response. He put his fingers on the pulse at the side of her throat. He could barely feel it, but it was there.

  Novak quickly injected the antidote into her other arm. The drug would block the opioid receptors in her brain quickly and bring her out of it. He’d seen it used on other overdose victims. She should have revived immediately, but she didn’t. Sh
e lay unmoving. Novak started slapping her cheeks and yelling in her face. When she finally twitched her eyelashes, Novak pulled her up to a sitting position. Her eyes opened, vacant and nonresponsive at first, but then they fluttered and she gagged. She was alive and awake, albeit incoherent and confused. She threw up on the sand, and Novak washed her face off with the salt water pooling around them.

  “Go get the boat! Quick!”

  “You sure she’s okay?”

  “Yeah, she’s back. Hurry, Sokolov! We’ve got to get her to an ER fast. This was supposed to look like she overdosed herself. He left the damn needle in her arm.”

  Novak scooped the girl up and in seconds, Sokolov was back and pushing the boat into the surf. He held it steady while Novak lifted her over the side. Then Sokolov scrambled in and held Irina’s head on his lap, probably the first time he’d touched her in years. Novak pushed the Zodiac out deeper and pulled himself inside. He fired the motor and headed out to Sweet Sarah. When he glanced behind him, the houses on the beach lay still and dark, all the tired tourists sleeping peacefully in their beds, unaware that the monsters among them had driven away.

  Chapter 15

  While Novak raised anchor and prepared to sail, Lori got on the satellite phone and found that the nearest hospital was on Parris Island. She got through to the Brigadier General at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot there, got him out of bed, and tossed around her Pentagon credentials again in a nice, respectful way. As extra incentive, she threw in Novak’s exemplary Navy SEAL service record. The Commander was impressed enough to order a base ambulance to be waiting for them at the closest possible dock, ready to rush Irina to the nearby Naval Hospital Beaufort. Novak made good speed, sliding past Pritchards Island and around the tip of St. Helena Island into Port Royal Sound, where the Navy corpsmen would be waiting with the ambulance. Sokolov rode with her while Novak and Lori finished docking the boat.