Chapter seventeen

  Edgar Fairhaven and Brian Pordras were playing their weekly racquetball game. “They’ve gone underground,” Fairhaven said, his chest heaving, his T-shirt stained with sweat.

“How do you know?” Pordras was also breathing heavily from exertion.

“There’s no sign of them having used a car or plane to get out, and my man has checked every hospital and clinic in the country.”

“Maybe they’re all dead.”

“That would be nice but highly improbable. We have to assume they’re all alive and in play, and that they’ve got enough information to figure it out.”

The secretary stopped mid-stride and the ball hit him in the gut. “What do you mean, ‘figure it out?’ As in, implicate you and me?”

“Yes. I think we have to assume that’s true. Hence the reason we have to find them.”

“Ed, we can’t go through with the plan. If we don’t, they can’t prove anything. There won’t be any—”

“Get a grip. This isn’t just about things that haven’t happened yet.” Fairhaven waited for his words to sink in.

“You said they would never… You promised they couldn’t…” Pordras sagged against the wall, his head in his hands, the racquet dangling from his wrist by its safety strap.

“Relax. If they had connected all the dots, they wouldn’t be underground in some third world country—they already would have come for us.”

“That’s a comforting thought,” Pordras said sarcastically.

“It means time is still on our side. We’ll find them before they leave Mauritania, determine what they know and whom they’ve told, and eliminate them.”

“We’re running out of time. We need to think about altering the plan.”

“If we haven’t found them in the next day or two, we’ll talk about that.”

“You promised me it would be over in forty-eight hours. That was three days ago.”

“It will be over soon, Bri. Now play the game.” Fairhaven served the ball.

 

  Vaughn sat hunched over on the edge of the bed waiting for Justine to come back with Nate. Her chest hurt and her side ached where the chest tube had been removed several hours ago. She was unable to sit up straight or take a deep breath, but none of that mattered to her. Every day that they stayed endangered Nate and the doctor.

“You look much improved,” Nate said when he entered the room.

“It’s good not to be tied to this bed...that’s for sure. It’s time to talk about an exit strategy.”

Justine shook her head. “Vaughn, you’re still not strong enough—”

Vaughn pierced Justine with her eyes. “You and I both know it could be weeks before I’m sound. We don’t have that kind of time.” She paused to catch her breath. “I think Switzerland is a good option. It’s not a destination they’d be expecting, which may help us stay undetected. Also, they’re not as stringent with security for private planes as London or Paris would be.”

“Agreed,” Justine said. “I’ve got some good contacts in Zurich who could meet us at the airport and arrange a place for us.”

“Good. Can they help us doctor the flight plan?”

“What flight plan?” Justine said, smiling.

“Excellent. I’m sure it’s not everyday that private jets arrive there from Mauritania. How’s our pilot doing?”

“He is well-rested and ready to go,” Nate said.

“He understands that the $20,000 ensures his silence?” Vaughn asked.

“I have spoken to him myself,” Nate answered. “He is what you would call a mercenary. Since you are paying him, his loyalty is with you. Also, although he does not know the nature of your business and who you are running from, he does not like that they would shoot women.”

“Well, that’s in our favor,” Justine said. “I don’t want to ask how he did it, but Sabastien assures me that $10,000 in untraceable bills will be in the cockpit, waiting for the pilot. My friends will have the other $10,000 waiting once we’re safely on the ground in Zurich.”

“I should call Sabastien,” Vaughn said.

“Yes, he’s been very worried about you.”

“If we can smuggle him in, we could use his help on the ground. I don’t suppose you know where he is?”

“I haven’t asked, and he hasn’t told.”

“All right, we’ll take care of that later. Nate, when’s the best time for us to take off?”

“The plane is fueled and ready to go. The man who is looking for you is expecting something under cover of darkness.”

“You sound awfully certain of that. You met with him?”

“This morning. As chief of police here in Mauritania, it is natural that he should seek me out and enlist my help in locating these three very dangerous women who are in my country illegally,” Nate said, keeping a straight face.

