Lost in Shadows (26 page)

“What the hell was that about?” Billy asked.

Rose ignored him. “Who’s with John Doe now?”

“Hollywood,” Billy answered.

“Good. Get the transportation set up while Lucky and I have a go at him.”

“He’s in the isolation room at the end of the hall.” Billy nodded in the direction of a room with a glass window facing into the hallway. Not that they could have missed it with the two State Troopers parked in front of the door. He left, and Rose turned to Lucky.

“You up for this?” she asked.

No, he thought. But he gave her a nod. “Sure, why not?”

Her eyes locked with his for a long moment, then she touched his arm. “Good to have you back with the Team, Lucky. We missed you.”

As they walked, Lucky spotted KC sitting on a bench near the elevator bank. “Give me a minute, will you?” 

Rose nodded, and Lucky joined KC.

“Chase just went up to surgery,” KC said when she saw him. “They had to wait until his blood work came back and the specialist got here.”

“He’ll be fine,” Lucky assured her. “Now that he knows you’re safe. He was more worried about you than his leg.”

She looked away and sniffed. Lucky leaned against the wall, trying to look nonchalant. “KC, I need to know—about last month, when you and Chase—I mean, how did, how do you—”

A smile crossed her face as she turned to him. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were asking me to marry you or something. You sound just like Chase did the first couple of times he tried,” she said, patting the seat beside her. Lucky sank down onto the bench. “I finally had to come out and say the words, was afraid he’d break out in hives or something.”

“How did you two know it was for real?” Lucky asked. “Everything happened so fast last month when you met.”

“I knew before Chase did. He had doubts. Some about trusting me, mostly about trusting his own feelings. I think that was the hardest thing for him. After he lost his squad in Afghanistan, he’d built a life based on not trusting anyone, including himself.”

“Then you came along, and he had to trust you.”

“Believe me, getting him to go that far, being forced to place his brother’s safety and then yours and his in my hands, that was huge for Chase. I think the falling in love part came easy after that.”

“But once the excitement and adrenalin faded, did your feelings change?” he asked, thinking of Vinnie’s argument about hormones and lust.

KC glanced at the elevator doors, a wide smile lighting her face. 

“That’s how you know it’s for real,” she confided. “Everyday—no matter how ordinary—is exciting because you’re with each other. Yeah, there’s squabbles and little things that drive you nuts. But the whole is so much greater than the sum of the parts, that those don’t really matter. It’s like you’re on this crazy ride and everything’s topsy-turvy. Then he touches you, looks your way, walks into the room, and suddenly the world’s back in focus and everything makes sense.”

“Like finding your balance,” he finished for her, remembering the way he’d been able to cross that wretched rope bridge because Vinnie was there to support him.

“Yes.” She turned back to him, and he was surprised to see a flush coloring her cheeks. 

“Tell her how you feel, Lucky. Don’t wait for the perfect moment, don’t let the chance slip by,” she urged, grabbing his hand in hers. Then she released it and got to her feet. “Listen to me, rambling like a crazy person. I’m sorry. I don’t do waiting well. Want some coffee or something? I’m gonna go see what the cafeteria has, I’m starving.”

“Thanks, KC.”

She disappeared around the corner before he could say anything further. Lucky had the feeling that Chase’s surgeon better operate at warp speed or else he was going to have an unexpected visitor to the OR. 

He stood and continued down the hall to the room where The Preacher waited.

He took a deep breath before entering. This would be a hell of a lot easier if Vinnie was here.

CHAPTER 40

Vinnie blinked as a bright light stabbed her eyes. She tried to raise her hands to shield her face from the intrusive brilliance, but couldn’t. Her mouth was dry, as if it had been stuffed with cotton, and her head pounded in time with her pulse.

“Lucky,” she tried to call. No sound emerged from her parched throat. Where was she? A rough hand sat her up, leaned her against the wall.

