Contract to Kill (7 page)

Now fully awake, he focused on the pattern on the ceiling and sighed. At least he was still in bed. Most of the time he woke up on the floor. His record of remaining in bed for five nights in a row might be actually broken tonight.

A glance at the digital clock confirmed he’d only been asleep for two hours. He watched the pale blue number change from 00:45 to 00:46. All things being equal, not a horrible evening. So far . . .

He looked at the woman lying next to him and winced. He must’ve fallen asleep next to her, a mistake putting her at risk. More often than not, he came out of his dreams violently.

No harm done. This time.

Holly Simpson’s shoulder-length dark hair fanned out on the white pillow like a reverse halo. When they’d first met, he thought her hair had been black, but it was actually deep brown. Strands of gray were beginning to take a foothold, but she didn’t fight it. Nathan liked that. If men could look distinguished with gray, why not women?

In a different life, Holly could’ve been a gymnast. She had the body type. Strong facial features reflected her Eastern Bloc lineage. In her midforties, she still silenced a room. Some women just had a commanding presence. It couldn’t be bought, borrowed, surgically added, or stolen. It simply existed. Like Nathan, she had no children, but she had several adult nephews by a sister in Boston.

Holly had been the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Sacramento field office when a pair of inbred lowlifes nearly ended her life. The massive C4 bomb they’d detonated next to her building had stolen twenty-four lives and wounded dozens more. Holly had been lucky. She’d only been crippled for life.
Only
. Most of the time her limp wasn’t too pronounced, except when the weather changed. At least she didn’t need that damned cane anymore. It had pained him to see her walk with it. Still, walking with a cane had been infinitely better than the alternative—a rolling chair. Life could be so bad to good people.

They’d often talked about their long-distance relationship, and although Holly said she was okay with it, there were times when Nathan wasn’t sure. He felt as though he was preventing her from finding someone else. She’d never voiced it, but he wondered if she wanted a relationship with someone closer to her new home in DC.

One thing was clear: she’d gotten beyond his physical appearance. Nathan didn’t consider himself handsome no matter how many times Holly told him otherwise. The last time he’d felt this level of insecurity, he’d been lying next to a different kind of woman, a woman he’d mistakenly believed could give him more than physical pleasure. For two years, denial had hidden the truth. He never told Holly about Mara. What would be the point? What would it accomplish? Besides, he’d never asked Holly about
her
former relationships.

Meeting Holly had changed everything. She’d opened a door that had been closed for so long, he’d forgotten what lay behind it. In one short car ride together on the day they met, Holly had managed to filet him from jaw to groin. Being so exposed had felt . . . what? Unprotected? Was that the right word? Maybe . . . unguarded. Truth be told, he’d found it a cleansing experience. She hadn’t pressed the conversation when he’d been initially reluctant to get too personal about his father, even though he ultimately had. She never pried and, more importantly, never judged. Their personalities complemented each other. Trust didn’t come easily to Nathan, but he trusted this woman with his life.

“You’re staring again,” she said.

Her voice startled him. “Huh? Oh, sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

“How long?” he asked.

“Have I been looking at you? Half a minute. Bad dreams again?”

He shrugged. “Hey, I’m still in bed.”

Holly rolled onto her side to face him. “Something on your mind?”

“Just thinking about us. It’s hard to believe we’ve only known each other for five years.”

“Does it seem longer?”

“If I say yes?”

Holly smiled. “It’s a compliment.”

“I’m glad you think so.”

“I liked the movie we watched tonight. I hadn’t seen it since it was in theaters.”

“Hannibal Lecter’s entrance was pure genius. Letting the camera come to him with him just standing in the cell? It was a powerful scene, set up by Dr. Chilton calling him a monster . . . ” Nathan’s expression changed.

“You’re not.”

“There are times . . . ” He’d once used the label on himself, and Holly had instantly rebuked it. He changed the subject. “I’m shrinking.”

“Shrinking?”

“My annual physical. I’m down to six foot four and a half inches, but my weight hasn’t gone down with it.”

“Well, grab the pitchforks and light the torches.”

“Why do we get along so well?”

“We’re self-actualized.”

“What does that mean?”