“Three?” Vaughn asked, her eyes going wide.

“Yes, he showed me pictures. I have to say they were not very flattering.”

“Shit. I’m sorry,” Vaughn said to Justine. If they’d identified her, Justine’s career in the Company likely would be over. “None of this was supposed to happen. You were supposed to be in and out with no one the wiser.”

“You and I both know things seldom go as planned.” Justine shrugged. “I wasn’t having all that much fun anymore. Change is good.”

Vaughn addressed Nate, “Did the man introduce himself?”

“He said he was Arthur Sielig from the United States State Department.”

“Sielig?” Justine asked. “He’s Fairhaven’s top henchman.”

“That makes sense,” Vaughn said. She turned her attention back to Nate. “State Department, huh? That’s interesting. What did you tell him?”

“I thanked him for bringing the issue to my attention, assured him that I had neither seen nor heard of a Vaughn Elliott, Justine Coulter, or Sage McNally, but that if I did, I would notify him right away.”

“Well done.”

“Also, he asked me to have my men stationed at every airport and border crossing, and to distribute your pictures so that we were familiar with what you looked like. He indicated that he thought at least one of you might be injured.”

“An instruction I’m sure you followed,” Justine said.

“Of course. I distributed your pictures at every border crossing. I haven’t gotten to the airports yet because I’ve been so busy, but I’m sure I’ll get to it in the next day or two.”

“Yes, I’m sure you will,” Vaughn said. “You know the layout. How should we do this?”

“Better to leave in the middle of the day,” Nate said. “I could arrange it so that several private planes take off in quick succession. None of them will have filed a flight plan—after all, we third world countries are so backward and lax about things like paperwork.” Nate winked.

“Sounds good, but that still leaves the issue of us getting to the plane without detection.”

“I think I might need to meet with Mr. Sielig at around that time. You know, update him on what I have done, how I have beefed up security to ensure that you cannot get away.”

“Nate, I don’t want to put you in jeopardy. Sielig is a very dangerous man,” Vaughn said.

“I am not concerned. I will bring in the head of several hospitals to testify that he has never seen any of you. I can make the meeting last for at least an hour or longer. By that time, you will be in the air and safely on your way.”

“He’ll figure it out, Nate,” Justine said. “There’s no need to put yourself in danger.”

“I made a promise to Jackson. I owe this to him—and I have to admit, I like all of you a great deal. Do not worry about me. I can take care of myself.”

“Okay, it’s settled then. We leave tomorrow.”

“I will make the preparations,” Nate said, taking his leave.

“Have you seen Sage?” Vaughn asked Justine when they were alone. “We should meet and try to figure out what started all of this.” She hoped her voice sounded casual. She hadn’t seen Sage in twenty-four hours and she missed her; she missed holding her hand or just having her nearby, but Justine didn’t need to know that.

“No. She’s been closed up in her room since your little chat yesterday.”

Vaughn frowned but said nothing.

“You know you shouldn’t be flying yet. It’s too risky.”

Vaughn sighed. “I know. But we can’t put it off any longer. I can use the oxygen if need be, and we’ll take supplies with us.”

“I’m not happy.”

“I’m sure you’re not, but it’s a risk we have to take.”

“I’ll go talk to the pilot,” Justine said, conceding that this was an argument she wouldn’t win.

 

  “Hey,” Vaughn said, peeking her head into Sage’s room. Sage was lying on the bed with her good arm behind her head. She barely acknowledged Vaughn’s presence. “Can I come in?”

“I suppose,” Sage said, not moving.

Vaughn sat on the side of the bed, forcing Sage to move over to avoid contact. Sage continued to stare at the ceiling.

“How’s your arm?”

“I’ll live.”

“Glad to hear it,” Vaughn said. “I know I was an ass yesterday. I’m sorry.”

“S’okay.”

“No, it’s really not. I should explain some things to you.”

“You don’t owe me any explanations. We had a night of hot sex. End of story. I get it.”