“This her?” a voice reverberated through her brain, making her wince.

“Yeah, she’s the one. Bitch tried to blow up my bird.”

Bird? Vinnie would never hurt a bird, she loved birds. She didn’t even hunt. Men with guns—slowly the world began to come into focus around her. Men with guns, Lucky, the helicopter crash, The Preacher, Deputy Mike and his friendly smile.

Idiot, she berated herself. Now who was the one who needed rescuing?

“Know where they went?”

“Hospital in Winchester.”

“Make the call.”

The two men abandoned Vinnie to the darkness, and she had a chance to explore her prison. Not that there was much territory to cover. Her hands still cuffed behind her, she braced herself against the wall and pushed herself onto her feet. Let the wall support her as a wave of vertigo and nausea washed over her. What kind of drug had they used? 

The walls felt like normal sheet rock, a metal bar and shelf ran across the rear wall, she discovered when her head banged against them, and the rest of the tiny space was empty. Some kind of walk-in closet, she guessed, allowing herself to sink back down to the carpeted floor. 

She strained to listen for the sounds of anyone nearby, traffic, anything to tell her where her closet was located. All she heard was the noise of pots banging together followed by the smell of burnt coffee and bacon.

Her stomach flip-flopped in protest. Vinnie wasn’t certain if it was because she was hungry or because she was still suffering side effects of the drug they’d given her. 

If they brought her anything to eat or drink, should she risk it? Best to keep up her strength, she decided. If her captors wanted to incapacitate her again, they had the means to do that without resorting to poisoning her food. And it had to be harder to kill someone you’d broken bread with, right?

The thought of her imminent death made her head spin again, and she bent forward over her knees. Once she could breathe again, she took a quick inventory. They hadn’t disturbed her clothes that she could tell, her waist pack was missing, but the only thing in it had been KC’s gun, so that was no big deal. They had taken her knife—of course, they weren’t stupid. But she could still feel Lucky’s rabbit foot snugged in her breast pocket.

That small discovery sent a thrill of hope through her. She had no idea what good a tattered rabbit’s foot might do her, but just knowing that she still had it made her feel a lot better.

Vinnie thought of Lucky and how he would never give up. She wouldn’t let him down. She’d find a way out of this, she vowed. Somehow.

She pushed her hips up and scooted her hands under her legs, stretching to bring them to the front of her body. Then she stood and reached for the metal bar, trying to see if she could dislodge it, use it as a weapon.

Not much protection against a speeding bullet, but it was better than sitting there doing nothing.

Lucky entered the isolation room and closed the padded door behind him. He knew Rose watched through the small window in the wall, but still couldn’t stop the frisson of fear that brought goose bumps to his flesh. 

The Preacher sat, handcuffed to a cot, IV fluids running into one arm. Lucky stood across from him. The room, designed for agitated and mentally unstable patients, was so small that there was no other furniture in it. The walls were padded and the light fixture secured behind a metal cage.

Lucky raised his gaze to meet The Preacher’s. Why did he feel so nervous? He was the one free to come and go. He had won, by God.

“Nice place you got here,” Lucky said, lounging against the wall.

The Preacher only smiled. “We won’t be here long, Agent Cavanaugh,” he replied. “Just long enough for my people to take care of loose ends. Have you spoken to Mrs. Ryan this morning?”

“Leave her out of this. What did you want to talk to me about?”

“But she
is
our main topic of discussion, Agent Cavanaugh.” The Preacher tilted his head as if Lucky were a slow study. “I gave you your chance back at the cabin, more than one chance, in fact. What happens next is entirely your responsibility. I did everything I could to protect both you and Mrs. Ryan. Please keep that in mind.”

Lucky swallowed hard as The Preacher’s words hit him. Bluffing, the maniac was bluffing. Had to be—Vinnie was safe, on her way here. Wasn’t she?