“In theory,” she said, “it’s the final level of psychological growth achievable when all mental needs are fulfilled, resulting in a complete realization of personal potential.”

“What a bunch of psychobabble.”

“It definitely is.”

“Why’d you switch majors? You would’ve made a good shrink.”

“Hardly.”

“I disagree.”

“In all seriousness? I wanted to make a tangible stand for something. I suppose law enforcement fit the bill.”

Nathan remained silent for a moment. “How’s the new job in DC going?”

“Good, so far.”

“Good . . . What does Director Lansing have you doing, anyway?” All he knew was that her office was just down the hall.

“It’s kinda complicated.”

“I’m not trying to pry.”

“I know. I guess it’s sorta like a management and think tank job all in one. Not exactly high on the action-and-danger spectrum.”

Nathan had the distinct impression that by being vague about her new work, Holly was protecting him, but he had no clue from what. Maybe her work really was
that
sensitive. The FBI had its eyes and ears everywhere these days. Well, he didn’t need to know right now, or ever, for that matter. Nathan was familiar with secrecy. He’d lived his entire adult life mired in it. And still did. He and Holly often found themselves at a need-to-know dead end. He’d shared his most recent experience in Nicaragua . . . well, most of it. But there remained plenty of things he wasn’t comfortable telling her, some of which he’d shared only with a dying man.

Holly traced one of the scars across his torso. “I’m not really tired now; want to watch another movie?”

Nathan smiled. “I kinda had something else in mind.”

“And that would be?”

He wanted her. No . . . he needed her. And the thought of ever losing her scared him.

His cell phone rang. Nathan frowned, fell back, and rolled to retrieve the device from the nightstand. A call at this hour needed to be checked—and in this case—answered.

As the caller spoke, he stiffened and sat up straight on the bed. Holly followed suit, her eyes intense, watching for a sign of what the late-night call could mean.

CHAPTER 5

The caller was Gavin, the office manager at First Security, Inc., Nathan and Harv’s private security firm. She’d been with the company for thirteen years, and Nathan had never known her to exaggerate an emergency situation.

“I’m sorry to disturb you at this hour, but the answering service operator says she has a man on the phone who insists on speaking to you. He says his life’s in danger and it’s an emergency.”

“It’s all right,” said Nathan. “Any idea who the caller is?”

“Toby Haynes. He says he knows you.”

“Yeah he does, but I don’t want his call connected to my cell. I’ll call you back on my landline. Can you conference the two calls together?”

“Yes, no problem.”

“Tell the answering service to keep Haynes on hold. I’ll call you back on the number you’re calling from. You’re at home, right?”

Across the bed from Nathan, Holly’s concerned look had changed to puzzlement.

“Yes.”

“Thanks for doing this, Gavin. I want you to log an extra four hours of work today.”

“Thank you, but I’m salaried.”

“Then expect a healthy gift certificate from Nordstrom’s.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I’ll call you right back. Fifteen seconds.” Nathan ended the call and tapped Harv’s cell number.

Harv ran the day-to-day operations of the company. He answered on the fourth ring, his deep baritone voice holding a lighthearted tone. “I take it this isn’t a social call.”

“Toby Haynes is on hold with our answering service. He says it’s an emergency, life or death, but I have no idea what it’s about. I’m about to call Gavin back, and she’s going to conference in Haynes’s call.”

Harv was all business now. “Let me do that from here. I’ll keep you on the line. Did Gavin call from her home number?”

“Yes.”

“Hang on.”

Nathan listened to a moment of silence before hearing the line ring, presumably at Gavin’s house.

Dressed in a T-shirt, Holly came over to his side of the bed and sat next to him.

“Nate, are you there?” Harv asked.

“Yes. Holly’s with me. I have you on speaker.”

“Hi, Holly.”

“Hi, Harvey.”

Gavin must’ve seen Harv’s number on her phone console because she spoke Harv’s name upon answering. “Mr. Fontana?”

“Hi, Gavin. Nathan’s on the line with me. Conference us in with the answering service call and make sure their end disconnects. Sever all the calls if they don’t.”

“I will.” A brief pause followed. “Mr. Haynes, I have Mr. McBride on the line.”

“Hello? Mr. McBride?” Toby’s voice didn’t sound particularly familiar, but it carried the shakiness of a man in shock.