“That’s not true, Sage.” It was all she could do to avoid the urge to brush her fingers under Sage’s T-shirt.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Vaughn turned Sage’s face so that she could look into her eyes. They were swollen and bruised from crying. You’re an idiot, Elliott. “It matters a great deal to me. I told the truth when I said there were many things about me you don’t know. There are some that I can’t tell you, not because I don’t want to, but because that’s the way it has to be.”

“Like I said, you don’t need to explain to me.”

Vaughn kept talking as if Sage hadn’t interrupted her. “There was a woman once, my college sweetheart. I loved her very much. In fact, she’s the only woman I ever loved.” Vaughn swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. “She followed me into law enforcement. Assignments took us in separate directions, and we went long periods without seeing each other. Despite the physical distance, I never stopped caring about her, and I think it was the same for her.”

Vaughn was staring at a point on the wall, but she didn’t have to look to know that she had Sage’s full attention. “Anyway, last year she called me. She was going on a very difficult mission. I begged her not to go, and certainly not alone. I convinced her to let me come along.” Vaughn’s voice faltered, and she took a moment to compose herself.

“It’s okay, Vaughn. You don’t have to tell me, really. I can see this is painful for you.”

“No. Let me finish. I was supposed to meet her at a certain time, in a certain place, but I had a meeting with superiors that ran long. I got there as soon as I could, but…” Vaughn cleared her throat, which had gone very dry.

Sage turned onto her side and linked their fingers together. Vaughn avoided her searching gaze.

“She died right before my eyes—blown up by a bomb—and there was nothing I could do. I was too late. If I’d just…”

“I’m so sorry. That must’ve been awful. Watching you get shot and knowing you lived was hard enough. I can’t imagine…” Sage’s voice trailed off. “Is that where you got the scar over your ribs?”

“Yes. I took some shrapnel in the side, among other injuries.” Vaughn smiled sadly. “You remind me a lot of her.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t help that.”

“I know.”

“What was her name?”

“Sara.”

“She was a very lucky woman.”

“No, I was the lucky one. Until last week, I’d never been with anyone—never even looked at another woman. I couldn’t.”

“And then I came along and threw myself at you.”

Vaughn shook her head. “You didn’t, Sage. That’s the thing. I was attracted to you the second I laid eyes on you. Maybe that’s the reason I was so gruff. I didn’t want to let you inside. I didn’t want to let anyone close, and without even saying a word, you’d already gotten under my skin.”

“Was that really so awful?”

“Yes. When I lost Sara, I lost the right to have someone meaningful in my life...don’t you see?”

“No, I don’t. What I see is an honorable woman who had her lover tragically ripped away from her. I see a woman who’s been blaming herself for something that wasn’t her fault.”

“Sara died because of me.”

“You have to know that’s not true. You didn’t plant the bomb, did you?”

“Of course not.”

“Whoever did is the one responsible for Sara’s death, Vaughn, not you.”

Tears streaked Vaughn’s cheeks. “If I had been there when I said I would…”

“She could have waited for you to show up. It wasn’t your fault, and blaming yourself is just a convenient excuse for not having to live without her. You can just go on acting as though you died with her, because that eases your guilt.”

“What?”

“What would Sara say about you locking your heart away for the rest of your life?”

Vaughn opened her mouth to speak and clicked her jaw shut again. She would’ve been pissed as hell. “That’s not the point.”

“What is the point, then?”

“I’m not safe to be around. Bad things follow me. If something happened to you, I could never survive it. Don’t you see?” Vaughn didn’t bother to wipe away the tears.

“If something happens to me, it certainly won’t be because you didn’t do everything in your power to keep me safe. Let me in, Vaughn. I’m not saying you have to fall in love with me. Just give us a chance. Please?”

Vaughn looked into those earnest eyes filled with hope and pain. “I can’t promise you anything, Sage. Honestly, I don’t know what I have to offer.”