He remembered Vinnie telling him about the number of followers The Preacher had near Lost River, remembered the police barricade they’d narrowly escaped that first night. 

No, The Preacher was good, but not that good. No way he could have planned for all this, coordinate a kidnap attempt while in custody. He was just trying to rattle Lucky.

“I’m out of here.” Lucky called his bluff. “Let me know when you want to have a serious conversation—starting with your real name.”

“You’ll be getting a phone call shortly, Agent Cavanaugh.” The Preacher seemed unfazed, settled himself into a more comfortable position on his cot. “Then we’ll talk more—starting with your apology to me.”

Lucky took an involuntary step toward the prisoner. He grabbed The Preacher’s hospital gown and twisted the neck tight, forcing The Preacher to raise his head and face him.

“If anything happens,” he sputtered, unable to control his fury any longer, “if one hair on her head—”

The door opened behind him, then strong arms yanked him away from The Preacher, hauling him from the room. The Preacher’s laughter followed him out, mocking him until the door stopped it.

The State Trooper released Lucky, and he stalked down the hall. Rose’s footsteps echoed his, her hand steered him into a small, empty break room.

“I’m not going back in there,” Lucky started. “I won’t be responsible for anything that happens if I do.” 

He paced the length of the room, kicking several innocent chairs out of his way and spun on his heel. “Where’s Vinnie?” he demanded. “I want to see her, talk to her. Now!”

Before Rose could answer, the hospital operator paged him overhead, alerting him to a call. Lucky blew his breath out in relief. It was Vinnie, he hoped. He grabbed the receiver from the wall.

“This is Cavanaugh.”

“Agent Cavanaugh, we’re acquaintances of the man you met on top of Lost River Mountain. We have a friend of yours here with us.”

The words hit Lucky with the force of a grenade detonating. His stomach clenched as he fought to keep his composure. He turned his back, hid his face from Rose. 

“Go ahead, put her on.” To his relief, Rose moved to the door. “It’s Vinnie,” he mouthed to her with a fake smile. She nodded, leaving him in the privacy of his own personal hell.

“Sorry, not how it works,” the voice continued. “You bring us our friend, in good health and alone, then we’ll give you your friend.”

Lucky slammed the flat of his palm into the wall, didn’t even feel the impact. “I’m not doing anything until I know she’s alive.”

The long silence on the other end ate its way into Lucky’s gut. 

“We’ll call you back in ten minutes,” the voice finally conceded.

The line went dead, and with it Lucky’s hope died as well.

CHAPTER 41

Rose leaned against the break room door, shamelessly eavesdropping. Damn, she’d known The Preacher still had something up his sleeve. She moved away to a private corner in an empty exam room and pulled out her cell phone.

“Theresa,” she said into the phone, “I need a dump on the call that came in here three minutes ago. Also, start monitoring all in-coming calls to the hospital and give me an update on the Troopers who were escorting Vinnie Ryan.” 

Rose waited, bouncing on the balls of her feet. She couldn’t believe she was contemplating this, Billy would tell her she was crazy—but what the hell good was doing this job if she couldn’t protect her own people?

Theresa returned with no good news. The State Troopers had arrived at the diner to find Vinnie already gone, no one knew where. The call had come from a gas station in Hancock, Maryland. Pay phone.

Rose thought furiously. Obviously The Preacher would want Lucky to break him free. 

She knew Lucky, he’d do it to save Vinnie. Even though it meant freeing the man who planned the deaths of thousands. Even though The Preacher would probably kill both Lucky and Vinnie in the end. 

Lucky would feel compelled to try. It was one of the things Rose liked best about the ATF agent, his unwillingness to ever give up.

He’d need a vehicle, a way to get past the guards. And Rose was going to give Lucky everything he needed.

“Theresa, put a trace on my car and start monitoring it,” she ordered the communications tech as she sped down the hall to the room where EZ and Hollywood were analyzing the hard drive. “My eyes only. Understand?”