“Call me Nathan. What phone are you using to call me?”

“It’s a pay phone, sir. It took forever to find one.”

“All right. What’s going on?”

“I saw two men get murdered tonight! They both got shot in the head. I—I don’t know what to do.”

“Murdered? Are you sure?”

“Yes!” Toby nearly shouted. “I saw it happen, and I know the killers. I don’t know what to do. I think I made a big mistake. If I call the police and report it, they’ll kill me next, I know it.”

“Okay, slow down, we believe you. Harv’s on the line with us. Are you alone? Can anyone hear you?”

“No. Sorry, sir. I mean yes, I’m alone. I’m just really freaked out.”

“Don’t say another word about this over the phone. Go home and wait there for us. Do you have a hard line?”

“Yeah.”

“Give me the number, your address too.”

Toby gave him the info.

“Okay. Sit tight. Don’t go anywhere. We’ll be there in about twenty-five minutes. Wipe down the pay phone’s receiver before you leave.”

“I put on my work gloves before I made the call.”

“Good going. Try to relax, Toby. I’m assuming you used the First Security business card I gave you to contact us?”

“Yes, sir, it’s in my hand right now.”

“Burn it over your kitchen sink and wash the ash down the drain.”

“I will. I’m sorry, sir. My nerves are shot. I can’t stop shaking.” He paused for a second. “I’m supposed to be at work in a few minutes.”

Nathan asked, “Can you call in sick?”

“Yeah, I think I can get someone to take my shift tonight. He owes me a favor. I took a shift for him last month.”

“How does it work? Do you normally get someone to work for you? I mean, do you usually make the arrangements for someone to cover your shift? Will that raise suspicion?”

“I’ve never called in sick before, but it should be okay.”

“Use the hard line at your house to make the call. Your supervisor will probably tell you to stay home. Offer to find someone to take your shift and see what happens.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. Man, thanks for helping me. I don’t know what I’d do without you guys.”

“We’ll use a special knock on your door: twice fast, twice slow. You got that?”

“Two fast, two slow.”

“See you in twenty-five minutes.” Nathan ended the call, knowing Harv would call him right back.

Holly said, “We need to call the police.”

“I hear you on that, but Toby said he’s afraid for his life if he talks to the police. If he knows the killers, then he really could be in danger.” Nathan thought for a moment. “Toby’s not a stupid guy. I’ve known him for a long time. I gave him a loan on just his word he’d pay me back and he never missed a payment. Let’s hear why he thinks his life’s in danger if the police get involved.”

“Well, I’m a sworn law enforcement officer,” said Holly. “Not reporting a murder doesn’t sit well with me.”

“I understand and we’ll definitely call them—” His cell chimed. “That’s Harv calling . . . Hey, I’ve got you on speaker again, Holly’s right here.” Nathan heard Harv’s car-door alarm bong three times.

“Sorry, I got dressed during Toby’s call. It should switch to the Bluetooth in a few seconds.”

“So what do you think?” Nathan asked.

“Let’s talk in person,” Harv said.

CHAPTER 6

Philippine Sea—fifteen days earlier

Seven hundred miles northeast of Palau, the Republic of Korea container ship
Namkung Khang
slowed to three knots as a small skiff approached its hull. The night watch wasn’t worried because the
Khang
wasn’t being attacked by pirates—quite the opposite. After all, no sane pirates attacked the
Khang
unless they wanted to meet their creators. This ROK vessel didn’t employ water cannons; it employed large-caliber machine guns.

Atop a mountain of precisely stacked containers, Crewman Ryang secured a climbing rope to a hold-down corner and stepped into his rappelling harness. With a second rope slung over his shoulder, he descended past five levels of containers and found the unit he wanted. Unlike its surrounding neighbors, this particular container wasn’t secured with lashing rods. Their absence didn’t look out of place, as not every container needed them.

Ryang removed his gloves, activated his helmet light, and unlocked the four padlocks securing the container’s dual doors. Inside were hundreds of wooden crates containing AK-47s and several dozen boxes of ammunition. Eleven green duffel bags sat atop the ammo boxes. Ryang ignored the rifles and ammo and went to work on the duffels.