Finally unable to resist any longer, Vaughn gave in and ran her fingers along Sage’s cheek. She thought about everything this woman had been through in the past week, how worried she had been for her safety, how much she’d come to enjoy her company and the simple comfort of her touch. She leaned forward and brushed her lips lightly against Sage’s. “When we get through this, let’s see where we are, okay?”

“Okay,” Sage said, her eyes still closed after the kiss. “Thank you.”

Without another word, Vaughn rose from the bed and left the room. She was afraid if she stayed any longer, she would fall into Sage and never be able to pull away. There was still much to be done, and she couldn’t afford to give her emotions free rein just yet.

 

  As planned, an airplane fuel truck idled out of sight behind the clinic. Abrim was in the driver’s seat. Salam climbed out of the back, where he had been loading supplies and luggage. The inside of the tanker portion of the truck had been converted into a seating and storage area.

Vaughn, Sage, Justine, and Nate stood just inside the back door of the clinic. The pilot walked past them and clambered into the back of the truck.

“I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done,” Vaughn said, shaking Nate’s hand. Relentless waves of pain forced her to hunch over. Perspiration dotted her forehead. “We couldn’t have made it this far without you.”

“You are most welcome. I was happy to be of service. Are you sure you are okay to travel?”

“Yes.”

Nate’s expression was incredulous, but he did not push the matter. Instead, he said, “Abrim will drive you into a hangar, where you will be able to board the plane away from prying eyes.”

“Perfect. Your meeting with Sielig is all set?”

“Yes, and five private flights are scheduled to take off without flight plans today. Two are already underway.”

“Excellent. Stay safe, my friend.”

“I will be fine. Please do not worry about me. I am well protected.”

Justine hopped up into the back and reached down to help Sage, who was having trouble negotiating the step with only one good arm.

When Vaughn moved to follow, Nate stopped her. “Let me help you.” He linked his hands together so that she could step into them and boosted her up into the truck, where Justine steadied her. “Good luck to all of you.”

 

  “I am sorry to keep you waiting,” Nate said. In fact, he had let Sielig cool his heels outside his office for half an hour, until he was sure the plane was safely away. Now he stood in the doorway in full dress uniform, gesturing for Sielig to enter. “Please, come in.”

Once seated, Sielig stared unhappily at Nate from across the desk. “You said you have news for me?”

“Yes. I wanted to update you on our efforts. Flyers have been circulated at every border checkpoint. Every one of my officers has been given a full description of the fugitives, and they are canvassing the airports. We are doing everything possible to assist you in your search. If these women are in our country, we will find them.”

“I appreciate your cooperation.” As Sielig got up to leave, Nate put up a hand to forestall him.

“I thought, perhaps, since you believed one of the women to be injured, I would bring in the head of our major hospitals to brief you as well.”

Sielig appeared as if he would object. It was clear to Nate that he had little patience and less respect for his abilities. That would work to his advantage.

“I’m sure—” A knock on the door forestalled the rest of Sielig’s remark.

“Come,” Nate called. “Ah, doctor. You’re just in time. Dr. Jeantou, may I present Mr. Arthur Sielig from the United States State Department.”

“A pleasure, sir. I understand you are looking for several American women, at least one of whom you believe may be suffering from a gunshot wound.”

“That is correct.” Sielig pulled pictures from his briefcase and laid them on the desk for the doctor to study.

“I assure you, none of these women has been treated at any of my hospitals.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Several reasons. First, my personnel would have had to file a report, so I would have found out that way. Second, if, as you say, there was a gunshot wound involved, I would have been the one to operate. So yes, I am positive that none of these women has been treated in any of my facilities.”

“How many hospitals do you oversee?”

“Every major hospital or clinic in this city, and several in outlying areas. In short, Mr. Sielig, if these women were in Mauritania and injured, I would know about it.”

Sielig again rose to leave.

“Perhaps,” the doctor said, “it would be helpful if you could explain to me what you would have me do if your fugitives do present themselves at one of my facilities.”